Estate planning in the digital age
These days, the line between the “real world” and the “digital world” is blurrier than ever. Talking to a friend could mean texting and making a photo album might mean on the cloud. As convenient as this synergy is during everyday affairs, it can add an extra layer of complexity to estate planning. To truly […]
Make the most of your teen’s summer job with a Roth IRA
Did you know a key part of your retirement strategy can also be a tool to help jump-start your kids’ financial future? We’re talking about Roth IRAs. If your child has earned income—from a summer job, for example—they’re eligible to contribute to a Roth IRA. This can create multiple opportunities for both you and your […]
530A accounts and July 4th
July 4 marks not only the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, but also the official launch of 530A accounts, commonly referred to as “Trump Accounts.” Created under the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB), these new tax-advantaged accounts are designed to encourage long-term saving and investing for children. Since their introduction, […]
Decoding Social Security’s spousal and survivor benefits
Social Security can feel complicated, from how the benefit gets calculated to the best age to start payments. The details can get even more complicated when you bring spousal benefits into the equation. To help, we’re going to go over some of the basics about spousal benefits and review a few of the common scenarios […]
Planning for kids with special needs
If you’re raising a special needs child, you may benefit from specialized financial planning. A good financial advisor can help you get a handle on the additional expenses that you may encounter over the next few decades and the resources available to help protect your family’s assets throughout the process. This article can help you […]
Mutual funds vs. ETFs: Which is better?
Mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are two ways to invest in a group of assets via a single product. So how are they different and which one is better for your your portfolio?
Tax prep versus tax planning
There’s a common misconception that financial advisors handle everything related to a client’s finances, including their taxes. In reality, this is rarely the case. To understand what financial advisors can (and can’t) help with, it’s essential to understand the difference between tax preparation and tax planning. Who handles tax preparation? The term “prepare” can be […]
Before you buy an annuity, read this
As you begin to plan for income in retirement, you may start to hear about annuities. These products can provide a “guaranteed” income stream for a period of time, making them a helpful tool for retirement planning. In our experience, annuities tend to be one of the most misunderstood products available to help folks nearing […]
The truth about trust funds
Trusts (or trust funds) are one of the more commonly misunderstood concepts in financial planning. While many people have heard of trusts, their impressions tend to be rooted in pop culture references, which can provide a very skewed view of what trusts are, and what they can do. In actuality, trusts are a diverse financial […]
4 ways to make your charity go further
Charitable giving is bigger than dollars and cents. So when clients want to build charitable giving into their financial plan, we start there: What do you want to accomplish, and why is this cause important to you? That can help us figure out innovative ways to maximize your impact. It may be a simple case of donating something small each month. Often, however, giving strategically can help you do even more good.