Blog
Smart Things to Do with a Year-End Bonus
If you are anticipating an annual bonus this year, it’s wise to come up with a thoughtful plan for the extra cash before it comes so you can get the most benefit from it. If you need more time to consider your options, deposit...
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Estate Planning Myths
Estate planning can be one of the most misunderstood aspects of financial planning, however, it’s a vital part to ensure your assets and family are protected. Unfortunately, common myths convince many they don’t need to...
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Are Capital Gains Taxes Changing?
There are a lot of questions about President Biden’s Build Back Better plan and potential tax law changes, including an adjustment to capital gains taxes.One of the proposals Congress is considering sets the top rate for taxing...
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What are Rule 72(t) Distributions?
Need to access some cash sooner than expected? You probably know that the earliest you can tap into your retirement savings without penalty is age 59.5, the threshold established by the IRS. However, as with most things in our...
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Should You Work After Retiring?
65 is the new 55!Advances in medicine, technology and nutrition have added nearly 10 years to American life expectancy over the past few decades. While formal “retirement age” hasn’t changed much, expectations around...
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Why Estate Planning Is Important Today
Plan for tomorrow, today.That seems like sensible advice, doesn't it? Yet a surprising number of people leave no estate plan in place for their survivors. It makes a certain amount of sense. Nobody likes talking about death. But this...
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Do You Qualify for the Child Tax Credit?
There are no two ways around it: childcare is expensive! In many cities, it can cost nearly as much as the mortgage or rent payment, which puts parents in a Catch-22: they have to work to afford childcare, but they need childcare in...
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Cyber Security Alert: Joker Virus
We strive to keep you informed of important news and so want to share this alert: First identified in 2017, the Joker Virus has been detected again on applications in the Google Play app store. This malware seeks to subscribe you to...
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401(k) Millionaires
Your workplace retirement account can play a critical role in your overall retirement strategy. However, some have gone further with the accounts than others, especially recently.CNBC reported on findings that place 401(k) accounts at...
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Are You Ready for the Second Act of the S.E.C.U.R.E. Act?
Recently, you may have seen headlines regarding the Securing a Strong Retirement Act, also referred to as the second version of the SECURE Act, or SECURE Act 2.0.As the bill moves from the House of Representatives to the Senate, many...
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Inflation & the Real Rate of Return
The real rate of return is an important personal finance concept to understand.It’s the rate of return on your investments after inflation. The real rate of return indicates whether you are gaining or losing purchasing power...
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It’s the Perfect Time…
Summer brings the perfect time for BBQs with friends, fun in the sun, and making memories at the beach or pool. With the first half of the year in the rearview mirror, summer also gives us a chance to perform a mid-year assessment on...
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Protecting Your Wealth From Your Health
We often hear the question; how do I protect my assets? This can become a very lengthy topic, so we will focus on one subject that we potentially can have some control over. One often overlooked area of financial planning involves...
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Choosing an Executor for Your Will
Most of us recognize the importance of creating a thorough, well-reasoned estate plan. But, we may not give adequate thought to choosing the right executor to carry out the provisions of our wills. It’s a responsibility that...
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Avoid Becoming the Bank of Mom and Dad
You spend your whole life raising your children to be self-sufficient. You give them your time, your love, and your money to set them up for success. So, what do you do when your now-adult-child asks for financial aid?As more baby...
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Disaster Preparedness: Plan for the Unexpected
We hope you never experience a devastating disaster, but if you do it’s best to be prepared! Take time in advance to thoughtfully build and review your disaster preparedness plan. It will help reduce the fear and anxiety of the...
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Don’t Let a Loved One Become a Statistic
Every year in June, National Safety Month focuses on reducing causes of injury and death in the workplace, on the road, at home, and in our communities by making safety a priority. It’s an intentional time to identify and...
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The Whims of Wall Street
It can be exhausting trying to keep up with the whims of Wall Street.Lately, the financial markets have been fixated on federal taxes and what may be proposed on Capitol Hill in the weeks and months ahead.Wall Street’s focus on...
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IRA Rollovers for Terminated Employees
Have you been let go at work? What happens to the money you have saved in your employee retirement plan?If you have been terminated by your employer, you have 4 choices when it comes to your retirement plan money:Cash it out (and lose...
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Investor Sentiment Is Shifting
A recent survey shows that 63% of investors are more interested in protecting their financial assets and planning for uncertainty in the future than anything else.1There are many reasons for this change, but here are a few of the most...
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Five Saving Secrets
Are you saving for the future?People often come to me asking for financial advice. Some want to know how to invest or diversify the money they’ve saved, but others admit to me they’re just not sure how to save. If...
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The Double Edged Sword of Credit
Managing debt is an integral part of financial literacy. It can be used to help reach your goals, or it can be a hindrance, depending on how you use it. While in general, the less debt you have, the better. Knowing what types of debt...
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The Fundamentals of Investing – Do you Know Them?
A key component of financial literacy is understanding the basics of investing. Investing doesn’t have to be complicated! You’re trading access to your money now to use later on while giving it time to potentially grow....
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Swap Living Paycheck to Paycheck for Living Budget to Budget!
Setting up a budget is relatively simple; sticking to your budget can be much harder! Ask yourself why you want or need a budget in the first place – that way, you have a goal in mind! Think about aligning your budget to a...
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Saving for your Dreams Should Start Right Now!
Knowing what you earn and having a solid budget are two necessary steps in managing your money. If you have both of these in place, you’ll want to set up plans to save for expenses you need to cover in the short term, long term,...
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Financial Literacy—Can you Pass the Test?
Happy Financial Literacy Month! You may have heard or come across the term financial literacy as you’ve learned how to navigate finance and make monetary decisions. But, what does Financial Literacy really mean? In its simplest...
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Economic Predictions: What Lies Ahead?
It can be easy to overlook the nation’s solid economic fundamentals when the financial media splashes stories every day about an army of amateur traders, short-selling mania, and initial public offerings (IPOs) that double in...
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Medicare and Cancer Care
While we all hope its something that will never affect us personally, cancer is a worry to all who are impacted by it. Along with the anguish of being diagnosed with cancer, many patients are also hit with major medical bills for...
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Contemplating a Second Career?
As you think toward your retirement dreams, they could certainly include visions of travel, relaxation, and family. But retirement often looks different today than it once did. With second careers becoming more and more popular, one...
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Changes to Paycheck Protection
On Monday, Feb. 22, the White House announced several changes to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) that went into effect on Wednesday, Feb. 24. These changes are intended to further target “the smallest businesses and those...
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Earnings Season Gets Underway
Every few months, you may hear the phrase “earnings season” as you listen to financial news.But what exactly is “earnings season,” and why is it important to Wall Street?Earnings season is the time when a...
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Cyber Security at the Forefront of Our Business
The damage related to cybercrime is expected to reach $6 trillion by the end of 2021 as reported by CyberSecurity Ventures*. They also reported that companies will spend nearly $133.7 billion to defend against ongoing cyberattacks...
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Celebrating Black History Month
Every February, Americans celebrate Black History Month. This year, we invite you to join us in remembering the accomplishments of black citizens, past and present, which are an integral part of American history.Whether it’s the...
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Protecting an Aging Parent From Fraud
When you were young, your parent most likely warned you not to trust strangers. As your parent grows older, it’s time to return the favor. Seniors are frequent targets for financial scams, many have considerable assets and...
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2021 Tips for Cyber Security
As we’ve seen, data breaches, such as the Russian-based SolarWinds attack that was announced late last year, can have major impact on online security. In light of these recent data breaches, we wanted to send along some tips to...
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Smart Things to Do with a Year-End Bonus
If you are anticipating an annual bonus this year, it’s wise to come up with a thoughtful plan for the extra cash before it comes so you can get the most benefit from it. If you need more time to consider your options, deposit...
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2021 Off to a Fast Start
The first week of 2021 has already had many ups and downs. Just because it’s a new year doesn’t mean that the 2020 issues go away, and so far, 2021 has been no exception to this rule.The markets opened on January 4 and...
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Why You Should Set Up Your Online Social Security Account
For many of us, Social Security plays an important part in our financial plans for retirement or later stage of life. Even if you’re years away from applying for benefits, there are good reasons to set up your online Social...
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Keeping your eyes on the goal
As the struggle to control COVID-19 drags on, many of us experience periodic fatigue from distancing, negative headlines and future uncertainties. Staying disciplined when weary is difficult but crucial to short-term financial...
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Will the Grinch Steal Christmas?
The start of the holiday shopping season can provide important clues about the economy's state and, more importantly, overall consumer confidence. So far, the results have been a “mixed bag” with empty malls and busy...
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Markets & Marriage
Your investment strategy is a lot like a marriage. One day you may feel like everything’s going swimmingly. The next day, there might be an argument over who forgot to load the dishwasher. And even the best marriages and...
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Estate Planning Myths
Estate planning can be one of the most misunderstood aspects of financial planning, however, it’s a vital part to ensure your assets and family are protected. Unfortunately, common myths convince many they don’t need to...
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December 2020: Retirement Readiness
This month's Retirement Readiness newsletter discusses the allure of encore careers, how women can prepare for retirement, offers an inside scoop on pickleball in retirement, and discusses when you need a will. Have a great day!...
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End of the Year Planning
One of the best ways to evaluate progress toward achieving your financial goals is with an annual review. After Thanksgiving and towards the end of the new year is an ideal time to conduct this appraisal. It shouldn’t be a time...
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The Social Security Administration Announces 2021 COLA
On October 13, 2020, the Social Security Administration (SSA) officially announced that Social Security recipients will receive a 1.3 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for 2021. This adjustment will begin with benefits payable...
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FAFSA Applications Are Now Open
Applications for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) are now open for the academic year 2021-22. Applying for the FAFSA allows you to qualify for grants, scholarships, and other federally-sourced aid, such as...
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Election 2020: Managing Your Emotions
It’s a startling statistic.45% of consumers with $100,000 or more investable assets expect to make changes to their investments due to the upcoming 2020 presidential election.1Second-guessing your investment strategy is natural,...
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Protect Yourself From Cyber Crime
The pandemic has showcased how much we rely on the internet, which makes it possible to virtually work from home, shop, attend religious service and stay connected with family and friends. Unfortunately, those conveniences come with...
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Safe Ways to Safely Celebrate Halloween 2020!
The countdown to Halloween is officially on! Bags of candy fill the store shelves and scary costumes are flooding aisles. Due to the ongoing pandemic, Halloween may need to look a little different this year to keep your family and...
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