Blog
When Should I Start Taking Social Security: 5 Factors to Consider
Whiles there is no universal “best” claiming age, claiming earlier (money sooner) vs. delayed benefits (larger monthly amounts for life) is a tradeoff that is often underappreciated.
Read MoreTeaching Teens and Young Adults Financial Literacy Through Real-Life Decision Making
Teach through real decisions, not lectures. Give teens responsibility with clear limits so they learn from real trade-offs. Use structure and don't rescue. Be thoughtful and think long-term. Gradually shift from control to guidance.
Read MoreHelping Adult Children Buy a Home: How to Gift a Down Payment The Smart Way
Key TakeawaysHere are some questions this blog aims to answer:How can parents or grandparents help with a down payment for adult children?What are ways to gift a down payment, and how do the annual gift tax exclusion and lifetime...
Read MoreThree Numbers Every Woman Should Know
Key TakeawaysHow much wealth are women on track to control in the next decade, and why does that matter?What does the life expectancy gap between women and men mean for how long money needs to last?How common is it for women to be...
Read MoreTax Prep vs. Tax Strategy: The Difference Matters More Than You Think
Key TakeawaysTreat tax strategy as a continuous process, not a once-a-year filing exercise.Coordinate with financial and tax professionals throughout the year to identify opportunities for efficiency.Review contribution limits,...
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Understanding the Emotions Behind Financial Decisions
Key TakeawaysEmotions and biases might influence financial choices more often than most people realize.Behavioral patterns, such as loss aversion, familiarity bias, and herd mentality, can impact long-term results.Recognizing emotional...
Read MoreAI and the New Face of Fraud: How to Protect Your Identity and Finances in 2026
Artificial intelligence (AI) may be the most revolutionary technology of our time, with industries scrambling to embrace its possibilities. AI’s early influence seems similar to the positive disruptions brought about by past...
Read More2025 in Review and What You Should Know
As we begin a new year and consider the opportunities ahead, reflecting on the past year helps put today’s financial landscape into perspective and informs the strategies that can move us closer to our goals.2025 was a year marked by...
Read MoreGoal Setting That Sticks: Simple Ways to Turn January Motivation into Lasting Wins
Key Takeaways and Suggestions for Successful Goal Setting Use SMART Goals for Clarity and FocusSet goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. This proven method helps break big ambitions into manageable...
Read MoreYear-End Giving Strategies: Tax-Smart and Impactful
Key Takeaways A third of annual donations: About one-third of all charitable contributions are made in December. Donating before December 31 may offer tax advantages. New rules starting in 2026 (via the OBBB Act) may affect deductions...
Read MoreThe True Costs of Caring for Aging Parents
Key Takeaways Caring for aging parents is a growing reality for many Americans. The number of family caregivers in the U.S. has jumped to 63 million, a 45 percent increase over the past decade, making 1 in every 4 Americans a...
Read MoreMoney Talks: How to Use Holiday Gatherings to Start Family Financial Conversations
Key Takeaways Year-end holidays may be a good time to initiate a discussion about financial matters that may impact your family. If you have adult children, you may want to discuss your financial situation, estate strategy, and legal...
Read MoreShould You Pay Off Your Mortgage Early?
Receiving a bonus, inheritance, or an increase in income often prompts a key financial question: Should I use this money to pay off my mortgage, or invest it? At first glance, the answer might seem simple. But in reality, it requires...
Read MoreA 2025 Guide to Protecting Seniors from Fraud
If you’ve found yourself stepping into a more active role in your parents’ financial lives, you’re not alone. Some of us are helping aging parents navigate everything from healthcare decisions to bill payments—and increasingly, we’re...
Read MoreSmart Moves to Consider Before Year-End
The final months of the year can sneak up quickly, and with them come deadlines, decisions, and distractions. Before the holiday season takes over your calendar, fall can be a valuable window to revisit your financial strategy and...
Read MoreBreaking Down the One Big Beautiful Bill Act: What You Need to Know
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA) included lower federal income tax brackets, bigger standard deductions, and higher gift and estate tax exemptions, among other provisions. The law stipulated that some of those tax breaks would...
Read MoreWhy More Families Are Choosing to Gift Wealth Earlier—and How to Do It
Estate management isn’t just about what happens after you’re gone— it’s also about what you can do now to help manage future estate taxes, transfer wealth strategically, and attempt to create a meaningful impact during your lifetime....
Read MoreWhat You Need to Know About the 2025 Changes to Inherited IRA Rules
The rules regarding inherited IRAs have changed in the last five years, and failing to comply with the new requirements may result in IRS penalties. These changes affect people inheriting IRAs and those looking to leave retirement...
Read MoreBeyond Salary: Understanding Your Total Compensation
Compensation is more than just a number on a paycheck. Whether you're exploring new opportunities, preparing for a promotion, or evaluating your current benefits, it’s important to understand the full value of your total...
Read MoreHow Much Do You Really Know About Stock Market Indexes?
While you may follow the various stock indexes on the nightly business news, how much do you know about their histories, how they work, and why they're important? We pulled together some information and interesting facts about some of...
Read MoreHow Do You Turn Retirement Savings into a Reliable Income Strategy?
6/25 You’ve likely spent years building your retirement nest egg—saving diligently, investing wisely, and contributing to retirement accounts along the way. But transitioning from earning a paycheck to relying on your savings can feel...
Read More“The Four Most Dangerous Words In Investing Are: ‘This Time It’s Different.’” – Sir John Templeton
Despite those who say the conventional wisdom that has guided investor actions over the years is no longer valid in 2025, remember the famous quote from legendary investor Sir John Templeton: "The four most dangerous words in investing...
Read MoreWhat’s the Job Market Look Like for 2025 Graduates?
It’s graduation season—a time of celebration and new beginnings. For families with college seniors, this time can bring both excitement and uncertainty. While some graduates have jobs lined up, many others still are navigating job...
Read MoreFrom College Acceptances to Affordability: Considerations for Families in the Final Stretch
April is a pivotal time in the college admissions process. After years of preparation, saving, and investing—not to mention the countless hours spent on exam prep, campus visits, and perfecting applications and essays—the finish line...
Read MoreIs It Smarter to Buy or Rent a Second Home?
As summer approaches, your thoughts may drift toward escaping your daily routine. Whether your idea of a perfect vacation is sitting on a pristine beach, fishing in a mountain lake, or playing the back nine between pickleball matches,...
Read MoreSpring Into Financial Wellness: Actionable Steps for Financial Literacy Month
April isn’t just about filing taxes—it’s also Financial Literacy Month, a perfect opportunity to reflect on your financial habits, expand your knowledge, and take meaningful steps toward improving your financial well-being. Whether...
Read More10 Things You Can Do Now to Help Simplify Your Estate for Your Heirs
One of the greatest gifts you can give your loved ones is a thoughtful estate strategy that outlines your wishes after you are gone. Discussing estate details with your team of professionals is another way to help manage your legacy...
Read MoreThe Evolving Role of Women in Family Finances
March is Women’s History Month, and according to a recent survey, 49% of women consider themselves to be the chief financial officer of their households, up from 41% in 2021.1 Those numbers are even more impressive when you consider...
Read MoreDon’t Leave Money Behind: Finding Your Missing 401(k)s
You've worked hard throughout your life to build assets to support your retirement. As financial professionals, one of the most critical functions we provide is helping clients determine their retirement income needs and structuring a...
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Tax Season Is Almost Over – What We Can Learn?
So, income tax season is almost over (for this year). What now?If you’re like many people, you’re just happy to have finished preparing your taxes with TurboTax (or the equivalent, if you’re a DIY-er and that’s...
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What I’ve Learned From My 3 Biggest Investing Mistakes
I have a small “confession” to make: even financial advisors can make poor decisions with money—and that very much includes myself. Just because I’m a financial planner and have worked in the finance industry...
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What Is A Backdoor Roth IRA? (And Why It Might Benefit High-Income Earners)
There’s a reason Americans love Roth IRAs—they come with some big tax benefits. But for some high-income earners, Roth IRAs might feel “out of reach”.But are they?As it turns out, there is a method that can...
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What Should I Do With My Idle Cash?
Idle cash might sound like a neutral term but having idle cash on hand could mean you are missing out on opportunities with those funds, especially during times of inflation. When you have more cash sitting in your bank accounts than...
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Personal Financial Monitoring: What to Monitor, How to Monitor, and Why?
Conventional wisdom has it that “You cannot change what you do not measure.” The quote says “measure,” but I will take a small liberty and call it monitor, or monitoring—measuring the same piece(s) of data...
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401(k) vs. IRA: The Pros and Cons of Both
Depending on where you work or if you are self-employed or a business owner, there are many ways to save for retirement, and each savings vehicle has its own considerations. Two of the most popular retirement investment accounts are an...
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How Much Stock From One Company Is Safe to Own?
It’s common knowledge that a few companies seem to dominate the stock market year after year, catching the eyes and attention of many investors. We understand these companies can be hard to ignore! For this reason, many...
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How I Continue Working With Financial Planning Clients: Part 2
In the first article of this series, I shared the first three steps of the financial planning process I use with my clients. In this article, I will be discussing steps 4 through 7. No matter how clients come to decide that they...
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How I Begin Working With Financial Planning Clients: Part 1
Many people ask me, “What would it be like to work together in a financial planning relationship?” I think this is a very important question to answer because “financial planning” has become the new buzzword in...
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Should You Keep That Rental Property?
When it comes to investing, many investors have been attracted to owning rental properties. While it may provide a steady stream of income, owning rental property is not always “passive income.” There are many things to...
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Should You Participate in Your Employee Stock Purchase Plan?
A good benefits package is a great way for employers to attract and retain talent. Having perks like healthcare insurance, retirement plans, and even an office gym can certainly convince people to work for an employer. Some benefits...
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My Investment Philosophy: The Relationship Between Risk and Return
During the last 25 years, while taking finance classes in graduate school and then studying for professional certifications in finance, I have probably experienced most of the traditional academic discussions about risk and return. Two...
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Your 2022 Social Security Guide
With retirement comes plenty of decisions. What accounts do you withdraw from first? What Medicare plan should you use? And Social Security? That alone can be overwhelming. Even though you may be excited to start a new chapter of your...
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The 3 Biggest Financial Mistakes I See
Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan.” I think this quote speaks to the fundamental importance of taking a proactive approach toward achieving goals, and it can be aptly applied...
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How to Develop a Personalized Retirement Income-Generating Strategy
A lot of people used to think that 4% was a safe withdrawal rate. If you only withdrew 4% of your retirement savings a year, it would be enough to last at least 30 years. This meant that if you needed $120,000 a year to live...
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3 Reasons Why Inflation Is So High & How to Tell if it Will Last
If you’ve been following the news lately, you’ve probably heard commentators and analysts debating about the dramatic rise of inflation and whether it is “persistent” or “transitory.” What may have...
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Is Wealth Destroyed in Roth IRA Conversions?
More and more, we have been having conversations with clients discussing possible Roth IRA conversions. With very few exceptions, the primary concerns they have with converting tax-deferred dollars out of their IRAs (and those that...
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Does it Make Sense to Refinance Your Mortgage?
“Should I refinance my mortgage?” This is a question I hear frequently from clients, friends, and family. It has been happening more lately with interest rates having come down so low—and now that inflation is...
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A New Way of Thinking About Personal Financial Planning
Personal financial planning can feel like a big and overwhelming topic…so big and overwhelming that it’s easier not to think about it. This is also true for the related sub-topics: investments, insurance/risk management,...
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Who We Serve & How We Can Help
Finances can be a major cause of stress. Finding the time and resources to build and manage your wealth confidently can be a challenge. Even harder is understanding how to integrate your family’s values, financial circumstances,...
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Why I Became A Financial Advisor
Our experiences in life shape us and can often lead us to pursue opportunities or make changes so that we don’t have to relive the past. My most durable early memories related to “finance” were 1) watching my parents...
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Why I Became A Financial Advisor
Like many people, I didn’t always know what I wanted to do with my career. And in many ways, my story is one of continuing to take the next step and pursue open doors, resulting in some surprising twists and turns. Thankfully,...
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Why I Became A Financial Advisor & Started My Firm
Often the influence of others leads us down a particular path, especially a path not anticipated. My interest and subsequent passion for helping clients with financial matters began with my father-in-law’s interest in the...
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Gamestop Craziness
The story of recent market craziness came to the fore with the episode of GameStop. The series of events speaks to many points, not the least of which is the importance of understanding what you are doing before you take on any complex...
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Stock Prices and Returns
The difference between the performance of capital markets and the general economy, especially the unemployment rate, has raised many questions and made markets seem to be illusory. In some ways this is a reasonable perception...
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Uncertainty Versus Risk
We have always lived in a world of unexpected and uncertain events. The challenge is how we enhance our confidence so we can achieve the life we envision? Do we manage a portfolio or comprehensive financial structure? Are we only...
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You Can Accomplish a Lot with the Right Budget Plan
This year has made demands on the finances of almost everyone. With depleted resources, we must all have a plan to rebuild and stabilize our finances. With commitment and time, you can manage your money even when there is...
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Savings or Debt Paydown?
Should you pay debts first or save? Use these guidelines to decide. In the last post (“Dec 2020 – You Can Accomplish a Lot with the Right Budget”), I discussed managing your budget. This post will suggest some...
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Paul Samuelson on Retirement Planning
Paul Samuelson was one of the great American economists. He transformed the MIT Economics Department, was the first American to win the Nobel Prize in Economics and advised various presidents. Recently his son published and interesting...
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Money Management Ideas
In my last post (“Oct 2020 – Financial Literacy”) I discussed the recent survey of financial attitudes for young adults. Here then are some ideas about managing finances which can apply to people of all ages....
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Financial Literacy
The lack of financial literacy has been a well-known issue for many years. The economic downturn from the pandemic has stressed personal finances greatly and made the issue of financial literacy even more severe. The 2018 Schwab Young...
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Managing Uncertainty with Protective Reserves
The condition of the world today has highlighted that we not only face risks but also face the uncertainty that accompanies the turmoil caused by the risks. The economic downturn, levels of unemployment, and challenges to maintain our...
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No Orphan Shares
We are all swept up in the turmoil and uncertainty related to the health issues of Covid19 and its consequences for travel, entertainment, and investments. World-wide the capital markets have dropped significantly causing much concern....
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Misconceptions About Retirement
The mere thought of retirement can be overwhelming, if not frightening. The transition to retirement comes with lots of complex and unique risks that warrant consideration. Too often these risks come misconceptions about planning,...
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The Implications of an Aging Population
The World Health Organization has declared the decade starting 2020 as the Decade of Healthy Ageing. Actually the world is undoubtedly entering a pivotal period. Countries all over the world face tremendous pressure to...
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Questions to Ask Your Financial Advisor
We have no lack of options these days. Whether it’s choosing a restaurant or finding a doctor, there are so many choices that it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and doubt your decision. When it comes to choosing a financial...
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Savings Rates
We all know that Americans as a whole do not save a lot of money. An often cited statistic is that Americans save 4% of their income. However, the latest savings statistics for 2018 shows that amount at only about 2.2% of their income...
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Your Financial Year in Review
This year has brought a robust economy. Millions of Americans are enjoying higher incomes or new jobs thanks to the economy. The stock market has swelled the retirement investments across the board. It has also been a year ripe...
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Markets and Timing
Believe it or not, there are actually some people unhappy that the markets have risen so much this year. These curmudgeons are skeptical and worried about a market decline. Somehow they manage to be afraid both when markets are up or...
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