The popularity of trusts as an estate planning technique rises and falls with changes to the “unified credit.” The unified credit is the amount of assets a person is allowed to transfer to others during or after their lifetime without paying taxes on those gifts...
March 2019 marks the ten-year anniversary of the stock market bottom in 2009 as a result of the global financial crisis (GFC). For some, the recession is a distant memory- there are students in college today who don’t remember what it was like to live...
The death of a spouse is something that no one wants to think about. Whether you are 35 or 85, the thought of suddenly being single again is frightening. When it happens, it can be devastating to the surviving partner. What should...
If you’re like me, your pet is part of your family. My dog Kylie is a huge part of my life. I do everything in my power to keep her happy and healthy and I am always trying to make the right choices to help...
Most people have heard of 401(k) plans- a tax advantaged way for employees of larger companies to save for their retirement. As traditional employer-paid pension plans have declined in usage, 401(k)s have become one of the most popular retirement benefit choices. A Solo 401(k) (also...
There are many ways that personal information can be compromised. We see reports of a new company data breach every few weeks. Unfortunately, there isn’t much individuals can do to protect themselves from these sorts of breaches, but there are ways to protect your information...
With the changes to the tax code in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, many people who previously were able to take advantage of the charitable deduction through itemizing find that they no longer can do so. However, for clients who are over...
The behavioral economist Dan Ariely has written extensively on the power of free things. “In many past experiments we have shown that people are often overly excited about things that are free (see Predictably Irrational).” He wrote a blog in 2010 where he...
A lot has been written about what financial planning is. Everything from who could benefit from a financial plan, the process, the types of problems that can be solved has been talked about over and over. There are still misconceptions out there about financial planning,...
With the new year upon us, many people start thinking about their health and finances. The two are actually intertwined and very similar. A visit to a financial planner early in the year can set you up for a financially healthy 2019. As a CERTIFIED...