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Thursday, July 2, 2020

If you are considering moving into a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC), you will find there are a variety of contract types. This week, we hope to help you understand the different contracts associated with this communities...

 

Tuesday, June 30, 2020

Imagine working your entire life and amassing a fortune, but not having control over what happens to that money after your death. How do you make sure that your assets go to the right people and places? The answer is: estate planning...

 

Thursday, June 4, 2020

Many of us aren’t addressing the realities of retirement planning. This week, we are going to look at some of those items and how to make sure you incorporate them into your planning. The first reality is underestimating your...

 

Friday, May 29, 2020

Tuition costs only continue to increase, making education planning even more important. In honor of 529 plan day, we decided to give a quick overview of some of the most important features 529 plans offer! What is a 529 Plan? A 529...

 

Wednesday, May 20, 2020

Do you picture yourself owning a new home, starting a business, or retiring comfortably? These are a few of the financial goals that may be important to you, and each comes with a price tag attached. That's where financial planning...

 

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Tuesday, May 12, 2020

A financial plan is an important tool for everyone, whether you are young and just starting a career, married with young children to care for, well into your career with dreams of purchasing a vacation home, starting a new business,...

 

Tuesday, May 5, 2020

Most people would argue that living in a digital world, with instant access to an endless stream of information has made us smarter and more self-empowered than past generations. Investors believe that it has “leveled the playing...

 

Thursday, April 30, 2020

As anyone would have expected, the extraordinary convergence of extreme stock market volatility, low interest rates, declining retirement savings accounts, and chronic economic sluggishness has taken a severe toll on our psyches. For...

 

Thursday, April 23, 2020

According to Business Insider, a total of 306.3 million people or about 95% of the US population have been issued a stay-at-home order. We are told that the most important thing we can do right now is to social distance, and we have...

 

Monday, April 13, 2020

During this pandemic, we must protect ourselves in more ways than just our health. Now is the time to protect ourselves from tax-related fraud and identity theft. Our current environment is new and unfamiliar for everyone, which the...

 

Monday, April 6, 2020

The massive fiscal response to the coronavirus pandemic has been fast and enormous. To put it in perspective, the Obama administration package during the financial crisis was $750 billion, and this first big stimulus package is $2.3...

 

Tuesday, March 31, 2020

The coronavirus has caused a lot of anxiety, and one of the most googled questions right now is “do I need a will?” According to a 2017 study, nearly 42% of Americans said they have a will or another type of estate planning...

 

Thursday, March 19, 2020

The pandemic (aka COVID-19) is here and we’ve found ourselves socially isolating and in search of a good supply of toilet paper. When markets fall as rapidly as they have over the last few weeks and the country is going into...

 

Tuesday, February 25, 2020

If you work at a publicly traded company, you may be given employer stock or the opportunity to purchase employer stock in your retirement plan, most commonly in an ESOP or 401k plan. Typically, the funds in your retirement account...

 

Friday, February 14, 2020

In our final series on ways a fee-only financial planner can help you during your different stages of life, we go over the various ways we help those nearing retirement. For many of those nearing retirement, making sure they are truly...

 

Tuesday, February 4, 2020

You may be at the point in your life when your children are through school and on their own, and you are faced with a new challenge: elderly parents. This is a tough topic for many of us, as we struggle with how to best help them. In...

 

Friday, January 24, 2020

In our previous piece in this series, we went over how a fee-only financial planner can help you when you get married. Another stage of life that a financial planner can help you through is when you start a family. When starting a...

 

Friday, January 17, 2020

In continuing our series on what a fee-only financial planner does for you, we are going to look at married couples. Getting married is one of the biggest transitions you may experience in your life, and we work with both of you to...

 

Thursday, January 9, 2020

No matter what stage you are at in life, a fee-only financial planner can be a huge resource to you when it comes to finding the best course of action to aid you in achieving your personal and financial goals. In this series, we are...

 

Thursday, December 19, 2019

In our previous series on behavioral finance, we went over some of the most common biases we see when individuals invest their money. There are also other tendencies that we experience when handling our money which are largely driven...

 

Friday, December 13, 2019

In the traditional finance world, it is assumed that every investor is objective and makes rational decisions, thus making the markets efficient. As history shows, that is typically not the case! Investors tend to make irrational...

 

Monday, December 9, 2019

The Holiday season is here! While this is the most wonderful time of the year, shopping for gifts can cause some stress to the already busy holiday season. The National Retail Federation estimates that consumers will spend an average...

 

Friday, November 22, 2019

In the last two series on open enrollment, we went over some health insurance benefits that could be a piece to your financial plan. In this final series on open enrollment, we are going to touch on other various employer benefits that...

 

Thursday, November 7, 2019

In continuing our series during this open enrollment period, we are going to look at a couple of ways to save for qualified medical expenses. Two of the most common vehicles used for medical expense savings is through Flexible Savings...

 

Friday, November 1, 2019

It’s that time of year again- open enrollment! Open enrollment is a period of time during the year that you get to enroll or change your health insurance benefits. Texas open enrollment runs from November 1st to December 15th,...

 

Friday, October 25, 2019

In the first two series on ways to plan for incapacity, we talked about how disability insurance can be an important piece to your financial plan. The purpose of disability insurance is to replace your income for you and your...

 

Friday, October 18, 2019

When considering disability insurance as a part of your financial plan, it can be difficult to imagine and plan for the unknown. You may be wondering what the odds are of becoming disabled and not being able to work, but statistically...

 

Friday, October 4, 2019

In our last series, we talked about the basics of life insurance, and depending on your financial situation, life insurance can be key to the success of your financial plan. Life insurance replaces your income for your dependents after...

 

Friday, September 27, 2019

As we are approaching the end of Life Insurance Awareness Month, we hope that you have a clearer understanding of how life insurance can fit in your financial plan. In this final series, we are going to talk about an important yet...

 

Thursday, September 12, 2019

In our first series on life insurance, we discussed the various types of policies offered, along with when each type of policy would make sense in your life. Now that you have an idea of which type of policy meets your needs,...

 

Thursday, September 5, 2019

For many people, particularly those with young families, their greatest asset is likely their ability to earn an income in the future. This makes life insurance one of the most important parts of their financial plan. We insure our...

 

Thursday, August 29, 2019

With Labor Day rapidly approaching and your recent high school graduate ready to head off to college, you have probably made a long to-do list and checked it twice. Dorm room décor, microwave-ready meals, and school supplies are...

 

Friday, May 31, 2019

How many password-protected accounts do you have? If you keep mental inventory, use a password manager, or have a written record of your passwords (which is not recommended by anyone), take a quick count. You’re likely to find...

 

Monday, May 20, 2019

Throughout history people have made inheritance choices that are inexplicable to others. In 1968, Quaker State Refining Corporation heir Eleanor Ritchey left $4.5 million to her dogs. She had 150 of them. The will was contested and, by...

 

Monday, April 15, 2019

Many of us aren’t addressing the realities of retirement planning. When discussing retirement planning with prospective clients, here are some of the issues we find most families haven’t considered: Underestimating life...

 

Friday, March 29, 2019

Medical expenses have been steadily increasing for years. Over the past 5 years, the rate of increase has been 6%, and that trend is expected to continue for the foreseeable future, according to a June 2018 report from PwC. While...

 

Wednesday, October 10, 2018

Remember the television classic, Green Acres? Eddie Albert, who portrayed a New York City lawyer, and Eva Gabor, who portrayed his sophisticated spouse, move from the big city to the country – and it’s not quite what they expected...

 

Monday, October 1, 2018

Here’s a number that will knock your socks off: $400 trillion.1By 2050, the retirement savings shortfall in eight of the world’s largest economies is expected to reach $400 trillion, according to estimates from the World Economic Forum...

 

Thursday, August 30, 2018

Labor Day is set aside to celebrate the social and economic achievements of American workers. It was proposed as a holiday by Matthew Maguire in 1882 while he served as secretary of the Central Labor Union in New York, NY. The labor...

 

Wednesday, August 29, 2018

How long will you live? How long will you live? It’s not a question anyone can answer with any certainty, and that creates a significant risk when planning for retirement. Your retirement may last for a long time, and you will need to...

 

Thursday, August 2, 2018

In recent years, investors have largely ignored geopolitical risks. Russia’s invasion of the Crimean Peninsula, the Brits’ vote to leave the European Union (EU), unrest in the Middle East, and other global events have not affected...

 

Thursday, July 5, 2018

In the olden days, the word ‘subscription’ typically was applied to just magazines and newspapers. Today, that’s not the case. Americans are buying everything from meal kits to baby products to vitamins by subscription. A McKinsey &...

 

Monday, July 2, 2018

On July 4, 1776, the American colonies banded together and declared independence from Great Britain. The countries had been at war for more than a year due to a number of issues, particularly in regards to harsh taxation and a lack of...

 

Thursday, June 28, 2018

To the relief of many South Africans, Day Zero has been pushed back to 2019. Day Zero is the date on which Cape Town will run out of water, and its four million residents will begin to collect daily water rations of about seven gallons...

 

Thursday, June 14, 2018

There are many perceived requirements of being a dad. “One of the jobs of a good dad is to help kids become a little tougher, a little more resilient, a little more separate…dads push kids to leave the nest; they brush off the dirt...

 

Wednesday, June 6, 2018

The words ‘bear market’ have been bandied about a lot lately. When you read or hear them, remember to respond the same way you would if you saw an actual bear in the woods – by staying calm and keeping your wits about you. A changing...

 

Thursday, May 24, 2018

If you’ve ever composed a grocery list in your head while driving carpool and listening to your children discuss who got in trouble at school and why, then you know what it’s like to have your attention divided. If you’ve ever worked...

 

Thursday, May 10, 2018

Mother’s Day is almost here! We all have moms and, whether they gave birth to us or not, they have helped us become the people we are today. Here are 10 reasons moms are so important, adapted from Psychology Today:11. She gave birth to...

 

Thursday, April 5, 2018

Technology is a life changer. GPS has improved interpersonal relations by eliminating arguments about asking for directions. Apps for car services, food delivery, video streaming, news media, and social media have changed the way we...

 

Wednesday, March 28, 2018

“There’s no place like home.”1Conjuring an image of ‘home’ was a lot easier for Dorothy than it is for people who are on the cusp of retirement. After all, isn’t retirement supposed to be a new start? Aren’t retirees supposed to wave...

 

Wednesday, March 14, 2018

It’s almost time to don green and gold. That’s right, March 17 is upon us. There’s more to the holiday, however, than eating corned beef and cabbage and celebrating the Irish. For instance, St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland,...

 

Tuesday, February 27, 2018

Here’s a number most people would like to see on an annual statement: 21.6 percent. That was the annual return for the Standard & Poor (S&P) 500 Index during 2017. In general, U.S. stock indices did quite well last year – and the year...

 

Monday, February 12, 2018

If you’re looking for a gift that will express your love better than chocolates or a bouquet of flowers, don’t fret. Trendhunter.com has some innovative and unconventional suggestions:• Literary love tattoos. Perhaps, you’d like Rainer...

 

Tuesday, January 30, 2018

Here’s a riddle for you: Some people are reluctant to start me, unless I’m automatic. I’m frequently exhausted when I don’t roll over. I’m sometimes left behind. Retirees devour me. What am I? Answer: A retirement savings plan.New jobs...

 

Thursday, January 11, 2018

Most Americans know Martin Luther King, Jr. was a Baptist minister and the leader of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States until he was assassinated in 1968. Test your knowledge with this quiz about Dr. King.1. Before...

 

Wednesday, January 3, 2018

Fifteen years ago, a Health Services Research report described the challenges ahead for the United States as the Baby Boom generation aged into retirement. Four issues were paramount: 1) improving payment and insurance systems for...

 

Thursday, December 28, 2017

The last bear market in bonds began in the middle of the last century and lasted for about 31 years. Some investors who bought bonds in 1950 locked in relatively low rates of return for a very long time. On January 1, 1950, 10-year U.S...

 

Thursday, December 28, 2017

New years bring new adventures, and 2018 is no different. To paraphrase Ed Sullivan: 2018 could be a really big year. Here are a few of the events we can look forward to:• Men’s World Cup in Russia. CBS’s power rankings put Brazil at...

 

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

“The holidays are often seen as a time of joy: ruddy cheeks, festive parties, and twinkling laughter, all wrapped in a warm, tinsel-framed glow. It’s the most wonderful time of the year! It may be the ‘season to be jolly,’ but not...

 

Wednesday, November 29, 2017

There is a simple and unsettling reality in the United States. Most Americans are not financially prepared for retirement. There is a simple and unsettling reality in the United States. Most Americans are not financially prepared for...

 

Sunday, November 19, 2017

Thanksgiving is the mother of all family dinners. It’s a celebration of our great nation and the many blessings that occur when people unite together in the spirit of communication. As you’re gathered around the table this year, here’s...

 

Wednesday, November 8, 2017

All too often, we assume the men and women who fought for our country can take care of themselves. Unfortunately, that isn’t always the case. There are some important ways ordinary Americans can help those who are returning from battle...

 

Monday, October 30, 2017

Retirement and Social Security are inextricably linked. Not only did Social Security help establish the official U.S. retirement age at 65, it also provides a significant portion of today’s retirees’ incomes. Retirement and Social...

 

Friday, October 27, 2017

Halloween is almost upon us! Whether you’re wearing a costume, decorating your yard/house, or handing out treats, you won’t be alone. More than 179 million Americans are expected to participate in 2017’s Halloween festivities – and...

 

Wednesday, October 4, 2017

Smartphones are incredibly handy. That may be why about three of every four Americans own them.1 On average, smartphone users spend almost three hours a day – 86 hours every month – using their phones. They send texts and email,...

 

Thursday, September 28, 2017

How times change! In 1940, half of Americans finished their education in eighth grade. College degrees were relatively rare. Just 6 percent of men and 4 percent of women had one.1During the past 80 years, college has become far more...

 

Wednesday, September 13, 2017

The Equifax breach is potentially very serious as the personal information of nearly 1 of every 2 Americans has been compromised. Access to your most personal information is at risk including your names, Social Security numbers, credit...

 

Monday, September 11, 2017

You've worked hard your whole life anticipating the day you could finally retire. Well, that day is right around the corner! This time is certainly exciting, but with it comes the realization that you'll need to carefully manage your...

 

Thursday, August 31, 2017

Labor Day is about a lot more than the end of summer and the start of a new school year. The holiday, which celebrates American workers, became a federal holiday in 1894 and was created to recognize the contributions and achievements...

 

Wednesday, August 30, 2017

In a 2002 interview with Mike Wallace, former First Lady Nancy Reagan said she often reread the love letters written by her husband, former President Ronald Reagan. The letters, which had sustained and enriched their relationship,...

 

Friday, July 28, 2017

While some may be concerned about the iconic American meat that arrives in a rectangular 12-ounce tin (and is inexplicably popular in certain island states and American territories), more should be wary of its namesake – the spam that...

 

Wednesday, July 12, 2017

The idea of Artificial Intelligence (AI) may bring to mind movies like Terminator, Wall-E, and Transcendence, but the reality of AI is expected to help people find answers to some significant issues. For example, a PwC survey found:1 •...

 

Friday, June 30, 2017

On July 4, 1776, the American colonies claimed independence from Britain. This declaration eventually led to the formation of the United States. As we celebrate the birth of our great nation, test your knowledge with this brief quiz.1...

 

Thursday, June 29, 2017

The bull market in U.S. stocks has been charging ahead for more than eight years.1 While that’s young in people years, it’s ancient in bull market terms. Since World War II, the longest bull market in U.S. stocks lasted for almost...

 

Thursday, June 15, 2017

You’re probably familiar with ‘20 Questions.’ It’s a classic long-distance-car-trip game that encourages creativity and deductive reasoning. On this Father’s Day, try playing a version that can help you learn a lot more about your...

 

Tuesday, May 30, 2017

Wouldn’t it be something if you could plump up your retirement savings as easily as you can put on a few pounds eating fast food? Here’s one way to do it: Open a health savings account (HSA). It offers a triple tax advantage and you...

 

Thursday, May 25, 2017

Memorial Day is a day of remembrance for those who have given their lives in the service of our country. See what you know about Memorial Day by answering a few questions from an AARP quiz.1 1. Memorial Day was created to honor...

 

Thursday, May 11, 2017

Changing diapers, arranging play dates, driving car pools, calming squabbling siblings, attending musicals and sporting events, chaperoning proms, coaching teams, helping with college applications…moms have a lot of responsibilities....

 

Thursday, April 27, 2017

We are all, inexorably, marching toward old age. By 2030, 72 million Americans will be age 65 or older.1 The good news is longevity has been improving, and people are remaining healthy and vibrant at older ages. The bad news is...

 

Monday, April 3, 2017

Some people may name a medical device or implant, such as a hearing aid, an artificial joint, or a pacemaker. Others may say they couldn't live without their electric bikes, GPS devices, tablets, or food processors. A surprisingly...

 

Thursday, March 30, 2017

It’s tax season! Every year, around this time, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) publishes its dirty dozen – a list of scams criminals use to try and ferret out personal information and/or steal money.1 For example, if you received an...

 

Wednesday, March 15, 2017

It has been said everyone in America is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day. Whether you have Irish ancestry or merely enjoy a good celebration, test your knowledge of the old country by taking this quiz. 1. What is Gaeltacht?1a. A region of...

 

Monday, February 27, 2017

More than one-half of working Americans know little or nothing about Medicare costs.1 Not knowing can be expensive. On average, people who haven’t yet retired estimate they’ll spend approximately $50,000 on health care after retirement...

 

Friday, February 10, 2017

The celebration of Valentine’s Day is attributed to Geoffrey Chaucer who wrote a poem about love and St. Valentine in the 1300s. Although this poem did not mention chocolate, the tasty treats have since become a Valentine’s Day...

 

Monday, January 30, 2017

How many times did you login to a digital account today? It probably was more than once. Some people access digital sites via computer or tablet, but many others rely on their phones. Deloitte recently reported the essentials of life...

 

Thursday, January 12, 2017

In 1964, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. received the Nobel Peace Prize. He accepted the award and took the opportunity to articulate his hope the civil rights movement would be successful, as well as his hope for all mankind:1 “…I must...

 

Tuesday, January 3, 2017

…And, it may have some thorns. There’s something you should know about retirement. It’s not as easy as everyone makes it seem. Remember what life was like when you tied the knot? How about once you had children? Or, when you accepted a...

 

Thursday, December 29, 2016

Holiday Greeting - The Way You Eat in 2017 What can we expect in the New Year? If international food consultancy Baum + Whiteman is correct, we may find ourselves embracing new food trends including:1 • Restaurants without seats. We...

 

Thursday, December 29, 2016

Retirement IncomeHere’s a million dollar question: How will you transform your savings into income that will last throughout your retirement?1There are probably as many answers to that question as there are retirees. However, all...

 

Wednesday, December 21, 2016

We hope your holidays will be filled with family, friends, merry-making, and good cheer. One way to ensure a happy holiday season is to stay safe online. Here are a few tips that may help. 1. When using public Wi-Fi at a hotel, coffee...

 

Tuesday, November 29, 2016

For about 35 years, investors have enjoyed a bull market in bonds. At the start of 1982, the interest rate on 10-year U.S. Treasury bonds was 14.2 percent. By November 1, 2016, interest rates had fallen to 1.8 percent.1 Since bond...

 

Tuesday, November 22, 2016

Thanksgiving is America’s second favorite holiday,1 and it offers something for everyone. You can enjoy family togetherness, feasting, football, school plays, parades, gratitude, and, of course, shopping. If you’re a traditionalist,...

 

Wednesday, November 9, 2016

“American soldiers in battle don’t fight for what some president says on TV. They don’t fight for Mom, apple pie, the American flag. They fight for one another. ”1 Stars and Stripes used the words of Lieutenant Colonel Harold “Hal”...

 

Friday, October 28, 2016

In the 1970s, a TV episode of The Odd Couple taught viewers never to assume.1 It’s a lesson we appear to have forgotten. Many Americans assume Medicare will provide financial assistance to help with long-term care costs in retirement....

 

Thursday, October 27, 2016

People of a certain age will remember ‘It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.’ The animated television special debuted in 1966,1 way back when there were only a few channels and you had to get out of your seat to change them from one...

 

Friday, September 30, 2016

That’s how much Americans had spent on pain relief medications and treatments when the Institute of Medicine (IOM) completed its report in 2011. If you factor in lost productivity, the economic cost of pain rose to more than $560...

 

Thursday, September 29, 2016

If you ask people what creates stress in their lives, money is often at the top of the list. Stress in America: Paying With Our Health found money was a somewhat or a very significant source of stress in the lives of 64 percent of...

 

Thursday, August 25, 2016

I’ve been asked before if umbrella insurance is really necessary or is it just a way for the insurance companies to skim a little more income from their clients. My answer is: Dollar for dollar, umbrella insurance is one of the...

 

Friday, November 8, 2013

Many of us are facing the challenges of caring for a parent. This can be somewhat daunting particularly if we are still meeting the needs of our immediate family. It can also be challenging if the person who needs care is having...

 

Thursday, October 17, 2013

How will you choose to allocate your accumulated wealth during the course of your lifetime? The decisions are complicated and very personal. Philanthropic giving can create an opportunity to balance the obligation of providing for your...