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Monday, December 4, 2023

There are a number of ways to fill gaps in your Medicare coverage and/or to get assistance with Medicare costs: 1. Job-based insurance: If you or your spouse is still working, and you have insurance through that job, it may work with...

Friday, December 1, 2023

Happy December! As we find ourselves reflecting on the moments that made this past year special, we extend our warmest wishes to you and your loved ones during this festive season. Winter is here or will be soon, depending on how you...

Tuesday, November 28, 2023

The Internal Revenue Service recently bumped the income thresholds for its tax brackets by 5.4% for 2024, its latest adjustment to account for elevated rates of inflation. The move is unlikely to produce a material change on most...

Monday, November 13, 2023

In lieu of shiny silver discs, now is the time to stress-test your streaming mix. After all, which services are you using enough to make it worth the money? You can assess which ones you really use, employ smart cancellation tactics...

Wednesday, November 1, 2023

November has arrived with its own unique charm: leaves falling to the ground, the air turning crisper, and Thanksgiving just around the corner. This year, Thanksgiving falls on November 23rd. Though turkey and pumpkin pie...

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Tuesday, October 31, 2023

After writing about personal finance for years, I always encounter things people shouldn’t do with their money: Running up huge bills, using stock brokers as “financial consultants” and not saving money for retirement...

Tuesday, October 17, 2023

This is one of those stretches when you may want to avoid looking at your investments. Performance reports for the three months that ended in September are arriving now, and they are ugly. The vast majority of mutual funds and...

Tuesday, October 10, 2023

At a time when many people feel like they’re working more than ever, some are going to great lengths to never lift a finger again. The FIRE movement, which stands for Financial Independence, Retire Early, is a lifestyle and...

Saturday, October 7, 2023

October means fall is officially here, and crisper days and autumn-themed activities are filling our calendars. One of your activities may include visiting a pumpkin patch in search of the perfect pumpkin. More than 800 million...

Monday, October 2, 2023

We are coming up on a seasonal turning point in the stock market. October is special for three reasons: 1. It is the month when history’s most spectacular market crashes have occurred, most famously in 1929 and 1987. 2. Yet it is...

Monday, September 25, 2023

Ever since the tax overhaul of 2017, millions of Americans haven’t gotten key tax breaks for giving to charity. But a growing group of seniors can still reap remarkable benefits from donations—if they put up with hassles...

Monday, September 18, 2023

New rules that take effect in 2024 for “529” plans will give owners of such accounts more incentive to fund them and give account beneficiaries a way to jump-start their retirement savings. But 529 investors should be...

Tuesday, September 5, 2023

Student loan experts give their advice on payments restarting for millions of Americans in October. Millions of Americans will see their expenses rise sharply this fall. Federal student loan payments are back after a pause of more than...

Friday, September 1, 2023

Hello Fall! Though the summer heat may still be holding on, cooler days will be here before you know it. The autumnal equinox on the 23rd of this month marks when the days will start to become shorter than nights, and the calendar...

Monday, August 21, 2023

Most people go to college in order to better their lives and earn a degree that translates into the working world. On the flipside, parents and college kids may be rightfully stressed about the financial implications of pursuing higher...

Monday, August 14, 2023

Retirement paves the way to a new and exciting chapter of our lives. Like popping the cork from a long-awaited champagne bottle, this is the moment of relief when, for the first time ever, we now have ample time to travel the world,...

Monday, August 7, 2023

“If the current annual inflation rate is 7.9 percent, why do my bills seem like they’re 10 percent higher than last year?”1 Many of us ask ourselves that question, and it illustrates the importance of understanding...

Tuesday, August 1, 2023

August marks the final hurrah of summer. If you’re a gardener, it’s time to reap what you’ve sown as many summer vegetables are ready to be harvested – watermelon, corn, peaches, tomatoes, cucumbers – the...

Monday, July 31, 2023

What workers anticipate in terms of retirement income sources may differ considerably from what retirees actually experience. For many people, retirement income may come from a variety of sources. Here’s a quick review of the six...

Monday, July 17, 2023

What does it mean to enhance your financial aid eligibility?If you qualify for federal financial aid, there are a number of strategies you can try to implement to enhance the amount of aid your child will receive when you apply for...

Monday, July 10, 2023

Three important developments occurred recently in the world of federal student loans: the U.S. Supreme Court blocked an executive order offering loan cancellation to certain borrowers; Congress set anexpiration date for the payment...

Monday, July 3, 2023

On June 8, 2023, the S&P 500 index closed at 4,293.93, just over 20% higher than its lowest recent closing value of 3,577.03 reached on October 12, 2022.1 According to a common definition of market cycles, this indicated that the...

Saturday, July 1, 2023

The warm embrace of July is upon us, and I hope this message finds you beaming with summer vibes and a heart full of sunshine! Grab a refreshing iced beverage and find a shady spot while we offer ideas and some fun facts about the...

Monday, June 26, 2023

You may have heard about the horrors of probate, but in truth, probate has gotten an undeservedly bad reputation, especially in recent years. If you bypass probate, your estate will go to your beneficiaries without any court proceeding...

Monday, June 19, 2023

In late May 2023, Congress sent a letter to U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel saying that it will introduce legislation to correct several technical errors in the SECURE 2.0 Act. The letter, signed...

Monday, June 12, 2023

The Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023, signed into law on June 3, 2023, suspends the federal debt ceiling until January 2025. The legislation also includes a number of spending cuts. It is estimated to reduce federal budget deficits by...

Friday, June 9, 2023

As you know, in the financial industry we take privacy and identity verification very seriously (it’s part of our ongoing effort to best protect clients and their assets). In recent years, we’ve begun adding a...

Monday, June 5, 2023

You're beginning to accumulate substantial wealth, but you worry about protecting it from future potential creditors. Whether your concern is for your personal assets or your business, various tools exist to keep your property safe...

Thursday, June 1, 2023

Welcome to June, when the gentle embrace of summertime brings us longer days and brighter skies. June beckons us to immerse ourselves in celebrating events, fostering connections, and creating memories that will last a lifetime. Its...

Monday, May 22, 2023

Approximately 70 million people today receive some form of Social Security benefits, including retirement, disability, survivor, and family benefits.1 Although most people receiving Social Security are retired, you and your family...

Monday, May 15, 2023

The SECURE 2.0 Act, passed as part of an omnibus spending bill in December 2022, added new exceptions to the 10% federal income tax penalty for early withdrawals from tax-advantaged retirement accounts. The Act also expanded an...

Monday, May 1, 2023

At any age, health care is a priority. But when you retire, you should probably focus more on health care than ever before. That's why it's particularly important for women to factor in the cost of health care, including long-term care...

Monday, May 1, 2023

What’s not to love about May! As the days get longer and the weather gets warmer, May brings a host of reasons to celebrate. It’s the perfect time of year to get outside, appreciate the beauty of nature, and spend time...

Monday, April 17, 2023

The SECURE 2.0 Act, passed as part of an omnibus spending bill in December 2022, added new exceptions to the 10% federal income tax penalty for early withdrawals from tax-advantaged retirement accounts. The Act also expanded an...

Monday, April 10, 2023

Financial markets reacted turbulently to the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) on March 10, 2023, followed two days later by the failure of Signature Bank of New York. With $209 billion in assets and $175 billion in deposits, SVB...

Saturday, April 1, 2023

Happy April Greetings! What do rain showers, baseball, and Earth Day have in common? They all happen in April! So whether you’re anticipating May flowers, enjoying the opening of our national pastime, or renewing your focus...

Wednesday, March 29, 2023

The tax filing deadline is fast approaching, which means time is running out to fund an IRA for 2022. If you had earned income last year, you may be able to contribute up to $6,000 for 2022 ($7,000 for those age 50 or older by December...

Monday, March 20, 2023

The IRS has identified 21 states that made special payments to taxpayers in 2022. After a review of those special payments, the IRS has determined that taxpayers in many states will not need to report those payments on their 2022...

Monday, March 6, 2023

On January 19, 2023, the outstanding debt of the U.S. government reached its statutory limit, commonly called the debt ceiling. The current limit was set by Congress at about $31.4 trillion in December 2021.1On the day the limit was...

Wednesday, March 1, 2023

Welcome to March! It’s no secret that many of us are anxiously awaiting the first day of spring on March 20th, along with daylight saving time starting on 3/12. Beginning this month, we’ll start to see extended...

Monday, February 20, 2023

The SECURE 2.0 legislation included in the $1.7 trillion appropriations bill passed late last year builds on changes established by the original Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act (SECURE 1.0) enacted in 2019....

Sunday, February 12, 2023

IntroductionWhether you should purchase a long-term care insurance (LTCI) policy depends on your financial ability, age, health status, retirement objectives, and whether you have assets you want to protect. Once you've made the...

Friday, February 3, 2023

Due to recent increases in the price of fuel, the IRS has increased the optional standard mileage rates for computing the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business purposes for 2023. However, the standard mileage rates...

Wednesday, February 1, 2023

Welcome to February! Despite being the shortest month of the year, February often seems to last forever, with limited daylight and a lingering chill in the air. The calendar might imply that we’re nearing the end of winter,...

Monday, January 23, 2023

Long-term bonds generally provide higher yields than short-term bonds, because investors demand higher returns to compensate for the risk of lending money over a longer period. Occasionally, however, this relationship flips, and...

Monday, January 9, 2023

Amid the 1,650-page, $1.7 trillion omnibus spending legislation passed by Congress  last week and expected to be signed by President Biden were several provisions affecting work-sponsored retirement plans and, to a lesser degree,...

Sunday, January 1, 2023

Wow, kinda hard to believe it’s 2023 already! Doesn’t the past 12 months seem like a blur? And yet, here we are with a clean slate ahead of us and a world of possibilities. Even in astronomy, there is a sense of new...

Monday, December 19, 2022

You may donate money to charitable organizations throughout the year, for no other reason than your heart-felt desire to support causes that you care about. But if philanthropy is important to you, keep in mind that the associated tax...

Monday, December 12, 2022

The Biden administration has announced another extension for repayment of federal student loans to an unspecified date in 2023 due to legal challenges that have blocked implementation of the student loan debt relief program. The...

Monday, December 5, 2022

Every year, the College Board releases new college cost data and trends in its annual report. The figures published are average cost figures based on a survey of approximately 4,000 colleges across the country.Over the past 20 years,...

Thursday, December 1, 2022

Welcome to December. This time of year makes us all feel something. It may be happy; it may be sad; it may be giddy or stressed. But as we approach the end of a challenging year (to say the least), the one thing WE are...

Monday, November 14, 2022

Here are some things to consider as you weigh potential tax moves between now and the end of the year.1. Defer income to next yearConsider opportunities to defer income to 2023, particularly if you think you may be in a lower tax...

Monday, November 7, 2022

In late September 2022, the U.S. dollar hit a 20-year high in an index that measures its value against six major currencies: the euro, the Japanese yen, the British pound, the Canadian dollar, the Swedish krona, and the Swiss franc. At...

Monday, October 17, 2022

Medicare's Open Enrollment Period — which runs from October 15 through December 7 — is your annual opportunity to switch your current Medicare health and prescription drug plans to ones that better suit your needs. Just in...

Monday, October 10, 2022

Do you have a will?A will enables you to specify who you want to inherit your property and other assets. A will also enables you to name a guardian for your minor children.Do you have healthcare documents in place?Healthcare documents...

Wednesday, October 5, 2022

The CHIPs and Science Act of 2022, signed into law on August 9, is a bipartisan legislation package that provides more than $50 billion in direct financial assistance for semiconductor companies to increase U.S.-based design, research,...

Monday, September 12, 2022

On August 24, 2022, just a few days before federal student loan repayment was set to resume, President Biden announced a plan for additional student loan debt relief.Federal student loan repayment was originally halted in March 2020 at...

Monday, August 29, 2022

While creating an estate plan is a common part of a financial plan, creating a family legacy is equally as important when thinking about how you want the wealth you’ve built to be distributed. In addition to including your family...

Monday, August 22, 2022

In an early July poll, 58% of Americans said they thought the U.S. economy was in a recession, up from 53% in June and 48% in May.1 Yet many economic indicators, notably employment, remain strong. The current situation is unusual, and...

Tuesday, March 15, 2022

You may have to make estimated tax payments if you earn income that is not subject to withholding, such as income from self-employment, interest, dividends, alimony, rent, realized investment gains, prizes, and awards. You also may...

Tuesday, March 15, 2022

As Teddy Roosevelt once observed, “Old age is like everything else. To make a success of it, you've got to start young.”1 The challenges seniors have met throughout their lives have made them wiser and stronger, preparing...