Tag: Financial Planning

Charitable Lead Trusts

Mar 10, 2023

Charitable Lead Trusts
How they work, how they may help you reduce taxes.

Are you concerned about the inheritance taxes your heirs may have to pay? Then you may want to consider creating charitable lead trusts. (more…)

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Taking Charge of Your Financial Life

Feb 13, 2023

Trending Data
A windfall from a loved one can be both rewarding and complicated.

When you are putting together a household, it isn’t unusual to delegate responsibilities. One spouse or partner may take on the laundry, while another takes on the shopping. You might also decide which one of you vacuums and which one of you dusts. This is a perfectly fine way to divvy up household tasks and chores. (more…)

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What Happens When There Are No Beneficiaries

Feb 8, 2023

Blank Book on desk
Where do these accounts and policies end up?

Some accounts have no designated beneficiary. Rarely, the same thing occurs with insurance policies. This is usually an oversight. In exceptional circumstances, it is a choice. Without beneficiaries what happens to these accounts and policies when the original owner dies? (more…)

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Required Minimum Distribution 101

Aug 3, 2022

Required Minimum Distribution
Understanding mandatory retirement account withdrawals.

If you are approaching your seventies, get ready for required minimum distribution. You may soon have to take RMDs, as they are called, from one or more of your retirement accounts. (more…)

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Ways to Repair Your Credit Score

Jul 29, 2022

Laptop and Credit Card
Steps to get your credit rating back toward 720.

We all know the value of a good credit score. We all try to maintain one. Sometimes, though, life throws us a financial curveball and that score declines. What steps can we take to repair it?

Reduce your credit utilization ratio. Your credit utilization ratio (CUR) is the percentage of a credit card’s debt limit you have used up. Simply stated, if you have a credit card with a limit of $1,500 and you have $1,300 borrowed on it right now, the CUR for that card is 87%. Carrying lower balances on your credit cards tilts the CUR in your favor and promotes a better credit score. (more…)

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Midyear Outlook 2022: Navigating Turbulence

Jul 18, 2022

Market Update
Market Update

Markets rarely give us clear skies, and there are always threats to watch for on the horizon. But the right preparation, context, and support can help us navigate what lies ahead. So far, this year hasn’t seen a full-blown crisis like 2008-2009 or 2020, but the ride has been very bumpy. We may not be flying into a storm, but there’s been plenty of turbulence. How businesses, households, and central banks steer through the rough air will set the tone for markets over the second half of 2022. (more…)

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3 Shrewd Maneuvers in a Down Market

Jun 29, 2022

Top Gun ManeuversIt’s natural to think “defense” during a bearish market season. But why not mix in some “offense” with your defense? Here are three moves we can discuss together that may be helpful during the current market downturn. (more…)

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Market Update: A Bear Market is Officially Here

Jun 17, 2022

Market Update
Market Update

A bear market is officially here thanks largely to stubbornly high inflation. For many of us, it has probably felt like a bear market for a while now, but the S&P 500 Index didn’t close more than 20% below its January 3 record high until Monday. Tech stocks are down a lot more—the Nasdaq Composite is more than 32% below its November 2021 record high. (more…)

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The Gift Tax

Jun 15, 2022

Not all gifts are taxable

I’d like for you to meet my friend, Hugh. He’s a retired film stuntman who, after a long career, is enjoying his retirement. Some of what he’s enjoying about his retirement is sharing part of his accumulated wealth with his family, specifically his wife and two sons. Like many Americans, Hugh likes to make sure that, when he’s sharing that wealth, he isn’t giving the I.R.S. any overtime because he knows about the gift tax. (more…)

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What Determines Car Insurance Rates?

Jun 13, 2022

Car Insurance Paper Pencin
Driver history is just one factor; there are many others.

Your car insurance premium is based on more than your driving history. The amount you pay for auto insurance is determined by a complicated algorithm that takes many factors into consideration. Your driving history is just one variable used to calculate your rate. Read on to learn more about what auto insurance carriers look at when they determine your premium. (more…)

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More Insights

Jul 15, 2024

The S&P 500 strung together 37 record highs this year aboard an 18.1% rally, as of July 10. The advance has largely been powered by a handful of mega cap names tied to technology and/or artificial intelligence. In fact, six stocks — NVIDIA (NVDA), Microsoft (MSFT), Apple (AAPL), Amazon (AMZN), Meta (META), and Alphabet (GOOG/L) … Continue reading “Market Performance is a Tale of Haves & Have-Nots”

Jul 12, 2024

Investors are people, and people are often impatient. No one likes to wait in line or wait longer than they have to for something, especially today when so much is just a click or two away.

Jul 10, 2024

You can prepare for the transition years in advance. In doing so, you may be better equipped to manage anything unexpected that may come your way.

Jul 8, 2024

When developing your estate plan, you can do well by doing good. Leaving money to charity rewards you in many ways. It gives you a sense of personal satisfaction, and it can save you money in estate taxes.

Jul 5, 2024

How healthy a retirement do you think you will have? If you can stay active as a senior and curb or avoid certain habits, you could potentially reduce one type of retirement expense. Each year, Fidelity Investments presents an analysis of retiree health care costs. In 2023, Fidelity projected that the average 65-year-old couple would … Continue reading “Retirement Wellness”

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