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Tuesday, September 12, 2023

There are a number of reasons: It won’t happen to me—I’m not going to die anytime soon. I have more important financial priorities. I don’t want to think about dying! I’m healthy. I can get it later. Did...

 

Tuesday, September 5, 2023

Here’s some crucial information on how to document expenses during business travel.

 

Tuesday, September 5, 2023

Here’s some insights regarding the tax implications of business meals. There is a contradiction in the tax laws regarding personal living expenses, specifically personal meals and business meal tax deductions.

 

Tuesday, September 5, 2023

Changes to our tax system are not certain and are ever changing. So here we are again - a new day with new rules. Here are 5 things you need to be aware of, in no particular order.

 

Tuesday, August 29, 2023

Most people don’t even know how to answer that question, much less feel confident enough to answer with a resounding “yes.” These are the most common issues we see.

 

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Monday, August 21, 2023

A fellow advisor once told me a story about trying to help his grandmother with her life planning. “She refused,” he said. “She insisted that John, who had been her advisor and friend for years, was doing just fine...

 

Monday, August 14, 2023

Do you have a Health Savings Account? Most people do. Are you contributing to it? Most people that have one are. Are you using it now when you have medical needs? A lot of people are. WRONG ANSWER!!!!!

 

Monday, August 7, 2023

Thanks to legislation enacted over the past 5 years, you now have actual options when it comes to 529 plans. Here are some gems you may not know about.

 

Tuesday, July 25, 2023

There is no doubt that the instant availability of information has been life changing. However - if we aren’t careful - it could be our demise.

 

Monday, July 3, 2023

As a Life Planning firm, we focus on much more than money. Money is just a tool. Too many people get wrapped up in returns and money. But the real focus in your life should be what makes your soul sing. Family.

 

Monday, June 26, 2023

Student loan payments will resume in October, ending the three-year-long pause that was implemented due to the pandemic.

 

Tuesday, June 20, 2023

There should be no expiration date for good credit. You may not need to work, but you do need to work at keeping your credit in shape. The only thing constant in life is change, so stay prepared.

 

Tuesday, June 13, 2023

Do you have it? Do you have enough? Does it cover what you think it does? Life happens. Make sure you know what you need and know what you have, then act on it.

 

Monday, June 5, 2023

Technology — which makes our daily lives easier — has the potential to make things incredibly challenging for our loved ones, should something ever happen to us.

 

Monday, May 22, 2023

We’re celebrating our 15th year of publishing articles and sharing some of our 70+ years of combined experience. So, here a few of our favorite money ideas we have advised on that even experts didn't know existed.

 

Tuesday, May 16, 2023

The irony of stress is realizing it isn’t good for you, then stressing about being stressed. All of that stress you have may be for nothing.

 

Tuesday, May 2, 2023

Cash is king, but only if you couple it with a clear view of what it is for and the discipline to strategize what it needs to be.

 

Tuesday, April 18, 2023

Over 35 years of working in various fields of Life Planning has shown me that most people don’t plan to fail –they just fail to plan. I encourage you to be proactive as opposed to reactive and live your life on Purpose!

 

Tuesday, April 11, 2023

I urge you to consider long-term care planning as a chapter in your estate plan. Yes, long-term care insurance is lousy, but it may be the only option. Would be worth giving up ½ of 1% of the return on your estate to protect your estate?

 

Tuesday, April 4, 2023

The truth is that we do live in interesting times. It is also true that no one or one thing can bring you peace but yourself. Find your horizon and don’t lose sight of it.

 

Tuesday, March 21, 2023

Tax time is rapidly approaching. I want to encourage you to do one thing in 2023 about your taxes—don’t continue the grind. Stop. And let us help you map out your course for a potential Lifetime of Tax Savings.

 

Tuesday, March 14, 2023

What do you value most? We forget that our money is a tool and it should be treated as such. Prioritize your dollars to match your values and don’t delay!

 

Tuesday, March 7, 2023

Only 15% of US households contributed to a traditional or Roth IRA in tax year 2021. A Roth IRA is a retirement vehicle that can grow tax-free and can provide tax-free income.

 

Tuesday, February 14, 2023

Money Magazine interviewed several successful individuals, asking them about the smartest financial advice they have ever received. Billionaire and founder of the Virgin Group, Richard Branson shared a story about his lack of knowledge...

 

Monday, February 13, 2023

It doesn’t matter whether you own a Mom and Pop shop, a family farm or ranch, a Fortune 500 company or anything in between...When you have a family business, you often need a reality check to keep your business what it it—a...

 

Tuesday, February 7, 2023

If we’re talking about money, diversification is good. It doesn’t solve everything, but it hedges a lot of risk. As your wealth grows...the number of baskets you have grow as well. When this happens, you're also growing a new problem.

 

Tuesday, January 31, 2023

While it may sound like the title of a James Bond movie, you need to ask yourself: Is your will alone enough to keep your estate from going through probate when you die?

 

Tuesday, January 17, 2023

You may have heard some lawmakers say that because of the new law, an “army” of 87,000 new IRS agents will be coming to audit ordinary taxpayers. Here's what you need to know.

 

Tuesday, January 10, 2023

Secure 2.0 is here. This is certainly a year in which you cannot procrastinate. Call us today and let us help you navigate your Required Minimum Distribution.

 

Tuesday, January 3, 2023

As our wisdom grows so does our passionate desire to impart this wisdom on our loved ones. After all, most of our wisdom was gained by some hard knocks with good stories behind them.

 

Monday, December 19, 2022

63% of affluent 18-22 year old’s say that financial stability in retirement will depend on inheritance. Should inheritance be a retirement strategy?

 

Tuesday, December 13, 2022

It seems the more we are blessed with, the more we want to give. So is there a way to know if the money you give will be used the way you intended?

 

Monday, December 12, 2022

As your family gathers, it may be a perfect opportunity to share your estate strategy and explain your decisions regarding your wealth.

 

Monday, December 5, 2022

We have a pandemic in this nation and for once, I am not talking about COVID. This pandemic is the escalating need for long-term healthcare and how ill prepared families are for it.

 

Tuesday, November 29, 2022

Over the years, the Fed has followed a similar pattern with interest rates. It raises interest rates, then pauses, so it can see how the economy is adjusting to the higher rates.

 

Thursday, November 17, 2022

Our world is a mess, but the cleanup can start in each of us with a simple, random act of kindness. Let’s make a family challenge - What can we do to start a ripple effect of gratitude?

 

Monday, November 14, 2022

Tax season is officially over for 2022. Listen to our Life Planning 101 podcast this week with special guest Blake Briscoe, CPA, for the list of the most common Dos and Don’ts!

 

Tuesday, November 8, 2022

A lifetime of success can a feel a little overwhelming. You don’t have to do the job alone. Here are 3 important steps to help you setup a solid foundation.

 

Tuesday, November 1, 2022

Beginning January 2023, Social Security checks will increase a whopping 8.7%! This is great news, but beware! Uncle Sam may think it’s great news as well.

 

Wednesday, October 19, 2022

In 1981 we had the largest Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) on record: 11.2%. This year’s COLA increase won’t reach that high, but the Senior Citizens League anticipated it to be as much as 8.7%.

 

Tuesday, October 18, 2022

Chief Financial Officer (CFO) - noun: The person responsible for managing financial actions of a company. Duties include tracking cash flow and financial planning as well as analyzing the company’s financial strengths and...

 

Tuesday, October 11, 2022

Most Americans are working towards the stage of financial freedom commonly called retirement. This week we share what could possibly be the most important strategy you can have in retirement. You don't want to miss this.

 

Monday, October 3, 2022

Insurance is like Swiss cheese. It is not a matter of whether or not there are holes; it is a matter of how many holes there are. Here are 5 myths about life insurance.

 

Monday, September 26, 2022

What is your life goal? Is it happiness? Is it to make a difference? Take the time to create your roadmap today so you may live LIFE on purpose!

 

Monday, September 19, 2022

Here it is…10 pieces of financial wisdom that stand the test of time. The ironic thing is that is what most of us desire for our investment portfolios—to stand the test of time. Will yours?

 

Tuesday, September 13, 2022

September is Life Insurance Awareness Month. If you haven’t reviewed your insurance profile in a while, you may be surprised that what made sense in the past no longer fits your life.

 

Monday, September 12, 2022

Can you remember the last time you bought a new mattress? The difference between shopping for most things and shopping for a mattress is that we’re not sure how to price one - for most of us it has been ages since we bought our...

 

Tuesday, September 6, 2022

Think about the people you love and care about—your spouse, kids, grandkids, siblings, parents, employees. How would they fair if you suddenly died? Do you even know?

 

Monday, August 29, 2022

Here are just some of the factors that could come into play with how to maximize not just your benefits, but your entire retirement.

 

Monday, August 15, 2022

here is so much more to estate planning than having a will and telling your spouse where everything is. If you haven't made an estate plan with and for your spouse, there is still time…and we are here to help.

 

Monday, August 8, 2022

It doesn’t matter if you are retired, retiring early, retiring late, or just thinking about retiring...the fear of running out of money in retirement can turn your retirement dream into a retirement nightmare.

 

Wednesday, August 3, 2022

In the financial world, some weeks are more important than others, and we just lived through a big one. Let's unpack each of the four key stats:

 

Tuesday, August 2, 2022

How you transition your 401(k) may not be as simple as it seems. There may be some crucial planning opportunities and/or pitfalls.

 

Monday, July 18, 2022

Don’t leave your spouse and partner with a tax nightmare. Let us help you review your situation and show you any pitfalls that may be in your current plan.

 

Monday, July 11, 2022

Imagine spending your entire life building a business only to wake up at 63 and find it isn’t worth anything. Most of us think, “how sad, but that won't happen to my business…I have worked too hard or my industry is...

 

Tuesday, July 5, 2022

I like to think we all had a wake-up call to get our priorities in better order, which brings us to today. Change is happening and keeping up with it is a must. Here are five:

 

Tuesday, June 21, 2022

We raise our kids and then shout a “Halleluiah” as we become empty nesters, but our job as parents really never ends. Our adult kids are still kids in many ways—whether they live with us or not. And then there are our...

 

Tuesday, June 14, 2022

Graduation is a major step for those important young adults in our life. A parent’s goal is always to see their kids launch successfully and stay successfully launched. How do you do that? Well, we have few ideas for you.

 

Monday, June 13, 2022

Summer’s here, and the time is right for vacations, outdoor activities, and fun. It’s also a good time to consider a few financial matters.

 

Tuesday, June 7, 2022

If the market fell apart like it did in 2008, would you be sleeping well? If not, you are taking the biggest risk of all. You are taking the risk that your emotions will managing your future.

 

Monday, May 23, 2022

Inflation bites, but not as bad as our bad habits. Don’t let it be the scapegoat. You may not be able to control the price of things, but you can control the priority.

 

Monday, May 16, 2022

It’s no surprise to state that the markets have been rather treacherous as of recent. What opportunities should you be looking at?

 

Monday, May 2, 2022

Estate concerns are about more than just who gets what. Everyone focuses on the financial aspect of their legacy, but they forget to focus on what really matters—everything else.

 

Tuesday, April 26, 2022

Do you look at your money for what it is or do you look at it for what it is for? Plan for what your money is for. Know holistically what your money needs to be doing, plan for it, and stay disciplined.

 

Monday, April 18, 2022

Planning is a gift. It is a gift of peace of mind and the ability to not just survive, but to thrive. Provide your family with the tools to take care of you and your wishes with confidence because you love them.

 

Wednesday, April 13, 2022

There just isn't enough time in the day. It doesn't matter who you are, or what you do or don't do - we all have the same problem. Unfortunately, there are some things you can't delegate or don’t want to delegate--your faith,...

 

Tuesday, April 12, 2022

Knowing when it’s the right time to retire can be difficult, especially if you love your job. Even professional athletes have a hard time knowing when to walk away!

 

Monday, April 11, 2022

Recent data shows that nearly 74% of teens desire to be financially literate, and 86% want to learn how to invest.

 

Tuesday, April 5, 2022

Make the decision to rethink your thinking and make sure that your future self won’t end up with any unacceptable regrets.

 

Monday, March 21, 2022

Even though you think you have everything in order and in its place, your finances won’t stay stagnant. This means your financial house gets messy without you even knowing it. Here are some tips for your financial spring cleaning.

 

Monday, March 14, 2022

Did you know you can often choose when to pay tax? By default, you can often choose how much you will pay. There is no trick. It is simply a result of understanding how taxes work for or against your situation.

 

Monday, March 7, 2022

If you haven’t thought about your own legacy, please do. In order to help you get off on the right foot, here are some things to consider. We call it the “Who, What, When, How, Sam and Plan Approach”.

 

Monday, March 7, 2022

Emotionally and unconsciously we are always thinking of reasons not to invest in the stock market. Is there fear today? Absolutely! Just think: What would Warren do?

 

Tuesday, February 22, 2022

The only guarantee is that there are no guarantees in life. When you retire there's no guarantee what the next three years will be. The key is to plan for just this.

 

Monday, February 14, 2022

You have great power over the destiny of your family. In fact, you have the ability save your family… or destroy it. If you want success, start with your heart.

 

Monday, February 7, 2022

Today is a very different world than it was just two years ago. A retiree in 2022 still faces those same risks and concerns, but there are a few new ones that need to make the list—or at least require more attention.

 

Monday, January 31, 2022

The Federal Reserve met in mid-January, and clarified its position on monetary policy, providing the clearest hint yet about short-term interest rates.

 

Tuesday, January 25, 2022

For the first time in nearly 20 years, the IRS has released updated actuarial or life expectancy tables.

 

Monday, January 24, 2022

We are very excited to announce an expansion of our service offerings through a partnership formed of Kennedy Financial Services, Inc. and Blake M. Briscoe, CPA.

 

Tuesday, January 18, 2022

Refer to any news media and you'll see headlines about COVID, it's been that way for 2 years. No wonder important information about other areas of interest is getting buried. Here's a look back at some items that may impact your planning.

 

Monday, January 10, 2022

As life goes on, it seems to become more and more complicated. You can keep living by default or choose to live Life on purpose.

 

Tuesday, January 4, 2022

What is it about our minds that make us more impatient the closer we get to our goal? The problem sometimes develops that we become so focused on “getting there,” that we become a human 'doing' instead of a human 'being.'

 

Tuesday, December 21, 2021

It is that time of year - Christmas! It seems we are all inspired to give back during the holidays even in the smallest way. Here are a few ideas to give to your favorite causes and have Uncle Sam help you do it.

 

Tuesday, December 21, 2021

Most people have heard about the Federal Reserve, but we’ve found that few understand the many roles it plays in the overall economy over the years.

 

Monday, December 13, 2021

The rush of the holiday season is in full swing...and so is the risk of cyber-attacks. During this time of year, online activity is on the rise. According to Deloitte, e-commerce holiday sales are projected to grow 11%-15%, compared to...

 

Monday, December 6, 2021

What do you need to know or, do or not do before the ball drops on 2021 and 2022 begins? Complexity is growing every day in every corner. We are here to help you navigate through it.

 

Monday, November 22, 2021

You see it in prices at the grocery store and the gas station. You feel it in your monthly budget. So why don’t the financial markets seem too concerned about inflation? Remember, financial markets are considered...

 

Tuesday, November 16, 2021

It’s that time of year when families get together, laugh, tell stories, and eat too much. And like most holiday movies, some of it is remembered fondly all year - and some of it you just grit your teeth to get through. No matter...

 

Tuesday, November 9, 2021

While it’s still too early to draw any final conclusions, Congress is getting closer to outlining what tax law changes are under consideration to pay for the proposed $1.75 trillion Build Back Better Plan.1 For now, it appears...

 

Monday, November 1, 2021

How much house can I afford? How much car can I afford? How much horse trailer can I afford? Can I afford a second home? Can I afford a recreational vehicle? I think most of us ask ourselves this at one time or another in our lives, or...

 

Tuesday, October 26, 2021

To help raise revenue to pay for President Biden’s Build Back Better Plan, Congress is considering a number of tax law changes, including adjusting estate taxes. One of the proposals would reduce the estate tax exemption to...

 

Monday, October 18, 2021

Suppose you were born in 1952 and your grandparents had scrimped and saved $10 a month for you during the first 18 years of your life. Had this investment averaged 8% every year until your retirement at age 65, this relatively small...

 

Monday, October 11, 2021

If you are age 65 or older, you likely already know what’s in store over the next two months: Endless phone calls and ads with promises of additional benefits and lower premium health care plans. So, with salesmen battering down...

 

Tuesday, October 5, 2021

Stop for a moment and think about all of the change that has occurred since we entered this decade less than 2 years ago. Who would have thought the world would be set back on its heels? Several times in the past week I have had...

 

Monday, September 20, 2021

Bill and Sue started their business several years ago. After a few years, it began to yield good profits and the tax man began knocking. During tax season they asked their accountant what they could do to get this tax bill down and,...

 

Monday, September 13, 2021

This is the stuff they should teach you in high school… but don’t. Once you reach 18 years of age, you need to obtain the basic legal documents. It is astonishing how many individuals and families we meet without a single...

 

Wednesday, September 8, 2021

There is a bit of chaos and change in the world today. Okay, a lot. And everyone is looking for answers. Whether it is how to lower taxes and keep your hard-earned dollars, find people to work, invest in markets (financial, real...

 

Monday, August 30, 2021

"May you live in interesting times" is a phrase we often hear that is claimed to be an interpretation of a traditional Chinese curse. I can say this honestly gave me a giggle in light of the times in which we live. However, it is not...

 

Tuesday, August 24, 2021

What is going on with all this inflation? The Fed is telling us this is all transitory and to not worry. The question is, what does that mean and how does it affect us? For the most part, I believe they are right. Inflation is...

 

Monday, August 16, 2021

"Imagine two trains headed directly toward each other on the same track—their names: Inflation and Deflation. Which one will win?" -Aaron Kennedy, CFA®, CFP®, CLU®, CHFC® You may have noticed the price of goods...

 

Monday, August 9, 2021

Gone are the good ole days of working for a company for thirty years, then retiring with enough pension income that you won’t need to worry about running out of money. Now it rests squarely on your shoulders to set yourself up...

 

Tuesday, August 3, 2021

Summer jobs are a perennial aspect of the American workforce. It’s a time when teenagers are filling out applications and, in many cases, earning wages of their own for the first time. But some of what we’ve become...

 

Monday, August 2, 2021

Moving in retirement -or even right before you retire - can bring its own set of surprises… and some may not be so pleasant. Here are five things you may not know that you don’t know that could end up biting you:...

 

Tuesday, July 27, 2021

The news keeps getting better for Social Security recipients. It's now projected that benefits will increase 6.1% in 2022, up from the 4.7% forecast just two months ago. That would be the most significant increase since 1983.1,2...

 

Monday, July 19, 2021

The world around us certainly feels this way sometimes. Chaos is everywhere. Division, extremists, violence, and even hate seems to be at the root of headlines 24/7. The only certainty appears to be uncertainty. It’s hard for...

 

Monday, July 12, 2021

With June officially behind us, it’s time to face the facts: we’re headed toward the second half of 2021. While there’s still plenty of time to enjoy the rest of summer, we encourage you to slow down and check up on...

 

Tuesday, July 6, 2021

Can you believe it? 7 out of 10 people turning 65 will need long term healthcare services in their lifetime. 1. Which means we may not like it, but there will be a day the majority of us will need it. What’s the big deal? Well,...

 

Tuesday, June 29, 2021

At its June meeting, the Federal Reserve confirmed what many of us have suspected for some time: prices are rising. In fact, prices are climbing faster than many expected. In response, the Fed raised its inflation expectation to 3.4%,...

 

Monday, June 21, 2021

Investing…Just the word can be intimidating. There are so many options available when it comes to investing, a thousand different ways to invest these options and then the “how to” invest on top of all that. We have...

 

Tuesday, June 15, 2021

Recently, you may have seen headlines regarding the Securing a Strong Retirement Act, also referred to as the second version of the SECURE Act, or SECURE Act 2.0. As the bill moves from the House of Representatives to the Senate, many...

 

Monday, June 14, 2021

Recently one of the coaching groups I take part in sent an email encouraging me too take the time to write out a bucket list. To put my thoughts on the right track, they provided a sample of “101 Things to Do before You Die...

 

Monday, June 7, 2021

The number one fear in retirement is - you guessed it! - running out of money. You have relied on your personal income your entire adult career… but you also had the ability to control it, stabilize it, and even change it. You...

 

Tuesday, June 1, 2021

When it comes to suffering a disability, we all tend to think that “It can’t happen to me!” In fact, when assessing their own chances of becoming disabled, most people believe their odds of becoming disabled for at...

 

Monday, May 17, 2021

Unfortunately, this a question being asked by young adults – well, adults in general… parents and grandparents included. Although it should be, financial literacy is not a course in most schools. When considering the need...

 

Tuesday, May 11, 2021

Tax changes this year are neither certain nor necessarily permanent even if they are passed into law. Even as potential changes in taxes loom, investors would do well to stick to their long term goals yet focus on the value from tax...

 

Monday, May 10, 2021

End-of-life issues can be a touchy subject for some people. No one wants to talk about the issues before they happen, no one wants to go through them, and…no wants to talk about them after. The result: Very few people know how...

 

Monday, May 3, 2021

Regulations often change and it’s no different with the regulations involving retirement accounts like IRAs, 401(k)s, and 403(b)s among others. Staying up to date on how these changes will affect your retirement accounts and your...

 

Tuesday, April 27, 2021

The U.S. markets have recently hit another all-time! Should you be celebrating… or worried? Every year the list of “Reasons Not to Invest in the Stock Market,” originating in 1934, is updated. Market highs are a...

 

Monday, April 26, 2021

1934 Great Depression 1935 Spanish Civil War 1936 Economy Still Struggling 1937 Recession 1938 War Clouds Gather 1939 War in Europe 1940 France Falls 1941 Pearl Harbor 1942 Wartime Price Controls 1943 Industry Mobilizes 1944 Consumer...

 

Monday, April 19, 2021

Most people do! Have you considered your marital status during retirement – and its financial and social impact on you? According to the US Census Bureau, 36% of people over age 65 were single in 2019. And as of 2019, there were...

 

Monday, April 12, 2021

It is inevitable. Change is coming for 2021 and beyond. The problem is no one knows for sure exactly what that change will be. There are several things we have a good hunch will happen, and we will discuss a few key notes. No matter,...

 

Tuesday, April 6, 2021

Previously, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced that the federal income tax filing due date for individuals for the 2020 tax year had been automatically extended from April 15, 2021, to May 17, 2021.1 More time for all However...

 

Tuesday, March 23, 2021

Less than one month ahead of the traditional date, the I.R.S. has delayed the deadline for filing and paying taxes. The new deadline is May 17, 2021.1,2,3 The delay follows continued disruption from the COVID-19 pandemic and a late...

 

Monday, March 22, 2021

We’ve all heard the old adage, “Don’t put all of your eggs in one basket.” These words speak truly great advice and have led to many a success. However, it has led many others to scratch their heads and wonder,...

 

Monday, March 15, 2021

You finally got your Will done. So, your estate plan is complete, right? Well… maybe not. Donna was a widow for many years before she died. She had updated all of her legal documents just a couple of years beforehand. Her goal...

 

Monday, March 1, 2021

On Monday, Feb. 22, the White House announced several changes to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) that went into effect on Wednesday, Feb. 24. These changes are intended to further target “the smallest businesses and those...

 

Monday, February 22, 2021

There has been a lot of hype recently in regard to cryptocurrency, silver, the GameStop fiasco, and even interest rates. A lot has changed. There are a lot of things changing. Yet, “the more things change, the more they stay the...

 

Monday, February 15, 2021

$400,000 and $3.5 Million A few weeks ago, we were working with a family that could have severe estate tax issues in the future. When this risk was first exposed, the immediate response was this: We have until 2026 before anything can...

 

Monday, February 8, 2021

Is it healthy? Or...? John Hancock came up with a “healthy living” concept for their life insurance holders a few years ago. The healthier you live, the less your premiums will be, along with a few other perks – not...

 

Monday, February 1, 2021

You may have heard the news about stocks for certain companies suddenly ballooning, quickly going from lunch money prices to several hundred dollars a share. In one case, the shares rose over 1700% since December 2020.1 So, what gives?...

 

Thursday, January 28, 2021

Every few months, you may hear the phrase “earnings season” as you listen to financial news. But what exactly is “earnings season,” and why is it important to Wall Street? Earnings season is the time when a...

 

Wednesday, January 27, 2021

As parents, we encourage our children to work so they can learn important values about work and independence. At what point, if at all, do children need to file an income tax return for the money they earn? The IRS does not exempt...

 

Tuesday, January 26, 2021

Global financial crisis • stocks crash • global pandemic • record unemployment • foreclosures rise • banks collapse • markets in disarray • Wall Street panic • billions lost • retiree...

 

Monday, January 25, 2021

Recently, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced that tax season will start a little later than usual. This year the IRS will begin accepting and processing 2020 tax returns on Friday, February 12, 2021.1 In light of the December...

 

Wednesday, January 20, 2021

Join us Thursday, January 21st at 12:00 PM CST for a FREE webinar. Learn 5 risks that you need to consider in 2021. Space is limited to the first 150 attendees. You can use the links below to join: Please join my meeting from your...

 

Tuesday, January 19, 2021

As election season draws to a close, it's a great time to review what type of legislative support would be needed to pass certain policy proposals that may come forward from the Biden Administration. It's important to remember that...

 

Monday, January 18, 2021

Google How many types of trusts are there? and I dare you to find an exact number. The point is that there isn’t one. There are three primary classes of trust (Revocable, Irrevocable and Testamentary). Beyond that, though, there...

 

Tuesday, January 12, 2021

The first week of 2021 has already had many ups and downs. Just because it’s a new year doesn’t mean that the 2020 issues go away, and so far, 2021 has been no exception to this rule. The markets opened on January 4 and...

 

Wednesday, January 6, 2021

After a bit of political posturing in December, the $900 billion Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 (2021 CAA) was signed into law by President Trump as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact employers and employees....

 

Monday, January 4, 2021

Will that dream be crushed by taxes? Imagine that you’ve worked 45 years and saved all you can. Your dream now is to retire near your children so you can watch your grandkids grow up. One year out from this becoming a reality you...

 

Tuesday, December 29, 2020

Recently, Congress was able to overcome months of stalemate and agree on a 900+ billion dollars COVID stimulus package which will be included with the year-end omnibus legislation to fund the federal government. After the CARES Act,...

 

Monday, December 28, 2020

Fall/Winter is an ideal time to examine your financial health and update your financial plans. Here is a list of important things to review that might make a difference in your year-end review and plans for next year. Check all that...

 

Wednesday, December 23, 2020

Hardly a day goes by that the topic of bitcoin or other cryptocurrency assets doesn’t come up in meetings with clients and prospects or from friends and relatives who want to know, “what all the buzz is about?” The...

 

Monday, December 21, 2020

Money is funny! You need it, but you don’t. You can be SCROOGE Or you won’t! There is enough to go around Yet some of you get bound… So remember what it’s for God, food, and a little more. Things don’t...

 

Wednesday, December 16, 2020

Your investment strategy is a lot like a marriage. One day you may feel like everything’s going swimmingly. The next day, there might be an argument over who forgot to load the dishwasher. And even the best marriages and...

 

Tuesday, December 15, 2020

If you’ve ever wondered what your financial advisors do with their free-time, here’s your answer: Google geeky things like this. This happens to be one of my favorite things to look at each year. It gives us an indication...

 

Tuesday, December 8, 2020

The start of the holiday shopping season can provide important clues about the economy's state and, more importantly, overall consumer confidence. So far, the results have been a “mixed bag” with empty malls and busy...

 

Tuesday, December 1, 2020

As Wall Street pushes higher, a pandemic-weary Main Street is relearning how to manage cash flow with the hope of keeping its retirement dreams alive. Self-employed Americans, and the people working for them, account for roughly 30...

 

Monday, November 30, 2020

We won’t break out in song, but this is something to celebrate in 2020. Charitable gifting - in many cases - is providing the planning opportunity of a lifetime! Are you aware that you may deduct up to 100% of your Adjusted Gross...

 

Wednesday, November 25, 2020

As the United States sees a rise in cases of COVID-19 across the nation, news of two promising vaccines out of hundreds being tested has offered a ray of hope for a fatigued world.1 A positive reaction to these vaccines affects every...

 

Tuesday, November 24, 2020

Most of us know the story: It was 11:40 PM on April 14, 1912. Lookout Frederick Fleet spotted an iceberg immediately ahead of the Titanic and alerted the bridge. First Officer William Murdoch ordered the ship to be steered around the...

 

Monday, November 23, 2020

As an investor, it can be tempting to get caught up in daily news headlines. Consider how news about the election and COVID-19 vaccines have moved the markets over the past several weeks. But having a financial strategy can help you...

 

Wednesday, November 18, 2020

With the Federal Reserve keeping interest rates at or near zero, you may wonder about your mortgage. Is it a good time to refinance or even pay off the debt entirely? After all, your mortgage is one of the biggest expenses you may have...

 

Tuesday, November 17, 2020

Paying for college tuition can be a daunting task: for the 2019-2020 school academic year, the average cost of attendance for private colleges and public colleges is $53,980 and $26,590 respectively.1 Among those who borrow, the...

 

Monday, November 16, 2020

Now that several major news groups have projected Joe Biden the winner of the presidential election—and Congress appears divided with Democrats in control of the House and Republicans the Senate—it’s a good time to...

 

Wednesday, November 11, 2020

With all the election chatter and stock market volatility, it may have been easy to miss the ongoing uptrend in long-term interest rates. The yield on the 10-year Treasury bond is sitting just below 1%. Just a few short months ago, the...

 

Tuesday, November 10, 2020

Leading up to the election, we focused on several areas in your life that the results could have major impact on. Right now - post election - is the time to prioritize your to do list in light of the results. As I sit here writing, the...

 

Monday, November 9, 2020

After many weeks of telegraphing a long and careful ballot count, the election lived up to that prediction in races for the Senate, the House, and the presidency. While Americans voted on Tuesday November 3rd, Wall Street cast its...

 

Wednesday, November 4, 2020

On October 26, the Treasury Department released the 2021 adjusted figures for retirement account savings. Although these adjustments won’t bring any major changes, there are some minor elements to note. 401(k)s The salary...

 

Tuesday, November 3, 2020

According to the IRS: Estate Tax is a tax on your right to transfer property at your death. Due to what might be owed at your death, the government realized that estates comprised mostly of small businesses, farms, and ranches could...

 

Monday, November 2, 2020

It should come as no surprise that the economy is the most crucial issue in the upcoming election. But here's something that may surprise you. More than 90% of investors say they plan to change their portfolio in the 12 months...

 

Wednesday, October 28, 2020

The upcoming election is prompting some people to reconsider their investment strategy. In fact, 45% of consumers with $100,000 or more investable assets expect to make changes to their portfolio due to the upcoming 2020 presidential...

 

Tuesday, October 27, 2020

Earnings are coming in, reflecting the third quarter of 2020. However, it’s important not to jump to any conclusions about the state of the overall economy based on the results reported from a small handful of companies....

 

Wednesday, October 21, 2020

Some recognize October as Financial Planning Month, so it's an excellent opportunity to review these six personal finance areas.1 Cash Management: This is a broad topic that can address many issues. One area is creating an emergency...

 

Tuesday, October 20, 2020

Let’s just lay it out on the table: money often brings out the extreme in people. Money is a frustrating topic. You find two-sided information on every topic you search regarding money. Everyone you know seems to know everything...

 

Monday, October 19, 2020

It’s a startling statistic. 45% of consumers with $100,000 or more investable assets expect to make changes to their investments due to the upcoming 2020 presidential election.1 Second-guessing your investment strategy is natural...

 

Wednesday, October 14, 2020

I think just about everyone wants to improve how they save and budget their money — and the tech world has taken notice of this by releasing a steady stream of financial tools to lend a helping hand. We went through several...

 

Tuesday, October 13, 2020

Remember when buying a coke was a treat and eating out for dinner was a true luxury? When you’d get a hole in your pants and your Mom would fix them - not throw the pants away? When you walked down the street and truly overweight...

 

Monday, October 12, 2020

It should come as no surprise to hear the economy is the top issue for voters in the 2020 election. Nearly eight in ten voters say that the economy will be very important to them when they cast their votes.1 But when voters say...

 

Tuesday, October 6, 2020

In this world of vast information, just about anyone can claim to be a financial advisor. Moreover, the McDonald’s of financial advisors are popping up on every corner in those big brand names you recognize. Unfortunately, this...

 

Monday, October 5, 2020

There hasn’t been much merger and acquisition activity through 2020. This diminished activity comes despite low interest rates, which may help companies manage the cost of borrowing for a purchase. Some of this makes sense, in...

 

Tuesday, September 29, 2020

You are where you are because you want to be there. Wait…what? Even Zig Ziglar didn’t agree. He shared a story about receiving written directions late one night from a man at a gas station. Thirty minutes down the road, he...

 

Monday, September 28, 2020

As the U.S. presidential election draws near, expect to see more and more headlines that propose, "What will happen next if this person is elected?" or, "What policy changes to prepare for in the next four years?" In reality, however,...

 

Tuesday, September 22, 2020

The most consuming questions are typically regarding logistics: How will the ownership look? Who will be in control? How do you structure it? How do you minimize taxes during transition? The most overlooked question, however, is the...

 

Monday, September 21, 2020

Due to COVID-19, Americans are spending more time at home than ever before, leading to a record amount of spending on home improvement.1 It’s not that big of a surprise since many Americans now find their homes are doing triple...

 

Monday, September 14, 2020

Beyond grief, one reality that loved ones must face when someone passes is the responsibility of dealing with the departed’s estate. This undertaking can be quite cumbersome, especially due to the seemingly “foreign”...

 

Wednesday, September 9, 2020

Most recently, you may have read that Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell announced a change in how the Fed views inflation. In the past, the Fed said it would consider adjusting short-term rates when inflation approached 2 percent....

 

Tuesday, September 8, 2020

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA), one of the most widely followed stock market indices, has made some key changes to its starting lineup. Salesforce.com, Amgen Inc. and Honeywell International Inc. have replaced Exxon Mobil Corp...

 

Wednesday, September 2, 2020

Some people in recent weeks may have been feeling that “the stock market seems to be doing so well but I’m not participating.” A look behind the headlines helps tell the story. A CNBC study found that between the...

 

Tuesday, September 1, 2020

Did you realize that reactive and creative are an anagram? We’ve realized that far too many people fail to ask the “right” questions regarding their unique situations. The result: reactive. We encourage you to spend...

 

Wednesday, August 26, 2020

Two high-profile companies—Apple and Tesla—have announced stock splits in the past few weeks, which makes it a great time to discuss what’s involved when a company announces a stock split. Remember, any companies...

 

Tuesday, August 25, 2020

Right now, many Americans are worried about their financial health due to the impact COVID-19 has had on the country. Adding to these concerns were July's consumer prices— excluding food and energy—which rose at the highest...

 

Monday, August 24, 2020

Against the backdrop of the economic turmoil created by the COVID-19 pandemic and the enactment of Republican-only tax reform in 2017, tax policy will be a critical point of differentiation in the 2020 presidential race. Below is a...

 

Wednesday, August 19, 2020

"Will I outlive my retirement money?" That's one of the top fears for people who are starting to prepare for their retirement years. So, I have to chuckle a bit when I see headlines that say, "Here's how much money Americans think they...

 

Tuesday, August 18, 2020

This month, many universities and colleges are welcoming students back to campus, even if most campuses are largely online this year. But that's not all that's different. The current administration has issued an executive memorandum...

 

Monday, August 17, 2020

We were recently interviewed for The Working Ranch Radio Show on SiriusXM. A listener asked a great question: What type of legal ownership should you have for your ranch and property? The short answer is “It...

 

Wednesday, August 12, 2020

Are you one of the many retirement account holders who took a mandatory distribution this year? If so, you may be able to manage the taxes associated with Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) from traditional IRAs and 401(k)s. There...

 

Monday, August 10, 2020

You’d almost have to live in a cave to not realize that times are tough right now. And under these uncertain conditions, people are hoping to find the perfect investment—one that’s safe, but offers an outstanding...

 

Wednesday, July 29, 2020

Today’s 70 is yesterday’s 50. Today’s 70-year-olds are performing mentally and even physically the way 50-year-olds did in the past. Most of us will live 20-30 years longer than our grandparents and parents; thus,...

 

Tuesday, July 28, 2020

Lately, it can feel like each day brings a new headline about fluctuating market behavior. But amid the ups and downs of 2020, there may be some potential good news on the horizon. On July 16, 2020, the interest rate for a 30-year home...

 

Tuesday, July 28, 2020

A rancher and his wife were looking to sell the family ranch. It was time to get out of ranching and start enjoying life a little. They had plans to travel, follow good weather and spend time with the grandkids. They also had another...

 

Wednesday, July 15, 2020

In the era of COVID-19, and the financial woes it has created, we often get asked, “Why is the stock market holding up so well when the economy appears to be struggling?” To understand why the markets react — or...

 

Tuesday, July 14, 2020

With the economy and financial markets flashing mixed signals, it’s no wonder that lawmakers are deadlocked on whether to pass a Phase 4 of the CARES Act. More than $3 trillion in stimulus has been pushed into the economy since...

 

Monday, July 13, 2020

My dad is known for always asking “Could you, would you, when?” Could you make a change? Would you make the change? When will you do it? I think we have all wanted change in some area of life at some point. Maybe you want...

 

Tuesday, July 7, 2020

Imagine having bought a permanent life insurance policy only to find out that it is not so permanent. In fact, you learn that you will most likely outlive the policy you have been paying - and counting on - for years. Sadly, this is...

 

Monday, June 29, 2020

Common Q&A Question: What needs to be done by July 15th? Answer: The short answer is “almost everything.” The long answer begins with the laundry list below: File your 2019 tax return or file an extension for your return....

 

Monday, June 29, 2020

Americans who have been adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic may now be able to access retirement accounts to help cover daily expenses, penalty-free. Now, in addition to those who have lost their jobs during the COVID-19...

 

Tuesday, June 23, 2020

The National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) reported in recent weeks that the U.S. economy officially entered a recession in February 2020. This transition brought a 128-month expansion to an end, the longest in post World War II...

 

Tuesday, June 16, 2020

As businesses begin the process of reopening their doors after the COVID-19 shutdown, many have considered turning to the Federal Reserve’s Main Street Lending Program for aid. Announced on March 23, the Program’s goal is...

 

Monday, June 8, 2020

American lawmakers have passed the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act, a program that will offer small business loans to employers in need of aid as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.1,2 The bill is a $484...

 

Monday, June 8, 2020

We were honored to have CPA Brian T. Kofford join us as our special guest this week on our Life Planning 101 podcast to discuss some common Q&A of the COVID-19 environment. Below is an incredible complimentary resource about which...

 

Monday, June 1, 2020

COVD-19 has given many of us time to reflect on the things that matter most in life. Aside from your relationships with the Lord and your partner in life, the two most important relationships to follow are your children...

 

Tuesday, May 26, 2020

During a recent coaching call, everyone was sharing the best things that have come from the significant changes COVD-19 has forced upon our lives. One gentleman shared that his three kids (all in their twenties) have moved back in with...

 

Tuesday, May 26, 2020

The Internal Revenue Service knows that many taxpayers have had a stressful spring. So, it has reset the federal tax deadline. You now have until July 15 to file your 1040 form. July 15 is also the deadline to pay any federal taxes...

 

Wednesday, May 20, 2020

Few life events are more stressful than a job loss. If you or someone you know is in this situation due to COVID-19, you’ll likely have several questions about job hunting, unemployment insurance, and health care. You may also be...

 

Monday, May 11, 2020

Are you or someone you know currently making federal student loan payments? In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, some welcome relief may be on the way. Thanks to the recent passage of the CARES Act, the U.S. Department of Education will...

 

Friday, May 8, 2020

A dear friend of ours once said, “When chicken feathers are all you have, you have to turn it into chicken soup.” COVD-19 has left us with chicken feathers. For some, it might be the illness itself, the loss of a loved one,...

 

Tuesday, May 5, 2020

We were honored to have Lisa Hunter with Interim HealthCare join us this week on our Life Planning 101 podcast. Lisa shares with us the Teepa Snow Positive Approach to Care and information about the GEMS State Model. Below is a summary...

 

Monday, April 27, 2020

“In some ways, predicting the economy is even more difficult than forecasting the weather, because the economy is not made up of molecules whose behavior is subject to the laws of physics, but rather of human beings who are...

 

Monday, April 13, 2020

Perhaps you will be able to weather through this pandemic financially, but chances are that someone close to you will not. Pass this along. It may just save someone’s financial future. Transunion is monitoring the financial...

 

Tuesday, April 7, 2020

A few weeks ago, I shared an analogy Steven Furtick gave about what we’re going through. He stated that everyone keeps saying we’re in the same boat, but we aren’t. We’re in the same storm - but some of us on...

 

Monday, March 30, 2020

This is a quote by Paul Romer, co-recipient of the Nobel Prize in Economics in 2018. In other words, you can either go through it or grow through it. If you have never heard the story of Admiral Jim Stockdale, it needs to be at the top...

 

Friday, March 13, 2020

These past couple of weeks have been treacherous for the markets. Between the media, coronavirus, the media, the primaries, the media, Saudi and Russia’s oil feud, and the media…market volatility came back with a vengeance...

 

Monday, March 9, 2020

Will your family have good Christmases and Thanksgivings after you are gone? Most of us would like to think so. We never want to believe our kids would fight over money or possessions. We ask this very question as we go through our...

 

Monday, March 2, 2020

There is a tiny amount of volatility back in the markets—well, maybe not so tiny. What does it mean? Is it just a pull-back that we will rebound from shortly? Will it just be another volatile year where nothing really happens?...

 

Monday, February 24, 2020

Talking to people, there is already a general consensus of how the 2020 election is going to turn out. Whether from optimism or cynicism, most people currently believe Trump will be re-elected. Most likely this is true as most...

 

Monday, February 17, 2020

Suppose you have always dreamed of climbing Mount Everest…and one day you come across an advertisement that stated, “Summit Everest - Guaranteed.” As you scroll through the page there is another advertisement that...

 

Tuesday, February 11, 2020

Life Insurance - Most people own it, but do they really understand it? Life insurance may be the most complex financial product in existence – but why should this matter to you? Less than a year ago, we received a call that a...

 

Monday, February 3, 2020

Have you ever wondered why the doctor has your “Vitals” checked at the beginning of every visit? Well, let’s look at the definition of “Vitals.” Vital Signs are a group of four to six most important signs...

 

Monday, January 27, 2020

2019 S&P 500 31.44%S&P 600 22.78%NasdaqAGG 8.68%Gold 18.36% (gld)Global (ACWI) 26.7%Ex US 21.21%zAug 23 both USMV and IVV 20.34 vs 15.01 Agg 8.65 TLT 21.9 2019 was a very strange and wonderful year. Usually we can look at the market as...

 

Monday, January 20, 2020

Can you see them? Bruce Schneier wrote an article in March of 2007 titled Why the Human Brain is a Poor Judge of Risk. Looking back, the timing is fine irony. Had more investors read his article, perhaps they would have lowered their...

 

Monday, January 13, 2020

There is a good chance you can think back to a time in your life when you felt like you were “sold something.” Perhaps you were a little confused - and still are - as to why you bought it. Perhaps you had buyer’s...

 

Monday, January 6, 2020

Like most answers we give…it depends. The SECURE Act passed with flying colors at the end of 2019 and dictated several MAJOR changes to the rules around retirement plans. There were also some important tax planning notes. Some...

 

Monday, December 30, 2019

Florence Chadwick, an American swimmer, set many international records, including breaking a standing record for swimming the English Channel between England and France. On July 4, 1952, she became the first woman to swim 21 miles...

 

Monday, December 16, 2019

For most, the holidays represent a season of giving. Although giving to family and friends occupies most of our attention, charitable giving also plays a significant role at this time of year. From a tax and financial planning...

 

Monday, December 2, 2019

I have a confession to make: I love watching the talent on some of today’s reality shows. It is absolutely wonderful to see every day people working to fulfill their lifelong dreams of turning their passion into a career. Several...

 

Monday, November 25, 2019

What of the purpose of investing your money? No, this is not a trick question. Of course, it is because you want to make money. The funny thing is there are two elements to investing that is often overlooked or forgotten—fees and...

 

Monday, November 18, 2019

A recent speaker told a story that I think most of us can relate to: Whenever I get in the car, I have a driving companion named Tom. He warns me in advance and reminds me just before a turn comes. Even if I make a wrong turn, Tom...

 

Monday, November 11, 2019

…or at least bad debt. Marlene Satter is an author at ThinkAdvisor who recently wrote a piece called the 10 Scariest Retirement Statistics: 2019. 1 The title was very fitting. Much of the statistics were centered around debt....

 

Monday, November 4, 2019

Wow! Where has 2019 gone? There are only two months left—the busiest two months of the year with the holidays in full swing. The funny thing is that most people try to cram everything they intended to do all year into this hectic...

 

Monday, October 28, 2019

Since March of 2009 we have experienced one heck of a bull market. There have been A LOT of ups and downs in between, but still, it has been one heck of a bull market…or at least a long bull market. So, the question on every...

 

Monday, October 21, 2019

Could you fall victim to it? The stock market is hot right now and greed is coming out to play. Recently we had a client ask for a double digit return on her investments. This is the same lady who wanted to go to cash when the market...

 

Monday, October 14, 2019

Do you know how much you can spend in retirement and stay retired successfully? Based on statistics, my bet is that most people don’t. Get this. Fifty percent of retirees are actually saving money. Another twenty-seven percent...

 

Monday, October 7, 2019

There is no way around it, but through it. I wrote this down a while back. I cannot remember who said it, but it struck a chord. This is a truth we face many times in life and in many areas of our lives. From loss of a loved one to...

 

Monday, September 30, 2019

A few years back we received a phone call from a man whom we had never met and had never heard about. He claimed to be the power of attorney for a client of ours. We had all of her legal documents, and he was on none of them....

 

Monday, September 23, 2019

She wakes up at 5:30 to her Sony alarm clock and goes to pour herself a bowl of Kellogg’s cereal and start a pot of Folgers coffee in her Bunn coffee maker. After eating breakfast, she begins getting dressed for work. She clips...

 

Monday, September 16, 2019

It is easy to forget our current tax rates and the current tax “break” most of us are experiencing right now is only temporary. Most of the provisions will either phase-out, go away, or revert back to prior legislation in...

 

Monday, September 9, 2019

Okay. So, discussing your own mortality is not usually a hot topic for the dinner table, but maybe is should be. Estate planning is not just for the wealthy. If you own any kind of physical property –a home, business, savings or...

 

Monday, September 2, 2019

Lately it feels as if a lot of my conversations are about whether or not to take Social Security now. I say “now” because the conversations have ranged from those who are just turning 62 to those who are still working and...

 

Friday, August 23, 2019

Wow! What a year! Through July, we have had the 14th best start since 1926. US stocks provided a 20.2% return. And the bond market? That had the 12th best start since 1926 with a return of 6.4%. That is absolutely incredible. Yet, even...

 

Thursday, August 15, 2019

There is something about turning fifty. Perhaps it’s because every old person joke suddenly hits too close to home or just the simple fact that you really are half a century old. But truly - your fifties may be the best years of...

 

Monday, August 12, 2019

Everyone has a slightly different definition when it comes to success. Recently we attended a forum that is made up of some of the most “successful” people in our industry. Interestingly enough, this was the focus the...

 

Monday, August 5, 2019

Life Insurance Isn’t Just for Dying Friend and Collaborator, John Wheeler told me one time that insurance is like religion…you need to get it when you don’t really want it so you have it when you really need it. As I...

 

Monday, July 29, 2019

A few years ago, we met with a business owner that was sending Uncle Sam almost one million dollars in taxes while not even taking home a quarter of a million dollars for himself and his family. He came to us to help him lower his...

 

Monday, July 22, 2019

If you ‘Google’ this question, it results in all sorts of mathematical tools that tell you how you should add up your assets that you have acquired over your lifetime. However, if you read about half way down the first...

 

Monday, July 8, 2019

The August 2008 Money Magazine offered up an article of several successful individuals talking about the smartest financial advice they have ever received. Billionaire and CEO of Virgin records, Richard Branson shared a story about his...

 

Monday, July 1, 2019

Imagine working and saving your entire life only to find your income cut in half when you finally retire. You are forced to downsize, not able to enjoy the bucket list you had developed over the years, and living under the pressure of...

 

Monday, June 24, 2019

June 13th marked the ten-year anniversary of the end of The Great Recession on May 31, 2009 - and broke the long-standing record as the longest economic expansion in US history. So, what does that mean? Are we headed for a recession?...

 

Monday, June 10, 2019

Somewhere along the way, someone probably gave you the advice to sock money away into an IRA, 401(k) or some other retirement savings vehicle. The conversation may have gone something like this: You: “How can I get my taxes...

 

Tuesday, May 28, 2019

We all know Warren Buffet as one of the, if not “the”, greatest investors of all time. But there is more wisdom to be gained from Buffet beyond successful investing. Mr. Buffet is worth somewhere around 87 billion dollars....

 

Sunday, May 19, 2019

Ted was savvy with numbers and kept all his personal finances extremely organized. He was a successful middle class American and had several accounts set up, each with a purpose. There was an account dedicated to saving money to buy...

 

Tuesday, May 14, 2019

Since health savings accounts (HSAs) became available in 2004, we have found that very few people really understand their power. Most of the families we have met with assume that HSAs are the same as a flexible spending account (FSA)...

 

Monday, May 13, 2019

We were honored to have John Riggins, president of the Abilene Better Business Bureau as a special guest this week on our Life Planning 101 podcast. If you missed the live show you can listen below. John shared with us what the BBB is...

 

Friday, May 3, 2019

“Investing is complicated” - but it isn’t. It’s complicated because there is a lot to learn when it comes to investing. It’s complicated because it is an ever-changing field. It’s complicated because...

 

Wednesday, April 24, 2019

April is Financial Literacy Month and it's a perfect time to focus on your finances, or more appropriately your financial wellness. It doesn't matter if you are just starting out in life, have a family and established career, or...

 

Monday, April 22, 2019

A question we are often asked is, “What should we be doing before we retire?” One of the most important things to do is to start practicing retirement now. Too many people enter retirement unprepared. Don’t let that...

 

Friday, April 12, 2019

It is not an easy feat to understand all the aspects of Medicare, much less choosing the plan that is right for you. And unfortunately, we cannot sum up in one article - or even two - how to choose the right plan for you. This is a...

 

Friday, April 5, 2019

I think a lot of us have asked this question at one time or another. Well, today we have seven ideas that could possibly help you reach those goals. The first idea involves getting back to the basics: Write out where you are. This...

 

Thursday, March 28, 2019

By May of 2018, almost fifty-four million Americans prepared and e-filed their own taxes for the 2017 tax year. This “Do It Yourself” approach should not be a surprise in this growing age of technology, software, and online...

 

Monday, March 25, 2019

We are not asking if you have tax-free municipals, IRAs, annuities or other tax-efficient investments within your portfolio. We are asking if your investment portfolio IS tax-efficient. Let me explain: Too often, investors end up with...

 

Tuesday, March 19, 2019

We were honored to have Rhonda Dean, Membership Sales Manager with AirMedCare Network, as our special guest this week on our Life Planning 101 podcast. If you missed the live show you can listen to the rebroadcast below. Life Planning...

 

Thursday, March 7, 2019

You are invincible, right? We all like to think we are… at least until we aren’t. Did you know twenty percent of men die before retirement age? Twenty percent! That’s two in ten men!1. The odds in Vegas can be worse...

 

Monday, March 4, 2019

There is a growing generation in our country, and it is not a generation in the normal definition of the word. There are 43.5 million unpaid caregivers over the age of 50 in our country. And, worse, one in four caregivers has taken...

 

Tuesday, February 26, 2019

Risk is everywhere, and we often think about the obvious – a life changing accident, a new regulation which alters our financial future… But what about the risks we don’t know that we don’t know?...

 

Friday, February 8, 2019

We at Kennedy Financial Services care not only about your financial health, but your physical health as well. We have had the privilege of having Dr. John Duncan, owner of ViaScan, speak at one of our dinners in 2016 and one of our...

 

Monday, February 4, 2019

We were honored to have Laura J. Malone, CAP®, CEPA, Vice President –Corporate/Complex Giving with American Endowment Foundation join us this week on our Life Planning 101 podcast. Laura shared some great information about...

 

Monday, January 28, 2019

If you read any investing publications, you often see headlines like “Value Investing is Dead” or “Dividend Stocks—The Safe Way to Invest” or “3 Growth Stocks That Can’t Be Stopped.” A...

 

Thursday, January 17, 2019

Many business owners believe they will automatically get a 20 percent deduction under Tax Reform. This is not automatic! Find out more with our simplified chart of how Section 199A works. Simplified Section 199A Chart Fill out our...

 

Monday, January 14, 2019

The first thought that comes to your mind is most likely “Sure it is.” We need X amount of dollars to live off of for the rest of our lives. And we want to fund our grandchildren’s education. And we want to give back...

 

Monday, January 7, 2019

All of their fame and money may be one thing, but when they die – as we all do - celebrities are not so different from the rest of us. The same estate planning blunders they make are the same ones we see on an every day basis....

 

Monday, December 31, 2018

Every year we make new resolutions—weight loss, get out of debt, clean out the garage. Have you ever noticed they are usually the biggest, most persistent points of pain in your life at that present moment? Why is that? Why do we...

 

Friday, December 28, 2018

Each week we appreciate everyone who takes the time to open our Weekly Life Lessons newsletter and read the articles that we write. Our goal is to educate our readers and provide them with the tools necessary to help them Live Life on...

 

Monday, December 24, 2018

The holiday time frame is a perfect time to capture the legacy of your parents, grandparents and other beloved family members. Below is a list of potential questions to ask your parents and grandparents. What is your full name and why...

 

Friday, December 21, 2018

It has been an amazing year! How is it, though, that every year seems to go by faster and faster? Sometimes it feels as if you look up after the year has started and it is already over. We read a quote by John F. Kennedy this...

 

Monday, December 17, 2018

Rowe Price’s 2018 Parents, Kids & Money Survey found that 74 percent of the parents with young children are prioritizing by saving for the kids’ college over saving for their own retirement. So, what does this mean for...

 

Thursday, December 6, 2018

You may find yourself being forced to take a withdrawal from your IRA that you really do not want or need. Well, you have a whole lot of company. This is a situation facing close to 40 million retired Americans who have hit the age of...

 

Wednesday, November 21, 2018

Don’t Make this Mistake on Friday Philip Tirone is a Credit Counselor we have worked with several times and he sent along the following which I thought might be good information as folks head out for the biggest shopping weekend...

 

Friday, November 16, 2018

If you are nearing 65, or are 65 or older, you are probably receiving call after call and receiving ad after ad for Medicare Advantage Plans. Let me guess—it will save you A LOT of money, you may not even have to pay anything on...

 

Friday, November 9, 2018

Do you have life insurance for your business and/or owned by your business? If so, the death benefit is supposed to be tax free, right? It might be. It might not be. Or worse, it could be taxed twice. Let me tell you a story about Joe....

 

Monday, November 5, 2018

I bet you don’t hear that every day, especially from the professional who handles your family’s finances. Nonetheless, it is true. Let me explain… Credit Cards are associated with debt and many of us were taught...

 

Tuesday, October 30, 2018

It depends. But probably not on what you think it depends on.Most people would assume it depends on whether they are approaching retirement and worried about needing income in the near future… or if they are already in retirement...

 

Monday, October 22, 2018

Last week we talked about the tremendous opportunity current Tax Reform has created for cleaning up your financial, retirement, estate, and tax messes. And one of the most reoccurring messes we are seeing is within estate plans....

 

Friday, October 12, 2018

Have you ever wished you had a “Clean Up Button” in life? We all have messes and well…they’re messy. The problem with messes, beside the actual mess, is that they loom over you as long as they exist and cause...

 

Friday, October 5, 2018

Have you ever had a task before you, that you knew was important, knew needed attention, and it was something you truly wanted to address, yet for some reason you didn’t move forward with it? Why is it fairly common that we...

 

Monday, September 17, 2018

How long will the rest of your life be? Reality will set in eventually - it will be your choice whether it is a gratifying reality or a harsh one.

 

Thursday, September 6, 2018

Last month, I had the honor of being in a study group with some of the most amazing people in our industry. I was introduced to a New York Times article written by Bruce Feiler—The Stories that Bind Us1 —about helping your...

 

Monday, August 27, 2018

Earlier this year, we shared a parable about a giant ship engine that quit working. Countless hours and money were spent hiring experts to do the job. No one could get it working. Then, along came an old man who had been working on...

 

Monday, August 20, 2018

No one young and healthy is ever inclined to say this. It is usually those of us who are painfully aware that anything might happen at any minute that could force us to retire that are the ones worried that this will happen. This week,...

 

Monday, August 13, 2018

Mr. Jones was a self-made man: successful business owner, loving husband, and father to three successful young men with families of their own. A few years ago Mr. Jones sold his business for $3 million, paid a staggering $450,000 in...

 

Monday, August 6, 2018

Below is the VA claim checklist discussed on our 8/6/18 Life Planning 101 podcast with special guest Brian Byars: VA Claim Checklist

 

Monday, July 30, 2018

“Investments.” The word itself brings on a mixed bag of emotions and descriptions. Whether it is excitement, intensity, fear, distinction, grandeur, exposure, pride… they are all a façade. How many times have...

 

Friday, July 13, 2018

After one of our “Retirement Directions” classes a few years back, a gentleman walked up and started telling us about his retirement goals. He had a lot of pride in the fact that he had thought out his life in retirement...

 

Monday, July 9, 2018

Many years ago, Ann lost her husband in an accident and was left with four teenaged children to raise. Thankfully, her father’s years of work in the oil industry and smarts to keep a lot of life insurance left her financially...

 

Tuesday, July 3, 2018

This is a question on everyone’s mind as they approach 62 years of age. According to the Social Security Administration, 56% of men and 62% of women took their Social Security before Full Retirement Age, which was 66, in 2016....

 

Monday, June 25, 2018

In this world of vast information, just about anyone can claim to be a financial advisor. Moreover, the McDonald’s of financial advisors are popping up on every corner in those big brand names you recognize. Unfortunately, this...

 

Monday, June 18, 2018

There are seasons for everything in life. You can either let them pass you by or you can thrive in them. Now is the season for planning. Tax Reform has opened doors that we - and perhaps even our children - may never see again in our...

 

Monday, June 11, 2018

Is this you? I have a small business with just a few employees, but pay a lot of taxes. I am behind on my retirement savings and my current retirement plan won’t allow me to put enough back to catch up. One of my biggest fears is...

 

Tuesday, May 29, 2018

There is an old saying that you don’t know what you’ve got til it’s gone. Not too many years ago, a good friend of mine who was battling cancer told me this about her health: She said, “Had I only known, I would...

 

Monday, May 21, 2018

Naming the beneficiaries of your IRA, life insurance policy, annuity or any other contract property may not be as simple as choosing the ones you love to inherit the assets and writing those names down. Let me offer you a scenario:...

 

Monday, May 14, 2018

You have heard about it, maybe seen it or even experienced it. When there is a need for long-term healthcare, it can be one of the most extremely painful times in someone’s life and in the lives of their family members. Everyone...

 

Tuesday, May 8, 2018

1934 Great Depression 1935 Spanish Civil War 1936 Economy Still Struggling 1937 Recession 1938 War Clouds Gather 1939 War in Europe 1940 France Falls 1941 Pearl Harbor 1942 Wartime Price Controls 1943 Industry Mobilizes 1944 Consumer...

 

Monday, April 30, 2018

Most people desperately wish to leave more than just their money behind when they pass. And the more successful people are in life, the stronger this feeling becomes. They want to leave a legacy. They want to have inspired their...

 

Monday, April 23, 2018

You may recall the biblical story in Genesis about King Pharaoh and Joseph: Joseph deciphered the king’s dream for the future of Egypt in which God showed the Pharaoh that Egypt would enjoy seven years of plentiful harvest...

 

Monday, April 9, 2018

Interest rates are rising, dividend paying stocks now feel like the Texas Giant for the first time in years (which, for those non-Texans, is a very big roller coaster), and gold prices are just as big of a ride as stocks. So it’s...

 

Monday, April 2, 2018

Wisdom isn’t something you are born with. Yet wisdom, once gained, can be the most valuable thing you achieve and maintain - second only to your relationships with God and those you love most in life. Wisdom is achieved through...

 

Monday, March 26, 2018

You may be surprised to learn that this is actually very common. Figuring out where you want your legacy to go and exactly how you would like everyone to receive it may be easy for you - or not, but even the simplest most...

 

Monday, March 19, 2018

We meet many families that may have a generic plan in place, or perhaps have even implemented the perfect financial plan put together by a professional, but we have never met with anyone who has had their retirement plan stress tested....

 

Monday, March 12, 2018

2018 is shaping up to offer some historical opportunities for anyone’s planning. Whether you simply pay a lot in income taxes, own a business and have more complex tax issues, or want to protect your estate from Uncle Sam, now is...

 

Monday, March 5, 2018

I encountered some information from research done on affluent individuals and families by the Spectrem Group’s 2017 Market Insights Report. Interestingly, the primary financial concern for those with a net worth of over $5...

 

Monday, February 26, 2018

Last week Congressman Mike Conaway hosted a town hall meeting in Eastland where this very topic was discussed. It is no secret that both of these government programs are in trouble. According to the Social Security Administration...

 

Tuesday, February 20, 2018

There is no such thing as “one size fits all” when it comes to planning. Think about it. Is your financial situation, family, future, goals, or feelings about risk exactly the same as anyone else? I dare say no. So how is...

 

Monday, February 12, 2018

Did you get a raise this month? You probably did if you are an employee. And there is a good chance you did if you are a business owner. Now the question is, What are you going to do with these extra crumbs? Will you spend them or will...

 

Monday, February 5, 2018

We wear many hats with the families we work with… crunch numbers… find gaps, overlap and risk… create plans and options… give advice…. counsel…. motivate… quarterback among CPAs,...

 

Tuesday, January 16, 2018

If you Google the top financial concerns of Americans, you will see several polls taken. The interesting thing is that the top three, though interchangeable, are fairly consistent: retirement and/or maintaining their current lifestyle,...

 

Monday, January 8, 2018

There are two widespread misunderstandings about the current tax reform: My taxes are going to be higher this year [or] my taxes are going to be lower this year. I know it seems illogical that both of these statements could be...

 

Friday, December 29, 2017

There just isn't enough time in the day. It doesn't matter who you are, or what you do or don't do - we all have the same problem. Unfortunately, there are some things you can't delegate or don’t want to delegate--your faith,...

 

Monday, December 25, 2017

There has been a ringing in my ears this month… and it wasn’t Santa’s sleigh bells. It started with a dismaying story from a couple supporting their thirty-something year old and the repercussions they are beginning...

 

Monday, December 18, 2017

A few years ago we were blessed to have the opportunity to attend an intimate forum with several self-made billionaires featured in the book, How they Did It: Billion Dollar Insights from the Heart of America by Robert Jordan. The book...

 

Friday, December 8, 2017

The financial crisis has undoubtedly changed the landscape for investing. We only thought making decisions about our investments was tedious and complex before the Great Recession. Many theories have been challenged and proven flawed....

 

Friday, December 1, 2017

It’s that time of year again - Christmas! Maybe it’s due to watching Scrooge or The Grinch for the umpteenth time, but it seems we are all inspired to give back during the holidays even in the smallest way. Yet at the same...

 

Monday, November 27, 2017

Bob was the oldest son of Ken and Sue Holmes. Responsible, hardworking and a successful business owner himself, Bob seemed to be the natural choice for serving as successor Trustee and Executor for Ken and Sue’s estate....

 

Thursday, November 16, 2017

You’re not alone-whatever your excuse may be. It’s too time consuming, complicated, not sure how… Unfortunately, a budget is the very foundation for your entire life plan. Without one, you can’t build any kind...

 

Monday, November 13, 2017

Investing…Just the word can be intimidating. There are so many options available when it comes to investing, a thousand different ways to invest these options and then the “how to” invest on top of all that. We have...

 

Monday, November 6, 2017

Let’s just lay it on the table: money oftentimes brings out the extreme in people. Money is a frustrating topic. You find two-sided information on every topic you search regarding money. Everyone that you know knows everything...

 

Friday, October 20, 2017

Is it really even possible to know? Most of us don’t even know what our taxes will look like for this year, let alone next year, or in 5, 10, or 20 years! We have a theory behind it all—the less we know, the more we need to...

 

Friday, October 13, 2017

Before we even start listing the top five mistakes, let’s just assume that everyone concerned has a passion to make their business succeed. And without a passion for your business, it probably won't succeed. But assuming you do...

 

Monday, October 9, 2017

What does that mean? That was the opening comment made by well-known CFA Jeff Kleintop at a recent advisor conference – and his outlook on the markets may surprise you: Did you know that every major economy – which, by the...

 

Friday, September 29, 2017

Just recently, we were asked if we could compile a list of the things that need to be addressed on every level when you find it necessary to assume physical, emotional, and financial responsibility for your parents. Based on our...

 

Monday, September 18, 2017

There is one sentence that sums up all insurance: The big print giveth and the little print taketh away. If you work for a large company, there is a good chance you have group life insurance. The question is, do you really understand...

 

Friday, September 8, 2017

Today I got married and I made a vow to always take care of my wife. If something were to happen to me, she would lose over half of our current income, owe approximately $200,000 between our mortgage and our auto loans and of...

 

Wednesday, August 30, 2017

Since health savings accounts (HSAs) became available in 2004, we have found that very few people really understand their power. Most of the families we have met with assume that HSAs are the same as a flexible spending account (FSA)...

 

Monday, August 28, 2017

I just finished an extraordinary book, The One Thing by Gary Keller. There was an entire chapter dedicated to living Life on purpose. Maybe this is the reason it could be my favorite book to date. No matter, it gave lot of food for...

 

Monday, August 21, 2017

If you were to have a conversation with your children or grandchildren about planning for education expenses, what stands out as the most important thing? Would it be about acquiring prepaid tuition credits, because they are certain...

 

Monday, August 14, 2017

As you may already be aware, our RIA, Smart Money Group, which we co-founded last year has taken our story at Kennedy Financial Services to new places. We are blessed and humbled that other long-time advisors in our industry are...

 

Monday, July 31, 2017

It is summer and paying your taxes is probably the furthest thing from your mind. Perhaps we all have a little inner Scarlett O’Hara—I can’t think about that right now. If I do, I’ll go crazy. I’ll think...

 

Monday, July 17, 2017

According to the 2017 Identity Fraud Study released by Javelin Strategy & Research, identity fraud hit record highs in 2016 with 15.4 million victims. That’s an astonishing 16% more victims than 2015! The amount fraudsters took...

 

Monday, July 10, 2017

The Dow hit another all-time high last week! Should you be celebrating… or worried? Every year the list of “Reasons Not to Invest in the Stock Market,” originating in 1934, is updated. Market highs are a reoccurring...

 

Monday, July 3, 2017

Would you like a financial windfall? We all would! The good news is you can create one. Pick a habit…any habit… eating out, binge shopping, junk food, coffee shop coffee, smoking, soft drinks, alcohol….What does it...

 

Monday, June 19, 2017

Ever thought about leaving a significant gift to a charity at the end of your life – but most of your assets aren’t in cash and you don’t know how? Or maybe you’re afraid that you don’t have enough assets...

 

Tuesday, June 13, 2017

Recently one of the coaching groups I take part in sent an email encouraging me too take the time to write out a bucket list. To put my thoughts on the right track, they provided a sample of “101 Things to Do before You Die...

 

Friday, June 2, 2017

As a business owner, you spend a lot of time working to make your business succeed. But have you spent the time to protect it or the “golden egg” your business has laid? Essentially, planning for what could or will happen...

 

Friday, May 26, 2017

The Sandwich Generation is a term Merriam-Webster officially added to its dictionary in July of 2006. But 43.5 million Americans in 2015 didn’t need to go to Webster’s to find out what they already knew. 1 And by the...

 

Monday, May 22, 2017

Imagine this, a student walking across the stage at graduation with a freshly printed Bachelor's Degree in hand. Feeling a sense of pride and satisfaction. Seeing their Dad waiving and Mom standing with a tear of joy in her eye, both...

 

Monday, May 1, 2017

Today’s 70 is yesterday’s 50. Today’s 70 year-olds are performing mentally and even physically the way 50 year-olds did in the past. Most of us will live 20-30 years longer than our grandparents and parents; thus,...

 

Monday, May 1, 2017

Most people do!Have you considered your marital status during retirement – and its financial and social impact on you? According to the US Census Bureau, 42.4% of people over age 65 were single in 2015 and 1 in 4 of those was a...

 

Monday, April 17, 2017

Maybe you have drawn up a will or even went to the extent to attend a seminar about something such as The 6 Things That Could Be Missing In Your Estate Plan and subsequently met with the firm who gave the presentation for a first and...

 

Monday, April 10, 2017

According to an article by Peak Advisor Alliance, the word “Uncertainty” is often abused. We hear it and see it over and over again. Yet this same word is perhaps the single most appropriate word to convey the emotional...

 

Monday, April 3, 2017

The infamous Kiplinger Tax Letter stated in their March 24th edition that the odds of tax reform this year have “ebbed.” We expect to see a draft of a legislative bill sometime this summer. But that’s only the...

 

Monday, March 27, 2017

My personal coach and good friend, Dr. John Rhodes, once said that the greatest legacy you leave behind is the journal you keep with your thoughts and dreams; the pictures of family, friends and community, and the love letters you have...

 

Tuesday, March 21, 2017

Just this week I read a story about a widow who was taken to court by her step-son over the probate of her late husband’s estate. Because the IRA custodian couldn’t find the beneficiary form, the IRA went through probate by...

 

Monday, March 6, 2017

Recently we have met with several families that have a stockpile of cash earning, well, nothing. This interest rate environment is frustrating especially when you know the cost of living is increasing at a faster rate than what a...

 

Monday, February 27, 2017

Around 4,500 years ago, the massive and intriguing structures known as The Pyramids of Giza were built. These pyramids still stand today due to the strength of their geometrical shape. However, if there was a crack in the base of one...

 

Tuesday, February 21, 2017

“Debt” The word alone makes most people cringe. After all, at some point in our life most of us have felt overwhelmed by debt. But let’s not forget the good it has brought us. With very few exceptions, where would we...

 

Monday, February 13, 2017

A few weeks ago we focused on “longevity risk.” We had a Twitter poll asking our radio listeners if they were afraid of running out of money and received an alarming response—100% of the respondents said yes. And...

 

Monday, February 6, 2017

Does the Trump Presidency have you giddy about your family legacy being passed without an estate tax? If it does, you may need to consider a plan to ensure your death occurs in the next four years… though even that may not be...

 

Monday, January 30, 2017

With the beginning of each new year, we set resolutions to set ourselves on a better, more productive path… but oftentimes after we set them, we become discouraged by them, forget about them and before you know it - it’s...

 

Friday, January 20, 2017

Is “Longevity” a Risk You Need to be Thinking About? Perhaps a question we need to start with is… What are the risks of “longevity?” The first, and most obvious, thing that comes to mind is the risk of...

 

Tuesday, January 17, 2017

We at Kennedy Financial Services care not only about your financial health, but your physical health as well. We had the privilege of having Dr. John Duncan, owner of ViaScan, speak at one of our luncheons and we were amazed by all the...

 

Monday, January 9, 2017

We are human, which means we have emotions. Despite the fact we all strive to make good, rational decisions all of the time, the fact that we are human makes this virtually impossible. When it comes to investing, you have one of two...

 

Tuesday, January 3, 2017

How much will you need to retire? Here are some tips that could possibly help with your planning.

 

Tuesday, December 27, 2016

The old adage says that the only sure things in life are death and taxes…but there’s one other thing that’s pretty much a certainty. That certainty is change. Everything changes and successful people embrace change...

 

Monday, December 26, 2016

Here are 17 simple things to do sometime in 2017.

 

Monday, December 12, 2016

What should you get done before the end of the year? Here are the only 5 things you need on that list. Taxes - There is a good chance taxes will be higher this year than in 2017 since President-Elect Donald Trump has stated over and...

 

Monday, December 5, 2016

God tells us not to worry. And we shouldn’t—much of what is to come is out of our control. However, there is a major difference between worry and prudent concern. We shouldn’t worry about the day we will die, but we...

 

Monday, November 21, 2016

Each day we wake up not knowing what the day might bring.Each day we are faced with lots of little things, some bigger things and sometimes… huge things. Some days are good. Some days are not so good. And some days are downright...

 

Monday, November 21, 2016

CPA Blake Briscoe is our special guest this week on our Life Planning 101 podcast. Blake discusses the changes in Fair Labor Exempt Wage threshold as well as some last minute tax savings ideas to watch out for. If you would like more...

 

Monday, November 14, 2016

Click here for the article discussed this week on our Life Planning 101 podcast

 

Monday, October 31, 2016

One of the most inclusive and simplified definitions of democracy: A system of the people run by the people for the people. By this definition, voting is a privilege as well as the right and duty of each and every component of a...

 

Monday, October 24, 2016

When was the last time you checked your credit report for errors? According to 60 Minutes, 40 million Americans have an error on their credit report. Your credit score is your financial reputation. It's a three-digit number that has a...

 

Monday, October 17, 2016

Remember when buying a coke was a treat and eating out for dinner was a true luxury? When you’d get a hole in your pants and your Mom would fix them - not throw the pants away? When you walked down the street and truly overweight...

 

Monday, October 10, 2016

Did you know that tax revenue for the federal government has increased by over $1.2 TRILLION since 2009? Tax revenue means your pocket book has been pinched. In fact, 77% of Americans saw their taxes increase in 2013 alone! Itemized...

 

Monday, October 3, 2016

I recently read an article offering a few statistics from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and one in particular caught my eye: Did you know that the median age of a farm operator in the U.S. is 57?!1 At age 57, every farmer or...

 

Monday, September 26, 2016

While some of us may be reluctant to purchase life insurance, the reality is, 1 in 3 household would have immediate trouble paying living expenses if the primary wage earner died*. Also reported that, 40% of people haven’t bought...

 

Monday, September 19, 2016

Would it be okay if your investment portfolio went down $400,000? Absolutely NOT! This was a conversation we recently had with a couple we have just come to know. The reason? We stress tested their current investments against the...

 

Monday, September 12, 2016

This morning I read an article in the Financial Planning magazine that shed new light on life expectancy. Not only is there a 50% chance that at least one member of a couple aged 65 will live to age 92, there is a 25% chance that one...

 

Tuesday, September 6, 2016

Yes. There is something psychologically satisfying about this, but that is one of the only few advantages. Don’t get me wrong. There are situations where paying down a mortgage makes perfect money sense. However, there is a good...

 

Thursday, August 25, 2016

Have you ever built a house? Some of us dream and visualize for months or years before even beginning. We sure did – but even so, we weren’t prepared for all of the minute details and decisions. It was stressful addressing...

 

Thursday, August 25, 2016

Recently we hosted an interview with a successful business owner. His words reminded me of Zig Ziglar when he said, “If you just help enough other people get everything they want in life, you will get everything you want in life...

 

Thursday, August 25, 2016

Most of the people we talk with believe that “retirement planning” deals exclusively with money and this is true… to a certain point. Experience has taught me that effective retirement planning is about much more...

 

Thursday, August 25, 2016

[kuhl-cher] – noun: behaviors and beliefs characteristic of a particular group. We believe the Golden Rule is Key to survival. We believe anything worth doing is worth doing well. We believe in doing what is right, even when no...

 

Monday, August 22, 2016

For many of us we only get the chance to retire one time. This means we definitely don’t want to mess it up. In today’s economy, this can be downright scary and sometimes feel impossible. See if any of this sounds...

 

Monday, August 15, 2016

The first thing that comes to everyone’s mind when you begin to discuss saving for your child’s future is…college savings. But what if your child does not go to college? What if they need a down payment to purchase...

 

Monday, August 8, 2016

Most of the people we talk with believe that “retirement planning” deals exclusively with money and this is true… to a certain point. Experience has taught me that effective retirement planning is about much more...

 

Monday, August 1, 2016

Don’t worry…you’re not the only one. Whether you’re planning for college in the very near future or in the not so near future, you probably have concerns…and why shouldn’t you? Today I would like...

 

Monday, July 25, 2016

Will you stand to lose some of your hard-earned money, income or assets? Or will it be protected? Do you know for sure? One evening while driving home, you glance down to adjust the radio. When you look back up, you are inches away...

 

Monday, July 18, 2016

Recently, I spent two days at a conference focused on income during retirement. I want to tell you a story I heard that you will probably think sounds familiar, but the tone I will set today may shed new light on it. One of the...

 

Monday, July 11, 2016

One of my fellow advisors related one of the most horrific stories I have heard in my professional life. I would like to share that story with you in order to help you understand the importance of business succession planning: A young...

 

Monday, June 13, 2016

Too often we forget the things we ought to remember and the lessons we’ve learned through experience. It has been over 8 years ago that we entered the Great Recession and though even Wikipedia states it only lasted nineteen...

 

Monday, June 6, 2016

There is usually one of each in every family. So what makes some people stock away every dime they make and others oblivious to the concept of saving and always in debt? Interestingly enough, there has been extensive psychological...

 

Monday, May 30, 2016

Adults entering a remarriage are likely to bring assets, debts, obligations and established spending habits into the relationship. Since credit reports aren’t required for a marriage license – and you generally only see...

 

Monday, May 23, 2016

This week or in-house insurance guru, Bret Robinson, gives us some helpful tips regarding healthcare and retirement.

 

Monday, May 16, 2016

The image of retirement has always been one of relaxation and leisure. However, the retirees who fully embrace this idea often find that they are missing something. If you’re in this boat, you may feel you lack a sense of...

 

Monday, May 9, 2016

According to Rocket Lawyer, 64% of Americans don’t have a will. There is a common misconception that if you don’t have an estate tax problem you don’t need an estate plan – or a will. The truth is that this...

 

Monday, May 2, 2016

The world is changing rapidly. There is growing uncertainty, fear and disbelief in our future. Ironically, this is not the biggest threat to your investments. Believe it or not, the annualized return for U.S. Stocks from 1985 to 2014...

 

Monday, April 25, 2016

Most of us know the story: It was 11:40 P.M. on April 14, 1912. Lookout Frederick Fleet spotted an iceberg immediately ahead of the Titanic and alerted the bridge. First Officer William Murdoch ordered the ship to be steered around...

 

Monday, April 18, 2016

Let’s paint a picture of the first day of your future retirement: What an exciting time! It’s a time where we can enjoy the spoils of our labor. It is a time we have budgeted for – for living expenses, maybe even a...

 

Monday, April 11, 2016

Tax season is in full swing and for once, there is some good news. The good news is that, due to the Washington D.C. Emancipation Day paid holiday, you have until April 18th this year to file unless you file an extension. The bad news...

 

Monday, April 4, 2016

Municipal bonds have been a wonderful investment for over 30 years. They have been perceived as a safe haven for investors since they are used to lend money to local governments and municipalities, and offer an excellent tax...

 

Monday, March 28, 2016

It is Leap Year: the year we add February 29th to our calendar —a full extra 24 hours this year. How are you going to spend it? If you have ever watched the movie City Slickers, you may recall Curly telling Mitch (Billy...

 

Monday, March 14, 2016

This week we sat down and conducted a special interview with Jim Kennedy. Find out what the 8 Life Planning Issues are and how they pertain to you. Find out a little about our company and how we believe doing business "the cowboy way".

 

Monday, March 7, 2016

Are you confident you have enough money for retirement? Rate your confidence – and remember…progress only starts when you tell yourself the truth. On a 1 to 10 scale with 10 being “without a doubt confident,”...

 

Monday, February 29, 2016

Taxes! Uncle Sam comes knocking every year. And for some of us, Uncle Sam will even come knocking on our grave. I have met people in my life that don’t mind Uncle Sam. They feel it is their American duty to pay their full share...

 

Monday, February 22, 2016

By now you are probably aware that if you are taking your Social Security benefits, you won’t be getting a raise in 2016. You may even be aware that in addition to not having a Cost of Living Adjustment next year, the maximum...

 

Monday, February 8, 2016

Over the years we’ve written several articles about estate planning. This week I would like to address a specific aspect: trusts. A trust is simply an agreement under which property and/or assets are held and managed by one...

 

Monday, February 1, 2016

1936 Economy Still Struggling 1937 Recession 1938 War Clouds Gather 1939 War in Europe 1940 France Falls 1941 Pearl Harbor 1942 Wartime Price Controls 1943 Industry Mobilizes 1944 Consumer Goods Shortage 1945 Post-War Recession...

 

Monday, January 25, 2016

Did you know…52 million caregivers (one out of every five households) are involved in caregiving to persons aged 18 and over, and that number continues to grow? 1 You might be thinking: ”Wow, but that will never pertain...

 

Monday, January 11, 2016

The August 2008 Money Magazine offered up an article of several successful individuals talking about the smartest financial advice they have ever received. Billionaire and CEO of Virgin records, Richard Branson shared a story about...

 

Monday, January 4, 2016

There is a lot of controversy around annuities. Some advisors use them as if they were a cookie cutter for every client and some advisors despise all of them. Then, there are the majority of advisors that either fall somewhere between...

 

Monday, December 28, 2015

We live our lives and are encouraged to live life fully and to not have regrets. Though in fact, that word itself establishes a negative frame of mind. However, we have found that this same word can produce a positive outcome with the...

 

Monday, December 21, 2015

If you Google the top financial concerns of Americans, you will see zillions of polls taken. The interesting thing is that the top three, though interchangeable, are fairly consistent: retirement and/or maintaining their current...

 

Monday, December 14, 2015

By now you are probably aware that if you are taking your Social Security benefits, you won’t be getting a raise in 2016. You may even be aware that in addition to not having a Cost of Living Adjustment next year, the maximum...

 

Monday, December 7, 2015

It is probably safe to assume that all of us have at one time or another been touched by, and wanted to contribute to, a good cause. And it is probably safe to assume that all of us have wished we could do more for that something that...

 

Monday, November 30, 2015

Just recently I was speaking with one of my more affluent clients who wanted to lease a new vehicle and could not! Why? Her credit score was not high enough. Whether you are wealthy or not, having a bad credit score can cost you...

 

Monday, November 9, 2015

Recently I was speaking with a client about how important it is to take preventative measures in regard to health - eating right, exercising and taking the right supplements. People are living longer than ever before, but that...

 

Monday, October 26, 2015

Don’t feel alone. You don’t have to be a search engine whiz to discover that 77% of Americans saw their taxes increase in 2013 (the most recent tax data available). To add insult to injury, it hasn’t stopped there...

 

Monday, October 19, 2015

This was a recent headline in a newsletter we read frequently called “Trust Advisor.” The article opened with the statement, “Imagine that you’re a self-made person with $100 million in assets. Do you leave it...

 

Monday, October 12, 2015

Warren Buffet said, “Risk comes from not knowing what you’re doing.” Isn’t it interesting that the same could be said about “Fear?” Everyone has a slightly different relationship with risk. We are...

 

Monday, October 5, 2015

Our experiences over the last 26 years working with individuals who are in their last years of working, retiring, and reaching retirement have taught us more than you can imagine. But if you were to ask what the number one piece of...

 

Monday, September 28, 2015

Have you ever thought about the information stored on your computer or other devices that someone would need to know about if you were suddenly incapacitated or no longer with us? I recently heard about a CPA in Wyoming that didn't....

 

Monday, September 21, 2015

This is a major question facing our generation. It is expensive - and is becoming even more expensive. Just the thought of needing it is unpleasant and can evoke strong emotions. And at best it appears imperfect: Buying a plan that...

 

Monday, August 31, 2015

If you thought the market was going to keep climbing steadily without any hiccups, I am sad to say that’s what we call a pipe dream. We all wish this dream could be a reality, but the reality is market volatility is normal and...

 

Monday, August 24, 2015

The threat of identity theft was already bad enough, yet now we even have to worry about it when filing our taxes: The latest news from the IRS, released on August 17th, reported that thieves used personal information acquired...

 

Monday, August 17, 2015

You may have heard that a confused mind says “No.” So today my goal is to simplify investing so that you can perhaps say “Yes.” There is no doubt that investing in today’s world is complicated. It is no...

 

Monday, August 10, 2015

I am on a little bit of a soap box about this lately, but for very good reason. We have encountered a few situations that one could hardly imagine. They have been stressful, cumbersome and worst of all--absolutely gut-wrenching. I...

 

Monday, August 3, 2015

Coach John Wooden stated, “It is what we learn after we know it all that counts.” As human beings we like to feel respected and knowledgeable... and we sure don’t like to be wrong. A feeling that usually grows...

 

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

August 28, 2012 Younger people don’t know where to begin to save for retirement… and older generations wish they had started to work with a financial advisor earlier to maximize retirement savings, says a survey by Bank of...

 

Thursday, April 5, 2012

April 5, 2012 We all face obstacles that at times seem difficult to overcome, perhaps even more so during holidays such as Easter when symbols of new beginnings, hope, and celebration surround you. How do you cope? Who do you turn to?...

 

Thursday, November 17, 2011

November 17, 2011 If you are concerned about the financial health of your children, don’t feel alone. According an August 2011 survey, one of the biggest financial concerns of affluent Americans is teaching their children about...

 

Thursday, January 7, 2010

If you look at the major U.S. market indexes over the past decade, they aren’t just flat - they headed south. So you would probably agree that the old buy and hold strategy isn’t looking too attractive these days. However,...