Blog
February 2025
LinkedIn Highlights | Weekly Market Commentary | How Retirement Spending Changes With Time | Where Will Your Retirement Money Come From? |
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January 2025
LinkedIn Highlights | Personal Finance Calendar | Future Announcements
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November 2024
LinkedIn Highlights | Weekly Market Commentary | Understanding Extended Care | Inflation & Your Money | Future Announcements
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October 2024
LinkedIn Highlights | Weekly Market Commentary | IRS Announces 2025 Tax Brackets | Social Security: Five Facts You Need to Know | Encore Careers | Future Announcements
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September 2024
LinkedIn Highlights | Weekly Market Commentary | Retirement Seen Through Your Eyes | Bull and Bear Go To Markets | Future Announcements
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August 2024
LinkedIn Highlights | Weekly Market Commentary | A Decision Not Made Is Still a Decision | Choose Your Own Retirement Adventure | Future Announcements
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April 2024
LinkedIn Highlights | Weekly Market Commentary | Do Your Kids Know The Value of a Silver Spoon? | How To Make The Tax Code Work For You? | Future Announcements
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March 2024
LinkedIn Highlights | Weekly Market Commentary | Steps to Protecting a Child with Disabilities | Risk Tolerance: What’s Your Style? | Future Announcements
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IRS Announces New 2024 Income Tax Brackets
Your financial professional can help leverage these changes to impact your tax liabilities It is crucial for individuals to engage in strategic tax planning with their financial professionals, particularly considering the changes to...
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8 Financial Wellness Tips to Help Manage Generational Wealth
Asset management and financial wellness can help develop long-term confidence when wealth transfers from generation to generation. Understanding and implementing financial wellness techniques is essential for effectively sharing wealth...
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2024 Contribution Limits: What’s New?
Life today is expensive, and contributing to a retirement plan is more beneficial than ever. Recently, the IRS announced it was raising the contribution limit for 401(k)s to $23,000 for 2024, up from $22,500. In a world where pensions...
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High Net-Worth Individuals: Are You Missing Opportunities in Your Financial Planning?
High Net-Worth executives and those that have been self-employed, can experience common problems in their financial planning journey. Often, they have missed opportunities in their financial planning because they haven’t planned...
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Traditional vs. Hybrid Long-Term Care Insurance: Which is Appropriate for You?
Growing old is simply one thing you can’t avoid. The goal is to enjoy your retirement years as you imagined after a lifetime of working. One aspect of growing old that young people may overlook is long-term care insurance and how...
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Generational Wealth and the Gift of Financial Freedom
Those who receive an inheritance with the passing of a loved one are potentially given the gift of financial freedom if they choose to manage the wealth carefully. Did you know that only about one-third of adults have a prepared will,...
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Tax-Advantaged Ways to Save for College
In the college savings game, all strategies aren't created equal. The best savings vehicles offer special tax advantages if the funds are used to pay for college. Tax-advantaged strategies are important because over time, you can...
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LPL Financial Research Midyear Outlook 2023: The Path Toward Stability
Our 2023 investing outlook started with a theme of returning to normalcy. Considering 2022’s market volatility and the aftereffects of the pandemic, the idea of finding balance was certainly a welcomed change. It’s a theme...
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When the Stock Market is Down, Should You Consider a Roth IRA Conversion?
A Roth IRA conversion involves repositioning traditional IRA or qualified employer-sponsored retirement plan assets into a Roth IRA. One reason people convert traditional IRAs or other retirement accounts into Roth IRAs is so they...
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Tips to Shape Up Your Fiscal Fitness this Summer
A regular program of disciplined financial practices can help you in the long-runMany people realize that the best way to stay in shape is to develop an appropriate fitness regimen and then stick with it. If you start a fitness program...
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Pre-Vacation Home Safety Tips
Vacation is something that we all look forward to, but it’s important not to forget about your home—and its safety—while you’re away.
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Retirement Annuities Explained: What They Are and How They Work
Having enough retirement income for what you need and want is essential and must be planned for, even in the best economic conditions.
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3 Key Money Moves Every Parent Should Make
Whether you are expecting your first child or have been a parent for years, finances and building a future for your family go hand-in-hand.
Read MoreA Tough Times Survival Guide for Small Businesses
Small businesses may often find themselves struggling, and there are many situations in which business owners may find themselves weathering a storm and hoping to make it through. While the strength and fortitude of those who run small...
Read MoreThe Principles of Financial Literacy
Financial literacy refers to the skills and knowledge that allow an individual to make informed and effective decisions through their understanding of finances. Financial literacy starts by building a basic understanding of 'money...
Read More3 Reasons to Wait Until 70 to Claim Social Security Benefits
In a rush to file for Social Security benefits at age 62? Many people are - but slow down and do the math first.When it comes to claiming Social Security retirement benefits, you may want to consider waiting to start benefits when...
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The Strength of LPL Financial
The events of the past few days have many people asking questions about the health of the financial services companies they entrust with their money and investments. And to the extent that you may have similar questions, we want to...
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Know What You Are Worth Today to Map Out Your Financial Future
It does not matter how much money you have today; you still must know the details of what you are worth. Understanding your financial situation can help you develop a retirement plan, pay down debt, draft a comprehensive estate plan...
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Women and Money: Taking Control of Your Finances
As a woman, you have financial needs that are unique to your situation in life. Perhaps you would like to buy your first home. Maybe you need to start saving for your child's college education. Or you might be concerned about planning...
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13 Potholes to Avoid on the Road to Retirement
Perhaps you’re just starting to save for retirement, or within a few years of retiring. Unfortunately, it’s common to take a wrong turn, or make bad financial decisions, as you continue on your journey toward retirement.
Read MoreUnderstanding Capital Gains Tax as an Investor
As an investor, you may be impacted by capital gains if you sell your investment – whether at a gain or loss. Understanding capital gains may help with your overall investment strategy and the potential to preserve your wealth....
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IRS Increases 401(k) Limit By Record Amounts
As inflation soars, you can now save a lot more for your retirementOn October 21st, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced that the amount individuals can contribute to their 401(k) plans in 2023 has increased to $22,500, up from...
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How to Teach Your Children Financial Wellness
Teaching children about financial wellness should start at an early age. Learning how making money, saving, and spending is related and the first step in teaching your child how to understand the value of money. Children learn from...
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LPL Financial Research Outlook 2023: Finding Balance
Through all the challenges, newfound opportunities, and every high and low we’ve experienced during the last couple of years, it’s no surprise why we might be striving for more balance. Whether it’s about the markets...
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5 Do’s and Don'ts for Charitable Giving During the Holidays
The fourth quarter holidays are often seen as one of the prime times to take out your checkbook — not only do many charities put in extra efforts helping others this time of year, but donating is also a smart financial move....
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5 Year-End Tax Planning Questions to Ask Your Financial Professional
The average U.S. income tax rate stands at just over 13%—and if you're like many taxpayers, you're always looking for new tips and tricks to help reduce this percentage. There are a number of different tax planning moves you can...
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QCDs: Donating and Gift Giving Through Your IRA
A qualified charitable distribution, or QCD, allows you to distribute funds from your IRA to an eligible charity (a 501(c)(3) organization) as long as you’re 72 years of age or older. Since the gift will go directly to the...
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8 Things Financial Planning Can Help You Address
Financial planning is unique for each person; no two financial plans look the same because everyone's life and personal goals are different. Regardless of what your goals are, financial planning can help you work towards achieving them...
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What Gen Xers, Millennials, and Baby Boomers Need to Know About Financial Planning?
Financial planning is an important part of securing your current lifestyle as well as preparing yourself for what you wish to do in your eventual retirement. And while this importance may look different during each stage of...
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Smart Shopping During the Holidays
The holiday season is just a short time away, which means the shopping season is about to be in full swing. Shopping for holiday gifts is stressful but also a little fun, especially when you think about the joy you will bring to those...
Read MoreHigh-Income Individuals Face New Medicare-Related Taxes
The health-care reform legislation enacted in 2010 included new Medicare-related taxes that first took effect in 2013. These new taxes target high-income individuals and families. Here are the basics:Additional Medicare payroll taxIf...
Read MoreEstate Planning for Family Caregivers
A surprising two out of every three American adults do not have any kind of written estate plan. For adults who also serve as family caregivers, not having a plan in place can pose major risks for them and their entire...
Read MoreFiguring Out a 401(k) Strategy That Works for You
Matching your tolerance for risk with your investment objectives. Everyone wants a comfortable retirement, but the road you take there will depend on your specific situation. When you invest, you assume a certain level of risk (but like...
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A Survival Guide for a Bear Market
A bear market is a prolonged period of price declines in securities, an index such as the S&P 500, or the overall stock market of usually 20% or more from a recent high. Bear markets can also signal economic downturns such as a...
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2022 Midyear Outlook: Navigating Turbulence
Markets are always forward looking, so it’s important to remain focused on what lies ahead. There will most certainly be challenges, but there are also some tailwinds from a strong job market, still resilient businesses, and the...
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Financial Planning Challenges and Strategies for the Sandwich Generation
Almost half of all adults are part of the "sandwich generation." These are adults in their 40s and 50s who are helping support or care for a parent while also supporting or caring for a child.1 Being caught between two generations of...
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Bonds, Interest Rates, and the Impact of Inflation
The inflation/interest rate cycle at a glanceWhen prices rise, bondholders worry that the interest they're paid won't buy as much.In an effort to control inflation, the Federal Reserve may raise interest rates to encourage investors to...
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12 Estate Planning Must-Dos
Many of you already have estate documents, probably executed many years ago. You need an estate attorney to look over your documents every 10 years or so. Here are a dozen points to review. Do you have a will and powers of attorney for...
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401(k) Rollover Options to Consider
When people are leaving their employer, one of the decisions they need to make is what to do with their 401(k). A retirement plan participant typically has four options (and may engage in a combination of these options), each choice...
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Why Trying To Time The Market Is Unwise
Market timing is a “strategy” of deciding when to buy and sell stocks by attempting to predict which way and when stocks will move. Let’s look at an example and the data to determine why market timing is unwise....
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Social Security Retirement Benefit Basics
Signing up for Social Security According to the Social Security Administration, you should apply for Social Security benefits approximately three months before your retirement date. To apply for Social Security benefits, you can fill...
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Teaching Your Child about Money
Ask your five-year old where money comes from, and the answer you'll probably get is "From a machine!" Even though children don't always understand where money really comes from, they realize at a young age that they can use it to buy...
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In 2022 RMD Tables Are Changing, and That's Good News for You!
RMD Tables are changing to keep up with The SECURE Act of 2019. Under The SECURE Act, if you turned age 70 1/2 in 2019, you would've been required to take your first RMD by April 1, 2020. If you turned age 70 1/2 in 2020 or later, you...
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Market Volatility and the Importance of Staying the Course at Different Ages
When you invest in the stock market, you want to see growth, but unfortunately, in most cases, investments do not grow all the time. Inevitably, the market goes up and down, and to safeguard your potential for long-term growth, you...
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Positivity Amidst Uncertainty: Russia, Ukraine, and the Markets
Stocks have gotten off to a very rocky start in 2022, with the potential for Federal Reserve rate hikes coming and the geopolitical worries over Russia and Ukraine only adding to the uncertainty. We don’t want to minimize the...
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Retirement Contribution Limit Changes for 2022
With inflation on the rise, the IRS increased the 2022 contribution limits for some retirement accounts. Although a 2021 Congressional report found that only about 8.5% of defined benefit plan participants and 4.7% of individual...
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What Retirement Plans Are Available?
When securing your financial future, saving for retirement usually is a no-brainer. But between an IRA, Roth IRA, 401(k), 457(b), SEP IRA, and the other retirement vehicles, how can you know which plan or plans are right for you? The...
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Tax Prep Checklist: Everything You Need to Be Ready for Tax Season
Regardless of whether you prepare your taxes yourself or use a professional's services, it's a good idea to gather the information and documentation you need well in advance of your actual tax filing date. Below, we've listed some key...
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2022 Outlook: Passing the Baton
Our resurgent economy grew at over a 6% pace in the first half of the year and is on track for over 5% growth for the year when 2021 draws to a close. The current economic recovery, which started in May 2020, has benefited from...
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What To Know About Potential Tax Changes in 2022
Though the final price tag of the Biden administration's infrastructure plan is not absolute, it may increase federal spending by about $3.5 trillion over the next decade.1 President Biden and his administration proposed changes...
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Your 2021 Year-End Planning Checklist
It may be easy to forget we're nearing the end of the year. Even during the busy end of year rush, it's a good time to reevaluate your 2021 finances and turn an eye toward 2022. What can you do now to potentially improve and streamline...
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Retirement Income Planning
For investors approaching retirement, it is important to begin thinking about retirement income planning. This involves a mindset shift from accumulating an investment portfolio designed for growth to creating a portfolio of retirement...
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Annuities and Market Risk: What You Need to Know
Market risk is something all investors may worry about, but those close to retirement have limited time to recover from market loss. If you are within ten years of retirement, now is a critical time for your portfolio to continue to...
Read More9 Facts about Social Security
Tip: How Much? Check your Social Security earnings and see an estimate of your benefits on the website, www.ssa.gov. Social Security’s been a fact of retirement life ever since it was established in 1935. We all think we know how...
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