Social Security Considerations for the Self-Employed
This month my husband and I are celebrating one year of his self-employment. Last April he stepped away from the security of regular paychecks and employee benefits to start his own construction company. As his supportive wife and his financial advisor (package deal if you ask me), I’ve had my pen to paper for the […]
Social Security – Low Hanging Fruit
Claiming a correct social security filing strategy can be low hanging fruit – meaning that it’s an easy decision to make and can have an enormous positive impact on retirement if done correctly. However, be careful to navigate common pitfalls like filing too early (or too late), or else that low hanging fruit could turn […]
Review your “Free Money” Match
Folks in my profession often refer to an employer-sponsored retirement plan match as “free money”. Are you lucky enough to work for a company who 1) offers a retirement plan, and 2) has a contribution match? The advice that follows “yes” to those questions, is typically to take full advantage, if at all possible. A […]
Tax Credits Unique to 2021
It is hard to believe it is already February. The time of year when important tax documents begin disbursing to mailboxes and e-mail inboxes across the country. Americans begin bracing for the impact of another year of sorting and organizing what can feel like mountains and mountains of tax documents. 2021 taxes may lead to […]
Preparing for the Guaranteed
This is part 2 of a 2 part article series discussing unexpected loss. The first part, “Navigating the Guaranteed,” was published 1/23/2022. Preparing your finances for death isn’t a pleasant topic to think about, much less talk about. As uncomfortable as it may be, simple conversations and small steps will lead to a big impact […]
Navigating the Guaranteed
This is part 1 of a 2 part article series discussing unexpected loss. The old saying goes that two things in life are guaranteed, death and taxes, yet so many avoid planning for either. Recently, I had a family friend that was faced with dealing with the unexpected loss of her spouse. With a young […]
Financial Wellness Month – A Story of Success
Wellness as defined by the Oxford English Dictionary is the state of being or doing well in life; happy, healthy, or prosperous conditions; moral or physical welfare. New Year’s Day has come and gone, resolutions have been made and hopefully you have eaten your fill of black-eyed peas and cabbage to bring you good luck […]
Preserving Your Legacy through Storytelling
Hopefully you have experienced a wonderful holiday season with loved ones and friends, and exchanged gifts and merriment. You have given the gifts you thought appropriate or needed to your loved ones. These gifts hopefully will make their lives easier, more efficient or add some excitement to their lives. However, have you thought about the […]
One CPA’s Thoughts on Charitable Giving
I always think of my parents when I think about charitable giving or serving for that matter. My parents were generous people that encouraged us to think in terms of becoming generous adults. “You will never miss the money that you give to the church,” Dad used to say. Not sure that is an original […]
Strategies for Success in Retirement
This is part 2 of a 2 part article series discussing retiring more successfully. One of the most important things that you can do to set yourself up for success in retirement is to develop a solid financial plan. There are many planning strategies that a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional can assist you with. Here […]