Form 1099 – What You Should Know
Unbelievably, year-end is right around the corner. The first line of business in January 2023 will be to file and issue any necessary Form 1099s. Although I am fairly new to the profession and my role as a CPA, I have quickly come to realize that taxpayers do not particularly like sending or receiving 1099s. […]
Do You Have the Right Suit Maker?
Finding someone you can trust with your money can be tricky. Go online and search “financial advisor near me” and you’ll get dozens of results. The search results will all seem to have a common theme: financial advisor, wealth management, etc., but as a consumer what do all these terms really mean and how can […]
The Cost of your Lifestyle
There is a saying that encourages you to know where you have been to know where you are going. Or, as William Wordsworth more eloquently said “Life is divided into three terms – that which was, which is, and which will be. Let us learn from the past to profit by the present, and from […]
Virtually Unlimited Investment Platforms
Stock trading and virtual currency once had the stigma of only being available to the wealthy or those with a vast knowledge of Information Technology (IT). The platforms needed to access either investment had many barriers to entry for consumers. Over time, these entry barriers naturally worked themselves out. Access to PC’s became more prevalent, […]
Making Lemonade out of Market Lemons
The stock and bond markets’ performance to date for calendar year 2022 has seen a sizable pullback in the markets and left investors searching for when things may improve. Elevated inflation levels, a Federal Reserve aggressively raising interest rates, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and energy market supply and demand uncertainty has left most investors feeling […]
Social Security – The Forty Year Decision
If you find yourself reading the business section of the Advocate every Sunday, specifically every other Sunday when our firm’s articles are published, you may have noticed a trend in our firm’s recent articles. We have been covering Social Security as a way to add insight from different perspectives within our firm. Our staff is […]
Thoughts on Reaching Retirement Age
I turned 64 earlier this year. On my birthday, I received a notice from our group health insurance provider that I should start thinking about what options I have regarding Medicare. I’ve only been working for 42 years since college! I graduated on a Saturday and went to work on Monday. I like to call […]
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 […]