Blog
Four Reasons to Review Your Life Insurance Needs
August 30, 2021
You may have purchased life insurance years ago and never gave it a second thought. Or perhaps you don’t have life insurance at all and now you need it. When your life circumstances change, you have a fresh opportunity to make sure the people you love are protected. Marriage When you were single, life insurance…
Grandparent 529 Plans Get a Boost Under New FAFSA Rules
August 30, 2021
529 plans are a favored way to save for college due to the tax benefits and other advantages they offer when funds are used to pay a beneficiary’s qualified college expenses. Up until now, the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) treated grandparent-owned 529 plans more harshly than parent-owned 529 plans. This will change…
Company Stock and Your Retirement Strategy
August 30, 2021
The opportunity to acquire company stock — inside or outside a workplace retirement plan — can be a lucrative employee benefit. Your compensation may include stock options or bonuses paid in company stock. Shares may be offered at a discount through an employee stock purchase plan and held in a taxable account, or company stock…
Stock Market Risks in the Spotlight
July 26, 2021
During March 2021, the widening availability of COVID-19 vaccinations, signs of improving economic conditions, and a third, $1.9 trillion stimulus package brought about more optimistic growth projections. Even though a healthy economy could be good news for many businesses and the financial markets, rising inflation expectations caused a multi-week sell-off in U.S. government bonds that…
Child Tax Credit for 2021: Will You Get More?
July 26, 2021
If you have qualifying children under the age of 18, you may be able to claim a child tax credit. (You may also be able to claim a partial credit for certain other dependents who are not qualifying children.) The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 makes substantial, temporary improvements to the child tax credit…
Tips for Managing an Inheritance
July 26, 2021
As the beneficiary of an inheritance, you are most likely to be faced with making many important decisions during an emotional time. Short of meeting any required tax or legal deadlines, don’t make any hasty decisions concerning your inheritance. Identify a Team of Trusted Professionals Tax laws and requirements can be complicated. Consult with professionals…
Life Insurance Beneficiary Mistakes to Avoid
June 28, 2021
Life insurance has long been recognized as a useful way to provide for your heirs and loved ones when you die. Naming your policy’s beneficiaries should be a relatively simple task. However, there are several situations that can easily lead to unintended and adverse consequences you may want to avoid. Not Naming a Beneficiary The…
International Investing: Opportunity Overseas?
June 28, 2021
For the past decade, U.S. stocks have outperformed foreign stocks by a wide margin, due in large part to the stronger U.S. recovery after the Great Recession. In general, U.S. companies have been more nimble and innovative in response to changing business dynamics, while aging populations in Japan and many European countries have slowed economic…
Don’t Let Debt Derail Your Retirement
June 28, 2021
Debt poses a growing threat to the financial security of many Americans — and not just college graduates with exorbitant student loans. Recent studies by the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College (CRR) and the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) reveal an alarming trend: The percentage of older Americans with debt is at its…
Three Reasons to Keep Your Personal and Business Finances Separate
May 24, 2021
If you are launching a new venture, you may wonder whether it’s necessary to open a dedicated bank account for your business. Even if your company is established and already has separate checking and credit-card accounts, you may be tempted to pay business expenses from personal accounts on occasion — or vice versa — particularly…