Blog
Symphony Sponsors the Pamela Trokanski Dance Theatre’s 2019–2020 Season
October 28, 2019
Symphony Financial Planning is proud to announce its support for the full season of the Pamela Trokanski Dance Theatre. The post-modern, contemporary dance company has four performances planned for its 35th season. Their fall concert, Right Here, Right Now, will open Sunday, November 3, and run the following Friday and Saturday, November 8 and 9….
Five Times in Your Life When You Might Need Help with Your Finances
October 28, 2019
As you move through different stages of life, you will face new and unique financial situations. Did you just get engaged? Perhaps you are wondering how you and your partner are going to manage your money together. Do you have children? Maybe you are looking for ways to pay for their college education. When you…
Life Insurance with Long-Term Care Benefits
October 28, 2019
If you are concerned about the high costs of long-term care but don’t want to purchase traditional long-term care (LTC) insurance, you might consider two strategies that combine permanent life insurance coverage with long-term care benefits. Keep in mind that any payouts for covered LTC expenses reduce (and are usually limited to) the life insurance…
Three Regrets of Retirees
October 28, 2019
A recent survey found that more than half of retirees have retirement planning regrets. Unfortunately, many of these retirees had to cut back on their lifestyles to compensate for financial shortfalls.1 Considering their most common regrets may help you avoid making the same mistakes. Not saving enough More than one-third of retirees wish they had…
Earnings Season: What Investors Can Take Away from Corporate Reports
September 26, 2019
Publicly traded companies are required to report their financial performance to regulators and shareholders on a quarterly basis. Earnings season is the often-turbulent period when most companies disclose their successes and failures. U.S. companies included in the S&P 500 index suffered year-over-year earnings declines in the first two quarters of 2019.1 Rising wages and higher material…
Balancing 401(k) and HSA Contributions
September 26, 2019
If you have the opportunity to contribute to both a 401(k) and a health savings account (HSA), you may wonder how best to take advantage of them. Determining how much to contribute to each type of plan will require some careful thought and strategic planning. Understand the tax benefits A traditional, non-Roth 401(k) allows you…
Key Estate Planning Documents
September 26, 2019
Estate planning is the process of managing and preserving your assets while you are alive, and conserving and controlling their distribution after your death. There are four key estate planning documents almost everyone should have regardless of age, health, or wealth. They are: a durable power of attorney, advance medical directives, a will, and a…
Market Strategies: Three Ways to Play Defense in Your Stock Portfolio
August 28, 2019
Defensive investment strategies share a common goal—to help a portfolio better weather an economic downturn and/or bouts of market volatility. But there are some key differences, including the specific criteria by which particular stocks are selected. If you are nearing retirement or just have a more conservative risk tolerance, one of these defensive strategies may…
Social Security: Shoring Up America’s Safety Net
August 28, 2019
Ever since a legal secretary named Ida May Fuller received the first Social Security retirement check in 1940, Americans have been counting on Social Security to provide much needed retirement income. For many older Americans, Social Security is their main source of guaranteed retirement income—income that continues throughout their lifetimes and is indexed for inflation…
Real Estate Investing 101
August 28, 2019
Historically low mortgage interest rates and rising home values are just a couple of reasons why investors may be drawn to real estate investing. Not only does real estate have the potential to provide a steady income stream, but it can help diversify an investment portfolio and act as a hedge against inflation. If you…