Today’s inflationary economy is putting the spotlight on an all-too-common issue: families often live at the very edge of their financial means. One unexpected expense can be all it takes to tip the household budget scales. As we have all learned over the past few years, there will always be external factors that impact our Read More
Posts Categorized: Financial Planning
How to successfully prep your estate for your loved ones – Part 2
In Part 2 of this blog series, let’s cover those regular estate planning to-do’s. By “regular”, we’re talking about those items that need to be reviewed, updated, and checked on from time to time. An annual check-in is ideal. Add it to your New Year resolutions list perhaps. Once you have your estate plan groundwork Read More
How to successfully prep your estate for your loved ones – Part 1
You’re busy trying to soak up all that life has to offer. You want to spend quality time with your family and friends. You want to travel the world. The last thing you probably want to be thinking about is what’s going to happen once you’re gone. Understand that making tough estate planning decisions now Read More
Caring for aging parents: How to financially plan ahead
It may be difficult to imagine your parents needing to lean on you for help as they get older. They have always been the ones to give you a hand and keep you moving in the right direction in life. But one day, the roles will likely be reversed. If you will be the primary Read More
Six steps to decluttering your financial life
Do you know that feeling when you finally clean out a closet, toss basement-dwelling boxes, or organize a messy attic? Phew! It’s done. Ridding yourself of clutter is time consuming, sometimes stressful, and often just a pain in general. But in the end, it’s almost always well worth the effort. Decluttering your financial life Read More
Reality check: Homeownership
Ah, homeownership. There’s so much to think about. First, a few things to keep in mind: This isn’t an anti-homeownership post. In fact, buying a house can be an excellent financial goal to accomplish. It can also be one of the biggest financial mistakes out there. Knowing what you’re really getting into is the best Read More
Heads up retirees: Recent RMD changes to consider as you head into your golden years
It’s been a long time coming. The federal government has made substantial changes to the rules governing retirement account withdrawals, known as RMDs. As Americans are generally living longer and nest eggs are relied upon for additional years, an overhaul was certainly warranted. The recent rules shift has the potential to offer more income planning Read More
Five tips to ease your spending fears in retirement
People dream of retirement for decades, diligently saving to grow their nest egg. Unfortunately, when the time comes to start drawing off those funds, worry often ensues. The “what if I run out of money” anxiety is all too common. For your entire career, money steadily flowed into your savings pile. You likely had a Read More
Pre-holidays financial wellness tidy up guide
Believe it or not, the holidays are right around the corner. We all know how the end of every year tends to go – in a frenzied sprint, leaving most non-holiday related tasks shelved until January. How about getting your personal finances buttoned up now, before all the hustle and bustle? Then you can Read More
What financial freedom looks like (and how to achieve it)
The notion of financial freedom has evolved quite a bit recently. Wealth accumulation alone no longer dictates whether someone is successful. Instead, it has become less about the amount of money in your bank account and more about your purpose-driven financial lifestyle. Projecting an appearance of wealth is far less important to many Americans. Utilizing Read More