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Should your family’s legacy live within one trust or two? When it comes time to draft estate planning documents, a common question I hear is about whether it makes sense to have joint or individual trusts. Trusts are an unique planning tool that can help provide: As with most personal financial decisions – they’re more personal than finance so in...

If you’ve done the work of building a financial plan—truly building it, not just checking boxes—you’re ahead of the game. You’ve taken the time to think deeply about your goals, align your values with your dollars, and put a structure in place to help you move forward with intention. That’s not something most people do, and we see every day...

When most people think about their 401(k), the obvious benefits that come to mind are: building retirement savings through investments, employer matching (if available), and tax deferral. But there’s a lesser-known advantage that high earners and business owners should be aware of to ensure they are maximizing the benefit—the marginal tax bracket opportunity that comes with 401(k) contributions. This article...

Comparing your investment returns to the S&P 500 is like judging a restaurant’s success based only on its dessert sales—you’re ignoring the appetizers, entrées, and drinks that make up the full experience. Not to mention, you’re also not including the ambiance, food quality, quality of service and staff, etc. Wouldn’t you say that holds some weight in a restaurant’s success?...

President Donald Trump implemented tariffs as a strategic negotiating tool to address issues such as illegal immigration and drug trafficking, as well as to bolster U.S. manufacturing. Tariffs on Canada and Mexico: In response, Canada and Mexico agreed to a one-month delay in the implementation of these tariffs, committing to increased border enforcement and cooperation with U.S. efforts to address...

So, here we are, January of 2025 and we’re starting to hear from all the pundits about what 2025 is going to look like. Before we dive into what the experts are saying, let’s take a look at what the experts said about 2023 and 2024, and see if they were right. What was the overwhelming Stock Market and Economic...

Hold too much cash, and you’re comfortably losing money to inflation. Hold too little cash, and you’re running the risk of being unable to deal with unexpected expenses. A good plan for managing existing cash and current cash flow balances three factors: financial planning best practices, your comfort with cash, and an active approach to managing cash on an ongoing...

Analyzing historical data reveals that stock market downturns and recessions have occurred under both Democratic and Republican administrations, indicating that these economic events are influenced by a multitude of factors beyond presidential control. Stock Market Downturns by Presidential Term: A review of maximum drawdowns during various presidential terms shows no consistent pattern linking the incumbent president to stock market declines....

As October unfolds, it’s a perfect time to reflect on your financial goals and reassess your strategies as we approach year-end—and the upcoming election. Political shifts can have significant implications for your finances, so understanding these dynamics is crucial. Here are key financial planning topics to consider this month, along with insights on how the election may impact your decisions....

The average yearly cost of tuition in 2024 depending on whether you end up in an Ivy league school or public campus can range from $27,330 to $78,970. Over a 4 year period, this could be as low as $109,320 or as high as $315,880. & this is just for one child! Further, since 1980 the cost of higher education...