Key Financial Insights from 2024 and Looking Ahead to 2025
As we approach the end of 2024, it’s an opportune time to reflect on the year’s financial developments and consider what 2025 may bring. We believe in understanding both the past and potential future of our economic landscape, which may help inform financial decisions. This year has brought its share of financial developments, from market […]
A Different Kind of Year-End Review: 10 Steps to Reflect and Recharge
Financial professionals typically focus year-round on monetary goals and wealth management strategies. However, we also believe that true financial well-being is intrinsically linked to overall life satisfaction and personal growth. This year, we’re encouraging you to look beyond just the numbers. We invite you to conduct a personal year-end review encompassing all aspects of your […]
Year-End Giving Strategies: Maximizing Your Impact
America is a generous country. People with diverse backgrounds can unite for a good cause, whether to benefit their local communities or the broader world. As we enter the holiday season, now is a great time to think about your giving strategy and your contributions to the charitable organizations and causes you care most about. […]
How the SECURE 2.0 Act Changed 529 Plans
Changes to 529 Plans in the SECURE 2.0 Act The SECURE Act was initially passed by Congress at the end of 2019 and was intended to improve retirement savings opportunities. It was a big deal at the time and the most significant piece of retirement legislation since the 2006 Pension Protection Act. Congress came together […]
Healthcare Costs in Retirement
In a 2022 survey, 35% of all workers reported they were either “not too” or “not at all” confident that they would have enough money to pay for their medical expenses in retirement. Regardless of your confidence, however, being aware of potential healthcare costs during retirement may allow you to understand what you can pay […]
Important Birthdays Over 50
Most children stop being “and-a-half” somewhere around age 12. Kids add “and-a-half“ to make sure everyone knows they’re closer to the next age than the last. When you are older, “and-a-half” birthdays start making a comeback. In fact, starting at age 50, several birthdays and “half-birthdays” are critical to understand because they have implications regarding […]
Term vs. Permanent Life Insurance
According to industry experts, most people don’t have enough life insurance. The American Council of Life Insurers recently reported that average coverage equals $183,780, which is equivalent to approximately 3.5 years in terms of income replacement (with the median income being $54,132 in 2022, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics). That’s only half the […]
Your Emergency Fund: How Much Is Enough?
Have you ever had one of those months? The water heater stops heating, the dishwasher stops washing, and your family ends up on a first-name basis with the nurse at urgent care. Then, as you’re driving to work, you see smoke coming from under your hood. Bad things happen to the best of us, and […]
Understanding FDIC Insurance
It’s natural to wonder exactly how a bank safeguards your money. Fortunately, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) insurance exists for this very reason: to help protect your funds once deposited. Read on to explore the purpose of FDIC insurance, how it works, and what it covers. What Is FDIC Insurance? The FDIC is an […]
SECURE Act 2.0: An Overview
In the final days of 2022, Congress passed a new set of retirement rules designed to facilitate contribution to retirement plans and access to those funds earmarked for retirement. The law is called SECURE 2.0, and it is a follow-up to the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act passed in 2019. The […]