How to See If Your Child’s Identity Has Been Stolen
Identity theft is on the rise, and unfortunately, it’s not something that only adults encounter. Sometimes children’s identities can be stolen and they don’t find out until they apply for their first credit card or buy their first car. By then, the damage is often ...
How to Avoid Charitable Giving Errors
Individuals, foundations, bequests, and corporations gave an estimated $449.6 billion to U.S. charities in 2019, according to findings in Giving USA 2020. Individuals accounted for an estimated $309.7 billion, up 4.7% in 2019 versus the prior year. We tend to think about charitable donations around ...
Will you be paying higher taxes on your capital gains?
The short answer is probably “No.” The longer answer is, “I don’t know” because tax hikes proposed by the president may or may not be enacted into law by Congress. Last month, President Joe Biden unveiled The American Families Plan, which among other things, proposes ...
The Covid Economy, a Year Later
This time last year, the World Health Organization recently had declared that the spread of Covid-19 constituted a worldwide pandemic. Stringent measures in the U.S. were being taken to slow the spread of Covid and “flatten the curve.” The lockdowns and shelter-in-place orders dealt a ...
What to Know About Biden’s Proposed Tax Policy
To fund his large-scale infrastructure initiative, President Biden is planning to increase taxes. While these plans are still subject to significant change, it is time to start learning about the proposed changes to see if you could be affected. Forewarned is forearmed. Today’s tax rates ...
Avoiding 7 Retirement Traps
You have saved and invested for decades and you are gearing up for retirement, or maybe you have already left your job. While the idea of leaving your career behind may be appealing, it is a monumental change that can also be unsettling for some ...
Money Problems Couples Can Avoid
“Stop in the name of love, before you break my heart.” We know The Supremes weren’t alluding to the pitfalls couples face when they grapple over money issues. But our own experience tells us that money plus love can lead into minefields we’d rather ...
7 Steps for Staying Ahead of Scammers
When was the last time you received a phone call or email from a scammer? It you were contacted recently, you aren’t alone. Internet scams show no signs of letting up. In fact, the problem may be getting worse. In its most recent report ...
Financial Focus Webinar: 2021 Outlook and Tax Saving Strategies
How did we manage our client accounts last year? What does 2021 have in store (according to analysts)? How can you minimize your tax liability? What are some good financial new years resolutions? Tune in to our webinar to hear our fiduciary advisors discuss ...
New Year, Updated Tax Numbers for 2021
With 2021 upon us it’s important to be armed with the most up to date information. Here is a handy sheet with all kinds of key financial numbers that can help you determine what your tax bracket is, contribution limits, and even Medicare deductibles. ...
9 Tax Facts and Tips to Save You Money
Tax brackets and tax rates have changed. Every year, the tax brackets for taxable income are adjusted based on the rate of inflation. Table 1 illustrates your marginal tax bracket based on taxable income.Table 1: Tax brackets for 2020 The increased standard deduction has simplified ...
9 Smart Planning Moves to Consider at Year-End
1. Review Your Income or Portfolio Strategy Are you reaching a milestone in your life such as retirement or a change in your personal circumstances? Has your tolerance for taking risk changed? We experienced historic volatility this year. The broad-based S&P 500 Index lost over ...
Client Appreciation Event at Peter’s Pumpkin Patch
Thank you to all of our clients who joined us for our fall client appreciation event at Peter’s Pumpkin patch! We enjoyed spending the day with those who joined us, so we wanted to share some fun pictures of the day. ...
Can I Retire Yet? How to Prepare for Retirement
About 10,000 Americans are retiring every day! Retirement is on the horizon and I know you’re anxiously awaiting that glorious chapter of your life. But are you really ready? Even if you’ve been saving in your retirement plans for years, there are ...
2020 Economic & Market Update + What the Election Means for Your Finances
Are you worried about what the election means for your finances?Wondering when the economy will recover?Hoping your finances are prepared?Tune in to our webinar to hear our fiduciary advisors discuss the answers to these questions. Daniel reviewed what occurred in the economy and ...
Do I Need a Financial Advisor or Can I Do it Myself?
You may be asking yourself “Do I need a financial adviser?” or “Should I manage my own investments?” These are very common questions. When thinking about this, there are 5 main considerations to help you decide on. Do You Have Time To Devote ...
6 Steps That Put You on the Path to a Successful Retirement
Achieving your financial goals doesn’t just happen by itself. It takes a plan, implementing the plan, adhering to the plan, and when necessary, adjusting the plan. Simply put, failing to plan is planning to fail. Don’t plan to fail! Nearly everyone will receive Social Security, but ...
How to Find a Christian Financial Advisor
Being a good steward of what God has entrusted us with is part of what we are called to do as Christians. Finding godly advisors who provide Biblical advice is vital to this. Proverbs 15:22 says “Plans go wrong for lack of advice; many ...