As 2019 closes and a new year starts with a fair amount of uncertainty, it is a good idea to take stock of your financial situation. While markets have been going strong and the economy seems largely sound, upheaval in both domestic and world politics, an increasingly fragile interaction with the environment, and uncertainty in global trade policies will continue throughout the immediate future. We’d like to ask all of our clients, both individual and as part of an organization—how is your money working for you and do you have a cohesive plan to maintain and grow your wealth?
BackgroundThere is growing interest in a design strategy known as the Mega Backdoor Roth Conversion (the Conversion). The Conversion allows 401(k) or 403(b) Plan participants who are already deferring the maximum allowed to contribute After-Tax funds to the plan. The … Continue reading
Many people feel that the most cost effective way to fund college for their kids is by contributing to a 529 plan. The benefits are:All earnings grow tax free and are distributed tax free if used for qualified education expenses30 states … Continue reading
Have you ever come home from a trip with a renewed perspective? Sometimes the very activities designed to help us relax can also work to free the mind so we can more easily prioritize what needs to get done. Here are … Continue reading
I am not normally a fan of Jim Cramer, the loud, stock-picking host of CNBC’s “Mad Money.” That said, this week on the TODAY show he had a sensible reflection about the recent days’ market decline: “No one ever made … Continue reading
Make sure your plan matches your stage in lifeMost people do not like thinking about their own death or the death of family and friends. Benjamin Franklin famously wrote: “… in this world nothing can be said to be certain, … Continue reading
Last year my husband and I knew there was something wrong with our boiler, in the basement of our house. We knew this because we lost heat in the house during the winter – twice. We learned that repairing it … Continue reading
Every May, years of all-night study sessions and grueling examinations endured by thousands of young men and women culminate with graduation and the receipt of a four-year college degree. While more and more young men and women are attending college, … Continue reading
It’s International Women’s Day, and I have been thinking about how financial advisors interact with women, especially when those women are one half of a couple, and how I wished both advisors and women would behave differently.I’ve been to several … Continue reading
With the end of the year approaching, now is the time for high income earners to assess whether a defined benefit plan makes sense.A defined benefit plan allows the highest deductible contributions of any retirement plan. This plan allows you … Continue reading