Blog

The One Big Beautiful Bill and You

On July 4, the One Big Beautiful Bill was signed into law at a White House ceremony. This domestic policy bill extends the 2017 tax cuts set to expire this year, making some of those rules permanent. The bill also creates several new...

Starting a Roth IRA for a Teen

Want to give your child or grandchild a financial head start? A Roth IRA might be a choice to consider. Read on to learn more about how doing this may benefit both of you. Rules for setting up a Roth IRA. If your teen has an earned...

Navigating Retirement Pitfalls

Much is written about the classic financial mistakes that plague start-ups, family businesses, corporations, and charities. Some classic financial missteps have been known to plague retirees, too. Calling them "missteps" may be a bit...

Market Resilience Amid Uncertainty

The latest recovery is another reminder that periods of turmoil can often create opportunities. Although stocks may pull back after their strong rally since the April 8 lows — especially if trade deals and tariff reductions don’t...

Social Security Fairness Act's New Chapter

he Social Security Fairness Act, signed into law in December 2024, adjusts two longstanding provisions that previously reduced Social Security benefits for certain recipients: the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government...

Catch-Up Contributions

A recent survey found that 21% of workers are very confident about having enough money to live comfortably through their retirement years. At the same time, 32% are not confident.1 In 2001 congress passed a law that can help older...

How the SECURE Act 2.0 Changed RMDs

In the final days of 2022, Congress passed the SECURE Act 2.0, a new set of rules designed to help investors who wanted to contribute to retirement plans. Many of these changes were intended to give investors more flexibility and new...

What's New for Social Security?

Whether you’re applying for Social Security in the future or currently receiving benefits, there are some important changes to earnings limits, Medicare premiums, and other differences to keep in mind. Ready to learn more? Read on....

Understanding Qualified Charitable Distributions

As you build your legacy, considering how to leverage your charitable contributions can be a fulfilling endeavor. Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) can offer an opportunity to support your favorite causes and manage your...

Global vs. International: What’s the Difference?

With international stock markets comprising about 40 percent of the world's capitalization as of 2023, a broad range of investment opportunities exist outside the borders of the U.S.1 For investors who are looking to diversify their...

Split Annuity Strategy

When financial markets turn volatile, some investors show their frustration by fleeing the markets in search of alternatives that are designed to offer stability. For example, in the first quarter of 2020, the S&P 500 lost nearly 20%...

Disability and Your Finances

The Social Security Disability Insurance program paid out over $150 billion in benefits in 2023. And with new applicants each year, the system is expected to exhaust its reserves at the end of 2035 if changes aren’t made.1,2 Rather...

Understanding Money Market Funds

A money market fund, not to be confused with a money market account, is a type of mutual fund that invests in instruments like cash equivalents and short-term debt-based securities, which can also include U.S. Treasury Bonds.1 Safety...

4 Steps to Protecting a Child with Disabilities

Raising a child is expensive and can cost over a quarter of a million dollars, excluding college. For a child with special needs, that cost can more than triple. If you’re the parent of a child with special needs, it’s vital to ensure...

Filing Final Tax Returns for the Deceased

When a family member passes away, there are many decisions that need to be made and many emotions to handle. The last thing anyone thinks about is taxes. Unfortunately, even the deceased can’t escape taxation. If the departed...

Roth IRA for Kids

Small business owners may find it challenging to find ways to provide additional benefits to their children who work for the company. One often overlooked choice is including a Roth individual retirement account (IRA) as part of their...

Women and Wealth: A Pivot Towards Retirement

Retirement is a significant transition, and it can bring both challenges and opportunities for women who have spent many years focused on their careers. For women approaching retirement age, it is crucial to consider various tips and...

What If Your Kids Decide Against College?

As a parent or grandparent, you may have diligently saved money in a 529 account to help fund your child's or grandchild's college education. But what happens if they decide college isn't the right path for them? It's a valid question...

Reviewing Your Life Insurance Needs

Life is an ever-evolving journey marked by significant milestones, personal growth, and unexpected changes. As life unfolds, your financial and insurance needs also shift, changing from year to year, decade to decade. A good example of...

Retirement Income and the Traditional Portfolio

Taking withdrawals from a traditional portfolio exposes fixed-income investors to “sequence of returns” danger. In other words, experiencing negative returns early in retirement can deplete your portfolio more quickly than...

A Decision Not Made Is Still a Decision

Whether through inertia or trepidation, investors who put off important investment decisions might consider the admonition offered by motivational speaker Brian Tracy, "Almost any decision is better than no decision at all." This...

Assess Life Insurance Needs

If your family relies on your income, it's critical to consider having enough life insurance to provide for them after you pass away. But too often, life insurance is an overlooked aspect of personal finances. In fact, according to a...

Retiring Earlier Than Expected? What To Know

Many Americans, through circumstances beyond their control, find themselves needing to retire earlier than anticipated. Whatever the circumstances, it’s difficult not to feel wrongfooted and hurried by the situation. However,...

A Cheat Sheet for Sending Your Kid to College

College marks a great milestone in a child’s life. It may be the first time he or she will live away from home. Dropping off your child at college may be an experience loaded with emotions, so here are a few tips for a smoother...

Having Financial Conversations with Adult Children

A recent survey reported that 68% of parents had made financial sacrifices to support their adult children. It's often a difficult decision that can stress relationships, impact retirement strategies, and harm overall financial...

How Will Working Affect Social Security Benefits?

In a recent survey, 70% of current workers stated they plan to work for pay after retiring.1And that possibility raises an interesting question: how will working affect Social Security benefits?The answer to that question requires an...

Is the Bear Market Over?

"Is the bear market over?"That's a question I've been asked a number of times in recent weeks. And my answer is the same, "Let's give it a little time."But people are quick to remind me that stocks are off to a good start in 2023,...

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”...

Social Security: Five Facts You Need to Know

Social Security can be complicated, and as a result many individuals don’t have a full understanding of the choices they may have. Here are five facts about Social Security that are important to keep in mind.1. Social Security Is...

Immediate vs. Deferred Annuities

Despite not being as well known as some other retirement tools, annuities account for 6% of all assets earmarked for retirement. With about $2.6 trillion in assets, annuities hold more funds than Roth IRAs.1An annuity is a contract...

Helpful Retirement Strategies for Women

Preparing for retirement can look a little different for women than it does for men. Although stereotypes are changing, women are still more likely to serve as caretakers than men are, meaning they may accumulate less income and...

Taking A Hike

Four ways interest Rate Hikes Can Affect Your FinancesUnless you live on another planet, you are fully aware of this thing called inflation — whether you’re at the grocery store, a gas station, buying clothes online, hiring...

Eight Mistakes That Can Upend Your Retirement

Pursuing your retirement dreams is challenging enough without making some common, and very avoidable, mistakes. Here are eight big mistakes to steer clear of, if possible.No Strategy: Yes, the biggest mistake is having no strategy at...

3 Shrewd Maneuvers in a Down Market

It’s natural to think “defense” during a bearish market season. But why not mix in some “offense” with your defense? Here are three moves we can discuss together that may be helpful during the current...

Does Your Portfolio Fit Your Retirement Lifestyle?

Most portfolios are constructed based on an individual's investment objective, risk tolerance, and time horizon.Using these inputs and sophisticated portfolio-optimization calculations, most investors can feel confident that they own a...

THE BASICS OF FINANCIAL FITNESS

GO TO THE HEAD OF THE CLASS

Money Mantras

CATCHING A PHISH

CARING FOR AGING PARENTS

MAKING SENSE OF MEDICARE PARTS A, B, C, AND D

With its four distinct parts, Medicare can be an alphabet soup of complexity. We provide an overview of the various components and how they impact your healthcare costs. Medicare is available to virtually all U.S. citizens and legal...

The Many Faces of Risk

Knowing the different types of investment risk can help you cope with market volatility. When was the last time you checked your retirement plan balance? If your balance was less than it was the last time you checked, you probably felt...

CONSIDERATIONS WHEN PURCHASING LIFE INSURANCE

There are a number of different life insurance products and features to consider when evaluating plans. Discussing the importance of owning life insurance can be a sensitive topic — after all, few people like to talk about death....

ANNUAL MAINTENANCE

Perform this five-point inspection to help keep your retirement plan’s motor running smoothly Just like with a car, it’s a good idea to perform some annual maintenance on your retirement plan. Here’s a five-point...

WORKING WITH A FINANCIAL PROFESSIONAL

Your financial professional is an objective financial professional who will help you work toward your financial goals. Here’s how to optimize that critical relationship. The financial world is a complex one to navigate. New...

MANAGING A BUDGET DURING YOUR RETIREMENT

Retirees face a critical task in managing their income and expenses to ensure that they can support their lifestyle and any healthcare costs. Unless you have accumulated substantial wealth where money is not a concern, you face a...

Grow Your Financial Garden

Cultivating a realistic budget can help you harvest a better financial future Spring is here and it’s time to think about growth potential—for both your garden and your journey toward financial wellness! The following steps...

A Date with Destiny

Seven age milestones that will impact your retirement planning As you travel the savings road toward retirement and beyond, certain key dates will pop up. Some of these dates are critically important to your retirement planning efforts...

When to Begin Collecting Social Security

Deciding when to begin collecting Social Security depends on a number of factors, including how long you anticipate needing it. Deciding when to retire and begin collecting Social Security is an important life decision. For some,...

Year-End Tax Planning Tips

You may be able to reduce your tax liability if you consider adopting these tax strategies before year’s end. Few words can dampen the cheer and optimism of a New Year like taxes. Let’s face it, the time for holidays, time...

Optimizing Required Minimum Distribution

Required minimum distributions take on added urgency as you approach (and reach) age 72, with specific rules and tax implications. Seventy-two is an important age milestone for those in or near retirement, as it marks the time when...

One for the Ages

Consider the trade-offs before deciding what age to begin taking Social Security benefits As you get close to retirement, one of your biggest questions will likely be when to begin taking Social Security benefits. If you file at an age...

Beyond Retirement: Consider Your Other Goals

Retirement savings isn’t the only financial goal you might want to consider in a lifetime. There are other considerable milestones that you want to take into account as well. When it comes to financial stability, people tend to...

Tough Competition

Careful planning can help you manage competing financial priorities Does this sound familiar? You keep meaning to increase your retirement plan contribution, but there seem to be too many other financial priorities that get in the way....

What makes 2020 a unique year for retirement?

Q: What makes 2020 a unique year for retirement?A: Big changes to retirement account rules. You can attribute those changes to two major pieces of legislation: the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act, and...

LPL Financial - Midyear Outlook 2020

LPL MIDYEAR OUTLOOK 2020

Key Provisions of the CARES Act

Distributions can be waived in 2020 for Inherited Accounts, 401(k)s, and IRAs. Recently, the $2 trillion “Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security” (“CARES”) Act was signed into law. The CARES Act is...

Bear Markets Come and Go

If you are losing sleep over volatility driven by a cascade of disheartening news, it may help to remember that the stock market is historically cyclical. The longest bull market in history lasted almost 11 years before coronavirus...

Burt White: How do you survive an attack from an anaconda? (Bear Market)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNIe1xR6MBw&feature=youtu.be

Does Your Portfolio Reflect Your Risk Tolerance?

When it comes to investing, many people associate risk with losing money. But investing entails different types of risk. Understanding each type -- and the potential return associated with your retirement portfolio -- can help you...

Managing Cash Flow in Retirement

Detailed budgeting, frequent monitoring of income and expenses, and prompt action to address potential cash flow problems are essential elements of financial planning for retirees. Despite careful planning and reasonable assumptions...

Reducing the Risk of Outliving Your Money

What steps might help you sustain and grow your retirement savings? “What is your greatest retirement fear?” If you ask any group of retirees and pre-retirees this question, “outliving my money” will likely be...

Medicare Open Enrollment Begins October 15

What is the Medicare Open Enrollment Period? The Medicare Open Enrollment Period is the time during which Medicare beneficiaries can make new choices and pick plans that work best for them. Each year, Medicare plan costs and coverage...

The A, B, C, & D of Medicare

Breaking down the basics & what each part covers. Whether your 65th birthday is on the horizon or decades away, you should understand the parts of Medicare – what they cover and where they come from. Parts A & B: Original...

Brush Up on Your IRA Facts

If you are opening an individual retirement account (IRA) for the first time or need a refresher course on the specifics of IRA ownership, here are some facts for your consideration. IRAs in AmericaIRAs continue to play an increasingly...

Market Update

Good Window of Opportunity for Roth IRA Conversions

The Roth IRA is a powerful tax-favored retirement option since it can offer a hedge against future tax-rate increases. But beyond tax planning considerations, Roth IRAs have several important advantages over traditional IRAs:1. Unlike...

Retirement in Motion Tips and resources that everyone can use

Healthcare takes a bigger share of Social Security benefits as you age Many people expect that they will be able to live on less income in retirement. Some expenses clearly will fall for some (such as mortgage payments and commuting...

National Social Security Month

One thing “to do” during National Social Security Month By Vonda VanTil Grand Rapids, Michigan It’s National Social Security Month. If there’s only one thing that you do this month related to Social Security, do...

Investing for Your Later Years? Think Asset Preservation but Don't Forget Growth

After years of investing for retirement and other goals, you may have accumulated a substantial portfolio. If you're approaching or already enjoying retirement, there are important steps that you can take to help ensure that your...

Are You Financially Fit?

Steps to reaching financial wellness include having a budget, an emergency fund, a good credit score, and retirement savings. If you don't have a financial plan, that question may be hard to answer. To achieve financial wellness, you...