Financial planning blog

Timely and free financial planning advice

June 10, 2021

How to Protect Yourself from Cyber Fraud

Asset Protection Video and Podcast Learn from the expert network team in a podcast or an online movie. Karl Frank, Nathan Merrill, Mike Miller and Jeff Krommendyk about ways to protect your assets during these turbulent times! Subscribe to the podcast or watch the video on our website. There are four types of asset...

June 4, 2021

What is the Return on the News?

Watch the investment commentary movie from Dr. Tom Howard at Athena Invest. Learn about what we believe is shaping the markets and how the research team at Athena is positioning their portion of our investment portfolios. Here is a summary. If you want, you can click to an area of interest. First, Dr. Howard...

Jar of coins with hands—symbolizing savings & investment.

May 26, 2021

Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD): A Tax-Efficient Way of Donating From your IRA

Learn how to make a charitable contribution out of your IRA. This special tax benefit allows you to avoid income tax and for your charity to receive the full distribution without paying any taxes!

Couple with baby planning for future and financial security

May 12, 2021

Top 3 Tips for Managing Money During Life Transitions

Life Transitions Create Big Emotions When life changes, our emotions go up. And money usually increases the stress we are already feeling! Changes include: Career change or other employment-related changes Retirement Divorce Death in the family Sale of a business Marriage Children-related: births, kids leaving home, etc. Financial—inheritance, windfall, etc. Money usually increases the drama of things! Importantly, the stress is real...

May 5, 2021

What do Biden’s Proposed Tax Increases Mean for Your Investments?

Read this Periscope to learn about the President’s proposed tax increases, including a huge increase in the long-term capital gains rate. Also, increases to the income tax rate, the step-up in tax basis, higher taxes on corporations and a gotcha for real estate investors. Second-largest Percentage Tax Increase in US History The proposed tax increases,...

April 28, 2021

How do I make a successful leap to retirement?

Retirement May Mean Retirements–Plural!In today’s world, the idea of retiring from work and never returning is less popular than it used to be. Many of our clients and friends are switching up the work they do instead of quitting. Some of them take off work for a year or several years, and then go back...