Blog
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Deductions for Investment Fees? Well, It Depends…
With the passage of the 2018 tax law, investment fees, along with most other itemized deductions, are no longer available to reduce taxable income but there are exceptions. Questions about investment fees and their deductibility, your IRA accounts, or other financial matters should be answered by an accredited, licensed financial advisor.
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2019 Changes to Retirement Plan Contribution Limits and Social Security Benefits
The U.S. government changes a variety of investment and benefits thresholds based on the inflation rate. For 2019, we’ll see significant changes to the savings threshold – including for 401(k)s and Traditional and Roth IRAs – and cost-of-living and retirement age adjustments for Social Security beneficiaries. Here's what you can expect.
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Good Balance Matters: Rebalance to Keep Your Portfolio on Course
We constantly urge the people we advise to remember the importance of maintaining a proper mix of different types of assets and careful, ongoing adjustment of that mix to keep them on the path we agreed on when they began investing. There are two important principles at work: diversification and rebalancing. Diversification is what sets you on your course, and rebalancing is how you stay there. Here's how rebalancing works, and why it matters.
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Family Wealth Transfer That Works: 4 Steps to a Successful Process
Older people who have spent a lifetime building a significant estate, who are concerned about directing how their assets will be distributed upon their passing, and who are keenly conscious of their responsibilities to their children, grandchildren, and the causes or organizations they care about should seek assistance from a financial planner about their family wealth transfer plan.
Here are four of the most important steps. -
What Do Midterm Elections Mean for Markets?
While the outcomes of elections are uncertain, one thing we can count on is plenty of opinions in financial circles about the potential for perceived impact on markets. But should long-term investors focus on election results? Investors making short-term changes to a long-term plan to try to profit or avoid losses from changes in the political winds should proceed with caution. Data for the stock market going back to 1926 tells a compelling story about staying in it for the long haul.
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Beating Financial Stress: How Successful Women Cope
Most Americans would admit to suffering at least occasional financial stress; it seems to be a fixture in our culture. But women shoulder more stress than men when it comes to money, according to recent studies. So what should women do to move from the “consistently financially stressed” category to a greater sense of confidence? Here are a few actionable ideas for women who want to feel less pressured and more assured.
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“Would You Meet Me in the Middle?” For Retiring Couples, the Answer Should Be “Yes”
Good marriages revolve around the art of compromise. One of the most important financial matters for spouses approaching retirement age is agreement on a strategy for retirement. It is vital for couples to have a clear, mutually agreeable understanding of their plan for the retirement years. Here are four key matters that should be agreed upon before either spouse retires.
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Smart Tax Tips for Widows
For those enduring the loss of a spouse, one of the hardest things, along with the grieving process, is the uncertainty surrounding finances. It can be crucial to get prompt, professional advice from someone who is familiar with your situation – an important way of beginning to exercise some control. Here are four important tax matters to discuss with a CPA or tax advisor as you begin the adjustment to life without your partner.
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Money Can’t Buy Happiness, But . . .
A new study released in the spring by Morgan Stanley contains some pretty interesting ramifications for the old adage, “money can’t buy happiness.” It's not the money itself that makes you happy; it’s the feeling of knowing that you have planned and prepared for the future, not only for yourself, but also for those you love.
