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New Year, New Goals: Your Countdown to Financial Health
For many people, a new year provides a new start—and nothing says “new start” like a fresh new set of financial goals. But setting these goals is easier said than done. What steps should you take to get the most bang for your buck over the next year? Below we discuss three New Year’s resolutions […]
Read MoreHow the Secure Act 2.0 Could Change the Way You Save for Retirement
The pending legislation for the proposed retirement reform, better known as the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act 2.0, is expected to be passed into law by the end of 2022. In March of this year, the United States House of Representatives passed the Securing a Strong Retirement Act of 2022. Then […]
Read MoreCountdown To Investing in the New Year: 10 Questions to Ask Yourself
If one of your New Year’s resolutions involves enhancing and expanding your investment portfolio, look no further. In a true New Year’s Eve countdown tradition, ask yourself these 10 questions to help review your investment plans. 10. What’s My Investment Timeline? Not every investment is appropriate for every timeframe. Someone who hopes to retire in […]
Read MoreYear-End Tax Planning Basics
The window of opportunity for many tax-saving moves closes on December 31, so it’s important to evaluate your tax situation now, while there’s still time to affect your bottom line for the 2022 tax year. Timing is everything Consider any opportunities you have to defer income to 2023. For example, you may be able to […]
Read MoreThe 12 Days of Year-End Planning: Things to Consider Going into “The New Year”
At the end of the year, it is necessary to reflect on your financial picture, review the last 12 months, and plan for the future. With all that is involved, it can seem overwhelming. Consider breaking up the responsibilities over twelve days, focusing on one each day, and ensuring it gets a comprehensive review. DAY […]
Read MoreTaking Charitable Giving to Another Level
Did you know that you can gift a new or existing life insurance policy to your favorite charity? When properly designed, a charitable life insurance program may improve your overall financial situation and offer tax benefits, all while supporting a charitable cause. Generally, there are three methods used to gift a life insurance policy to […]
Read More5 Year-End Tax Planning Questions to Ask Your Financial Professional
The average U.S. income tax rate stands at just over 13%—and if you’re like many taxpayers, you’re always looking for new tips and tricks to help reduce this percentage.1 There are a number of different tax planning moves you can make before December 31 to reduce your owed taxes. But how can you know which […]
Read MoreEnduring Market Volatility With a Financial Plan
If you hope to retire soon and are concerned about what the future may hold for your investments, you are not alone. Inflation has many retirees and soon-to-be retirees worried about outliving their savings and investments.1 What might you do to survive and even thrive during volatile markets? A financial plan may help you feel […]
Read MoreCreating a Legacy of Change through Charitable Giving
Philanthropy today is different than it was in the past. It was once common for donors to distribute their wealth through smaller grants to numerous organizations. Over time, best practices for charitable giving have evolved, and wealthy individuals are instead taking a greater interest in and even taking part in the organizations. Because of this, […]
Read MoreTrusts and Year-End Planning: A Checklist
A trust is a legal vehicle that protects your assets that contains instructions for your assets when you die or become incapacitated. When you set up a trust, you transfer assets from your name into your trust’s name while you still retain control of the assets until you die. Trusts can hold many different assets, […]
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