Investments are important tools to help you reach your financial goals. There are many pieces that comprise your investment strategy and today we are going to talk about one that doesn’t receive a ton of attention but can have a big impact on your net gain: asset location.
There are so many things that change when someone retires and one of the factors that new retirees have a tough time managing is their changing cash flow. For so many years, they have been dedicated to putting money into their retirement accounts, but what happens when they have to take it out?
Resolutions come from a place of positivity and introspection. They are a catalyst for change but perhaps aren’t the most efficient vehicles to help us get there. This year, you can do something different. You can change your resolution into something that can help you make the change you wish to see: a goal.
Taxes can be confusing and stressful for many people, and we want to do what we can to alleviate that stress. We are passionate about the role that strong financial planning and accurate tax preparation play in your financial landscape and would love to see what these services can do for your finances.
Your charitable ambitions have helped guide your life from the organizations you support to all of the wonderful relationships you have sustained along the way and your passion for giving can also shine through as you plan for your legacy.
The giving of ourselves for the greater good, that is what charity is all about. Today, I’d like to explore a few ways that you can adopt a new dimension into your charitable efforts: your time.
Having transparency in your financial life when it comes to your emotions can help you better plan and execute a financial strategy that is centered around your values and priorities. Money will never stop being emotional and it is important to embrace those emotions, understand where they are coming from, and use them to make an impact on your life and the lives of those around you.
Charitable giving is an integral piece of life—something that we all should strive for 365 days a year. One thing that can help promote that spirit of giving is creating a plan for your charitable contributions throughout the year, and while there are many ways to do that, one that is becoming increasingly popular is the use of a donor-advised fund.
Many retirees want to maintain their charitable efforts, but don’t know where to start. QCDs are an excellent tool because they allow you to create a planned giving strategy in retirement. You are able to build-in a giving plan into your retirement budget which will help you be more consistent in your charitable efforts.
Once of the reasons that Step By Step Financial is a Dimensional Fund Advisor is DFA's focus on...
So what's next here at Step By Step? We're going to start talking about investments. During this next quarter, our client meetings will focus on...
While we had prepared for the changes to rules regarding charitable donations and medical deductions, many of my clients were still surprised at how different their tax return was, and have asked what to do going forward. Something that my clients, as well as many others, will likely benefit from is...
If your tax bracket has changed for the better...it's possible that converting your Traditional IRA to a Roth might make sense for you. What exactly should you consider?
Since the IRS published its first report of the current tax season, I have seen a lot of "talk" about how tax refunds are lower than average. I have also seen multiple posts on how taxes are down. How can these things both be true?
This is a great link for families with high school sophomores...
When was the last time you reviewed your personal and financial goals? The beginning of the year is a great time to do it!
If you have a college bound high school senior in the family, it's almost time for the fun part: analyzing and (potentially) appealing financial aid offers!
Merry Christmas from my family to yours! While it is still a time of celebration, it is also a time of reflection and looking ahead. Can you see what's next?
Earlier this week I read a reflection by Karen Culbertson on the eulogy of his father's life given by President George W. Bush. I was struck by the eulogy myself, but she expresses her thoughts far more clearly than I could mine. She says:
For the past few weeks, we have been bombarded with advertisements, holiday preparation advice, images promoting exceptional situations, and now, end of year charitable giving requests. Charitable giving is important, but...