Bonds for Beginners

Everybody gives the same financial advice: “Diversify your portfolio!” The problem is, most folks saying that only diversify their stocks, keeping their savings in the volatile stock market. Bonds are, and have been, an essential part to any investor’s portfolio and are considered to be more conservative than stocks. But what exactly are bonds? What is a Bond? In the …

When is the best time to retire?

Nine times out of ten, folks say the best time to retire is “Yesterday!” The average retirement age in America is 62, but there is no ‘one size fits all’ answer. On your way to retirement, there are a few things to keep in mind to maximize your retirement income and navigate around financial termites like taxes and fees. The …

The 3 Pillars of a Retirement Plan

We are bombarded with financial advice from everywhere: news outlets, social media, even your bartender with a Bitcoin wallet. Everyone is trying to tell you what to do with your money, but they don’t have your vision for the future; “everyone” doesn’t have a plan for a secure retirement. Instead of navigating the financial world without direction, enjoy peace of …

Annuities

An annuity is a contract between you and an insurance company that requires the insurer to make payments to you, either immediately or in the future.  You will buy an annuity by either making a single lump sum payment to the insurance company or a series of payments to them over time.  An annuity provides you with a predictable stream …

Increased Limits for Health Savings Accounts

On May 10, 2021, the IRS decided that it will again raise the limit for Health Savings Accounts (HSA’s) for 2022 to account for inflation.   First, for some that don’t know, a Health Savings Account, or HSA, is a tax-advantaged account created to help people save for medical expenses that are not reimbursed by their high deductible health care plans.  …

What’s the Difference?

In 1975, Congress introduced the Individual Retirement Account (IRA) as the first tax-advantaged retirement savings tool. Even though it is an incredibly popular option for saving for retirement, many people don’t quite understand how it all works. So what is the difference between a Roth IRA and a Roth 401(k)?  Well for starters it all depends on how much money …

Mistakes to Avoid After the Loss of a Spouse

Losing a spouse can be overwhelming. It can be filled with grief, confusion and uncertainty.  It’s also a time where you could make mistakes that could have long lasting ramifications.  Especially if you weren’t the one that handled the finances or you didn’t have much of a hand in the financial planning.  Below, we have identified some of the biggest …

The Water Wheel of Money

In Best Selling Author Peter J. D’Arruda’s book “7 Baby Steps to a Ridiculously Reliable Retirement Income”, he was inspired by two things:  “(1) The need for seniors to have as steady and reliable an income stream in retirement as they did when they were working, and (2) his daughter, Caroline (affectionately known as Carrie), whose transition from expert crawler …

Divorce in Retirement

WHY YOU NEED TO SEEK A FINANCIAL ADVISOR DURING A DIVORCE Divorce is stressful.  Not only do you have to worry about your emotional and mental well being, you also have to worry about your financial well being too.   During a divorce, you and your spouse will be forced to make and accept a myriad of major decisions that will …

To roth or not to roth… That is the question.

If you are like a lot of people, you may not know what the difference is between a Roth IRA or a traditional IRA.  In today’s financial world, knowing the difference could save you potential headaches and thousands of dollars in taxes down the road.  It will depend on your personal situation, and you need a dedicated Financial Advisor like …