As the crisp air of late November settles in and families gather around tables laden with turkey, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie, we’re reminded that Thanksgiving is as much about gratitude and connection as it is about the feast....

When we think about leaving a legacy, our minds often go first to family memories, values, and traditions. Yet a significant part of legacy may also come through how one prepares financially for those they love. Estate planning ensures...

As with most spending/tax bills that are signed into law, there end up being more questions than answers, with the IRS left to figure out the details. Even so, we are fielding questions from many clients about the impact of this law on...

Last time we talked about Coast F.I.R.E, a new-ish retirement concept, which surrounds the age-old question “When can I retire?” But knowing when to retire is just one aspect of the retirement picture. What does retirement look like to...

“When can I retire?” is a common question we receive in our business. How that question is answered can change over time, as new approaches are brought to the fore. For example, you may remember commercials asking you what your...

Unfortunately, the question “Is this a scam or not?” is one we increasingly have to ask ourselves these days. The pervasiveness of fake emails, letters, and text messages trying to get our personal information or infect our devices,...

Unlike 401(k)s, not all IRA funds are automatically protected from creditors in bankruptcy proceedings. However, up to a certain dollar amount, most IRA funds are protected from the reach of creditors under federal law. Every three...

Once you file your tax return each year, it’s a good idea to start planning for next year’s return. Here are a few things you can look at doing today to help set yourself up for success in tax year 2025. Did you owe more than $1,000 or...

When it comes to estate planning, many of us think of wills and trusts as the primary tools for passing on assets to heirs. However, Transfer on Death (TOD) and Payable on Death (POD) designations may offer a simple, cost-effective way...

For nearly 50 years, the 401(k) has been the backbone of retirement savings in the U.S., gradually replacing traditional pensions. But only recently has it reached a major milestone—half of private-sector workers are actively...

For most retirees, Social Security benefits are calculated using a single formula, which takes into account an individual’s earnings record and is meant to more greatly benefit those who earn less. Historically, a subset of workers who...

On December 23, 2022, Congress officially passed the SECURE Act 2.0, with the bill signed into law by President Biden eight days later on December 29th. The legislation was aimed at helping Americans better prepare for their financial...

As we approach the end of another year, we thought it would be helpful to provide an updated list of opportunities to hopefully wrap up 2024 on a financial high note. Required Minimum Distributions: For those who are age 73 or older,...

According to the Social Security Administration, the 72.5 million Americans who receive Social Security benefit and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments will see an increase of 2.50% next year. This is an average increase of...

Since the SECURE Act was passed at the end of 2019, we have been waiting for finalized regulations from the IRS clarifying rules specifically around Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) from inherited IRAs. At long last, the...

Last month, we talked about some practical summer planning ideas: more nuts and bolts. This month, we look at some aspects of the more touchy-feely side of planning. It’s important to remember, money and its accumulation is not an end...

Last year we did a two-part blog series on planning ideas that are a good fit for summertime. It was such a hit, we thought we’d update these for the current year! Check Beneficiaries The first one is easy, as it’s always worthwhile to...

According to the Employee Benefit Research Institute’s latest update to its 30+ year survey of workers and retirees, there is a gap in expected retirement ages vs. actual retirement ages. While the median expected age of retirement was...

According to a recent survey from Pew Research Center, nearly half of all U.S. workers fail to use all their allotted vacation days. Why? Too much work to do and reluctance to ask their coworkers to cover for them are among the top...

In the ever more complicated world we live in, it can feel like both our mailbox and email inbox are consistently overflowing with new statements, receipts, account change documents/announcements, and so on. Whether you keep important...

The term “estate planning” might call to mind something reserved for the very wealthy who are looking to avoid estate taxes. But estate planning is much more than that: it’s also the process of designating who will receive your assets,...

While most of the focus this year in planning surrounding education is on provisions of the SECURE Act 2.0 that allow for new flexibility with unused funds in certain education savings accounts, there are six key changes to financial...