From Our Pen
Estimated Taxes for Farmers and Ranchers
Ensuring you are paying the proper estimated income tax is a crucial aspect of effective financial management, especially...
Mixing It Up: Asset Allocation and Diversification
Asset allocation and diversification are so fundamental to a portfolio’s structure that it's easy to lose sight of these...
Insurance Gaps May Pose Risks for High-Net-Worth Households
Ensuring you have enough insurance coverage is a pillar of a sound financial plan. Not only protecting your assets, like...
Avoid These Hazards on the Road to Retirement
Planning to have a secure retirement is much like preparing for a long road trip - you need a good map and consistent...
Should You Buy or Lease Your Next Vehicle?
As with everything, new vehicle prices have skyrocketed these past few years, with the cost averaging well over $48,000...
A Pension Strategy that May Boost Your Income
If you are married, it can be quite confusing to decide how your pension plan should be paid out. There’s quite a few...
Quarterly Market Review: April – June 2024
Wall Street got off to a slow start to begin the second quarter of 2024. Stocks lagged for much of April, rebounded in May,...
When Faith Meets Finance: Biblically Responsible Investing
First things first… we’re proud to announce that in 2025 we were featured in an episode of “Viewpoint with Dennis Quaid,”...
Sudden Wealth
What would you do with an extra $10,000? Maybe you'd pay off some debt, get rid of some college loans, or take a...
Investor, Know Thyself: How Your Personal Biases Can Affect Investment Decisions
There is no doubt that there is a delicate balance between risk and reward, it’s a crucial piece of the puzzle to be...
Organizing Your Finances When Your Spouse Has Died
One of our staffer's favorite often-binged TV shows is The West Wing, and in one of the 156 episodes there is a scene where...
Umbrella Liability Insurance
When your local weather forecaster tells you that it's going to rain, what do you do? That's easy--you reach for your...
Taxation of Investments
It's nice to own stocks, bonds, and other investments. Nice, that is, until it's time to fill out your federal income tax...
Essential Retirement and Tax Figures for 2025
Each year brings important adjustments to federal tax thresholds, deductions, and credits—and 2025 is no exception. From...
Quarterly Market Review: January-March 2024
The Markets (first quarter through March 29, 2024) Wall Street got off to a fast start to begin 2024. Investors were...
Market Measures: Beyond the Dow
When you hear or read that the market is up or down, what does that really mean? More often than not, it reflects movement...
Life Insurance Beneficiary Mistakes: 5 Fiduciary Traps
Failing to regularly update policy details is one of the most common oversights that can derail an inheritance....
How Savers and Spenders Can Meet in the Middle
Couples who have opposite philosophies regarding saving and spending often have trouble finding common ground, and money...
Unlocking Financial Flexibility: SoSEPPs Allow Penalty-Free Access to Retirement Savings at Any Age
A strategic method for investors aiming to access retirement funds before traditional retirement age without facing early...
Market Summary: January 2024
The Markets (as of market close January 31, 2024) Stocks closed January generally higher. Each of the benchmark indexes...
Essential Retirement and Tax Figures for 2024
As you plan for your financial future and navigate the complexities of taxation, staying informed about the latest numbers...
Long-Term Care Partnership Policies
Medicaid Partnership Programs play a pivotal role in transforming access and affordability to healthcare later in life....
Reviewing Your Estate Plan
Embarking on the journey of life necessitates periodic checkpoints, and your estate plan deserves no less attention. Life's...
Will You Work Beyond Traditional Retirement Age?
Retirement, once synonymous with leisurely days and golden years of relaxation, is undergoing a significant transformation....
Bond Yields Are Up, but What Are the Risks?
As the economic landscape experiences the ripples of inflation, investors often turn to bonds as a seemingly stable haven....
Where Americans Are Stashing Their Cash
With rising interest rates making an impact across the financial landscape, money market funds have become an increasingly...
Unit Investment Trusts Explained: A Fixed-Portfolio Alternative to Mutual Funds
Despite offering certain distinct advantages for an investor, unit investment trusts (UITs) are not nearly as familiar to...
Life Insurance Riders that Help Pay for Long-Term Care
In the tapestry of financial planning, the need to prepare for unforeseen circumstances always seems to takes center stage....
Market Summary: November 2023
The Markets (as of market close November 30, 2023) Stocks rose notably in November following three straight months of...
Much Ado About RMDs
With the ever-evolving landscape of financial planning, staying abreast of legislative changes is crucial for anyone...