Beware of Scams at Tax Time
To help avoid tax identity theft, avoid using your Social Security number as part of a password or pin number, or on your driver’s license, unless absolutely necessary. If you believe your Social Security number...
Women – Moving Forward Financially After the Loss of a Spouse
Becoming a widow at any age can be one of the most difficult challenges a woman faces. Not only is there the emotional loss of a spouse, but also the task of handling everything —...
Tax Prep Checklist: Everything You Need to Be Ready for Tax Season
It’s never too early to get started on tax preparation, so why not start today? Check out our article on everything you’ll need to be ready for tax season.
What You Need to Know About the SECURE Act 2.0
With the signing of the Omnibus Appropriations package into law, both employees and employers can take advantage of more than 90 new provisions aimed at creating opportunities to create or modify workplace retirement plans and...
Your New Year’s (Financial) Resolutions
Cleaning up personal finances remains one of the top resolutions every New Year, so here’s a month-by-month to-do list to help cultivate better financial health.
Reasons For Optimism
The beginning of a calendar year is often the time when the previous year’s reflections transition to a new year’s hopes. Given the market’s continued instability during 2022 and a resulting tough period for stock...
Countdown 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...
IRS Increases 401(k) Limit By Record Amounts
As inflation soars, you can now save a lot more for your retirement. Learn more about the new IRS rules on our blog.
The 12 Days of Year-End Planning: Things to Consider Going into “The New Year”
At year-end, it’s important to reflect on your financial picture, review the last 12 months, and plan for the future. If these tasks seem overwhelming, consider using this 12-day year-end planning checklist to break down...
Outlook 2023: Finding Balance
LPL Research’s Outlook 2023: Finding Balance is our guide to how the readjustments in the economy and markets may impact you in the coming year.
Doing Good, Feeling Good
When it comes to giving back, your mind might jump to making monetary donations—but that’s not all you can do. Using your unique talents and interests to give back is one of the best ways...
7 Retirement Considerations
When helping people get ready for retirement, financial professionals find the same issues come up over and over. Here are 7 retirement considerations that every investor should think about.
Year-End Donations and #GivingTuesday
According to GivingTuesday.org, donations to nonprofits and community organizations totaled $2.7 billion on #GivingTuesday in 2021. Here is a list of things for you to think about as you consider your year-end charitable donations.
Trusts and Year-End Planning: A Checklist
The end of the year is a great time to review your trust document, update information, buy or sell assets or even cancel your trust if you choose. Here is a checklist to help you...
5 Year-End Tax Planning Questions to Ask Your Financial Professional
There are many tax planning moves you can make before December 31 to reduce your owed taxes, but how do you know which ones are available to you? Here are five year-end tax planning questions...
Looking Ahead
October is now behind us and it has delivered on its track record as a historically favorable month for stocks, offering some respite for investors as major equity indices rose for the month.
How Financial Planning Can Help Prepare for LTC Costs
With the cost of long-term care (LTC) increasing year over year, considering how the costs of long-term LTC will impact your financial plan is essential. Here are three tips that may help make the cost...
Worried About Your Financial Health? It May Be Time For A Checkup
When was the last time you gave yourself a financial checkup? Setting aside time to understand your financial condition and conduct an honest assessment of where you stand is a great way to get started.
Staying on Track with Your Retirement Investments
Investing for your retirement isn’t about getting rich quick, it’s about having a game plan that you can live with over a long time. Investing for your retirement over the long term takes some practice...
Could the Worst be Behind Us?
This has clearly been a challenging year for households. Stocks and bonds are both down significantly. Elevated food and gas prices continue to stretch budgets, and higher interest rates have increased borrowing costs. But we...
3 Common Financial Planning Fears and How To Conquer Them
Two in every three Americans report regularly feeling stressed about their finances. It’s time to overcome these fears and get your finances back on track.
Better Times Ahead
In the last several weeks, we have continued to face elevated uncertainty in financial markets due to high inflation and rising interest rates, and we thought it was an important time to take stock with...
Identify Your Personal Retirement Goals
In order to achieve your retirement goals, you must understand what is required to fulfill them. On our blog, we discuss why planning is so important for retirement and share a checklist to help you...
The Best And Worst Of Times
When it comes to stock market performance, August was “the best of times, and the worst of times.”
Now Might Be a Good Time for a Roth Conversion
One silver lining in the current bear market is that this could be a good time to convert assets from a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA.
Resources for Women-Owned Small Businesses
There are many professional organizations that understand the challenges that women-owned small businesses face and offer resources to help provide assistance.
Advanced Estate Planning Concepts for Women
So if you are married, you’ll also probably have the last word about the final disposition of all of the assets you’ve accumulated during your marriage. You’ll want to consider whether these concepts and strategies...
Teaching Your Teen about Money
Your teen is becoming more independent, but still needs plenty of advice from you. With more money to spend and more opportunities to spend it, your teen can easily get into financial trouble. So before...
Setting and Targeting Investment Goals
Setting investment goals means defining your dreams for the future. When you’re setting goals, it’s best to be as specific as possible.
Big Week For Market Watchers
Last week was epic for market-watchers. A Fed rate hike, a much-anticipated GDP report, and the busiest week of earnings season got most of the headlines.
Securing Your Future with Life Cycle Planning
The need for regular saving and investing spans many life stages. Through the years, your goals will change and your strategies will shift, but don’t be alarmed. You’re just progressing through the normal stages of...
Despite Concerns, Retirement Confidence Remains Steady
Nearly three quarters of workers and 77% of retirees in a recent survey said they remain at least somewhat confident that they will experience a comfortable retirement
Keeping It Simple: The Benefits of Simplifying Your Investment Strategies
When it comes to investing, having fewer investments might help streamline your portfolio to manage stress better
Why 9.1% Inflation Is Likely to Go Even Higher
It is imperative that your long-term retirement strategies account for inflation and that you prepare for a decrease in the purchasing power of your dollar over time.
Mid-Year Outlook 2022: Navigating Turbulence
The Midyear Outlook 2022: Navigating Turbulence is designed to help you navigate the risks and opportunities over the rest of 2022 and beyond.
Managing Bond Risks When Interest Rates Rise
After dropping the benchmark federal funds rate to a rock-bottom range of 0%–0.25% early in the pandemic, the Federal Open Market Committee has begun raising the rate toward more typical historical levels in response to...
Looking Forward
Both stock and bond markets have been challenging this year, but it’s important to focus on what this tends to mean looking forward.
Tips for Women Who Are Living in the Sandwich Generation
The day-to-day demands of caring for an aging parent and children can put a tremendous strain — both emotional and financial — on the primary caregiver.
Planning for Marriage – Financial Tips for Women
As you are planning for marriage, it’s important to consider how this big life event will impact your finances. Careful planning can increase the likelihood that you’ll have financial success as you enter this new...
The Joys and Financial Challenges of Parenthood
As your children grow from infancy to adulthood, you try to protect them. You want to make sure that they are financially secure, but meeting expenses can be challenging.
Charitable Giving: Making a Positive Difference
There are countless benefits of charitable giving. Through generous donations, you can make a difference in your community and society. You may also feel happier and even save on your taxes.
A Bear Market is Officially Here
A bear market is officially here thanks largely to stubbornly high inflation. It has likely felt like a bear market for a while now, but the S&P 500 Index didn’t close more than 20% below...
ESG Investing: The New Frontier for Environmentally Conscious Investors
Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) investing is on the rise throughout the world. Here are some definitions and considerations to make when diving into the ins and outs of ESG investments.
Bull Market Hangs By A Thread
The bull market that began in March of 2020 came dangerously close to an end.
4 Costly 529 Plan Mistakes To Avoid
For many parents, 529 college savings accounts may be a way to invest for your child’s future while perhaps saving money on taxes in some states. However, these 529 accounts have some challenges that may...
Grow Old with Me – Live (Almost) Tax-Free
While the income of older Americans may be freer from encumbrances of children or work- related expenses, the expenses of daily living must still be planned for cautiously. Income must be managed appropriately so that...
High Inflation – How Long Will It Last?
When inflation began rising in the spring of 2021, many economists, including policymakers at the Federal Reserve, believed the increase would be transitory and subside over a period of months. One year later, inflation has...
What Is An Inverting Yield Curve And Does It Mean We’re Heading For A Recession?
One key predictor of downturns in the economy is what is known as the yield curve. This typically refers to the market for what the US government borrows, by issuing bonds and other securities that...
Inflation: The Not-So-Silent Retirement Killer
You hear it all the time: you should make sure your retirement savings at least keep pace with inflation. But what is inflation and how does it really affect your retirement savings?
A Beginner’s Guide to Investing After Retirement
You may be retired and considering investing some of your retirement nest egg. Depending on your situation, it is crucial that investing in the stock market, bond market, or other investments does not jeopardize your...
Volatility Continues
2022 has been a challenging year for investors so far. The S&P 500 Index just had one of its worst Aprils in decades, and May is off to a rocky start.
Wealth-Transfer Taxes Can Take a Toll on Small Businesses
Under the current estate tax laws, there are several steps a business owner can take to help prevent his or her business from being liquidated to raise cash to help pay estate taxes.
April Showers Bring May Flowers
As we move into spring and leave behind the last signs of a long winter, many worries from a chilly start to the year for markets, unfortunately, are still with us.
3 Moments in Life Where You Should Consider Consulting a Financial Professional
We discuss three common situations in life when it’s a good idea to consult a financial professional.
What Role Does Social Security Play in Your Retirement Income Strategy?
As you near retirement, it’s likely you’ll have many questions about Social Security. How much will your retirement benefit be? When should you apply? Will earnings from a part-time job affect your benefit?
Tax Planning and Financial Planning Go Hand in Hand
With tax season coming to an end, it’s the ideal time to use this year’s tax return to help update your financial plan. If you’re in the group of one in four Americans who do...
Making the Most of Your Relationship with a Financial Professional
A strong relationship with your financial professional may be key in managing your finances, both now and in the future. Below, we discuss a few ways you may be able to make the most of...
Black Swans: Short-term Crisis, Long-term Opportunity
Buy on Fear, Sell on Greed? Legendary investor Warren Buffet is a big proponent of this strategy. When others are greedy—typically when prices are boiling over—assets may be overpriced. On the flipside, there may be...
3 Estate Planning Tips for Small-Business Owners
Having a solid estate and succession plan in place may be crucial to your business’s long-term success. If you are incapable of making business decisions, or if you unexpectedly pass away without an estate plan,...
Working During Retirement
Planning on working during retirement? If so, you’re not alone. An increasing number of employees nearing retirement plan to work at least some period of time during their retirement years.
What to Do if You Underpay Your Taxes
Every year, there are taxpayers that underpay their taxes. It just happens. But if you do that, no matter how innocent your underpayment might have been, you can be subject to penalties. The IRS issued...
Navigating Geopolitical Tensions
The green shoots are hard to see right now as spring approaches, clouded by war in Ukraine. Democracy is under attack and innocent lives are tragically being lost. But while we keep one eye on...
America’s Changing Vision of Retirement
Retirement planning is a primary reason for long-term saving, and when people think about retirement, finances are often the focus. However, it is important to also look at the nonfinancial aspects of transitioning from the...
Positivity Amidst Uncertainty
Potential Fed Reserve rate hikes and the geopolitical worries over Russia and Ukraine only add to the uncertainty around financial markets.
10 Projects to Help You Live in Your Home Forever
Aging-in-place improvements that help seniors stay safely in their homes are more stylish and functional than ever before.
How to Recognize and Protect Yourself Against Tax Identity Theft
A common type of identity theft involves the use of someone’s Social Security number to unlawfully intercept their income tax refund.
Stocks’ Road Ahead
The calendar had barely flipped to 2022 and investors were reminded that even attractive long-term stock returns come with a cost: volatility.
What You Should Know About Contributing to an IRA at Every Age
A traditional IRA offers a great way to shield income from taxation while boosting your retirement accounts. Meanwhile, a Roth IRA can let you pay tomorrow’s taxes today.
The Fed Pivots to Fight Inflation
On December 15, 2021, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) of the Federal Reserve System made a significant shift in monetary policy in response to rising inflation.
Moving Forward After a Pullback
Stocks have gotten off to a tough start in 2022. Why has the market pulled back and what might we see going forward?
Here’s How to Turn Your Hobbies into Cash
Hobbies are important to a work-life balance. They are an outlet to express yourself, de-stress, and dream. However, they can also lead to extra income and personal reward. If you’re considering turning a hobby into...
Why Is Home Buying a Key Personal Investment?
Why should you pay your landlord’s mortgage when you can pay your own? Intuitively, it feels true, but how true is it—and how do we really know?
New Beginnings in 2022
2021 was an incredible year for the economy and investors, but to us the future remains bright for 2022 and beyond.
Tax Prep Checklist: Everything You Need to Be Ready for Tax Season
It’s a good idea to gather the information and documentation you need well in advance of your actual tax filing date.
Five Wealth-Building New Year’s Resolutions
Here are five resolutions you may make to increase financial independence and work toward building wealth.
New Year, New Goals: Your Countdown to Financial Health
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 that may help you get your new year off to a...
A Season of Giving: 5 Different Ways To Give During the Holidays
With the holidays here, now is the time to get into the giving spirit and help to change others’ lives for the better. Whether you are looking to make a difference in a specific person’s...
2022 Outlook: Passing the Baton
In 2022, we may be ready for a handoff—or a “Passing of the Baton”— back to a greater emphasis on the individual choices of households and businesses to drive the economic expansion.
Holiday Shopping: Back to Basics
With the holidays here, now is the time to get into the giving spirit and help to change others’ lives for the better. Whether you are looking to make a difference in a specific person’s...
RMD Roundup: A Few Key Reminders About Required Minimum Distributions
With the holidays here, now is the time to get into the giving spirit and help to change others’ lives for the better. Whether you are looking to make a difference in a specific person’s...
Thanks and Giving: How You Make a Difference on Giving Tuesday
With the holidays here, now is the time to get into the giving spirit and help to change others’ lives for the better. Whether you are looking to make a difference in a specific person’s...
Carving Out Time to Support Small Business Saturday
American Express created Small Business Saturday in 2010 to provide small businesses with a holiday season boost on the heels of Black Friday. The day comes after one of the biggest shopping sales events and...
Solo Opportunities: One-Person 401(k)s
If you are a small business owner with no employees, the one-person 401(k) may offer a suitable combination of benefits that can help you save more for retirement.
Can You Spot the Scam? Common Financial Fraud Warning Signs
Today’s scammers are clever at making their offers seem legitimate. How can you spot scams before they happen? We discuss the five biggest red flags of a potential scam.
Your 2021 Year-End Planning Checklist
It’s a good time to reevaluate your 2021 finances and turn an eye toward 2022. What can you do now to potentially improve and streamline your 2022 budget? Below, we discuss three year-end planning steps...
Protecting Your Financial Information Online
More consumers are conducting financial transactions online and may become vulnerable to tracking, hacking, identity theft, phishing scams, and other cyberspace risks.
Understanding the Estate Planning Process
A well-structured estate plan can be invaluable. Through it you can control the distribution of your assets and possessions, as well as name guardians for your children or plan care for other dependents.
Home Sweet Home: Setting Up Your Home-Based Business
If you’re considering starting your own home-based business, you may be in good company. Setting up a business from home may mean more than just hooking up a printer or ordering business cards. Below are...
Financial Planning at Every Age
Knowing where your money is going and making sure you’re adequately funding your future could be helpful to maintain your lifestyle for the decades that you may live. Whether you’re a Baby Boomer, Gen X-er,...
Things to Consider Before Buying a Franchise
Though franchises may take away much of the hassle and up-front cost of starting a business, essentially providing a “business in a box,” there are also some special considerations to mull over before purchasing a...
American Business Women’s Day
September 22nd is American Business Women’s Day, and it may be the perfect day to celebrate women who have surpassed the glass ceiling and gone on to be leaders and inspirations for businesswomen everywhere.
Financial Considerations for Working Parents
Though working parents make up one of the largest demographic groups in the country, they face many challenges—from the cost of childcare to inconvenient scheduling issues.
Clearing the Air on 401(K) Hardship Withdrawals
When it comes to 401(k) plans, some people may find themselves a bit confused about the 10% Federal income tax penalty for withdrawals prior to age 59½ and hardship withdrawals from a 401(k) plan.
The Importance of Charitable Giving
Nonprofit charitable organizations often rely on contributions from businesses and individuals to help them accomplish their goals and provide the products, programs, and services needed.
How To Financially Prepare for a Disaster
By taking some steps toward disaster preparedness, you may gain some security that helps you set these worries aside.