Estate Planning for the Family Farm and Your Legacy
As a financial advisor who’s spent her career in the midwest, I’ve worked with more farm families than I can count. From buying new expensive equipment to riding out the drought years, there can be millions in play even on small family operations. Estate planning – splitting up the land bet …
How the Results of the Election Could Impact the Markets and Your Financial Plan
The votes have been cast and now it’s a waiting game. Our country now faces days of a counting, recounting, accusations, potential lawsuits and a runoff election or two. Only then will we know the results of the 2020 election.
The Comprehensive Guide to Estate Planning
An estate plan doesn’t materialize with the snap of your fingers. In fact, an estate plan demands that you confront your mortality. Perhaps that’s why so many of us fail to plan for the future. The reality is that estate planning isn’t about you – it’s about your loved ones. Much stands to …
How to Take Advantage of Donor-Advised Funds and Special 2020 Tax Deductions for Donations
As a CPA, one of the questions that I have been getting more frequently is, “What is a donor-advised fund?” This is not surprising as the number of individual donor-advised fund accounts has grown by over 50% for the second year in a row, according to the National Philanthropic Trust’s 2019 …
Find a Financial Advisor Near You: The Complete Guide to Choosing the Right Financial Advisor
There are many misconceptions about financial advisors. For starters, advisors are often thought of as a salesperson, trying to sell you a product that makes them a commission. Or that advisors are unnecessary in a world of robo-advisors and online trading. In reality, there are a lot of im …
6 Planning Opportunities for 401(k)s in Light of the SECURE Act
By the very name, the SECURE Act – or Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act – is designed to enhance retirement savings. There are several provisions in the new law to help accomplish this goal.
Teaching Kids about Money from Childhood Through Adulthood
Teaching kids about money is especially complex – you aren’t just passing on a few bucks to go to the movies, but an array of attitudes, values and assumptions regardless of whether you mean to. Your kids watch, in a way not even they are aware of, how you interact with finance and how you …
Roth Conversions and Tax-Loss Harvesting: 2 Strategies to Leverage in a Down Market
You’ll be tempted to make rash decisions, and if panic rules the day, you’ll likely regret your choices. As any wise financial advisor will counsel you, it’s important to think long-term. Lean into your financial plan, not away from it.
Coronavirus and the Markets Q&A: 5 Industry-Leading Voices on the Magnitude of the Downturn, What Investors Can Do and More
We put together a roundtable discussion of investment experts across financial disciplines to give us some insight on the current markets. This group represents decades of experience in the fields of investment management and financial research and strategy.
Financial Advice for Millennials, from a Millennial
There are a few specific challenges, and therefore specific solutions, that I see millennials facing. Let’s imagine a conversation I might have with this hypothetical 20- or 30-something, and look at some financial advice for millennials.