We’re in the homestretch of the 2022 tax season and as a result, I’ve been fielding questions about IRA and Roth IRA funding. I recently helped a few clients contribute to Roth IRAs (despite being over the income limit) and thought it may be a useful item to touch on this week Wait, what’s a […]

There have been quite a few new terms floating around these days, given all the events concerning the banking industry. One of those terms is “cash sorting.” A client recently reached out to clarify what this terms means – and whether it was an activity they should undertake. Let’s take a closer look Why is […]

Given the events of the past week, it’s natural that people are reevaluating their own cash management strategies. Chief among the questions I heard from clients this week is whether their money is “safe” at the bank. Let’s review the basis of bank deposits and the potential guarantees of those funds. What happens to money […]

I worked with two clients this week that had a set amount of cash to deploy to longer-term savings & investment accounts. Their question – what accounts should I allocate this to – and how much in each? It can be definitely be challenging to figure out your savings strategy and like most things in […]

Tis the season – time to get everything together for your 2022 tax return! Whether you prepare your own taxes or work with a tax advisor, the hardest part for many can be the gathering of the information and records. I’ve been helping a few clients make strides in this area in recent weeks. I […]

A client reached out this week to discuss ways she could best help a family member financially. She was curious what the implications were if she gifted the funds versus setting up a loan. I thought it was a great topic to share more broadly, so let’s dive in. Start with your intentions Before you […]

I’ve talked with a few clients in recent weeks about various aspects of 529 plans. These can serve as powerful savings vehicles for an important expense, so I thought a refresher may be helpfu. What is a 529 plan? A 529 plan is a state-sponsored program that allows parents, relatives and friends to invest in […]

When working on financial plan illustrations for clients, I request quite a bit of information. If they are not yet claiming social security, I will include a Social Security Statement in that request list. Often times, I’m asked what that is and how they can retrieve it, so let’s cover that question today. What is […]

Last week, I featured a question from a client about accessing and reviewing your credit report. I thought a helpful follow-up to that could be reviewing credit scores. Here we go! What’s the purpose of a credit score? When a borrower loans you money, their main concern is whether or not you will ultimately pay […]

A client received a strange letter in the mail this past week. It was from a bank (with which they have no relationship) stating that her husband’s auto loan had been approved. She wisely did not want to contact the number listed on the letter. She reached out to the bank directly (via the number […]