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 […]

Happy 2023! I realize we are only a few days into the new year. Perhaps you’re still writing/saying 2022, taking down holiday decorations, working on your new year’s resolutions, or struggling getting back into your routine after a nice vacation. All of those are understandable – go easy on yourself! However, if you are all […]

The end of the calendar year is a busy time for many reasons – holiday parties, shopping, open enrollment, utilization of flex spend dollars, and of course – tax strategizing! I work closely with clients to review their year-to-date estimated taxes and see if there are some strategies they wish to employ before the end […]