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Thanks to healthier lifestyles and advances in modern medicine, the worldwide population over age 65 is growing.

College marks a great milestone in a child’s life. It may be the first time he or she will live away from home.

In 2021, the average flood claim payout from the National Flood Insurance Program was $44,401.1 The financial loss that comes with flooding can be devastating. Yet, many Americans are not protected against flood damages, primarily...

In 2021, the U.S. had a record 24.5 million millionaires, up from 202 million in the previous year. An increase in personal wealth may bring greater financial flexibility; it may also bring greater liability. Individuals with high net...

New retirees sometimes worry that they are spending too much, too soon. Should they scale back? Are they at risk of outliving their money? This concern may be legitimate. Some households "live it up" and spend more than they anticipate...

It's natural to wonder exactly how a bank safeguards your money. Fortunately, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) insurance exists for this very reason: to help protect your funds once deposited. Read on to explore the...

In a recent survey, 70% of current workers stated they plan to work for pay after retiring.1 And that possibility raises an interesting question: how will working affect Social Security benefits? The answer to that question requires an...

These 6 P's can help you fend off cyberattacks with stronger, more secure passwords.

In January, the trade deficit in goods and services hit $68.3 billion as exports expanded faster than imports.

Your last will and testament only directs certain assets after you pass away. Accounts that have beneficiary designations will direct who is to take ownership upon your passing.

The Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) can make tax sense for those taxpayers who are eligible.

Here's a helpful list of key dates to know in the 2023 tax calendar.

Perhaps nothing better illustrates the need for an asset allocation plan than this chart, which shows how various asset classes performed on a year-by-year basis from 2003 through 2022. The best-performing asset class for each calendar year

Bear markets may be brutal, but bull markets have a tendency to charge back. These tables show some great examples of this. Contact me with any questions. Bulls & Bears

What Keeps You Up at Night?

David Nagy

Tuesday, March 14, 2023

People come to financial planners seeking help for a variety of reasons. This checklist addresses various ways we can help.

Everyone loves a winner. If an investment is successful, most people naturally want to stick with it. But is that the best approach? It may sound counterintuitive, but it may be possible to have too much of a good thing. Over time, the...

When markets become volatile, a lot of people try to guess when stocks will bottom out. In the meantime, they often park their investments in cash. But just as many investors are slow to recognize a retreating stock market, many also...

There is a lot to remember when it comes to Social Security benefits. Here are the top 10 things to keep in mind before claiming Social Security.

Who among us wants to pay the IRS more taxes than we have to? While few may raise their hands, Americans regularly overpay because they fail to take tax deductions for which they are eligible. Let's take a quick look at the five most...

Employer-issued stocks can be one attractive benefit an employer can offer. But while it has its benefits, it's natural to wonder what happens if you leave that job. That's where net unrealized appreciation (NUA) strategies can...

According to Yale University's Crash Confidence Index, only about 24% of investors are confident the stock market will not crash sometime during the next six months.1 If fear leads investors to avoid the entire investment class, they...

Tax-loss harvesting means taking capital losses (selling securities for less than what you initially paid for them) to offset any capital gains you may have.While this doesn't get rid of your losses, it can help you manage your tax...

When it comes to retirement, women may face unique obstacles that can make saving for retirement more challenging. Given that women typically live longer than men, retirement money for women may need to stretch even further.

Whether through inertia or trepidation, investors who put off important investment decisions might consider the admonition offered by motivational speaker Brian Tracy, "Almost any decision is better than no decision at all." This...

In the final days of 2022, Congress passed a new set of retirement rules designed to facilitate contribution to retirement plans and access to those funds earmarked for retirement. The law is called SECURE 2.0, and it is a follow-up to...

One of the common threads of a mobile workforce is that many individuals who leave their job are faced with a decision about what to do with their 401(k) account.¹Individuals have four choices with the 401(k) account they accrued...

Buying a home is the single-largest financial commitment most people ever make. And sorting through mortgages involves a lot of critical choices. One of these is choosing between a fixed or variable interest rate mortgage. True to its...

The latest research suggests that divorce rates in the U.S. have been falling in recent decades. Still, many people face the difficult crossroads that comes when their marriage ends.1 Getting a divorce is often a painful, emotional...

While the vast majority of insurance companies use credit-based insurance scores to help determine the price of insurance, it is banned in the states of Massachusetts, Michigan, Hawaii, and California. Some states only allow it as a...

Find That Lost Retirement AccountDo you have a long-lost retirement account left with a former employer? Maybe it’s been so long that you can’t even remember. With over 24 million “forgotten” 401(k) accounts...

If you want to add investment real estate to your portfolio, you may want to know what a 1031 Exchange is. While the rules and regulations for this tactic can get complicated, understanding the basic concepts may help you decide if...

Risk is a factor in any investment decision that you make. Your tolerance for risk is something that you will want to consider when you make decisions alongside your trusted financial professional. Your risk tolerance is balanced...

In a 2022 survey, 35% of all workers reported they were either “not too” or “not at all” confident that they would have enough money to pay for their medical expenses in retirement. Regardless of your confidence...

Federal estate taxes have been a source of funding for the federal government almost since the U.S. was founded. In 1797, Congress instituted a system of federal stamps that were required on all wills offered for probate when property...

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has released new limits for certain retirement accounts for the coming year. After months of high inflation and financial uncertainty, some of these cost-of-living-based adjustments have reached...

The Social Security Disability Insurance program paid out over $140 billion in benefits in 2021. And with new applicants each year, the system is expected to exhaust its reserves at the end of 2034 if changes aren’t made.1...

American educational reformer Horace Mann called education “the great equalizer.”1 In football, it’s been said that turnovers are the great equalizer. And anyone who’s ever watched CBS’s “The...

If you have yet to develop a retirement plan for your business, or if you're not sure the plan you've chosen is the right one, here are some things to consider. How much can my business afford to contribute? The cost of contributions may...

Did you recently add a second comma to your bank balance? Has a recent financial event raised your net worth to the next level? It's an exciting time, whether it's the result of your long-term goals (e.g., from the sale of a business),...

A recent survey found that 28% of workers are very confident about having enough money to live comfortably through their retirement years. At the same time, 27% are not confident.1 In 2001 congress passed a law that can help older...

Chris Rock once remarked, "You don't pay taxes – they take taxes." That applies not only to income but also to capital gains. Capital gains result when an individual sells an investment for an amount greater than their purchase...

As parents, we encourage our children to work, so they can learn important values about work and independence. At what point, if at all, do children need to file an income tax return for the money they earn?The IRS does not exempt...

Some of the biggest challenges many face when it comes to education are financial. Luckily, a 529 college saving plan can help. And they're not just for college anymore - added to the tuition eligibility are K-12, private and religious...

The federal estate tax threshold rose to $24.12 million in 2022 for married couples and $12.06 million for individuals, as part of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA). Like several TCJA provisions, the higher estate tax limit is due to...

Social Security's been a fact of retirement life ever since it was established in 1935. We all think we know how it works, but how much do you really know? Here are nine things that might surprise you.The Social Security trust fund is...

Many Americans have taken steps in recent years to protect their identity. According to a recent report, total dollars lost due to identity theft in 2021 was $24 billion and affected 15 million consumers. If you haven’t taken measures to pr

Retirement can have many meanings. For some, it will be a time to travel and spend time with family members. For others, it will be a time to start a new business or begin a charitable endeavor. Regardless of what approach you intend

Do you have a will?A will enables you to specify who you want to inherit your property and other assets. A will also enables you to name a guardian for your minor children.Do you have healthcare documents in place?Healthcare documents...

The famous saying from Poor Richard’s Almanack is frequently misquoted. It was published by founder Benjamin Franklin in 1737: “A penny saved is two pence clear.” Finding ways to manage expenses is one of the cornerstones of a sound financi

"What is your greatest retirement fear?"

How the gains from the sale of a primary residence are taxed has changed in recent years. If you have recently sold your home or are considering doing so, you may want to be aware of these new rules.

"If the current annual inflation rate is 7.9 percent, why do my bills seem like they're 10 percent higher than last year?"

When you created your investment strategy, your asset allocation should have reflected your goals, time horizon, and tolerance for risk.But over time, any of those three factors may have changed, and your portfolio may now need...