End of Year Planning with Cameron and Frank
We’ve entered the 4th quarter! To make the most of your end-of-year, Cameron Hamilton (Director of Financial Planning) and Frank Yozwiak (Director of Estate Planning and Tax) share a few financial best practices and strategies to consider. Topics discussed include: + Cash review and income planning + Roth conversions and tax harvesting + Retirement contributions […]
Entrepreneurs & Business Owners
COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES “…The professionals at Ballast, with their expertise and knowledge, were able to prepare our businesses for a safe and secure transition…” This testimonial is from a client of Ballast, Inc. Clients are not compensated for sharing their opinions and experiences with our firm. Any compensation creates a conflict of interest and any client’s […]
Non-Profits & Charitable Organizations
COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES “…our needs are met as individuals and not by a “one size fit all” approach…” Ballast advisors have a devotion to giving back to the community. As such, we have vast experience with the non-profit and charitable communities. We are equipped with knowledge to help advise organizations like yours across multiple facets from […]
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Wealth Management FINANCIAL PLANNING Portfolio / Investment Management Financial Planning Budgeting Cash Flow Debt Management Education Saving Estate Planning Monte Carlo Retirement Social Security Tax Planning Portfolio / Investment Management Asset Allocation Security Selection Tax Management Fiduciary Consulting Private Client Consulting Strategic Financial Leadership Private Client Consulting Career Counseling Center of Influence Charitable Giving Long […]
Getting Creative with College Funding
In our previous discussions about college planning, we’ve discussed where and how much to save while acknowledging that these questions require several assumptions. Is it sensible to make saving for college a major financial goal when there’s no guarantee the child will attend? That’s a tough question for families and for this reason, we favor educating […]
Retirement Saving Myths and Misconceptions
We are fortunate to have a very educated and knowledgeable client base, but we are consistently surprised by the myths and misconceptions clients and prospects bring to the conversation. Below I have listed my Top 7 Myths and Misconceptions About Retirement Savings; it is by no means a complete list but highlights the most common […]
How Much is Enough – An Intro to Monte Carlo Simulations
When it comes to retirement planning, one of the most often asked questions is, “What’s my number?” In other words, how much money do I need to save to retire comfortably? Simple, right? Well, not exactly — it’s far more than just a static number posted on our refrigerators. Although there are quick formulas and […]
The Hidden Benefits of Saving Early in Life
We’re all aware that saving for retirement is not a strong suit for many Americans. There is no end to the alarming statistics regarding our lack of preparedness for when it’s finally time to call it a day. The most recent head-scratcher I came across was a survey done by J.P. Morgan Asset Management and […]
Cash Flow – The “B” Word
For many individuals, families, and even companies, the infamous “B” word causes undo stress, and anxiety, and at times, can even lead to arguments. As we look at our financial goals, many lists reference this “B” word as something they hope to achieve or implement. Today we will discuss the core of cash flow planning… BUDGETING! Budgeting […]
Long Term Care Overview
One of the most intimidating and misunderstood areas in financial planning is Long Term Care Planning. In general, long-term care is classified as ongoing healthcare needs for the basic activities of daily living such as eating, bathing, dressing, and transferring. In most cases, a person who cannot perform even a few of these activities independently […]
Life Insurance – Protecting Against the Unexpected
Coming in at number two (just behind estate planning) on the list of dreaded-but-necessary financial to-do’s is life insurance, because, let’s be honest, no one wants to reflect on the circumstances in which life insurance would come in handy. We’ve heard nearly every reason in the book as to what keeps people from getting the […]
Retirement Savings
One of the most fundamental jobs of the financial planner is to assist our clients with retirement savings. How much do you need to save? Which account types should you use? Given multiple options, where should you save your money first? The following articles discuss these and other questions relating to retirement savings. Are […]