Disability Insurance – Protecting Families and Businesses from Disaster
According to the Social Security Administration, just over 1 in 4 of today’s 20-year-olds will become disabled before reaching retirement age¹. With such high odds of experiencing a disability for some period of time, it is clear that financial plans should consider ways to limit the financial impact of disability. After all, when someone becomes […]
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 […]
Risk Management in Estate Planning
When thinking about estate planning, most people think solely about how their assets will be distributed at their death. Obviously, that is of primary concern but many of our clients’ estate plans encompass the often-neglected area of risk management. In each of our lives, there are risks that must be considered and therefore planned around. […]
The Benefits of a Simplified Estate Plan
Thus far in the Estate Planning section of the Ballast Atheneum, we have discussed an introduction to estate planning, probate, trust planning, and planning for a legacy – all of these topics can be expanded upon significantly. However, this week we thought it would be important to discuss simplifying an estate plan. Most estate planners, […]
Charitable Estate Planning
Estate planning can achieve many goals, from simple to complex. The foundations of good estate plans we have discussed thus far in our Atheneum articles make sure that a family has formalized their personal wishes to make for a graceful transition to the next generation. Many families wish not only to provide for their next […]
Trusts as Estate Planning Tools
The topic of estate planning is one that many would like to avoid for as long as possible and the reason is pretty simple: most people are reluctant to discuss what Benjamin Franklin referred to as the only two certainties in this world, death and taxes. This is where a common misconception lies — estate […]
Demystifying Probate
To many people the word probate has a negative connotation. Due to the fact that many people only experience the probate process one or two times during their entire lifetime (if that!) it is viewed as confusing, expensive, and undesirable. Many hire an attorney to guide them through the process and if done correctly, one can avoid […]
What Comprises A Sound Estate Plan?
There is no more important aspect to your financial plan than an estate plan. That might seem to be a shocking statement to some and that is likely because of the misconception of what comprises a comprehensive estate plan. While most clients come to us focused on their investment portfolio and cash flow needs, we […]
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 […]
Most Couples Shouldn’t BOTH Delay Social Security
Key Takeaways: We’ve written a previous breakdown on the Social Security timing decision. Briefly, between ages 62-70, if you delay taking income, your monthly benefit grows. We discussed that delaying increased payments can be a winning strategy and that it is easy to calculate a break-even age when making this decision. However, the same math that says […]
Evaluation of a Job Offer
Key Takeaways – The following considerations must be made when reviewing an opportunity to take a new job or leave a W2 salary to start a business. When we bring on a new client, one of the first commitments we make to them is to be another intelligent brain at the table, helping to evaluate […]
Who We Serve
COMPREHENSIVE Services Our Priority is You We are here to guide you with expert financial advice that encompasses all aspects of your life. With a foundation rooted in a thorough understanding of your desires, goals, and preferences, we provide you with the leadership, proactivity, and stewardship you need to optimize your financial future. We take […]
