Tax Management in Bull Markets

How do we manage accounts when everything is up? With cooperative markets, many investors have accumulated substantial capital gains in their investment accounts. We analyze the trade-off between ideal allocation & paying tax to achieve it. In general, we advocate paying tax along the way to avoid over-concentration. When I was growing up, my granddad […]

College Savings Vehicles

So often in life and in financial planning, perfect can be the enemy of good.  This is certainly the case when it comes to saving for college.  There are many ways to go about it, but the most important choice is the choice to begin saving.  Nonetheless, we often meet parents of five- and ten-year-old […]

The Economy’s Return to Normal

Key Takeaways: Economic data indicates a return to pre-pandemic levels of activity A tight labor market has contributed to some wage inflation Inflation, wages/jobs, supply chain issues will continue to be areas of interest   As kids return to school, summer trips come to an end, and everyone starts to eye the holidays, investors and […]

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 […]

The Unanswered Economic Questions About Hybrid Work

Key Takeaways Remote work may be the largest modern shift in employer-employee relations Current tight labor markets have accelerated the trend, perhaps permanently These unanswered questions will determine the future of our economy The trend of changing office work environments is real and significant.  According to a recent study conducted by McKinsey¹ that surveyed 100 […]

Balancing Saving and Giving

Most of our clients aspire to be financially self-sufficient.  As those clients age, we notice some amount of transition into wanting to benefit others with accumulated resources.  This giving can range from donations to charities of interest to paying for a grandchild’s education to helping a friend in need.   We have been fortunate since the […]

Positive Signs of a Growing Economy

Key Takeaways: Publicly traded companies will be releasing earnings reports over the next several weeks. Economists believe growth so far coupled with forecasted growth for the remainder of the year will result in great GDP growth. Consumers are still holding abnormally large amounts of cash savings, setting the stage for a large return of consumer […]

Testing the Challenges of a Long Retirement

We often joke that our job was created because of increasing life expectancies and pensions seldom being offered.  Obviously, finance and investing has become more complicated and there are an ever-increasing number of investment vehicles and planning strategies we help our clients choose between.  We also know there is great value placed in our ability […]

Giving Strategy for Charity Gala Season

Fewer than 15% of taxpayers itemize deductions since 2018 tax reform. Timing the donations you already plan to make can maximize tax deductions. Your charities can still receive stable monthly income via a Donor Advised Fund. This week marks the first official week of summer and, at least for my family, this change of season […]

The Housing Market is on Fire!

Key Takeaways: Housing inventory has declined by 52% from last year and is 15.6% more expensive. Millennials are finally participating in home purchases in a more prevalent way. Low inventory and increased construction costs have made home purchase decisions difficult for buyers. To put it bluntly, the housing market is on fire!  Over the past […]