The Investor Taxation Lifecycle
We are not CPAs nor are we tax preparers, but a great deal of our time is spent working with clients and their professionals honing a financial plan that is tax efficient. We advise our clients to hire a CPA with whom we can work together to manage their financial plans. The financial plan and […]
When Too Much Tax Deferral Becomes Counterproductive
Click here to watch video in new window. Most of us have been told from early on in our careers to defer as much income as possible to ensure we’ll be properly prepared for retirement. While not bad advice, most of these strategies involve only qualified deferrals, meaning all income tax gets punted until the […]
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 […]
Upcoming Child Tax Credit Checks: Not Free Money
Max Child Tax Credit now $3,600/child under 6; $3,000 ages 6-17 Even high-income families will receive 50% advances on these credits Advance payments can increase your tax bill next year, all else equal If you take a vacation in the middle of this month, you may come home to a surprise check in the mail. […]
Ballast Magazine – Issue 1
Introducing Ballast Magazine A new way to explore wealth, purpose, and planning from the Ballast advisory team. We’re proud to share the first issue of Ballast Magazine—a curated collection of insights, strategies, and real-world stories for individuals and families committed to building a meaningful financial legacy. And the best part? Every article was thoughtfully written […]
The Team Plan for tomorrow. Live for today. We’re here to help. Meet Ballast The Magazine Read the Latest Issue.Released quarterly. Read Now The Webinar Discussion on the latest topics.Tuesday, September 16 at 4:00 pm. Register for Free Join Our Expert-Led Live Webinars Join us for our upcoming live webinars covering various topics to learn […]
How Should Investors View AI?
As financial planners and investment managers, it is imperative to recognize that artificial intelligence (AI) is poised to be one of the most transformative forces in the global economy over the next 5 to 10 years. According to Goldman Sachs, AI investment is projected to approach $200 billion globally by 2025, underscoring its rapid […]
Finding the Best Order for Funding Retirement
With a task as important as funding your retirement, determining which accounts to fund and in what order should not be taken lightly. Whether it’s a company plan, individual retirement account or taxable account, there are a lot of ways to save for retirement. So how do you decide where to put each dollar you […]
Beware of Scams and Fraud Attempts!
At Ballast, safeguarding your financial future goes beyond smart investing—it also means protecting your assets from fraud. This week, we’re featuring insights from our Chief Compliance Officer, Jeff Lehmann, who shares essential strategies to help you recognize and avoid scams. Whether it’s identifying red flags in financial transactions or staying ahead of evolving threats, Jeff’s […]
Social Security Changes for People with Government Pensions
In January, President Biden signed the Social Security Fairness Act into law, which ends the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO). This change is significant for people whose Social Security benefits are reduced by a government pension from work where Social Security taxes were not collected. A Brief, High-Level Summary […]
Post-Election Thoughts on the Economy and Markets
The overhang of the US election is now behind us and markets have taken a collective sigh of relief, not entirely because of the results, but because the uncertainty of who will be in office is now clear. The focus now turns to how the newly elected president will handle challenges in the current macro […]
Maximize Your Business Sale
By Ballast Business Planning: Maximize Your Business Sale Thinking about selling your business? Or are you already prepared to sell your business? Don’t miss this crucial roadmap to maximize your profits! Selling your business is a huge milestone—but are you fully prepared to get top dollar? Discover Ballast’s exclusive series of whitepapers, packed with […]