Guest Commentary: Stefan Hendrickson on OBBBA & Taxes

An interview with Stefan Hendrickson, CPA/ABV, Tax Associate Director, Dean Dorton.   In your view, what are the most important provisions of the OBBBA that individuals and families should know about? The big headline for the OBBBA for the majority of taxpayers is the extension of many of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act […]

Taxes in Retirement – Case Studies

Key Takeaways: When you’ve spent your adult life working and saving, retirement is a big change. One item that will both change and remain the same is taxes. Your income sources will be different, each with their own intricacies in the tax code, but at the end of the day, you will still likely be […]

Taxes in Retirement – Case Studies

Ballast team

Key Takeaways: Your sources of income will change, but you will still owe taxes in retirement. In general, your principal (or “cost basis”) will be returned to you tax-free. A diversified portfolio protects in down markets and provides flexibility when planning for taxes.     When you’ve spent your adult life working and saving, retirement […]

Guest Commentary: Jeffrey Gehring on Estate Law and Planning

Jeffrey L. Gehring Dickinson Wright PLLC 300 W. Vine Street, Suite 1700 Lexington, KY 40507 (859) 899-8713 jgehring@dickinson-wright.com   Personal & Professional Journey What inspired you to pursue a career in estate law, and what has kept you passionate about it over the years? I really love the intersection of the technical rules related to […]

The Most Impactful Tax Changes from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act

As we flip our calendars to August, many of us find ourselves savoring the final stretch of summer by balancing travel, barbecues, and last-minute adventures with family and friends. At our house, we are tackling the remaining items on our summer bucket list and doing our best to squeeze them into an already full calendar. […]

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 […]

Tax Law Changes Loom at the End of 2025

We are only a few weeks from the Presidential election and, as of today, there is no clear leader across the various polls. In addition, control of the House and Senate is also not yet clear. The result of all these races will have a massive impact on how tax law is handled, particularly as […]

Resources 2

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 […]

Educating Heirs on Student Debt

One of my favorite television shows is Shark Tank, which shows aspiring entrepreneurs pitching their business plans to seasoned investors, the “sharks,” in hopes of an investment.  The sharks use their own money to invest, so they ask tough questions to help evaluate the business’s potential.  Have they demonstrated sales?  How much does it cost […]

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 […]