Insights

By Mike Valenti, CPA, CFP®, Director, Tax Planning Corporate executives often receive the brunt of the U.S. tax system. Typically, most or all of their income is W-2 income and subject to the higher ordinary tax rates as well as FICA taxes. W-2 employees currently are unable to deduct home …

By Mike Valenti, CPA, CFP®, Director, Tax Planning Corporate executives often receive the brunt of the U.S. tax system. Typically, most or all of their income is W-2 income and subject to the higher ordinary tax rates as well as FICA taxes. W-2 employees currently are unable to deduct home …

Tax planning for executive compensation doesn’t have to be confusing. Watch our webinar: Tax Planning for Executive Compensation with Carson’s Director, Tax Planning Mike Valenti and Wealth Planner Michael Gruidel, now available on-demand. 

Companies may grant employees stock options as a form of noncash compensation. This allows the employees to purchase shares of the employer’s stock at a given price after a predetermined period of time has passed. The intent of stock option compensation is to align the interests of the empl …

Executive compensation plans can be used to attract, retain and reward high value employees. We’ve put together helpful information to know if you’re ever offered one of these plans through your employer. Download the checklist today to get started.

Abbey Henderson CFP® RLP® CPCC® CAP® AEP® – CEO, Wealth Advisor & Coach – We’re proud to be among the 72 Bay State companies that are certified with the B-Corp designation. Read more about what this important certification means, and how it reflects our values as a company a …

By Craig Lemoine, Director of Consumer Investment Research At their most basic level, executive compensation plans are designed to attract, retain and motivate top talent and leadership. But truly successful plans are designed to be much more than providing a high salary to a key employee – …

Becoming hyper-focused on only one aspect of a problem is pretty much never a good approach. A racecar driver who only focuses on speed and ignores strategy won’t win races, at least not many of them. A carpenter who only hammers in nails won’t build strong structures. 

Level up your retirement plans! Watch out webinar: Next Level Retirement with Carson’s Senior Wealth Planner Tom Fridrich and Wealth Planner Michael Gruidel, now available on demand.

Wondering if the time is right to clock out once and for all? While the idea can seem tempting, you don’t want to be hasty. After all, getting back in the game is a lot harder than just staying in … and you don’t want to wind up drastically curtailing your lifestyle to avo …

The basics of financial literacy – such as budgeting, borrowing and saving – can be difficult to teach to kids, but the rewards of a child heading into adulthood with a solid understanding of financial literacy are numerous. Download the checklist today to get started.

Teaching your kids about money early will serve them long into adulthood.   Watch our webinar: Teaching Your Kids About Money with Carson’s Senior Vice President, Financial Planning and Advanced Solutions Erin Wood and Vice President, NextGen & Advisor Development Programs Julie Ragatz, …

Tom Fridrich, JD, CLUⓇ, ChFCⓇ, Senior Wealth Planner  The end of the year offers an ideal opportunity to look both forward and back — reflecting on recent achievements, while setting goals for the upcoming months. For many of my clients, it’s also a time to review their finances and i …

Gaining financial literacy at a young age is a vital key to finding financial freedom later in life. Give your kids the lessons they need now to make better decisions about money in the future.

Abbey Henderson CFP® RLP® CPCC® CAP® AEP® – CEO, Wealth Advisor & Coach – One of these things is not like the others, one of these things just doesn’t belong… looking at the title of this blog might bring to mind the classic Sesame Street song.  You don’t expect to see a wea …

Tom Fridrich, JD, CLU, ChFC®, Senior Wealth Planner Thinking about making some New Year’s resolutions? Add financial wellbeing to your list. It’s a terrific time to identify goals and opportunities that may put you in a better financial position — not only in the upcoming year, …

The Dow Jones Industrial Average celebrated a birthday last week. The Dow began trading on May 26, 1896, and what a ride it has been. The Dow has weathered depressions, recessions, two 100-year pandemics, wars, famines, inflation, deflation, and many more challenges. However, through good t …

One of the top questions we’re receiving lately has to do with the impending debt ceiling drama and what it could all mean. Here are some common questions and answers regarding this excitement out of Washington.

Surprisingly, stocks continue to trend higher in the face of a constant barrage of negative news in the media. As we explain more below, the economy is presenting many positive signs that suggest a recession is unlikely, and stocks likely are sniffing this out. In fact, last Thursday the S& …