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Blog
6 Planning Opportunities for 401(k)s in Light of the SECURE Act
By the very name, the SECURE Act – or Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act – is designed to enhance retirement savings. There are several provisions in the new law to help accomplish this goal.
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Teaching Kids about Money from Childhood Through Adulthood
Teaching kids about money is especially complex – you aren’t just passing on a few bucks to go to the movies, but an array of attitudes, values and assumptions regardless of whether you mean to. Your kids watch, in a way not even they are aware of, how you interact with finance and how you model it for them.
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Emotional Markets and Volatility Explained
By John Corron, Wealth Advisor – What a run of market volatility we have experienced since COVID-19 captured the world by storm! After such a long run of stable and positive market returns following the Great Financial Crisis of 2008 to 2009, the magnitude of day-over-day up and down market moves have been stunning for many. A popular question that I am asked is, “What is different this time?” While there are many fluid moving parts to the current market environment, I try to explain it in the simplest terms I can think of: emotion, market structure and illiquidity. What...read the full article
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Risk Tolerance Revisited
By John Corron, Wealth Advisor – Sound financial planning involves constantly checking with clients on changes to their financial circumstances. Are there new major expenses on the horizon? Is income significantly higher than last year? Have any unexpected health issues popped up in your family that stretched the budget? These are important influences on financial plans. The recent market environment and world events with COVID-19 have brought another important question back to the fore: Is it time to revisit your risk tolerance? One Size Does Not Fit All It is common practice to gradually reduce risk in investments over time...read the full article
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Roth Conversions and Tax-Loss Harvesting: 2 Strategies to Leverage in a Down Market
You’ll be tempted to make rash decisions, and if panic rules the day, you’ll likely regret your choices. As any wise financial advisor will counsel you, it’s important to think long-term. Lean into your financial plan, not away from it.
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The Power of Habit
By John Corron, Wealth Advisor – How do you achieve the most challenging and rewarding goals you have ever thought about? What is the difference-maker in powering through challenges that derail progress toward those goals? Some might suggest faith in yourself is the key, some would recommend sharpening focus or enhancing mental fortitude. I would argue that the formation of good habits and elimination of bad ones is the answer. Mastering Habits In his book Atomic Habits, James Clear sums it up very well, articulating that changing your underlying systems and approach to your routines can make a world of...read the full article
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Setting Financial Goals? Focus on a Life Vision Instead
By Abbey L. Henderson, CFP®, RLP®, CPCC®, Wealth Advisor – My client looked at me and said, “I want to educate my children and retire at 65.” This is the kind of answer I hear every day when I ask my clients what they would like to accomplish with the rest of their lives. They answer me by telling me about their goals. This is not surprising since we’ve all been taught that setting specific financial goals is important. But have you ever considered the limitations that come with setting financial goals? This may surprise you, but when you think...read the full article
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Coronavirus and the Markets Q&A: 5 Industry-Leading Voices on the Magnitude of the Downturn, What Investors Can Do and More
We put together a roundtable discussion of investment experts across financial disciplines to give us some insight on the current markets. This group represents decades of experience in the fields of investment management and financial research and strategy.
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How Much Student Loan Debt Is Reasonable?
By: Janet Rhodes Friedman CFP® CDFA® Wealth Advisor – High student loan debt is a reality for many families. In fact, the majority of college students in the U.S. face debt when they graduate. According to Forbes, about 66% of borrowers who graduated from public colleges have student loan debt. This begs a few questions: “Is an expensive education really worth it?” and “How much student loan debt is reasonable?” Of course, the answers depend entirely on what you and your child value (and how much you’re willing to pay for the things you value). That’s why there are two...read the full article
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Are You Prepared for Market Volatility?
By John Corron, Wealth Advisor – The longest bull run in market history continues and market volatility has been historically very low for years. All signs point to a stable global economy and continued slow growth. Central banks have financial markets and banking systems flush with liquidity and support if funding stresses arise. Nothing to worry about, right? An environment like this begs the question: Are you well-positioned to meet your goals if volatility returns and markets correct? Are you ready to handle market volatility? It’s the One You Don’t See Coming Rarely are market participants hurt by known knowns....read the full article
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