Monthly Newsletters

Spring Cleaning for Your Estate Plan: Is Everything in its Place?

Many of us are “celebrating” the warmer weather this time of year by sweeping away dust bunnies and vacuuming behind the couch. Spring cleaning has been part of our annual rhythm for centuries, from ancient religious traditions to scrubbing coal soot off the walls in Victorian times. Read more

Retirement Fund Catch-Up Contributions: An Ace Up Your Sleeve for the Long Game

For many of us, retirement planning is a persistent boogie man in the back of our minds. The statistics on people’s lack of retirement preparation are staggering, and the official retirement age seems to increase by the minute. Life expectancy is getting longer, and resources seem to be getting scarcer. Any hand that savers and wage-earners play at this point in life seems like a bet against the house, sure to lose. Read more

From Washington to Your Wallet: How the Federal Funds Rate Affects Personal Finance

If you’ve watched the headlines at all in the last month, you know the markets aren’t sitting still. From the worst Christmas Eve on record to the Dow’s largest jump ever just a few days later – losses and gains seem to have less pattern every day. Experts are divided on how 2019 will look, but predictable isn’t the word any of them are using. Read more

How to Save More in 2019

The start of a new year always brings with it new personal goals – lose a few pounds, go on regular date nights with your significant other, get rid of a bad habit or create more good habits. Of course, many of our goals revolve around finances.

In fact, 37 percent of U.S. adults said their New Year’s Resolution was to save money or save more money in 2018, according to YouGov. One of the few ways to keep that promise to yourself is to pre-plan. Losing weight? Invest in that gym membership. More dates? Buy a gift certificate to your favorite restaurant. But how do you plan to save more this year? Read more

Gifts without the Guilt – Tips for Avoiding Financial Stress at the Holidays

Pop quiz: Can you name more than three gifts you got for the holidays last year? A sweater, an Apple watch, a popcorn tin … and, ummmm? Most of us would be hard-pressed to answer this question, even by late January.

What we remember, of course, are the moments with family and friends – the relationships that are renewed in the holiday time of slowing down. Material gifts are fine for the moment, but they are usually forgotten even before they have the chance to break and wear out. Read more