Articles of Interest / Blog Posts
Millennials Now Dominate
As of July 1, 2019, the U.S. Census Bureau reports that millennials age 23-38 now outnumber the Baby Boom generation (previously the largest) age 55-73 by just under a million individuals. The actual numbers came to 72.1 million for Millennials vs. 71.6 million for the Boomers.
In addition, as young immigrants come into the […]
Future Health Care Costs
Every year, the Milliman insurance industry consulting firm issues a report that estimates the average cost of health insurance and copays across the American population. The most recent study looked at couples who are assumed to live to age 88 and 90, and takes into account premiums and out-of-pocket expenses for a Medicare Part […]
Declining Mutual Fund / ETF Fees
Many investors never see or pay attention to the expense ratios of their mutual funds and ETFs. However, financial planners know that these costs add up, and, as a result, generally seek the lowest cost share class for their clients.
A recent industrywide review by the Morningstar found that, on a asset-weighted basis […]
Advanced Directives
One outcome of the pandemic is to highlight healthcare for the elderly and has brought renewed attention to an important, but often overlooked part of a person’s estate plan – the advanced directive.
Advance directives are generally comprised of a living will and health care power of attorney. These are legal documents that […]
Life Hacks That Will Save You Time
Many times, it’s life’s little annoyances and difficulties that get in our way and frustrate our plans and schedules. But over time, people have come up with ingenious ways to overcome at least a few of those small challenges.
A website called homehacks.com routinely collects these tips and ideas from its readers. […]
Estate Planning Risks
There are many issues to consider as you organize your finances and decide what happens to your assets after your death. While there may be similarities between people, each person does have unique characteristics – and that is one reason why estate planning can be complex. Because of this complexity, there may be […]
Being Aware of Elder Abuse
When the media talks about elder abuse, people often think about domestic and physical violence. AARP suggests the most likely type of elder abuse is financial. For example, consider the elderly grandmother who is accompanied by her 20-year old grandson to the bank where, at the grandson’s behest, she makes a $4,000 withdrawal. […]
Capital Gains: How to Determine Your Tax Rate
A simple-sounding question that, in the world of tax planning, is harder to answer. The simplest calculation is that, in 2021, single taxpayers will pay 0% capital gains taxes if their adjusted gross income is below $40,400, while joint taxpayers will pay 0% capital gain taxes below $80,800 of adjusted gross income. After […]
Is Dollar Cost Averaging A Winning Strategy?
The press often writes about the advantages of dollar cost averaging. The main idea is that people spread out investing over a period of weeks or months, instead of placing a large sum of money in the market at once. In other words, if the market goes down, people’s next investment will be completed at […]
Planning After Death
Do you know what happens to your outstanding debt after you die? You might be surprised to learn that it is not as straightforward as you may have thought.
Remember that certain assets, such as life insurance proceeds, retirement and annuity accounts and certain brokerage accounts are not included in the value […]
