If there is one date – one financial deadline – nearly everyone knows, it is April 15th. Through November of last year, the IRS had processed over 150 million returns for 2016, meaning that the… Read More
3 Charitable Options to Reduce Your Taxes
Updated January 2020 to reflect the SECURE Act changes Charitable decisions typically aren’t solely driven by a desire for a tax break. Most of us make philanthropic contributions because there are causes or institutions that… Read More
Enough is Enough: How to Plan for Sustainable Spending
Several years ago, my wife and I sat down to work on a budget. Our goal wasn’t to reduce spending so much as it was to plan our spending. We had recently purchased a house… Read More
Your Financial Health: Don’t Overlook Inflation When it Comes to Retirement
Several weeks ago, I worked with a couple who wanted to retire early. At first glance, they seemed well situated to do so, as they had both worked as teachers for decades and they would… Read More
Switching Jobs? Pensions, Tax Savings and Other Considerations
I recently completed work with a client who was considering switching jobs. It was an interesting case, as the switch involved moving from a job with a pension plus a 401k-like retirement plan to a… Read More
Investment Management: Questions to Ask About Your Portfolio
I attended a conference on communications a few weeks ago run by Dimensional Fund Advisors. Dimensional, or DFA as they are known, has an interesting story. They were founded by academics, including a few Nobel… Read More
Planning for Taxes in Retirement: Options to Control What You Pay
In last week’s post, I covered a few things you should consider in setting up withdrawals from your portfolio in retirement. One of the considerations was planning for taxes, and more specifically, how you can… Read More
Retirement Planning Basics – How to Withdraw from Your Portfolio
One of the most common questions clients ask when doing their retirement planning is how portfolio withdrawals will work. Saving is something most clients have done for years, but reversing the flow brings up a… Read More
Buying Credibility: Why Fluff Awards Can Hurt Your Search for an Advisor
I’ve never trusted whatever version of Who’s Who has contacted me over the years. The various pitches were always full of flattery — not only were they willing to honor me, but they were even… Read More
Assets and Your Child’s Financial Aid: How Ownership Affects Assistance
In a series of recent blog posts, I’ve covered the control and tax issues parents face when determining how to hold assets for their children. Another key consideration I’ll address in this post is how… Read More