A bad market year is recoverable. A withdrawal from the wrong account is not, and it rarely prompts a phone call. A 15% decline is a temporary number on a statement. A $60,000 withdrawal from the wrong account is a permanent number on a tax return. Clients call about the first. The second usually arrives […]
Key Takeaways The years between the last paycheck and required distributions can be some of the most valuable planning years in retirement. Lower-income years may create opportunities for Roth conversions and planned withdrawals before Social Security, pensions, and RMDs fill more of the tax return. These decisions should be coordinated with the investment portfolio, Medicare […]
When choosing a financial advisor, two of the most reassuring terms you may encounter are fee-only and fiduciary. Both matter. But they describe different things, and neither one alone tells you what your experience with an advisor will actually be. Fee-only describes how an advisor is compensated. Fiduciary describes the legal obligation the advisor owes […]
It doesn't start with a bad investment. It doesn't start with a market crash, a planning failure, or even bad advice. It starts with a phone call. Usually from an estate attorney. Sometimes from a surviving spouse or adult child. And almost always carrying the same discovery: a name on an account that was never […]
Ask most people what determines whether retirement works, and you’ll get the same answer. Returns. Performance. Whether the market cooperated. It’s a reasonable assumption. It’s also the wrong one. Retirement outcomes are shaped far more by timing, sequencing, and tax coordination than by how a portfolio performs in any given year. Two people can retire […]
Most people believe the biggest investment risk is making the wrong call. Buying at the top. Selling at the bottom. Picking the wrong fund. Those mistakes are real. But they’re obvious. You see them. You feel them. The risk we see far more often is quieter. It’s the portfolio that was built correctly years ago […]
Most people believe the biggest investment risk is making the wrong call. Buying at the top. Selling at the bottom. Picking the wrong fund. Those mistakes are real. But they’re obvious. You see them. You feel them. The risk we see far more often is quieter. It’s the portfolio that was built correctly years ago […]
As part of recently enacted federal tax legislation, several important updates are taking effect over the next few years. Many of these changes impact retirees or those approaching retirement, and we wanted to highlight the provisions most relevant to our clients. Overall, the new law makes many of the 2017 tax rules permanent, introduces a […]
As you approach age 65, Medicare becomes a major part of your retirement healthcare planning. The rules can feel confusing at first — especially around enrollment timing, what’s covered (and what’s not), and how Medicare works if you’re still employed. Below is a clear, practical overview to help you understand the essentials before making any […]
When people think of estate planning, they often jump straight to wills or trusts. But one of the most overlooked—and most impactful—parts of an estate plan is simply how your accounts and assets are titled. Beneficiary designations and legal titling on accounts/ property take precedence over what’s written in your will or trust. That means […]