What if you understand your own shortcomings, but have no idea what changes to make? There’s an app for that, so to speak. Working with a qualified, fee-only, Certified Financial Planner®, you can establish new goals, chart a new course, and improve your chances for success.

Is it me, or does April 15th seem to come around too quickly? There is some good news this tax season, however, in that many fewer Americans are itemizing deductions since implementation of the Tax Cut and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA).

While championed by the annuity industry, the SECURE Act includes many changes to non-annuity forms of retirement accounts. Details of the Act are being continuously updated and published, but we will being to outline them in this blog.

There are many reasons to consider using a Roth IRA. Some people make too much money to deduct a Traditional IRA, but others (in low tax brackets) also favor using the Roth IRA. Investors just starting to save money may realize that a Roth IRA can be used for a variety of beneficial pre-retirement financial transactions not available using the Traditional IRA.

Every year we like to review our last year’s Congressional Financial Wish List, both to see what actually happened since last year, as well as to see what could be improved next year.

"Financial advisers may try to avoid talking politics with clients, but clients rarely miss a chance to engage advisers about how the election might affect their portfolios. That starts a delicate conversation."

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, or TCJA, passed and was signed into law, then took effect for tax years beginning January 1, 2018. Tax Returns for that year were due on April 15, 2019, and offered automatic extensions until October 15, 2019, for those who needed more time. Those dates have passed, returns have been filed, and results are in.

Our very own Adam Van Wie, CFP®, was featured in a Redfin.com blog about underestimating the cost of home ownership! Click the link to see his comments.

We frequently hear phrases such as, “I put my kid’s name on the house,” or “I want to give my home to my kids to keep it in the family.” Hearing things like that makes us cringe. Most often, it is the exact wrong thing to do.