By Sarah E.J. Collier, JD Do you plan on owing Uncle Sam this 2020 tax year? How do you plan on paying? By check? If so, you may want to reconsider your options for this year. In past years it has been very typical for taxpayers to have their Federal (and State) refunds direct [...]
By Brandi B. Graham, CFP®, CTFA Fraudulent Unemployment Claims Criminals are taking advantage of the pandemic and have found new ways to steal from you. Beware of fraudulent unemployment claims. With the added incentive of $600 per week last summer and now $300 per week for the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation assistance, fraudulent unemployment [...]
By: Sarah E. J. Collier, J.D. Due to the CARES Act, qualifying federal student loans are being placed in an administrative forbearance with a 0% interest rate. This was put into effect March 13, 2020, and has recently been extended through September 30, 2021. This means that during this time period, there are no [...]
By Todd Brost, CFP® History of the Roth IRA? It is named after the late U.S. Senator William V. Roth Jr., who was a WWII veteran, a lawyer, and the legislation’s sponsor. It was created by the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997. Contributions to Roth IRAs grew from $8.6 billion in 1998, to $605 [...]
By Brandi Graham, CFP®, CTFA With increased standard deductions, more taxpayers are finding they are no longer able to deduct cash contributions to charities on their tax returns. Are you looking for smarter ways to maximize your charitable gifts while minimizing taxes? Read on for some strategic methods to give more effectively. DON’T [...]
Giving to charity is as American as apple pie. U.S. News and World Report in fact ranks the United States as the most generous country on earth1. However, there are some unscrupulous actors out there so before you give, take a few points under consideration. First, there are many scammers more than willing to take [...]
By Mason Jones, CFP® It is easy to forget why we are here, what we want, and most importantly, what we value because of the mundane details of everyday life. With that said, since we are a month into the new year, there is no better time than right now to share a [...]
By: Lynda Tull, Associate Advisor Have you heard of the IRMAA in regards to your Medicare Part B and Part D premiums? Chances are, if you have then you likely are paying these extra surcharges. These “surcharges” or additional insurance premiums increase your regular Medicare premiums when your Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) on your [...]
Written by Darren Wilcox, CFP®, J.D. Most everyone is relieved to have 2020 finally in the rearview mirror. As the calendar rolls over to a new year it brings up discussion of a stock market phenomenon known as the January Effect. For those unaware, the January Effect is essentially the belief that no matter [...]
By Darren Wilcox, JD, CFP® With the fall in temperatures has come a rise in the number of COVID-19 cases, and unfortunately we are all impacted in some way by this virus. While social distancing, wearing a mask, and avoiding non-essential travel are all great ways to reduce your likelihood of contracting COVID-19, here are [...]
