Why I Advocate for Pet Insurance
Did you ever read that article about a couple who almost cancelled their wedding because the future husband secretly spent over $5,000 (from his own savings) on surgery for his dog, and the future bride was furious because that meant she was going to have to downsize her wedding? How, you ask, could all of […]
WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED ABOUT OUR SPENDING DURING THE PANDEMIC
By Jason D. Nickerson, CFP®, EA I don’t know about you, but with being “locked-in” during the pandemic, I had more time for things. What things? Well, I am not much of a TV watcher, mainly because I often regret the time I spent and start thinking of all the other things I could […]
Paying Income Taxes Online
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 […]
How to avoid fraud in the Covid-19 Era
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 […]
Financial Considerations Under the CARES Act for Federal Student Loan Borrowers
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 […]
Roth Conversion
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 […]
Donating Enough to make it Beneficial
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 […]
How Reputable is your Charity?
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 […]
5 Follow-Ups for Success
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 […]
What Activities may Affect your Medicare Premiums Down the Road?
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 […]
