As I left home this morning, I peered through the fog at the pond in our backyard. Our friend, the Great Blue Heron, was looking for breakfast. My wife and I have been awed by his patient gracefulness coupled with unexpected speed and agility as he pursues his next meal. But this won’t last. The [...]
Are you being bombarded with Medicare Advantage commercials or mailings? If it hasn’t started yet, I’m sure you’ll start receiving or noticing them soon. This is because we are now in the Open Enrollment period for Medicare Part D and Medicare Advantage plans. Do these messages seem too good to be true? Are you wondering [...]
The impressive glossy brochure on sturdy cardstock arrives in the mail. You’ve been invited to spend three nights at a luscious resort for a modest price. You’re intrigued. Booking a similar vacation yourself would cost a pretty penny. You call the toll-free number, pick your dates, and begin to daydream about this blissful upcoming vacation. [...]
Anyone who pays attention to the news or simply shops in a supermarket knows that prices have increased sharply over the past year. This is not just a U.S. phenomenon, but is worldwide and comes after nearly 40 years of modest low-single digit annual inflation. Some of the causes include worldwide supply chain disruptions triggered [...]
It’s no doubt that making these type of decisions can be nerve-racking and reviewing your benefits can be very complicated. Although capable, sometimes it’s hard to find the time to digest all your options and analyze all the various benefits. Making the wrong election can have financial consequences for you, either now or in the [...]
Are you counting down the days, or is retirement still a nebulous concept of some far off Neverland, or are you somewhere in between. Wherever you are in your process, retirement demands answers to a host of questions. The better your answers, the more enjoyable your retirement years will be. Why are you retiring? [...]
When asked several months after retiring from a long career in higher education how her retirement was going a client replied, “I made the classic mistake”. I asked, what was the mistake? “I retired from something instead of to something,” she said. She went on to explain that she really did not have a lifestyle [...]
By Andrew Baron, CFP® You have built a business. You have overcome obstacles and celebrated successes. With your continued efforts, your business has provided for your family and your employees alike. When considering the sale of your business, the timing can present complications affecting others both directly and indirectly. First, the timing of the sale [...]
By Sarah Collier, J.D. Growing up on a small farm, I know all too well that farmers take pride in their hard work on the farm. It’s those memorable events like three generations working together to build a barn that are the reasons why the farmer wants the family homestead to pass from generation [...]
Target Date Funds Explained By Mason Jones, CFP® Target date funds (TDFs) have been around for over two decades. These funds are meant to help investors simplify their decision-making in how to allocate and diversify their assets, especially as they get closer to retirement age. The funds are created by a specific mutual fund [...]
