Fall is open enrollment time at most companies. Employees are confronted with many choices that hold sway over their health, finances, and overall well-being. This time allows employees to assess new benefit options while considering whether their current selections align with their evolving life circumstances. Since employees typically have only one chance a year to [...]
State Farm and Allstate, two of the largest property insurers in California, recently made headlines by announcing their decision to stop selling new home insurance policies in California. This move has raised concerns about new homeowners’ ability to obtain property insurance and existing policies being canceled, especially in disaster-prone areas. […]
With frustrating regularity, the two largest political parties have again been haggling over a debt ceiling increase. In the hyper-polarized environment we find ourselves in, politicians are again using this routine financial maneuver to extort concessions from the other party in exchange for agreeing to raise the debt limit. While it might seem like disaster is approaching, we’ve been here [...]
Over the past few years, significant changes have been made to the U.S. tax code regarding retirement planning. One of the most recent and impactful changes is the passing of the 2022 SECURE Act 2.0, which contains many provisions that will affect savers, including a modification to 529 accounts. […]
As we celebrate Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day in March, it seems appropriate to reflect on the progress women have made over the past century in the US, but to also acknowledge that work remains to be done on the journey to the financial empowerment of women. […]
One of the most divisive issues in couples’ relationships is money, so what better way to celebrate Valentine’s Day than to sit down with your loved one and talk about money in a calm, relaxed setting? Now, you don’t have to do it on Valentine’s Day, but use that week and its symbolism of love and couplehood to schedule [...]
Many of us have heard that Health Savings Accounts (HSA) are excellent vehicles to pay for healthcare costs. In fact, according to research compiled by Devenir, as of June 30, 2022, there were about 28 million HSA accounts. Additionally, total funds in HSAs grew to $98 billion at year-end 2021 from $45 billion in 2017. Clearly, the word’s gotten out [...]
As summer comes to an end, many teenagers are flush with cash from summer jobs. If your teenager is in this situation and you’d like to use this opportunity to teach them the magic of compound interest, consider opening a Roth IRA for them. Roth IRAs are a great investment vehicle for kids because the earlier they start saving in a Roth IRA, the longer they have for their money to compound tax-free. Furthermore, kids’ income is usually low enough not to worry about the income limits on contributions that eventually prevent many adults from contributing to a Roth IRA.
After an abnormally calm 2021, which saw stock markets reach all-time highs, the major stock indices are sharply lower in 2022. Volatility has returned to the market as concerns over interest-rate tightening, inflation, supply shocks, economic growth, and geopolitical events have dampened last year’s market exuberance. […]
April is Financial Literacy Month. As financial planners, we are passionate about helping clients, their children, and others in our community increase their financial literacy skills. Given that May 1st is also Decision Day for college acceptances, we thought it’d be timely to share our thoughts on how families might discuss the cost of college with their children. [...]
