Children

When you think about estate planning you probably think about legacy-style families like the Kennedy’s or people who are “wealthy”. However, each of us have an estate according to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and each state we live in. No matter your worth, we recommend having an estate strategy to align with your future wishes after you pass away.

Echoes from the partial government shutdown persist.  Income and outlays data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis were delayed for December and incomplete for January, so they were released together in one report.  We have both income and spending to end the year, but just income data to start 2019.

As you probably know, Washington had the longest government shutdown in history earlier this year.  During the shutdown, the IRS operated with only 12% of its staff.  That means the IRS has a lot to catch up on, including answering questions, preparing reports, processing returns, and distributing refunds.

Whether you like it or not, your credit score can determine how easy or how difficult it is to buy a car, buy a house, get cell phone service, or even get a job.  A bad credit score can negatively impact just about every area of your life. Sometimes, a bad credit score can result from events entirely out of your control such as illness, disability, or from the loss of a job.

Christmas is here, which means, for most, it’s time to shop, spend money on travel to see family, and more. Going into the holiday season with your finances in check is important, especially if you plan on spending money this season. The best way to prepare for holiday shopping, other than searching for the best deals and scanning coupons online, is to start saving.

Winning the lottery has always been a fantasy and you actually did it!  Congrats or something.  The most important thing to happen in your life just happened and you can't say a word.  And so the irony of winning the lottery begins.

In a recent survey by JumpStart Coalition for Financial Literacy, only 26 percent of those between the ages of 13-21 said that they had been taught how to manage money. Yet, when they turn 18, kids are signing contracts for student loans, opening credit card accounts, and in many instances, living away from home with little financial guidance available.

I’m not a marriage counselor or a psychologist, but boy, have I witnessed a lot of conflict among couples! As a financial planner, I’ve been helping people build stronger financial lives for almost 20 years, and I’m still amazed at the power money has to cause upset and arguments—even between the most loving, committed couples. In fact, if there’s one thing that can threaten the whole idea of marital bliss, I’m certain it is (you guessed it) money.

August 22, 2018

Money can be a major stressor for parents this time of year. Spend smarter with these budget-friendly back-to-school tips!