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Happy Spring! We hope you’re enjoying this warmer weather as much as we are!

Stock market crashes are tough.  Most of us will spend our entire working career saving money for retirement, investing a lot of that savings in the stock market.  Why the stock market?

Retirement!  You have made it!  No more PSSAs or Keystones, no more repeating directions 12 times, and you can go to the bathroom whenever you want!  

If you’ve been following the financial news recently, you may have heard the term “fiduciary”. It became a popular buzz word when the U.S. Department of Labor proposed new regulations (called the “Fiduciary Rule”) on investment advisors in April, 2016.

Have you ever asked, “Why does this have to be so complicated?”.  All too often, we meet with people who have been sold expensive, complicated financial products that they really don’t need.  

To the chagrin of many taxpayers, this rhetorical question will be asked many times when 2018 federal tax returns are filed. Of course, most Americans give to charity because they are passionate about an organization and its cause, not because they are looking for a tax deduction. However, if you can give to charity AND lower you tax bill at the same time, it’s a win-win situation!

One of the most common concerns early retirees (pre-age 65) have is healthcare costs. Because it is one of the largest expenses in retirement, it often leads to people delaying retirement for the sole purpose of maintaining their employer-sponsored health insurance.

Did you know that a portion of your Medicare premium is determined by your income?  It’s true!  Medicare Part B, which largely covers doctor’s visits, ambulance services, durable medical equipment, chiropractic care, and outpatient therapy, is based on your Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI).  

A written business plan is a critical tool in setting the vision and goals for your company and creating intense focus on the key performance metrics that will drive success. 

After a long hiatus in the stock market, investors are being re-introduced to pain – not just to a stock market where values bounce up and down a lot, but to account values that can slide lower, week by week and month by month.