Do You Have to Take Your Required Minimum Distribution?

You might be thinking, “Since I don’t need the required minimum distribution from my retirement accounts in order to live on, can’t I just leave it in my retirement account?” If you do not withdraw the required minimum distributions, the IRS will impose a penalty of 50%. Further, after imposing the penalty, you are still…

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Managing Your Finances

We work with dozens of people to help them create retirement plans. But in order to get to a successful retirement, there are thousands of small decisions along the way. Like, should you drive through your local coffee place and grab a latte this morning? Go with the office gang for lunch at that little…

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How to Double Your Money

People often ask us, “How long will it take to double my money?’ You can find the answer with the rule of 72. Here’s how it works. Compounding interest is the interest you earn on a growing amount of money.) To find out how long it will take your money to double, take the number…

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How to Set and Keep Financial Goals

Written goals are your road map to financial success. Be specific, simple, and realistic and include time frames and dollar amounts. Have some big goals and some small ones. Include a savings plan and an emergency fund. Pay off high-interest debt and control the amount of your debt. Then, take action to achieve your goals.…

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What’s the Difference Between a Will and a Living Trust?

A “Living Trust” is a trust you created that is active while you are alive versus a Testamentary Trust which becomes active at your death. When you create a Living Trust, you ensure that your assets will be disbursed efficiently to the people you choose after your death. The big advantage to a Living Trust…

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The 3 Stages of Your Financial Life

What are the three stages in your financial life? The first stage is preparing for life’s uncertainties. The second stage is managing your net worth and the third stage is managing retirement and your estate. The base of the pyramid is preparing for life’s uncertainties. Insurance is the most cost-effective way to deal with this.…

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5 Things to Know About Long-Term Care

November is long-term care (LTC) awareness month. Here are five things you should know.   There are different types of facilities providing increasing levels of care.1 If you hear the words “long-term care” and automatically think “nursing home,” you should know that long-term care encompasses a wide range of options and a progression of choices.…

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What is an Annuity and How Does It Guarantee Income?

 What are annuities and how do they work? Annuities are both a savings and an income investment that pays out over a period of time. It’s actually a steam of income you can’t outlive. An annuity is a flexible insurance contract that allows retirement savings to grow income tax deferred and then payout to…

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Medicare Fall Open Enrollment Ends Soon

Time is almost up for this years Medicare Open Enrollment period.  You have until the 7th of December to modify your existing Medicare plans. In this period you can enroll in a Medicare Advantage Plan or a Part D drug plan. Any modification made during this period is effective from January 1st of the following year. Generally,…

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How To Strategize For Your Social Security Benefits

As life expectancy has grown, your retirement now can last between 20 and 30 years. So Social Security planning is critical, no matter how much money you have. It can make a difference of hundreds of thousands of dollars. For example, if you retire at age 62 and pass away at age 86, you’ll receive…

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