4 Things a Surviving Spouse Should Know About Social Security
December 10, 2019
The Social Security administration gives benefits to surviving spouses based on the deceased’s retirement benefit. If the survivor is already taking retirement benefits, they can take the higher of either their own or their deceased spouse’s benefit. Rules on these benefits are based on the age of the survivor and if the deceased had begun […]
Medicare 2019 – Key Enrollment Dates and Important Changes
November 5, 2019
The leaves are changing colors and a cool breeze is in the air, which means many retirees are securing their winter travel plans. However, before jumping on the plane to escape the cold winter months that lie ahead, it is also time for Medicare participants to decide if changes should be made to their health […]
What happens to your belongings when you die?
October 15, 2019
As Financial Advisors, we put a lot of thought and effort into making sure that we have the proper beneficiary designations and titling on accounts for clients so that they are passed on appropriately someday in the future. Much of our focus is on investment accounts, bank accounts, houses, etc. – but what happens to […]
Honoring the Memory of a Loved One
July 30, 2019
When we lose someone that we love, we miss out on all the future memories that we never get to create together. In many ways, this is difficult and unfair. However, this doesn’t mean that the memories need to stop. Here are some ways to preserve the memories of loved ones we have lost: Tell […]
Long Term Care: Traditional or Hybrid Policies?
June 4, 2019
Long Term Care Environment Shifting Towards Hybrid Plans When reviewing our client’s insurance coverages, a question we’re often asked is whether to purchase long-term care coverage. To answer that question there are a lot of factors to consider from your family health history to your experience dealing with a loved one going through that difficult […]
Your Beneficiary Designations – Are They Correct?
May 28, 2019
Beneficiary designations are an extremely important component of an estate plan. They are found on many types of assets such as IRAs, 401Ks, life insurance and annuities and designate who receives the asset after the account owner passes away. The primary advantage of a beneficiary designation is that asset ownership transfers without the complexities and […]
Why It’s Important to Keep Your Spouse in the Loop
May 21, 2019
I’ve been married to my wife for almost 7 years, and early on in our marriage she once jokingly said, “don’t learn how to do something you don’t want to do the rest of your life”. Somehow, I ended up being the only one that knows how to use the lawnmower. In practice it actually […]
InvestmentNews awards BDF 2019 Best Places to Work for Financial Advisers
April 10, 2019
Balasa Dinverno Foltz LLC has been recognized as a 2019 Best Places to Work for Financial Advisers as announced by InvestmentNews April 1, 2019. BDF was chosen as one of this year’s top-75 based on employer and employee surveys delving into everything from company culture, benefits, career paths and more. InvestmentNews partnered with Best Companies Group, an independent research […]
Tips for Buying Travel Insurance
April 9, 2019
With Spring Break on the horizon, many families are hustling to pack their bags, load up the family mini-van, and get out of Dodge for the week. And if they’re really in a hurry to escape the never-ending Midwest winter, hopping on the first flights out to the beach. With all of the planning that […]
3 Tips to Protect the Identity of a Deceased Person
March 12, 2019
When a loved one dies, it’s always too soon. The grieving process is difficult, and when you factor in that loved ones now need to sort through finances, it can be very stressful. This is the time when many are vulnerable to cybersecurity attacks. You would think that after someone dies, their identity cannot be […]
What Happened to Emerging Markets?
October 25, 2018
Emerging markets has had a tough year. Since Late January 2018, emerging market equities have shed over 20% in value and are likely the biggest red number in your portfolio. During the nearly two-year period from March 2016 to the end of January 2018, emerging markets returned over 75%. What happened? There are a number […]
Volatility Strikes Again
October 12, 2018
Yesterday marked the second straight day of a Dow drop of more than 500 points. And while we have been talking about the return of volatility for quite some time, it still hurts when it actually shows up. So here we are with the S&P 500 having fallen over 7% in the last week. […]