The financial planning and investment landscape changes at a dizzying speed – and often with conflicting messages. Read our team of experts’ advice on saving, spending, investing, retirement, taxes, giving and more to help you enjoy a full life.
The financial planning and investment landscape changes at a dizzying speed – and often with conflicting messages. Read our team of experts’ advice on saving, spending, investing, retirement, taxes, giving and more to help you enjoy a full life.
January 21, 2020
As someone who traditionally has tried to figure it all out by herself (in many aspects of my life), I learned during my divorce that I needed to enlist the help of professionals who would help me in the process. In fact, when surveyed, many people who went through a divorce, looking back wished that […]
January 14, 2020
Happy (belated) New Year! Did you set a New Year’s resolution this year? Have you already broken your resolution? According to Ipsos, a market research company, 38% of Americans planned to have a New Year’s resolution in 2020. Unfortunately, 80% of resolutions are typically broken by the middle of February. No worries – It is […]
January 7, 2020
Entering a new year can feel like a fresh start, a clean slate, with a fresh set of ambitious resolutions to make us better versions of ourselves. I want to challenge you to add one more resolution at the beginning of this year, take some time to make sure that your financial identity is properly […]
December 24, 2019
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! You’re probably thinking that I’m referring to Christmas…Well, as much as I love a little yuletide cheer, I’m actually referring to the college football bowl season, which is fast approaching. This got me thinking, what lessons from the gridiron can help lawyers think more strategically about their […]
December 17, 2019
The primary purpose of an estate plan is to provide for the thoughtful transition of asset ownership to intended heirs. After a plan is drafted, mistakes can creep in and upset a carefully-drafted plan. Below, are five of the more common problem areas to consider. 1. Misusing Joint Ownership Joint tenancy is a common form […]
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 […]
December 3, 2019
As 2019 comes to an end, take a few minutes to put a bow on your financial life for the year by running through this quick checklist: Maximize Employer Benefits: Spend flex dollars – Many employers offer Flexible Spending Accounts for health expenses or dependent care. Often times, balances must be spent before year-end or […]
November 26, 2019
The ending of anyone’s marriage often has far-reaching ripple effects and it’s difficult to know how to support a loved one without getting too involved or picking sides. Although the road to divorce is well-traveled, the stages of divorce most individuals experience are rarely well understood. There is a relatively predictable pattern of emotional responses […]
November 19, 2019
Our three-year-old son, Nate, is a cannon-baller. If you’re not familiar with that term, it just means that he’s a mini-lunatic when it comes to bodily safety and decision making. For example, last weekend, as my daughter and I reclined on the floor reading a book together, Nate decided to run at us full speed […]
November 12, 2019
Recently I spoke at the Independent Insurance Agents (IIA) of Illinois annual conference on financial planning for agency owners. After the presentation which included a discussion on taxes, an owner approached me about the tax structure of his agency. He is currently structured as a C Corporation and wanted to know if that was the […]
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 […]
October 29, 2019
The cobbler’s children have no shoes and financial professionals (private equity professionals, investment bankers, asset managers) have no financial plan. This paradox seems to consistently plague the individuals I meet who work in the finance industry. One would think that those in the industry are buttoned up in terms of their own financial needs; however, […]