Blog
We're passionate about keeping our clients up to date. Below you will find resources to understand the current state of the market as well as helpful articles in numerous financial topics.
Tips for Tax Preparation
In 2020, the government gave taxpayers an automatic six-month extension due to the coronavirus. Individuals who were affected by the damaging wildfires were also given additional time to meet most tax deadlines. However, in 2021, the...
Read MoreKey Tax Deadlines for 2021
While the 2020 tax year saw some significant changes to filing deadlines due to the effects of the global pandemic, the 2021 tax season seems to be set to be on track with normal filing deadlines. With the pandemic still in sight, it...
Read MoreIRA vs. 401(k): What Savers Should Know
As of 2018, about 58 million Americans had a 401(k), while around one-third of households owned an individual retirement account (IRA).1, 2 Yet for as commonplace as these retirement accounts can be, the nuances of contributions are a...
Read MoreRetirement Income Planning
For investors approaching retirement, it is important to begin thinking about retirement income planning. This involves a mindset shift from accumulating an investment portfolio designed for growth to creating a portfolio of retirement...
Read MoreTax Identity Theft Awareness: Protecting Yourself from Tax Identity Theft
Tax identity theft is when someone steals your Social Security Number, files a tax return with your number, and directs a refund to their own bank account. In other cases, this type of identity theft may involve a scam artist calling...
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New Year's Resolutions to Get Your Finances in Order
New Year's is traditionally the time to review your life and make resolutions for change. In addition to thinking about working out, eating healthy, and meeting personal and professional goals, you should also think about your finances...
Read MoreGetting a Jump on January Tax Season
From pandemic-related stimulus payments to job losses and furloughs, for many taxpayers, next spring's tax season may be more complex than usual. With the end of 2020 rapidly approaching, you should take some time to review your tax...
Read MoreEnd of Year (EOY) Deadlines Checklist
2020 has been one of the most unprecedented years in recent history, but some things—like tax contributions and retirement deadlines—don't change much, if at all. And with the uncertainty surrounding just about everything,...
Read MoreEnd of Year Planning: Set Goals and Reduce Taxes
By the last third of the calendar year, you're likely to have a pretty good idea of what your annual income will be and whether any major expenses or big life changes await you. This can allow you to engage in more robust tax planning,...
Read MoreRecognizing and Avoiding Online Scams
According to the Identity Theft Resource Center, the number of U.S. data breaches hit a new high in 2017. Nearly 20% of breaches included credit and debit card information, a nearly 6% increase from the prior year. The actual number of...
Read More12 Estate Planning Must-Dos
Many of you already have estate documents, probably executed many years ago. You need an estate attorney to look over your documents every 10 years or so. Here are a dozen points to review. Do you have a will and powers of attorney for...
Read MoreWhat Gen Xers, Millennials, and Baby Boomers Need to Know About Financial Planning?
Financial planning is an important part of securing your current lifestyle as well as preparing yourself for what you wish to do in your eventual retirement. And while this importance may look different during each stage of your life,...
Read MoreInvesting in an Election Year
The world's events always affect the markets, and making smart investment choices requires you to look at what's happening around the world. But what about during an election year? How should you invest while the country is deciding...
Read MoreAppropriate Checklists for Year-End Tax Planning
What are appropriate checklists for year-end tax planning? Tax planners often develop checklists to guide taxpayers toward year-end strategies that might help reduce taxes. Typically, suggestions are grouped into several different...
Read MoreHow to Protect Your Wealth as You Get Older
As you get older and closer to retirement, your financial practices need to shift slightly as you transition from working and saving to relying on your nest egg. As you approach this stage of your life, you need to take steps to...
Read MoreThree Steps to Build Your Savings
The fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic has made the need for a healthy savings account clearer than ever. Even before the pandemic, the U.S. Federal Reserve estimated that nearly 40 percent of Americans didn't have enough set aside to...
Read MoreEleven Ways to Help Yourself Stay Sane in a Crazy Market
Keeping your cool can be hard to do when the market goes on one of its periodic roller-coaster rides. It's useful to have strategies in place that prepare you both financially and psychologically to handle market volatility. Here are...
Read MoreWhy A Potential Democrat Sweep May Not Be A Market Worry
Market Blog Based on the latest polling data, there’s growing consensus that former Vice President Joe Biden potentially may win the election and Democrats possibly may sweep Congress. Some might think this could be a negative...
Read MoreTeaching Money Mindfulness to Your Children
Teaching Money Mindfulness to Your Children At some point in a child's development, all parents wonder: how can I best teach my child the value of money? Parents who grew up in more modest circumstances than their own children can...
Read MoreSocial Security and Medicare Face Financial Challenges
Most Americans will eventually receive Social Security and Medicare benefits. Each year, the Trustees of the Social Security and Medicare Trust Funds release lengthy reports to Congress that assess the health of these important...
Read MoreSocially Responsible Investing
Investing with an eye toward promoting social, political, or environmental concerns (or at least not supporting activities you feel are harmful) doesn’t mean you have to forgo pursuing a return on your money. Socially...
Read MoreGetting Started: Establishing a Financial Safety Net
In times of crisis, you don't want to be shaking pennies out of a piggy bank. Having a financial safety net in place can ensure that you're protected when a financial emergency arises. One way to accomplish this is by setting up a cash...
Read MoreHow Our Economy Can Bounce Back
Stocks have weakened as various global concerns keep popping up. Stretched valuations, weakening technicals, and increased tensions between the United States and China have investors on edge. This week, the LPL strategists discuss...
Read MorePulse Check: Should You Ignore the Economic Data and Pullback Odds Are Increasing
More bad economic data A record 20.5 million people lost their jobs in April, well above the previous record of 2 million during World War II. This is further confirmation of how quickly our economy stopped, and the LPL strategists...
Read MoreResilience, Perseverance, and Innovation
Stocks hit a rough patch the last week of April, as the historic rally could be tiring. The news was heavy and the economic data continued to be very weak, but central banks are doing all they can to help weather the storm. Central...
Read More529 Savings Plans vs. Prepaid Tuition Plans
Section 529 plans are popular education savings vehicles. To choose the type of 529 plan that's right for you, it's important to understand how 529 savings plans and 529 prepaid tuition plans work and the differences between them. Who...
Read MoreCoping With Market Volatility in Uncertain Times
As the United States desperately tries to flatten the contagion curve for the coronavirus, many state governors have mandated the closure of an unprecedented number of businesses and issued stay-at-home orders to their citizens. The...
Read MoreHow a Financial Professional Can Guide You Through Choppy Seas
In these trying times, even those with veins of steel can find themselves nervous about the market's direction and what it could mean for one's financial future. And the unprecedented nature of the novel coronavirus—and its...
Read MoreHave Stay-At-Home Growth Stocks Peaked?
Over the past couple of weeks, we have thankfully witnessed new cases of COVID-19 in the US trending lower. Increasingly, we are also seeing governors implementing plans to re-open their state economies in phases. If the US economy...
Read MoreWhen Will The Recession Officially Start?
With 22 million jobs lost in the past four weeks, a record drop in retail sales, and huge drops in industrial production and housing starts, it is safe to say we are likely in a recession. Even the Federal Reserve (Fed) in the recent...
Read MorePutting Things in Perspective
The economic data keeps getting worse, yet stocks have been in the midst of one of the greatest multi-week rallies ever. As the LPL Chart of the Day shows, the S&P 500 Index gained 27.2% in the 15 days after the March 23 lows, the...
Read MoreBig Annual Declines Are Rare
Stocks have rallied nicely off the March 23 lows on the back of a bold policy response from the Federal Reserve (Fed) and lawmakers in Washington, DC, which was followed by signs that a peak in growth of COVID-19 cases may come soon....
Read More5 Ways to Build A Better Tax Plan
You just finished your taxes, but it's not too early to make plans for next year. It's important that as you build your plan, you think about some strategies to reduce or defer your taxes now or in the future. Here are some strategies...
Read MoreIs a Depression Coming?
“Could there be another depression” is one of the top questions we’ve received over the past week. “Yes, we are in a recession and many are worried if things may get much worse before they get better,”...
Read MoreWhat Is in the $2 Trillion Relief Package?
The United States has more cases of the coronavirus than any other country, and in an attempt to stop the spread of this disease, states have closed schools and businesses throughout the country. These unprecedented shutdowns have...
Read More6 Things to Know about Retirement and the Coronavirus Relief Bill
Now that the $2 trillion coronavirus relief bill has passed. There are huge implications within this bill that we want to make sure our clients and community understand, especially when it comes to retirement accounts. We’ve...
Read MoreThe Covid-19 Battle
The world continues its battle to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, which now has likely impacted, either directly or indirectly, nearly every person on Earth. This is far more than just a health crisis—this is a human crisis. Its...
Read MoreMarket Volatility Stresses Liquidity
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused unprecedented volatility in recent weeks that has investors and traders scrambling to assess the economic and market impact of the aggressive containment measures. This past week the CBOE Volatility...
Read MoreHow Quickly Can Stocks Recover From COVID-19?
The market volatility continues, as the S&P 500 Index has closed either up or down 4% or more for a record 7 consecutive days. With the S&P 500 Index down 30% from the highs, it has officially moved into a bear market. Yesterday, we...
Read MorePositive Signs From China on COVID-19
COVID-19 related fear has gripped markets, driving the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 Index into bear territory. As difficult as these markets are for all of us, there are reasons to be reassured coming out of China,...
Read MoreAdding a Personal Backup With a Living Trust
The managers of well-run businesses usually name "backups" to keep things going smoothly -- just in case. That's also a smart plan for your personal finances, where you risk experiencing financial losses or other difficulties if you...
Read MoreTax Planning for Income
What is tax planning for income? Tax planning for income usually involves strategies for minimizing your taxable income. In particular, the timing and the method by which your income is reported become paramount. Effective planning...
Read MoreTax Planning for Business Owners
What is business tax planning? When starting a business, you must consider a number of tax-related issues. Although business tax planning is a complicated area, it is essential to understand three major topics: tax consequences when...
Read MoreBreaking Down the Inverted Yield Curve
If you ask an economist what makes them toss and turn at night, chances are they’ll tell you, “Fear of missing the warning signs of a recession.” After all, for anyone who studies the economy for a living, few things...
Read MoreQ&A on the Trade War with China
China has introduced a new weapon to use in the trade war with the United States. That weapon? Its own currency. On Thursday, August 1, President Trump proposed a new slate of tariffs on Chinese goods. In response, the Chinese central...
Read MoreMid-Year Outlook 2019
LPL Research released their Mid-Year Outlook for 2019! We are pleased to announce the release of the LPL Research Midyear Outlook 2019: FUNDAMENTAL: How to Focus on What Really Matters in the Markets, with investment insights and...
Read MoreDirty Dozen Retirement Planning Mistakes
There's more to retirement planning than putting money in your 401(k) or IRA. In fact, retirement planning is one of the most important financial goals you'll undertake during your lifetime. Do it right and you'll enjoy the things you...
Read MoreInvest Your Tax Refund
Well, tax season has (almost) come and gone. For adults like us, this time of year can be like a second Christmas. The stress of filing will soon be over, and some of us will have our tax refunds to look forward to. The question is:...
Read MoreWhat You Need To File Your Taxes
The first half of February is typically full of hearts, flowers and candies. After Valentine's Day, we are reminded that Tax Day isn't that far away. Give yourself some love and make sure you are organized and prepared for this tax...
Read More5 Important Financial Resolutions for 2019
The new year brings new opportunities for a fresh start, and many people have hopes of changing habits in their life in the upcoming year. Intentionally addressing your finances during the new year can allow you more freedom to live...
Read MoreTax Reform and Tax Preparation
As a new year approaches, many of us will reflect on the year that has passed. Personal and professional accomplishments may take center stage. And we may take stock of any disappointments and re-calibrate as 2019 approaches. But in...
Read MorePost Mid-Term Market Volatility
“A player surprised is a player half-beaten.” – Chess Proverb The World Chess Championship is currently being played in London, and for the first time in decades, an American could be crowned as champion. But this...
Read More4 Things You Should Know About The Midterms
I present you with two quotes: “Democracy is the form of government in which the free are rulers.” – Aristotle “I tell you, all politics is applesauce.” – Will Rogers Whichever quote best describes...
Read MoreEvaluating Investment Risk
What we don't know can hurt us. When it comes to investing, investing too conservatively for our goals may be just as damaging as investing too aggressively. How can individuals strike the balance between risk and return in selecting...
Read MoreWhere's Your Spouse?
Is your spouse in your investment loop? There was a famous fast-food TV commercial in the 80's in which Clara Peller asked, "Where's the Beef?" We suggest a much more important question: "Where's Your Spouse?" Of the tasks to deal with...
Read More5 Steps to Take Before You're 65
Even if you’re not sure whether you’re going to retire at the age of 65, it’s still a good deadline to set to have your retirement plans in place, for when the time comes. That may require some careful calculations...
Read MoreHow to Reduce Retirement Anxiety
If your final day at the office is fast approaching, chances are you are experiencing some retirement anxiety. That anxiety can come from a number of sources- saying goodbye to your career and coworkers, embarking on an uncertain...
Read More7 Things to Know About the USA-China Trade Dispute
The headlines are filled with rumors of a trade war between the United States and China. You’ve probably heard by now that both nations have announced tariffs on many of each other’s goods. This has many economists...
Read More6 Ways to a Happier Retirement
Retirement can sound like a permanent vacation. When you awake on Monday, you will wake up when you want to wake up. No more alarm clocks and no more commutes to the office. One of our goals as financial advisors is to help put our...
Read MoreWhat President Trump's Tariff Means for YOU
Please open your economic textbooks to page forty-seven, class, because it's time to talk about something you probably haven't thought of since college: tariffs. On Thursday, March 1, President Trump announced a new plan to institute...
Read More360 Financial Acquires Another Firm
360 Financial Acquires True North Capital Alliance Press Release 360 Financial acquired True North Capital Alliance as of February 7, 2018. “The 360 Financial team approach, enhanced capabilities, and fiduciary standard will...
Read MoreBalancing Act: Saving for Both Retirement and College
Linda and Peter are worried about their financial future. "We want our one-year-old son, Raymond, to go to college, but we're concerned that in 17 years, the cost might be more than we can afford," says Peter. "We also need to save for...
Read MoreWhat to Do With Your 401(k) When Changing Jobs
If you are preparing to change jobs, do you know what your choices are for managing the money in your current employer's retirement plan? Although many people choose to take a cash distribution, there are other options that may benefit...
Read MoreSurviving the Holiday Spending Season…Debt Free!
As the giving season approaches, there is one important item to add to your to do list: Create a holiday budget. Before the gift shopping and wrapping begins, take control of your wallet through financial preparation. Remember, you can...
Read More30 Important Questions to Answer about Your Will
If you have a family, by now you’ve probably already put together a basic last will and testament. That’s a good start, but when was the last time you took a close look at your will? Since initially penning your will...
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