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What is an Investment Policy Statement?

This post was last updated on  27 October, 2022, to reflect all updated information and best serve your needs.

In its simplest terms, an investment policy statement (IPS) is a list of rules drawn up between you and your financial planner to set clear and concrete goals for each other. It also works as a game plan for the financial planner so that they can employ their expertise in the best way they see fit to meet your goals in a timely and efficient manner. 

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What is a Solo 401(k)?

This post was last updated on October 25, 2022, to reflect all updated information and best serve your needs.

The Solo 401(k) is one of the most powerful retirement savings options for self-employed individuals. If you’re trying to save on taxes, save for your future, and run a business, the Solo 401(k) might be right for you.

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The Best Options For Your Old 401k(s) – A Step-by-Step Guide

So, how many different companies have been at in your working career? If you’re like most people today, you’ve probably switched jobs at least a couple times. It seems like some people can switch every six months while others can stay for years.

Regardless, it’s extremely rare to see someone who stays with the same employer for life. Things have certainly changed from the baby boomer generation.

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Top Ten Ways To Avoid Bad Investments

This post was last updated on January 15, 2021, to reflect all updated information and best serve your needs.

When it comes to making investment decisions, sometimes our emotions take over for common sense. While we usually rely on our knowledge and experience to point us in the right direction, investing doesn’t always work that way.

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What To Do With $50,000

Have you recently come into a $50,000 windfall, such as an inheritance? You may be tempted to buy a new car or take your family and friends on a dream vacation. 

But before you do, stop and consider all of your options — including saving the money...who would've thought a financial advisor would recommend this. 😁Developing a sound financial strategy is a good way to make your money grow.

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Is Passive Income Right for You?

If you’re like most people, you work a lot. These days, a growing number of Americans are working multiple jobs. Either the gigs are all part-time, or people are working on side hustles to earn extra income. 

One of the issues with the standard model of earning money is that you have to work for it. This is what’s called active income. You put in the hours, and you get a paycheck at the end of it. The more work you do, the more money you make. 

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The Ultimate Guide To Financial Freedom

By now, you’ve probably heard of the FIRE movement. FIRE, which stands for Financial Independence, Retire Early, is everywhere. As a matter of fact, there is even a new movie coming out called Playing With Fire. The film itself documents a young family’s journey into the FIRE subculture as they look for a way to cut down time spent working versus time spent with their family.

Financial freedom is a term used loosely, along with financial independence, and while they are very similar, they aren’t quite the same. The difference? Financial freedom allows you to completely walk away from your career without owing anyone a thing.

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How To Overcome Your Fear Of Personal Finances

Have you ever been afraid to log into your bank account or check your credit card balances? If you’re losing sleep over your personal finances, you’re not alone. According to a Bankrate survey, 36 percent of Americans are losing sleep over money troubles.

While money anxiety can be more common than we realize, it’s important to address it sooner rather than later. Ignoring your finances will hurt you in the long run, even if it feels better to bury your head in the sand right now. Money troubles never go away unless you take charge of your situation and address them head-on.

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Your Ultimate Health Savings Account Guide

Are you familiar with a Health Savings Account (HSA)? If you’re like most people, you’ve heard the term but you’re probably not sure what it is or if it makes sense for you.

If that’s the case, then it’s your lucky day because we’re going to dig into exactly what a Health Savings Account is and, most importantly, why I absolutely love them. So with that, let’s check out a few statistics that just might surprise you.

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What is Tax Gain Harvesting?

One of the biggest challenges to overcome when investing is trying to minimize your tax liability. Capital gains taxes can take a significant chunk of your gains if you're not careful. This is why you need to understand various tax strategies e to minimize your tax liability. 

Although it may seem a bit counterintuitive at first, tax-gain harvesting may be a viable option in some cases. While you may have heard of tax-loss harvesting, today we want to take a closer look at tax-gain harvesting to see how it works and when it should be deployed. This strategy is a bit more advanced than some others, but it can be beneficial when used effectively. 

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How to Invest Your Lottery Winnings (or any large sum of money)

This post was last updated on January 20, 2021, to reflect all updated information and best serve your needs.

This article WILL NOT teach you how to win the lottery. However, it will teach you how to invest any large lump-sum of money that you come into unexpectedly. if you're looking for lottery get-rich-quick schemes, this is not the right article for you.

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The Ultimate Blueprint To Paying Off Your Student Loans

With student loan debt, it can seem like your payments will last forever. But, there are ways to make paying off your student loans much easier. Whether you’re in the thick of paying them off, considering taking out student loans, or somewhere in the middle, knowing the right strategies to use will save you a lot of money and stress when it comes to paying off your student loans faster.

As the second highest consumer debt, the average student loan balance tops $37,000 for the Class of 2016. If most of your paycheck goes to pay student loans because you haven’t yet met your earning potential, you can feel trapped.  There is hope, and you can get rid of your debt faster by upgrading your student loan repayment options.

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Saving for Retirement - Your Step-By-Step Guide to Getting You There

This post was last updated on January 15, 2021, to reflect all updated information and best serve your needs.

When entering the job market out of college, the concept of retirement seems like a lifetime away. Most people can't even fathom thinking about retirement which leaves neglected and unleveraged retirement accounts.

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How can I possibly save enough for my child’s college education?

While it’s true that saving for college is easier the earlier you start, all hope is not lost if you waited a few years to get started. Despite the rising cost of a four-year degree, it’s still an important asset for climbing the career ladder in most professional settings.

Paying for college is a financial goal for many parents but with an 18-year savings timeframe, it can easily fall by the wayside. Many people get so wrapped up in the day-to-day realities of getting the bills paid that they don’t get serious about college savings until their children’s preteen or teen years.

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Does Taking a Lump Sum From My Pension Make Sense?

This post was last updated on July 30, 2022, to reflect all updated information and best serve your needs.

If you’re trying to save for retirement, it helps to have an employer-sponsored plan so that you’ll have access to funds once you stop working. Although 401(k) plans are the most common option today, some companies still offer pensions. Now you're probably wondering what the outcome of a pension vs. 401(k) is, don't worry; we cover this a bit later on.

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Top 5 Things You Need to Know About Medicare Open Enrollment

Medicare is an important coverage that provides security to the majority of Americans. Medicare Open Enrollment is the time when you can change your Medicare coverage for the next year, and includes Part D prescription drug coverage. 

You may think that you know all about Medicare open enrollment because it happens every year. But this year is a little different from last year. Here are some ways to prepare for Medicare open enrollment for 2022 so you have a better idea of what to expect.

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What is Consumer Confidence and How is it Measured?

You’ve probably heard the term “Consumer Confidence” before, likely reported on your local news broadcast or business channel. Maybe you’ve heard of the “Consumer Confidence Index” and wondered if those two terms were the same thing, or something different. 

Either way, you’ve probably noticed that these terms are discussed quite often, and seem to matter a great deal to some people. While these terms are related, they are not exactly the same. 

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Are New Home Sales Important to the Economy?

Real estate plays a very important role in the U.S. Economy. Even if you’re not planning to sell a home or buy a home, what happens in the housing market affects us all. 

Housing is one of the biggest expenses of homeowners, and it’s also the biggest source of wealth for many Americans. If you own a home, rent a home, or require a home, this article will help you to understand why new home sales are important to the economy, even if you’re not the one buying the new home.

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Don't be Spooked About This in Retirement

Below is a fantastic guest from Certified Coach, Samantha Lane. We hope you enjoy and be sure to reach out to either Samantha or me with any questions. Happy Halloween!

There can be a lot of spooky things when change is on the horizon. Rather than goblins, mummies, or ghosts looming around the corner, it’s often anxiety, perfectionism, and despair rearing their ugly heads. 

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What Is Consumer Sentiment and How Is It Measured?

As our economy seems to be coming out of a dark economic era, it’s important to know what lies ahead. As a consumer, you want to know if you can trust the perception and what appears to be true. Is the economy back on the rise? 

And how can we know for sure? One thing we can do is be more mindful of consumer sentiment. But ,what is consumer sentiment, and how is it measured?

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