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The Retirement COLLAB Blog

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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Tax Strategies Behind Roth IRA Conversions

This post was last updated on December 30, 2023, to reflect all updated information and best serve your needs.

Saving money for retirement is critical, but not everyone knows how to do it effectively. You should already understand the value of building a nest egg for your golden years. However, when it comes to the types of accounts you have, it can start to get a little confusing. 

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Podcast Interview: Crushing Debt Podcast

This post was last updated on June 16, 2023, to reflect all updated information and best serve your needs.

Check out Clint’s interview on the Crushing Debt podcast! In the episode Clint and Shawn talk about the Financial Freedom Blueprint course and the financial planning process NextGen Wealth uses to help clients. You can listen to the episode on your favorite podcast player or just click the play button below.

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The Tax Benefits of Net Unrealized Appreciation

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

If the company you work for has an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) or profit-sharing plan, you’ll want to pay close attention. Company stock in your 401(k) you could potentially be eligible for tax rules to help you save money on your taxes.

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What is a Mega Backdoor Roth IRA?

This post was last updated on December 30, 2023, to reflect all updated information and best serve your needs.

In addition to sounding cool, mega backdoor Roth conversions can be super helpful for long-term tax-savings. For high income earners, having the ability to get more money into a Roth account now will make retirement income planning much easier.

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What is a Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO)?

Whether you’ve been married five years or 25 years, divorce presents many challenges - including financial issues. This is likely a difficult time as you navigate uncharted waters. 

Friends and family may try to give you helpful information, but having a trusted attorney, tax professional, and financial advisor are essential to protect what you have and help you make informed decisions.

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Our Review of Mint vs. Quicken

Modern budgeting tools simplify managing your money. Some of these tools don't cost anything, but some can still really benefit you for only a small fee. Mint and Quicken are perfect examples of these tools. 

Mint is free, while Quicken will cost you a small fee. However, both can be extremely helpful and keep your finances organized. Let's take a closer look at both of these great budgeting apps. 

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Our Review of Mint vs. Personal Capital

There was a time when monitoring your financial situation was relatively complicated. Whether it was balancing a checkbook or writing expenses in a ledger, you had to input everything by hand and do a lot of math to get accurate results. 

Thankfully, we’re living in the golden age of technology. Instead of using old-fashioned financial tracking methods, all you need to do is download an app, and you’re ready to go. However, with so many options available, it can be a bit overwhelming to determine which one is best for your needs. Fortunately, we’re here to help with our review of Mint vs. Personal Capital. 

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Do I Need a Backdoor Roth IRA?

No matter how old you are, it’s never too late to start thinking about retirement. Although you will want to put money away in a variety of different accounts, one of the most reliable is an IRA. You may already be familiar with Traditional and Roth IRAs, but the fact is there is a way to move money from a Traditional to a Roth, which is considered a Backdoor Roth IRA or a Roth Conversion.

Both actually do the same thing in a slightly different way. A Backdoor Roth IRA is typically in relation to converting a Traditional non-deductible contribution to a Roth IRA. A Roth Conversion is normally in relation to a larger amount being converted from a Traditional to a Roth. Again, they both do the same thing but just have different names. Today, we’re going to focus on the Backdoor Roth IRA.

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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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