September 2018 | Financial Design Studio - Fee-Only Financial Advisor Barrington & Chicago Illinois

A Short-Term Change for the Mid Term? We talk a lot about how to maintain a long-term view of your investment portfolio. But, there are times that a short-term view may be appropriate for anticipated changes in your life. One contributing factor to consider is the upcoming mid-term elections. Leading up to these elections you’ve…

Why Income And Expenses Matter Do you consider yourself a savvy shopper trying to find a discount? Or do you research something fully in order to find the product with the best quality and consider the higher cost worth it? Just like the above thoughts for buying a product, these things should be considered when…

stay-diversified-from-your-employer-investments

Stay Diversified FROM Your Employer Do you know where your money is invested? Whether you invest in your company’s retirement account or you choose your own investments what do you really own? You remember the decision you have when you need to pick from a list of funds available to you. Often you see the…

[Video] One Big Goal or Many Small Goals MICHELLE SMALENBERGER, CFP ® We recently took a road trip and along the way it was my turn to drive. I was sitting at the steering wheel thinking about how long the trip was and getting frustrated. I eventually realized that instead of thinking about it in…

[Video] Understanding the 529 State Tax Deduction STEPHEN SMALENBERGER, EA ® Here’s an interesting fact about 529 plans: All 50 states have their own plans. Out of those 50, 30 plus states allow for a state tax deduction. Out of those 30 there are 6 that allow you to contribute to any state but take…

Intraday Market Movements Don’t Tell The Whole Story Spoiler alert: READ TO THE END! How many times have you watched a movie, read a book, or just experienced something in life that turned out so different in the end than what you were anticipating? This is very similar to what we are experiencing in the…