We love to inform people on the latest industry trends and how to make educated financial choices. Be sure to stay connected with us, and updated with our discussions!
[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 that way, as one BIG goal, I needed…
[Video] Understanding the 529 State Tax Deduction
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 the deduction on your state tax return. Let’s explain this in…
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 market over the past week and days. In…
Investment Crisis Anniversaries to Remember
Today marks our 10 year wedding anniversary and so it seems fitting to think back to the effect of investment crisis anniversaries. There were lessons learned at each investment crisis anniversary and it shapes how you continue to invest over the years ahead. See our examples in the list below. Worst One-Day Stock Losses Recently…
What is a 529 plan?[Video]
What is a 529 plan? And how is it different from most other types of accounts? First of all, anyone can open an account, regardless of your income or age. With an IRA or 401(k) you are limited to the amount you can put into an account. With a 529 plan there is no annual…
Factors That Affect Your College Investment Choices
Factors That Affect Your College Investment Choices How do you respond to the different factors that affect your college investment choices. In addition to choosing the right investments so your funds grow, there are a couple of other things to consider. Timing and fees are two other factors that can affect the overall benefit you…
[Video] Choose One New Habit And See The Effect
MICHELLE SMALENBERGER, CFP ® Have you ever found yourself with so many things you want to accomplish? Then you have to figure out how to get started to get those things done. I want to share with you something I noticed recently that affected many other things. It felt like I was accomplishing many things…
[Video] Spending Down the Funds You’ve Saved for College
MICHELLE SMALENBERGER, CFP ® Now that you’ve saved for college you’re likely thinking which funds do I use first? You may have money saved in a variety of accounts. Let’s discuss a great order of how to spend the funds down. Scholarships/Grants: Monetary awards that you get from your school or for academic purposes. 529…
Is Now The Right Time to Invest?
We’ve witnessed the markets move higher for several months and you may be wondering, “Is now the right time to invest?” If you’ve had funds invested over the course of this time you have been able to benefit by seeing your money grow. For you, we posted a video a few weeks ago simply reminding…
Apple, Facebook, Caterpillar, United Technologies: Mixed Bag of Financial Results
With a variety of sites like Twitter, where we can scroll quickly to see top news or financial headlines, we can be left feeling a bit confused on what the recent financial results are. This is how this week has left us feeling. Here’s a list of some headline topics if you weren’t able to…
Effective Teaching In Honor of Back To School [Video]
Most parents hope their child’s teacher demonstrates effective teaching. In honor of back to school we wanted to share this quote. “The Mediocre Teacher Tells, The Good Teacher Explains, The Superior Teacher Demonstrates, The Great Teacher Inspires.” – William Arthur Ward What’s true effective teaching? We’ve noticed with clients and our daughter is that…
What Is Impacting Today’s Market?
Over the past months we have explained how it’s important to stick to your overall financial plan rather than risking quick moves to capture every gain possible. But let’s dig into factors that have brought volatility to today’s market from low unemployment, business growth, to inflation. Businesses Strive For Constant Growth Even in a stable…
