Finances & Your Family

STEPHEN SMALENBERGER, EA ® As we step into a new tax year, we’re probably thinking, “How much can I put into certain accounts? I remember what I did in 2018, but has anything changed for 2019?” Let’s talk about that so you can make the most of your tax exceptions towards retirement. 401K/403B For 2019,…

MICHELLE SMALENBERGER, CFP ® Let’s talk about something that most people like to do – Spend money. Let’s also talk about something not everyone wants to do – keep a budget… If I were to ask you this question, “How much do you spend?” Would you be able to answer it? And how you answer…

MICHELLE SMALENBERGER, CFP ® Do you ever catch yourself thinking about expenses in a sense that, “I’m spending so much”. Or, “This is going to cost me a lot, I’m not keeping much”. If so, you might categorize your expenses in your mind “Big Versus Little”. I often think with these big decisions we’re really…

STEPHEN SMALENBERGER, EA ® So we talked about the overview of a Health Savings Account an HSA. But now let’s continue on that, or build on that. Why would you want to fund it? What’s the advantages of funding it, versus paying out of pocket? Let’s look at those right now. So to make the…

STEPHEN SMALENBERGER, EA ® Sometimes our clients ask us, “How do we take advantage of different tax benefits?” Or, “My employer is offering this, should I take it?” One account that’s really helpful is an HSA: Health Savings Account. Let’s talk through it, explain what it is, some of the rules, and why you would…

STEPHEN SMALENBERGER, EA ® So as we’re entering the new year, it’s a great time to review the employer benefits that your company offers you. Especially if it’s a larger company. What do you have? What should you have? And what changes can you make now in a fresh new year? So there’s three main…