Insights

Retirement is far off until it isn’t. This chapter of life can sneak up on just about anyone, and we do ourselves a favor to be as prepared as we can. Like anything involving the government, finances can be confusing, with different tax treatments, contribution limits, beneficiary rules and more.

As a financial advisor who’s spent her career in the midwest, I’ve worked with more farm families than I can count. From buying new expensive equipment to riding out the drought years, there can be millions in play even on small family operations. Estate planning – splitting up the land bet …

As a CPA, one of the questions that I have been getting more frequently is, “What is a donor-advised fund?” This is not surprising as the number of individual donor-advised fund accounts has grown by over 50% for the second year in a row, according to the National Philanthropic Trust’s 2019 …

You’ll be tempted to make rash decisions, and if panic rules the day, you’ll likely regret your choices. As any wise financial advisor will counsel you, it’s important to think long-term. Lean into your financial plan, not away from it.

We put together a roundtable discussion of investment experts across financial disciplines to give us some insight on the current markets. This group represents decades of experience in the fields of investment management and financial research and strategy.

While there is no way to fully predict what will happen next, it’s important to remember the goals of your investment portfolios. Long-term investments face volatility, and to pursue your long-term goals, it’s vital to not overreact to one day, one week or even one month of market movement.

I like every part of the presentation experience. Meeting the clients is motivating. I enjoy sharing what recently happened in markets, speaking to the current situation, and educating clients about future opportunities and risks. What I enjoy most is answering clients’ questions.

Have you thought about your legacy? We highly recommend that you appoint a trusted family member or friend as your power of attorney (POA), giving them the ability to help with your financial or health needs, should an unfortunate event occur in your life.

When thinking about money – do you feel stressed, tense, controlling, confused, like you have an abundance of it or a lack thereof? If you relate to any of these questions, you have an unhealthy relationship with your money.

For most students, experts say it remains financially worth it to go to college, despite rising tuition and opportunity costs in relation to increasing wages for workers holding only a high school diploma. The average rate of return (net gain or loss on college investment across a career) is 14%.