5 Ways to Play the New Tax Law
Written by Joe Erickson, CPA The new tax law—known officially as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) and signed into law in December 2017—took effect at the beginning of the 2018 tax year. Among its major adjustments, the TCJA almost doubled the standard deduction, lowered tax brackets, repealed the Affordable Care Act’s individual mandate,…
Financial Planning, Retirement, Tax News, Taxes, HELOC, home equity line of credit, ira, Joe Erickson, new tax law 2018, QCD, SALT, state and local income tax and property taxes |
July 2018 Market Update
Written By Brian Johnson, CIO Summary: Our investment strategies have been “overweight” equities (stocks) for several years now. We’re currently in the process of reducing client portfolios exposure to a more “neutral” stance. The bull market is not necessarily over, but the risk of a substantial correction has increased enough to warrant a more neutral…
Market Commentary, july market update 2018, NDR, ned davis |
The plan you never want to make: How to prepare for a divorce
Written by Mary Ann Ferreira, CFP®, CDFA™, AIF® Original article posted on Market Watch Here.
Divorce, discovery, disposition, divorce, mary ann, post divorce budget |
Financial Fitness for Women
Written by Mary Ann Ferreira, CFP®, CDFA™, AIF® Original article posted on Market Watch Here
Divorce, Financial Planning, Pre-Retirement, Retirement, Women Investors, fitness, market watch, mary ann ferreira, women investors |
Two solutions for elderly parents who are house rich but cash poor
Written by Bruce Yates, Financial Advisor A Common Financial Conundrum If your parents are getting on in years, they may find themselves facing a situation shared by many older Americans. The majority of their wealth may be tied up in the house they bought decades ago, while their liquid assets—cash and securities that can be…
Debt, Financial Planning, bruce yates, debt consolidation, financial help to family, HECM, helping your parents, Reverse mortgage, senior care |
June 2018 Market Update
Written by Brian Johnson, CIO Summary: We’re watching volatility levels carefully, as they are a key indicator that a correction may be afoot in equities markets. At present, volatility is elevated but not alarmingly so. The historically low volatility in equities markets that we experienced in 2017 has, as expected, returned to “normal” in 2018.…
Market Commentary, brian johnson, june market update, ned davis research, new normal, QE, treasuries, VIX, volatility |
Able Accounts For Individuals With Disabilities
Written by Mary Ann Ferreira, CFP®, CDFA™, AIF® In late 2014, Congress passed the “Achieving a Better Life Experience Act” (the ABLE Act). This law makes it possible for states to establish and operate ABLE programs so that individuals with disabilities can save money for future needs, while still retaining eligibility for federal assistance programs. These…
Estate Planning, Life Planning, Special Needs, 529, 529a, able accounts, medicaid payback, Social security disability insurance, special needs trust, SSDI, SSI, supplemental social security |
Renting vs Buying
Written by Joe Erickson, CPA People are often faced with the question of whether buying or renting a home is smarter. Seattle has grown rapidly over the years, and many of our clients – either for themselves or their grown children – ask us whether renting or buying is financially more advantageous. Like many things, this…
Debt, Pre-Retirement, Taxes, buying real estate, home ownership advantage, renting, seattle housing, tax considerations for home owners |
Kids and Money: A Little Education Pays Off
Just about anyone who’s ever watched a child or grandchild go from the crib to kindergarten and beyond has uttered the phrase, “They grow up so fast.” Although you can’t really freeze a youngster’s precious moments in time, you can take steps to make sure that his or her journey to adulthood starts with a…
Financial Education, Life Planning, Pre-Retirement, adulthood, child, investments, kids, personal financial responsibility |
How Can You Manage Your Debt?
Understanding how much debt you can handle and being smart about managing it can help you pursue long-term financial goals. Consider the following tips when analyzing how much you owe. 1. Calculate how much debt you carry. Although there are exceptions for special situations, many mortgage providers consider the most attractive candidates to be those…