Blog

Talk to Your Children About a “Livable Wage”

Everything You Need to Know About Volunteering During the Third Year of COVID

All About Credit Scores

10 Ways to Use Your Tax Refund

Invest in Your Financial Education During Financial Literacy Month

Teaching Your Teen about Money

How to Spring Clean Your Finances with a Financial Review

Luck of the Investor: Making Your Own Luck on St. Patrick's Day

Crossing the Bridge to a Satisfying Retirement

How to Structure an Emergency Fund

3 Financial Lessons We Can Learn from Past Presidents

Home-Health-Care Factors for You to Consider

Empower Your Loved One: Encourage Independence

5 Valentine's Day Gifts that Grow in Value Over Time

3 Practical Time Management Tips for Investors

What Should Small Business Owners Know About Data Privacy Obligations?

Here’s How You Can Marie Kondo Your Entire Life

Beware Scams at Tax Time

How to Create the Best Personal Finance Spreadsheet

Five New Year's Resolutions for Those Nearing Retirement

Tax Prep Checklist: Everything You Need to Be Ready for Tax Season

Christmas Shopping Lessons for Investors

Is that investment an innovation or an improvement on an existing product? As Christmas sales loom, we face an endless array of sparkly, shiny and occasionally innovative items. As an investor, you run into a similar phenomenon that...

The Benefits of Volunteering

With the cost of providing health care and other employee benefits rising, small businesses may find it difficult to compete with larger companies in attracting and retaining the most talented workers. Compared with other types of...

Things to Consider When Writing a Business Plan

You may know that your small business needs a written business plan—but how do you get started? What elements should your plan address, and do you need different plans for different audiences? Below we discuss a few of the key...

Your 2021 Year-End Planning Checklist

It may be easy to forget we're nearing the end of the year. Even during the busy end of year rush, it's a good time to reevaluate your 2021 finances and turn an eye toward 2022. What can you do now to potentially improve and streamline...

As The Leaves Turn Colors And Begin To Fall To The Ground, There Are Many Reasons To Be Thankful

The past year and a half have tested all of us, but overall, the economy continues to strengthen, COVID-19 trends aregreatly improving, and this still relatively young bull market is alive and well. As the leaves turn colors and begin...

The Many Faces of Risk

Knowing the different types of investment risk can help you cope with market volatility. When was the last time you checked your retirement plan balance? If your balance was less than it was the last time you checked, you probably felt...

When Is It Time for Long-Term Care?

Is it memory loss due to the aging process or the early onset of dementia? Initially, cognitive changes can be subtle and challenging to diagnose. As a result, it can be difficult to decide if a loved one is able to continue living...

Matter of Tax

Thoughts on establishing a trust and tips for avoiding inheritance squabbles. Reasons to Consider a Trust Should you set up a trust? Maybe you've been to a seminar where they scare the life out of you, convincing you to start one....

One Constant in Life is Change

One constant in life is change. During the past year and a half, we have experienced more change than any of us bargained for. Change is disruptive—but also brings opportunities. For investors right now, there is no shortage of...

Long-Term Care

Exploring Your Options Have you ever thought about what would happen if you or a family member were no longer able to live independently? What if your elderly parents were no longer able to drive or perform basic activities of daily...

Everything You Need to Know about the FAFSA for 2021

One of the most important pieces of the college financing puzzle is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Without the FAFSA, a college student is unlikely to be able to apply for or receive certain types of federal...

Four Financial Planning Essentials to Ease Your Retirement Fears

When it comes to planning for retirement, it's easy to get overwhelmed. Putting together a financial strategy can be complicated at any time of life, what with changing regulations, ups and downs in the market, and disagreements...

Why Invest?

To accumulate wealth, people may choose to invest their money into various types of investments. Investing creates opportunities that otherwise would be difficult to manage due to the consistency of contributing to the investment....

Understanding the Federal Gift Tax

In 2018, around one in every five new home purchasers got at least part of their down payment from a relative—and of the parents who have contributed to this down payment assistance, the average gift is $39,000.1 With the housing...

The Bull Market Continues

The bull market continues, with the S&P 500 Index now up seven months in a row. Stocks have impressively gained 20% year-to-date, with the S&P 500 making 53 new all-time highs before the end of August—another new record. All of...

Six Months and Counting

Six months and counting. That is the current monthly winning streak for the S&P 500 Index. To take that a step further, this key equity benchmark has posted gains in 13 of the last 16 months—dating back to the March 2020 low....

Changes to Student Loans and Payments in 2021

The student loan landscape has changed dramatically since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. From the suspension of interest payments on federal student loans to tax incentives for employers who pay their employees' student loans,...

What Can A Financial Professional Do for Non-Profits?

As of 2017, about two-thirds of all nonprofit organizations in the U.S. had annual budgets of less than $1 million.[1] For these non-profit organizations where every penny has a purpose, having the services of a financial professional...

Annuities and Market Risk: What You Need to Know

Market risk is something all investors may worry about, but those close to retirement have limited time to recover from market loss. If you are within ten years of retirement, now is a critical time for your portfolio to continue to...

Taxpayer Appreciation Day—Recognizing Taxpayers' Contributions

l Science Foundation; The flu shot, developed by the National Institute of Health; LED lights, developed in partnership with the Air Force; Closed captioning, developed by the National Bureau of Standards/NIST; Barcodes; Infant...

Picking Up Speed

In the first half of 2021, the U.S. economy powered forward faster than nearly anyone had expected. Speed can be exhilarating, but it can also be dangerous. In our view, the overall economic picture remains sound and will likely...

The Best Money-Saving Travel Tips for 2021

If 2020 made you fantasize about a trip as soon as travel restrictions were lifted—and you’re still waiting—you aren’t alone. Although 2021 was poised to be a comeback year, it is shaping up to be another summer...

Financial Wellness Considerations for Those with Disabilities

Many people associate the term "financial wellness" with things like saving for retirement, paying down high-interest debt, or creating an emergency fund. But when you're living with a disability (or caring for a loved one who is...

Changes to Medicare in 2021: What Recipients Should Know

For many people, turning 65 provides one of the keys to retirement: access to affordable healthcare. Whether you're enrolling in the Medicare program for the first time or have been a Medicare enrollee for years, it's important to stay...

Retirement Income Planning

For investors approaching retirement, it is important to begin thinking about retirement income planning. This involves a mindset shift from accumulating an investment portfolio designed for growth to creating a portfolio of retirement...

Grand Old Flag Display Tips

One of the greatest symbols of patriotism in the US in displaying the American flag. It’s important to know just why we have the guidelines that we do, and why following these federal rules are pertinent for displaying this...

Investing In Your Vacation

Why do most avoid this important investment? Why do so many of us not use our vacation days? Salespeople talk about “leaving money on the table.” Well, employees leave vacation on the table. And the cost to us is...

Gearing up for Summer

As we move into June, a path to normalcy is coming quickly with stadiums allowing full capacity, restaurants filling up, and summer vacations in full swing. Meanwhile, the U.S. economy continues to recover remarkably quickly and the...

Lackluster Rates - What to Do When your CD Matures

When interest rates are near historic lows, renewing a CD and locking in those low rates is enough to make anyone pause. But… what other options do you have if you want to keep that money hard at work without taking on too much...

Contribute to an IRA Before the May 17th Deadline

Your financial professional can help you navigate the ever-changing IRS rules... Taxpayers of all ages may be able to claim a deduction on their 2020 tax return for contributions made to their Individual Retirement Account made through...

529 Plans vs. Other College Savings Accounts

529 plans can be a great way to save for college, but they're not the only way. When you're investing for a major goal like education, it makes sense to be familiar with all of your options. Mutual funds Mutual funds are an option to...

10 Tips for Small Business Owners

Small business owners should conduct an annual assessment of their personal finances. Owners of small businesses have much the same concerns as everyone else, except they are personally responsible for the fortunes of their enterprise....

Women, Wealth, and Legacy Planning

Women play a central role in establishing and preserving family wealth - whether nurturing the values of children, fulfilling charitable goals, or making investment decisions that affect the financial security of themselves or their...

Four Key Ways to Build Your Credit

If you're like many Americans, you may have a few dents and dings on your credit report. As of 2020, around one in five adults has either a "fair" or "poor" credit score, which can impact their ability to qualify for a loan, rent an...

Retirement Planning - Options for Women Business Owners

You’re an entrepreneur and you’re not looking back. You’ve opened your own business, whether alone or with other partners, and you’ve found some success. You’ve hired employees, or not, depending on your...

How Much Do You Know About Credit

In 2020, the average FICO score in the U.S. rose to 711, an eight-point increase from 2019.1 When it comes to having healthy credit, your score is the result of many factors. But what specifically goes into someone's credit report, and...

Spring Clean Your Finances

As temperatures warm up, trees begin budding, and the days get longer, you probably throw open your windows and think about spring cleaning your home. As you tackle washing windows, cleaning carpets, and sorting out the garage,...

History of St. Patrick's Day

On Saint Patrick’s Day, towns hold festive parades, people head to restaurants to dine on Irish fare, children pinch each other if they don’t wear green, and everything from beers to milkshakes turn the color of shamrocks....

What to Know About Working With a Financial Professional

If you've been wondering how to optimize your finances and ensure your money continues to work for you, a financial professional may be able to help. But the thought of turning over your most sensitive financial information to a...

Give the Gift of Listening This Valentine's Day

Take the time to ask your Valentine how they derive joy from money Valentine’s Day, which falls in the cold month of February, is really about happiness. But instead of rushing out to Walgreens to get that last minute box of...

Marriage and Money: Finding a Happy Balance

Marriage affects your finances in many ways, including your ability to build wealth, plan for retirement, plan your estate, and capitalize on tax and insurance-related benefits. Here are some considerations to keep in mind: Building...

529 Lesson Plan: High Scores for 529 Plans

Looking for a tax-advantaged college savings vehicle that has no age restrictions and no income phaseout limits — and one youcan use to pay for more than just tuition? Consider 529 savings plans, a popular way to save for...

What to Know About the American Rescue Plan

As the COVID-19 pandemic enters its second year, President Joe Biden has begun to outline details of the "American Rescue Plan," a $1.9 trillion relief plan designed to help stem the coronavirus pandemic while giving the U.S. economy a...

COVID-19 Stimulus, Round Two: What Should You Know?

After months of intense debate, the House and Senate voted to pass a second COVID-19 economic stimulus bill and the President has signed it into law.1 At a total cost of $900 billion, this 5,600-page bill1 contains everything from...

Tax Identity Theft Awareness - Protecting Yourself from Tax Identity Theft

Tax identity theft is when someone steals your Social Security Number, files a tax return with your number, and directs a refund to their own bank account. In other cases, this type of identity theft may involve a scam artist calling...

3 Tax Strategies Every Doctor Should Consider

Being a doctor comes with a lot of stressors, but planning for taxes should not be one of them. As a doctor, you have been through years of hard work and may be looking for ways to help limit your tax liability and preserve as much of...

New Year's Resolutions to Get Your Finances in Order

New Year's is traditionally the time to review your life and make resolutions for change. In addition to thinking about working out, eating healthy, and meeting personal and professional goals, you should also think about your finances...

LPL Financial Research Outlook 2021: Powering Forward

LPL Research Outlook 2021: Powering Forward is designed to help you navigate a year in which economic conditions may continue to improve dramatically. Like the markets, Outlook 2021 looks ahead. 2021 will bring advances to further...

3 Tax Strategies to Consider at Year-End

With the year rapidly coming to a close, and the upcoming tax year looming with uncertainties, you should consider updating your tax strategy to best preserve your assets into the future. Don't wait until the end of the tax year to...

End of Year Deadlines Checklist

2020 has been one of the most unprecedented years in recent history, but some things—like tax contributions and retirement deadlines — don't change much, if at all. And with the uncertainty surrounding just about everything...

Smart Shopping During the Holidays

Shopping for holiday gifts is stressful but also a little fun, especially when you think about the joy you will bring to those who receive them. But in all the rush to get everything done in time, it is easy to forget smart shopping...

Ready to Retire? How to Know for Sure

Retirement is an exciting time for many, and the reward for years of hard work. While there is no set age for retirement, it is important to be prepared before you make the leap, so that you enjoy your retirement and financial...

Charitable Giving and Donating Toys

As the holidays approach, many children start to make wish lists, but unfortunately, not all children have someone to give them gifts. Luckily, there are many charities that help get holiday gifts and joy to children.

4 Reasons to Do Your Shopping on Small Business Saturday

Small Business Saturday is the day you are supposed to look to your smaller area shops to find those perfect holiday gifts while showing support for your local shopkeepers.

9 FACTS ABOUT SOCIAL SECURITY

Tip: How Much? Check your Social Security earnings and see an estimate of your benefits on the website, www.ssa.gov. Social Security’s been a fact of retirement life ever since it was established in 1935.