You may have heard that you make too much money to save into a Roth IRA. You may have heard that Roth IRAs are only appropriate for young people early in their careers. You may have heard that you should only invest in a Roth IRA if you think your tax bracket will...
It dawned on me the other day that I have worked with hundreds of retirees now. I have been honored to witness and learn from many successful and unsuccessful retirement transitions. And naturally I look for patterns in what contributes to the success or failure of...
If early retirement is a dream of yours, congrats! You’re probably already working hard to make that goal a reality. Just as important as knowing what to do, is being aware of potential pitfalls that could get in your way. Here I’m going to share the top 3 mistakes...
You’ve probably heard that it’s a good idea to “save money for a rainy day.” But where? There are loads of options out there! Here are some considerations when stashing away your hard-earned cash. Savings Accounts Probably the easiest and most familiar place for...
Regardless of your opinion of our Social Security program, you can’t deny that it is an important source of income for many people in the United States. In fact, the Social Security Administration reports that in 2019, 69.1 million people received benefits from...
I was recently asked what advice I would give to someone who found themselves unexpectedly unhappy with retirement. What would you say to someone with retirement regrets? It struck me as a very human question. Certified Financial Transitionists are trained to...
If you are saving for a rainy day (or a sunny one, for that matter), good for you! You can boost your savings power by being aware of a few simple tips: #1 - Shop savings rates – especially now! A few years ago, one savings account didn’t earn much more than...
It may surprise you to learn that terms like “financial advisor,” “financial consultant,” and “wealth manager” are generic job titles. They aren’t regulated terms and don’t actually mean very much as far as credentials or education or skill. Anyone can call...
No one has EVER told me they DON'T want to save money in taxes. Tax savings strategies are always a good idea to consider in your financial planning. Being tax aware is a big part of what good financial planning is all about! Another reason to consider a...
I observed to a friend that this year, I have seen more money change hands via inheritance than I ever have before in my career. Navigating the death of a loved one – whether it be a parent, a spouse, a cousin, a friend – can be tricky. Not only does money...
Many retirees I work with find an unexpected challenge post-paycheck: how to structure their new calendar. When you retire (or, as a friend of mine likes to say it, when you “shift into a work optional lifestyle”), your daily routine changes. Depending on what...
With the explosion of online commerce during and after the pandemic, online scams have also seen a meteoric rise in popularity, unfortunately. Some of them are old-school which you may be familiar with, and smart enough to avoid. But some of the newer...
