Let’s talk 529s…A 529 Plan is a is a tax-advantaged plan for education savings. Understanding and leveraging tax advantages is one of the biggest value propositions afforded to the clients that work with me, so why the heck would I not utilize these tax advantages for my own children? How a 529 Plan Works Ultimately […]
Why This Advisor Refuses to do a 529 Plan for His Children Read More »
For many people, their Social Security benefits are among the largest benefits that they take with them in retirement, so finding ways to increase your Social Security benefits can be very important. Doing your research to ensure that you get the most out of this stream of income is very important. That is why I
Increase Your Social Security Benefits: 5 Simple Ways Read More »
Last week my family and I had the wonderful opportunity to take a summer vacation up to the shores of Lake Michigan. While the drive made for a bit of a challenging trip, we really had a wonderful time and I have always enjoyed the change of pace and perspective that vacation can bring. In
Musings from Vacation: The Importance of the Proper Ordering of Money Read More »
This week’s blog is a little different. Today I am celebrating a significant milestone for the blog. It is the 26th blog since the launch of QED Wealth Solutions back in January. In other words, I have written a weekly blog each week for the last six months (with two notable exceptions: one break for the Fourth
26: Embrace the Suck Read More »
You are back home celebrating the 4th of July holiday with your elderly mother. She has always bought fireworks for the grandkids, but this year she is hesitant. When pressed, she acknowledges that money is just a little bit tighter this year. As far as you know, nothing has changed in her financial situation, so
Financial Elder Abuse: 5 Easy Ways to Protect Your Loved Ones (or Yourself) Read More »
Rules of thumb can often provide guidance in the complex world of personal financial planning. While almost all rules of thumb were originally based on a form of sound and practical financial advice, blindly following these common principles can lead to negative outcomes. Whether it’s saving for retirement, budgeting for children, or managing your portfolio,
Four Retirement Rules of Thumb to Avoid Read More »
Taxes are likely the single biggest expense you have in your lifetime. While complete tax avoidance is nearly impossible for middle to high income earners during their earning years, with careful planning streams of tax-free income can be created in retirement. By leveraging these options, you can significantly enhance your financial security all while lowering
Four Options for Tax-Free Income in Retirement Read More »
When setting out to create your investment portfolio, maintaining a well-balanced portfolio is critical in helping to maintain your long-term financial goals. I gave an introduction to the concept of asset allocation in my blog Asset Location vs. Asset Allocation, but stated simply, asset allocation is the process of dividing your investment portfolio among different asset
Portfolio Rebalancing: How Systematic Rebalancing Leads to Higher Risk-Adjusted Returns Read More »
As many of you reading this blog probably know, I have six children who range in age from nine to nine months. Obviously, our kids are still young, so the jury is still out on whether we have raised financially responsible children, however we have had some recent wins in the teaching money values department.
Practical Tips for Teaching Kids About Money Read More »
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it
A Tale of Two Advisors Read More »