Financial Planning Archive
Creating Your Ethical Will – Redefining Legacy
What is money, if not the means to secure a better, more fulfilling life? And how will you communicate to your heirs the importance of your carefully assembled resources? Legacy is about more than cash and property. It’s the transmission of your life’s work to the next generation. That’s why creating an “ethical will” is… Continue reading
Should I Start a Donor-Advised Fund?
by Sonja Breeding, CFP®, CCFCIt seems like everyone these days has started a foundation. There’s a reason for that. It’s easier than ever to create one and there are many incentives to go down that path, even with smaller amounts of money. The reason such “foundations” are so prevalent now is because most of them are, in fact, the… Continue reading
Charitable Planning Essentials – A Smarter Way to Give
We all like the idea of giving back, especially when we feel grateful for the opportunities afforded us in life. That charitable impulse is powerful, and it is an impulse that can be amplified by harnessing simple, proven planning tools. Colby Bircher, of Fidelity Charitable, will present and answer your questions on specific strategies toward… Continue reading
Let’s Talk About Aging – What We Can Plan For Today!
Aging is natural and normal. It’s just part of life! As we get older, however, it becomes increasingly important to consider how to age securely and safely, as you had intended. Join us for an illuminating conversation about how to plan for aging, whether for yourself, a partner, parents, or other loved ones. We’ll dig… Continue reading
What to Do with Inherited Money in a Volatile Market
by Sonja Breeding, CFP®, CCFCThe late John Bogle, the founder of Vanguard and for many decades the strongest proponent of common sense investing, had a wonderful way with words. By turning a phrase inside out he could change one’s perspective completely. During challenging markets he famously would say, “Don’t just do something. Stand there!” Everyone has experienced that panicked… Continue reading
Who Needs an Estate Plan? Maybe You
by Christie Whitney, CFP®More than 60% of Americans don’t have a will, much less a full-blown estate plan. It’s understandable. It can feel morbid to think about what happens after you die. Yet many of those same people have life insurance, precisely to safeguard the finances of loved ones should they pass away unexpectedly. People sometimes use the… Continue reading
3 Income Scenarios Widows Face with Social Security
by Christie Whitney, CFP®It is incredibly hard to lose a lifelong spouse, and the weeks following a funeral are undeniably tough for the surviving partner. Yet that’s exactly when many recently widowed people are expected to make consequential decisions about their finances, choices that could set them back thousands of dollars in income each year during retirement. The… Continue reading
Buying a House with Cash: Pros and Cons
by Sonja Breeding, CFP®, CCFCTraditional home buyers should think through the implications of buying a house with cash and fully understand the long-term effects of such a decision. Today’s housing market clearly has buyers coming to the bargaining table with an offer that’s hard to ignore: Cash offers with no delays and no hassles for the seller. Offering to… Continue reading
Make Sure Your Money Lasts Through Retirement
by Sonja Breeding, CFP®, CCFCThousands of people retire every day, either stepping away from long-term careers or downshifting into either full retirement, a second act that pays less, perhaps a fledgling business idea, or a passion project that pays nothing at all. Retirement is a glorious transition that should be celebrated, but too often this change of life creates… Continue reading

