If you’ve ever played the Game of Life board game, it becomes clear that compressed into the colorful path there are various stages of life. Each stage holds its own major financial challenges as well as prospective profits in addition to surprises (new baby!) and forks in the road.

The annuity industry must have studied the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears because, after recognizing that investors weren’t very keen on low fixed yields or the vicious volatility of the stock market, they came up with a product, that for most people, would seem to be just right – Indexed Annuities.

Planning your Estate

by Tim Estes on
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Accepting one’s own mortality is a tough pill to swallow. As such, estate planning can be a morbid topic that lingers in the background of our lives ominously. Nobody wants to plan for their own death! However, the repercussions your family will face are dire if you delay preparing for the...

The rising popularity of robo-advisors has some in the industry wondering whether this is the beginning of the end for financial advisors.

In reality, robo-advisors have been able to do something that traditional financial advisors have not; get those with limited resources to begin creating a...

529 Plans

by Tim Estes on
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Started in 1996, 529 plans provide tax incentives for those saving for post-secondary education. The plan allows funds saved to be used at any eligible education institution, which typically includes colleges, universities, vocational schools or any post-secondary educational institute that is...

Tax Planning Basics

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For years it was assumed that tax planning was reserved for the wealthy. While wealthy individuals will see the most benefit from tax planning, with big changes looming for the 2018 tax year, even middle-income earners can reap the benefits of tax planning.  

Basic tax planning starts with your...

A Summary of 2018 Tax Changes

by Tim Estes on
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The Trump administration’s new tax reform bill was signed into law in December of 2017, representing the first major tax change in over 30 years. The changes are significant and are likely to affect nearly everyone in some measure; some positively, while others may find themselves with a higher tax...

A Quick Guide to Planned Giving

by Tim Estes on
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Almost any large nonprofit organization has a planned giving department that will guide you through the maze of giving options available. While planned giving can be very beneficial – and profitable for organizations, it’s also an effective way for you to realize significant tax benefits, have...

Know Your Credit Score

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Credit Management in the 21st Century

In today’s world, good credit is a necessity. Today, our credit score affects much more than our ability to buy a house or finance a car. Our credit score can also affect our insurance premium, our ability to rent an apartment, and even our ability to get a...

Retirement

by Tim Estes on
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It’s never too early or too late to start planning for retirement. However, in the U.S., when it comes to retirement savings, later seems to be the standard. According to RothIRA.com, only 56% of today’s workers in the U.S. are currently saving money for their retirement, and 38% of those currently...