Unlike a traditional IRA, Roth IRA contributions don’t provide you with a tax deduction upfront. Contributions to a Roth IRA are made with after-tax dollars rather than pre-tax dollars, meaning that the money has already been taxed when it goes into the account. Instead, you get a tax benefit on the back end in the… READ MORE

The Investment Company Act of 1940 created what is known as Mutual Funds. These funds pool together client capital to invest in companies through stocks and/or bonds. Individual investors own shares of the mutual fund instead of the underlying shares of the stocks/bonds that the fund owns. Mutual funds allow investors to have broad diversification… READ MORE

The market for cryptocurrencies has ballooned to an estimated $1.8 trillion. Cryptocurrencies are essentially lines of computer code that are digitally signed each time they travel from one holder to the next. Not tied to banks or governments, they allow users to send or receive money anonymously, which has appeal to international criminals, money launderers,… READ MORE

On August 14, 2020 we wrote an article titled “Social Security: Can You Count on It?” and discussed the problems facing the Social Security system. At the time that article was written, the Social Security Trust Fund was on pace to run out of money in 2035. On August 31, 2021 Social Security’s trustees issued… READ MORE

As you approach retirement, a question you might be asking yourself is “Should I put my retirement assets in an annuity”. There are three main types of annuities: variable, fixed-indexed and fixed. In this article we are going to explain what makes variable annuities unique and their pros and cons. A variable annuity is typically… READ MORE

Financial Advisor, Investment Advisor, Broker, “guy”. These are all terms that seem to be used interchangeably when talking to clients. While they might all seem to be the same thing, they can in fact be very different in terms of how your advisor is compensated, where their loyalty lies, and the objectiveness of their advice…. READ MORE

Most of us have heard the term ‘compound interest’ before, but do you fully understand how it works and how important it is to start early? Compound interest is when you earn interest on interest. The longer the time period the more ‘compounding’ of your account value (the higher the value). The below chart is… READ MORE

The year is 2020. We are still in the middle of a global pandemic, and the U.S. Presidential election is less than one week away. To say that there is uncertainty at this time is putting it lightly. The VIX Index, which measures volatility, is currently sitting around 40. The higher the number the more… READ MORE

The enclosed Forbes article outlines eight retirement expenses that aren’t always front-of-mind as you enter the next phase of your life. Some of these are more obvious than others, but a sound financial plan requires anticipating the unexpected. Make sure that your financial professionals are accounting for these items the next time they put a… READ MORE

One of the most common questions that I am asked is “Will Social Security be around when I want to take it?”. My answer: it has to be – to some extent. Too many people rely solely on only Social Security, and completely eliminating it would be devastating to many individuals which would cause a… READ MORE