The talk of 2022 has been about the spike in inflation and its trickle-down effect on the financial markets. Considering the recent uptick in inflation, the IRS announced the changes to Social Security, Medicare, Retirement Accounts, and Taxes. Social Security: The Social Security Administration announced the annual Cost of Living adjustment of 8.7%, or an… READ MORE

Recently, the Florida State Senate approved Senate House Bill 5007, which allows qualified Law Enforcement personnel to participate in DROP for up to an additional 36 months beyond the previous maximum limit of 60 months.  Eligible Law Enforcement personnel currently in DROP and within six months of ending their DROP participation period may apply for… 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

Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits for approximately 70 million Americans will increase 5.9 percent in 2022, the Social Security Administration announced today. The 5.9 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) will begin with benefits payable to more than 64 million Social Security beneficiaries in January 2022. Increased payments to approximately 8 million SSI beneficiaries… 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

Many clients come to us not knowing that they CANNOT contribute to an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) and receive a tax deduction because they participate in an employer-sponsored retirement plan (yes, that means all of you with defined benefit pensions and FRS Investment are included). If you participate in your employer’s plan or if you are above the income threshold (presently $66,000 for single filers and $105,000 for married couples), then you are ineligible to make DEDUCTIBLE IRA contributions. You are still… 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

As the year 2020 comes towards an end we are fielding more questions surrounding asset protection for sworn officers if qualified immunity is lost. There are many layers to asset protection. The best strategy is to address all potential concerns, that way if your qualified immunity is compromised you and your family are protected. Once… 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