Financial Planners
Every year in late spring, Warren Buffett’s company, Berkshire Hathaway, holds its annual shareholder meeting on a Saturday. This was the first year I’ve actually watched the proceedings (it was raining, and I was on crutches anyway), and they were fascinating. One attendee passing by a CNBC camera on the floor of the event described […]
The debt ceiling debate has been front and center lately, and will no doubt be a major news story in the coming weeks. We thought we’d share this article and charts from our partners at Clearnomics discussing this issue and how it may impact markets. The federal debt limit is once again in the news […]
The first quarter of 2023 was largely positive for the markets, but not positive enough to make up for the frustrating previous 12 months. While inflation still appears to be slowing, there is plenty of uncertainty around interest rates and the Federal Reserve’s ability to slow the economy just enough but not too much. As […]
On February 9th, 2022, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed the Michigan First-Time Home Buyer Savings Account Program (FHSA) into law. The FHSA allows first-time home buyers to receive Michigan state tax savings on contributions made into the account, as well as state tax-free growth on any investments and interest, as long as the funds are used […]
We have the messy year that was 2022 in the rearview mirror and we’re looking ahead to 2023. Inflation, Federal Reserve interest rate hikes, and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine drove the markets last year. If you’d like to hear our podcast episode on this topic, click here. As we look to 2023 there are still […]
In our society, there is increasing pressure for people to go to college and attain a degree. However, the cost to go to college is also increasing. On average, the cost of tuition increases by about 8% each year. It is becoming extremely difficult for most people to afford college expenses. The reality is many […]
When you change jobs or retire, you have the option to roll your retirement plan into an individual retirement account. This is a big decision and often not an easy one. It can be difficult to get impartial advice as both those urging you to roll your funds over to an IRA and the company […]
Small changes in savings and spending for younger, working clients can have a big effect on a financial plan because increasing savings often means we can reduce the expected spending needed in retirement. When we set up a financial plan for a new client, often the numbers don’t work well initially. We work to figure […]
As the old cliché says, when life hands you lemons, you need to make lemonade. The market has been sour lately, to say the least. Down markets make Roth IRA conversions more valuable because the inevitable market recovery occurs in the tax-free Roth IRA rather than a taxable traditional IRA. The first step in utilizing […]
We’re rolling into the fourth quarter of what has been a lousy year for both stocks and bonds. Inflation continues to run high with only a few signs of abating, and the Federal Reserve continues raising interest rates to slow inflation down. The dollar continues to gain strength, weighing on international investments, and the Russia […]
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