Blog
Does Your Credit Score Affect Your Insurance Rates?
While the vast majority of insurance companies use credit-based insurance scores to help determine the price of insurance, it is banned in the states of Massachusetts, Michigan, Hawaii, and California. Some states only allow it as a...
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LIFE EVENTS THAT IMPACT YOUR FINANCIAL PLAN IN A BIG WAY
When you have a major life event such as getting married, having a child, or buying a home, your financial situation and priorities may change. As your life changes, your financial decisions must stay in line with your goals, values,...
Read MoreESTATE PLANNING MYTHS
Estate planning can be one of the most misunderstood aspects of financial planning; however, it’s vital to ensure your assets and family are protected. Unfortunately, common myths convince many they don’t need to create or...
Read MoreCAN YOU GUESS THE 5 MOST FORGOTTEN RETIREMENT EXPENSES?
The secret to financial independence starts and ends with a good budget. This includes in retirement, even though you may not know how much your budget will change from your earning years to your retirement ones. Using your current...
Read MoreDO YOU KNOW THE TAX LINGO?
April 18 is fast approaching, and we know that tax time can sometimes feel like visiting a foreign country, complete with its own language. You'll likely encounter the following tax terms, so we've translated them into plain English to...
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PROTECT YOURSELF FROM CYBER CRIME
The internet makes it possible for many of us to work from home, to shop, attend religious service and stay connected with family and friends. Unfortunately, those conveniences come with risk and cyber criminals are upping their game....
Read MoreWHY YOU SHOULD SET-UP YOUR ONLINE SOCIAL SECURITY ACCOUNT
For many of us, Social Security plays an important part in our financial plans for retirement or later stage of life. Even if you’re years away from applying for benefits, there are good reasons to set up your online Social...
Read MoreTHINGS YOU CAN DO WITH AN IRA BUT NOT A 401(k)
At times, retirement decisions can be confusing and there is substantial information surrounding the investment vehicles that can be utilized to reach your retirement goals. Here's some information outlining a few of the differences...
Read MoreMISSING OUT ON MARKET RECOVERY
Panic selling is not an investment strategy. Investors who pull the emergency brake and bail out during a market decline almost always lock in a loss on their investments. And if they stay out of the markets, chances are good...
Read MoreUSEFUL INFORMATION & LINKS RELATED TO COVID-19 4/21/2020
Overall State of Wisconsin COVID-19 Information: https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19/index.htm Economic Impact Payments (Stimulus checks from IRS): https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/economic-impact-payments Unemployment Insurance...
Read MoreTAX DEADLINE & THE CARES ACT
Recently, the Federal government has taken several actions in response to the Coronavirus crisis. On March 27, President Trump signed into law the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which impacts Required...
Read MoreTHE CORONAVIRUS CONTRACTION
Brian Wesbury, Chief Economist at First Trust Portfolios, explains “The Coronavirus Contraction” and the current outlook for recovery in the following brief video. We hope you find his pragmatism helpful as we navigate...
Read MoreVISUALIZING THE HISTORY OF PANDEMICS
Visual Capitalist published an interesting graphic on the history of pandemics, from the Antonine Plague to COVID-19, ranked by their impact on human life. During these uncertain times, we feel it is helpful to have perspective on the...
Read MoreCORONAVIRUS: PERSPECTIVES ON THE MARKET, ECONOMY, AND THE VIRUS ITSELF
We wanted to let you know that we are closely following the financial markets across the globe and the continued volatility that is impacting investor confidence. Global markets have been bracing for uncertainty as the spread of...
Read MoreSTOCK MARKET CORRECTIONS: HOW LONG CAN THEY LAST AND HOW BAD CAN THEY GET?
With the stock market sliding lower this week, all the talk about a so-called "correction" can cause nervousness and confusion. A correction is a friendly-sounding term to describe when a major stock market index like the Standard &...
Read MoreCORONAVIRUS AND THE MARKET
Some of you might be wondering if you should be worried about your investments while we continue to see Coronavirus in the headlines. We understand feelings of uncertainty during market volatility can be unnerving. We want to share...
Read MoreSECURE ACT & TAXES
On December 20, 2019, President Trump signed into law the SECURE Act (Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement). Some components of the law include increasing RMD to age 72, eliminating the maximum age for IRA...
Read MoreMARKET VOLATILITY
Recent market volatility: Keep Calm and Carry On If you’re following the news, you know that financial markets across the globe have experienced increased volatility in recent weeks from international trade concerns, protests in...
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