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Charitable Remainder Trust Case Studies

July 30, 2020 | By Joe Orff

A Charitable Remainder Trust (CRT) is an irrevocable trust that provides income to beneficiaries until a specified time, after which the remainder of the assets in the trust are donated to a charity. Utilizing a Charitable Remainder Trust is a gifting strategy that has tax benefits and can accomplish both charitable and estate planning goals.

Checklist for Settling an Estate

July 30, 2020 | By Tracy Shar, CPA, CFP®

The level of complexity involved with the transfer of wealth or assets can vary greatly depending on the decedent’s assets, the establishment of an estate plan or Will, whether the decedent has dependents who need to be cared for, the location of their assets or property, and plenty of other factors.

Helping Your Children Start Planning for Retirement

July 30, 2020 | By Eric Siss, CFP®

Many parents support their teenage children in the traditional sense, by providing an allowance, chipping in on car payments, and so on. What most do not realize is that there is an extremely powerful option to help their children start thinking about investing and planning for their financial future.

Reasons to Appoint An Independent Corporate Trustee

July 30, 2020 | By Tracy Shar, CPA, CFP®

A trustee serves a very important role: to make sure that the grantor’s wishes are carried out in accordance with the trust provisions. There are advantages to appointing an independent corporate trustee over a family member or friend. Here are a few key benefits.

Unrealized Gain/Loss Doesn’t Equal Performance

March 10, 2020 | By Katharine George, CFP®, AEP®

Did my investments do well? Many investors look at the unrealized gain/loss on their brokerage statements and believe this is an indication of the return on their investment.

Divorce: Key Considerations for an Equitable Split

December 5, 2019 | By Brenna McLoughlin, CFP®

Divorce results in the division of a household’s assets and income, but parties involved should consider that sometimes a split that appears equitable may not be.

Should I Borrow From My 401(k)?

November 16, 2019 | By Eric Siss, CFP®

When staring down a major financial decision, the first question we often ask ourselves is “what is the best way to meet this cost?” As we assess our situation, it is completely natural to look towards one of, if not the largest, numbers on your balance sheet, your 401(k). But how exactly do you access these dollars if the rules say you cannot, without penalty, until you are age 59 ½?

Reasons to Use a Donor Advised Fund for Your Charitable Giving

October 6, 2019 | By Matthew Gordon, CFP®, RLP®

Everyone has different reasons for donating to charity. Beyond the benefits to the community and the increased happiness of the donor, charitable donations are also an effective way to reduce your tax burden. Often, people tend to get so wrapped up in the why behind charitable giving that they forget about the how.

Mutual Funds and Exchange Traded Funds (ETF’s) – A Comparison

August 23, 2019 | By Matthew Gordon, CFP®, RLP®

Offered a Buyout? Considerations to Make a Confident Decision

July 12, 2019 | By Brenna McLoughlin, CFP®

Employees of large corporations may some day be faced with a major decision to make: whether or not to take a buyout offer, voluntarily terminating employment for some sort of financial incentive.  An offer of a certain number of weeks or months of severance pay can be very attractive, and may be the right choice, though certainly not an easy one. Here are some considerations for employees to make an informed decision.