Eve Kaplan, Author at FIGuide

Women Have Special Financial Needs That Advisors Overlook

Jul 12 2018

by Eve Kaplan, CFP(R) Professional

Women have special financial needs that advisors overlook in two ways: 1) advisors don’t always acknowledge the different planning needs women have and 2) advisors don’t always communicate well with female clients – especially if they client comes to a meeting with her husband. It’s very common for a male advisor to spend much or most of the face time in meetings talking to the husband and ignoring the wife. For these two reasons, women may be given the short end of the stick when it comes to financial planning and investment management.

I. How …

How to Design Your Ideal Retirement

May 24 2018

By Eve Kaplan, Certified Financial Planner ™

Would you like to design your ideal retirement? Where do you begin? First of all, what does retirement mean to you? If you’re in a relationship, does retirement mean the same to you as it does to your partner? Do you know if your “ideal retirement” is affordable or just a pipe dream?

In past generations, retirement planning didn’t involve very much. You stopped work when you were “old,” and you drew on savings and pensions to live out your non-working years (maybe a decade or more) with family and friends. That’s all …

Social Security: Don’t Make These Three Mistakes

Apr 26 2018

By Eve Kaplan, Certified Financial Planner ™

Social Security has been around for decades and it’s not about to disappear. Why? Social Security is not an “entitlement” (gift) – it’s a forced savings scheme that Americans pay into in their working years in order to secure a pension for life. Ideally, Social Security shouldn’t be your sole source of income in retirement but even comfortable retirees know Social Security is an important asset. Planning when and how to start Social Security benefits may seem deceptively easy but there are hundreds of options – especially if you’re divorced or widowed. Most …

Getting Real About Retirement – Will You Have Enough Money to Remain Comfortable?

Mar 23 2018

By Eve Kaplan, Certified Financial Planner ™

Let’s get real about retirement. Will you have enough to remain comfortable in retirement for 30 years or more? Studies show this is a recurring fear many Americans feel. As a Fee-Only financial advisor, my number one priority is to confront this fear and help my clients retain enough money to have a comfortable and financially independent retirement.

In past articles, I’ve gone through a number of investment strategies to boost retirement readiness. This time I’ll address some planning do’s and don’ts for pre-retirees and retirees:

Don’t get caught short – retain an

Now That The Dust Has Settled…Smart Tax Moves In 2018

Feb 22 2018

By Eve Kaplan, Certified Financial Planner®

Now that the dust has settled, here are some smart tax moves to lower your taxes and/or avoid higher taxes/penalties in 2018. These steps may be especially helpful if you live in high property and high income tax states (e.g. New Jersey, New York, California) since state and local tax deductions are capped. Unfortunately all these changes mean you’ll need more time and energy to stay on top of your taxes.

Here are 4 strategies to lower taxes and/or avoid higher taxes/penalties:

Bunch Up Charitable Donations With A Charitable Trust. Charitable trusts can be

Author - Eve Kaplan