Fee-Only Financial Planning Advice

Estate Planning for Blended Families

Oct 15 2019

If you do not leave a specific, legally executed estate plan with the appropriate documents, then you are leaving it up to your state to decide how your resources are distributed. This could make things quite difficult for your heirs (at least for the people whom the law determines are your heirs if you didn’t name any.)

And when you are becoming a stepparent or blending your family with another person’s family, it is especially important to consider estate planning. While it isn’t romantic, it can make things smoother down the road. As you can imagine there are a number …

Should You Leave a Balance on a Credit Card?

Oct 14 2019

Washington Post finance columnist Michelle Singletary took on the “counterintuitive” advice a reader wrote in about: The reader, who was trying to refinance a mortgage, was told to leave a small balance on her credit card (rather than paying the card off). That didn’t seem quite right and the reader wanted another opinion.

While there may have been a time when many Americans didn’t even know they were being judged using a credit score, that has changed. However, even though more people are aware of the credit scoring system, it still remains a mystery to some.

The overall advice …

Get Set Up for Less Stress at Tax Time Next Year

Oct 01 2019

While you perhaps breathed a sigh of relief that it was over, experts began tax planning for 2020 right after the 2019 tax season ended (if they hadn’t started before). It’s okay if you didn’t start thinking about next year’s taxes that early, however, are still things you can do during the last quarter of the year to set yourself up for a less stressful tax season next year and the “5 Ways to Boost Next Year’s Tax Refund Now” offers tips.

Look at your tax deductions: If you find yourself in a tizzy each year trying to get …

Women in Leadership: Leading Authentically

Sep 12 2019

Let’s be honest, you’re really good at your job. You wouldn’t have gotten to where you are if you weren’t. That doesn’t mean it’s been easy. You’ve likely dealt with more than your co-workers, handled competing demands at work and at home, and dealt with the stress of it all.

Maybe you’re feeling a little burned out, or you’re just looking to sharpen your leadership skills. In this post we’re talking about social structures that women leaders may come up against, leading authentically, and dealing with the real day-to-day pressures that come from having a busy work life and a …

Unbiased financial advice from fee-only financial planners