Posts by Michelle Tigani
WEBINAR: Education Planning 101: Getting Smart About Paying for College
Navigating the many facets of paying for college can be challenging. Over the last 30 years, higher education costs have skyrocketed. To complicate matters, college prices are like airline tickets: no one pays the same price. Additionally, COVID-19 now presents a multitude of unknowns and disruptions that could potentially accelerate the trend of rising college…
Read MoreYou’ve Turned 18, Now What? Important Legal Documents Every Young Adult Should Have
By Christopher Young, CFP®, CPWA®, CMFC® Summer is winding down and kids of all ages are heading back to school. Parents with children of any age are often given a ‘back-to-school’ list full of school supplies needed for the upcoming year. For young adults heading to college, those lists are full of dorm essentials like…
Read MoreWhy Insurance Should Be Part of a Comprehensive Financial Plan
Why Buy Insurance? When you drop a quarter into a slot machine, you know that your chances of winning are pretty slim. But risking a quarter (or perhaps much more than a quarter) may be worth it to you if the potential payoff is great enough. Insurance is a lot like that. You pay premiums…
Read MoreLong-Term Care: Get the Facts and Plan Ahead
Did you know that most Americans who are 65 and older will require long-term care services at some point in their lives? Long-term care is defined as the services and supports needed when one can no longer perform the basic activities of daily living without personal assistance. These basic activities are defined as the “6…
Read MoreDeciphering Long-Term Care Insurance: What Should I Know About My Policy?
By Steven Pongrace, CMFC® Long-term care (LTC) insurance can be an important component of your overall financial strategy (See: 10 Reasons Why Long-Term Care Insurance Is Essential To Your Financial Plan). However, understanding your long-term care coverage and its benefits may prove difficult, as some terminology can be complex. While it’s important to remember that…
Read MoreFinancing Higher Education: From Birth Through College
by Christian Hansen, FPQP™ In today’s economy, a college education is an essential stepping stone for starting a career. However, as the cost of college continues to rise, financing higher education becomes an increasingly daunting and potentially burdensome task for families. Although it can seem overwhelming, navigating education planning effectively is certainly possible with the…
Read MoreRenting vs Buying in Retirement
Could renting in retirement be the new American Dream? by Drew Malay, CFP®, CMFC® Work hard, save diligently, buy a home (maybe even with a white picket fence), have kids, retire. This is the quintessential American Dream. This classic vision of the American Dream clearly doesn’t take into consideration the outrageous housing prices that exist…
Read MoreIs This Type of Property Ownership Right For You?
By Steven Ulrich, CFP®, ChFEBC℠ The homeownership rate in the United States is about 64 percent, of which married couples make up the majority (United States Census Bureau). A home is typically a couples’ most significant investment, so ensuring proper asset protection should be a priority. Some states allow for a type of property ownership…
Read MoreWhat Should You Do When Markets Are Volatile?
By Chris Young, CFP®, CPWA®, CMFC® Volatility in the stock market is back after having gone missing for the last 18 months. In 2017, the S&P 500 was up every month and the largest peak-to-trough drawdown was roughly three percent. That lack of volatility is the lowest on record since the mid-1990s (Source: Barron’s). Such a benign market environment…
Read MoreA Checklist for Establishing Florida Residency
by Christian Hansen, FPQP™ In addition to great weather and thousands of miles of waterfront, one of Florida’s most attractive features is the lack of a state income tax. As one of only seven states with no income tax, Florida is a top choice for those who are interested in establishing residency and saving on…
Read MoreHow The New Tax Law is Different From Previous Policies
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act legislation was signed into law on December 22, 2017. The Act makes extensive changes that affect both individuals and businesses. Some key provisions of the Act are discussed below. Most provisions are effective for 2018. Many individual tax provisions sunset and revert to pre-existing law after 2025; the corporate…
Read MoreWhat Should You Do In Response to The Equifax Hack?
4 Proactive Steps You Can Take Now While the media has rightfully focused on the impacts of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma on Houston and much of Florida, the other important story of the past week is that Equifax suffered a significant data breach from May to July of this year that compromised the personal information…
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