We don’t prepare taxes for our clients, but we tend to be the people who help them avoid tax “surprises.” No one wants unpleasant news, so it’s helpful to deconstruct a client’s taxes so we can understand strategic decisions. But there might not be as many ways to save on taxes as people hope… I…
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My sister Dru recently retired from her family law practice after 40 years. I asked her what her most consistently frustrating estate planning experience was, and she quickly answered: “When bank tellers recommend to seniors that they should add children to their bank accounts.” She believes the tellers are well-intentioned. It is most likely the…
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I do not prepare tax returns, but as a financial planner, I understand taxes and can help my clients with their tax strategy. And it’s that time of year when many of you are about to freak out about your tax return. Now is when all of those TV ads pop up, warning you that…
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When it comes to contributing to retirement, you might have various options available to you. One of those options could be a Roth IRA. These accounts have unique benefits that separate them from a more “traditional” retirement plan. One of the biggest differences is that Roth IRAs are funded with after-tax dollars. What does that…
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Did you know that the question “How can I start investing?” is one of the most commonly Googled search terms? It’s one of those questions that can be soooo simple – but also feel overwhelming and complicated. I often tell our clients, it helps to have a “filter” for this sort of thing (like a…
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Often I write things for my blog that maybe our actual client base doesn’t need to prioritize as much here in the economically vibrant, high-tech, dual-income world of Seattle. However, I believe that we can ALL be better with our spending and debt management. And since I know there are still TONS of people who…
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You might have heard the term “eating your feelings,” especially during COVID when we were stuck at home and there wasn’t much else for us to do. I would posit that there are some people who instead SPEND their feelings. When you’re stressed, do you tend to shop? No judgment – this is totally normal.…
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This week’s blog post is from one of our clients who experienced first-hand what all adult children face: dealing with all the issues around aging parents. Knowing your elderly parents’ financial situation is essential. If your parent(s) could run out of assets, you may need three to four years’ lead time to secure their senior…
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This week’s blog post is from one of our clients who experienced first-hand what all adult children face: dealing with all the issues around aging parents. Like many middle-aged people, I’ve gradually taken on more of life’s tasks for an aging parent Years ago, my mom needed my help unpacking boxes after moving to a…
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This is one of the discussions I bring up every year because I think it’s soooo important. Everybody says they want a good relationship with their money…but what does that even mean? Does it mean you’re cool with money until there is a conflict … and then you turn on it? Just how deep or…
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