How's investing and what should investors know during the third fiscal quarter of 2021 and the COVID-19 pandemic. Stocks continued their upward trajectory for the quarter. The US stock market
Information through May 28, 2021 Markets continue their upward climb, albeit more slowly in the second quarter compared to the first. Optimism about vaccines and the ending of the pandemic and
As comprehensive financial planners, we review our clients tax returns every year. And guess what? A lot of people are paying too much in federal taxes. Every year we find errors
Markets continue to set new records despite the fact that the world has a long way to dig out from the pandemic. Investors seem oblivious and are buying stocks like GameStop,
The holidays are a time for giving gifts to those we love. For our grown children and loved ones to whom we would like to provide substantial financial gifts, what is
Information as of November 30, 2020 As we are about to enter a long winter of often grey skies, frigid temperatures (at least for most of us!!) and relative isolation, it
The decision as to when to start Social Security benefits is a big decision for retirees. In many cases, it makes sense for a retiree to wait to collect benefits until
Tips for navigating the Social Security website Social Security is an important part of most family’s retirement plans. For special needs families, this benefit is of particular importance, because the adult child
How Christina is coping with COVID-19 As some of you have heard by now I have been coping with COVID-19. In early July I was exposed to someone whose roommate had contracted
Information as of August 27, 2020 In our last economic and investment update newsletter we expressed surprise about the stock market's climb, and here we are with the S&P Index at
A key aspect of preparing for a healthy retirement is paying attention to our well-being during pre-retirement years! As we raise a family, build our careers, take care of parents,
Information as of June 30, 2020 The stock market has rebounded substantially over the second quarter, making up, at least in part, for the abysmal losses resulting from the coronavirus and
Most of us have experienced some kind of shock after a crisis as a result of the pandemic, whether physically, emotionally, or financially or through a combination of all three. As
Information as of June 1, 2020 What is going on with the stock markets? America is trying to recover from an unprecedented pandemic and is in the throes of serious civil unrest
The best way to avoid panicking when the balances in your 401k or other investment accounts go down is to learn some basics about the stock market and develop good
Millions of Americans are facing significant financial consequences as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many special needs families are particularly hard hit because of the additional burdens of caring
Social Security is an important part of retirement planning both for the parents and the individual with a disability. Family members can claim benefits tied to the primary household earner
One of the biggest changes resulting from the recently passed SECURE Act legislation was the elimination of the Stretch IRA provision which allowed beneficiaries to take IRA distributions over their life
If you are like us, you are probably having trouble processing all the massive changes that are rapidly occurring as a result of the coronavirus outbreak. It is no doubt shocking to
Information as of March 10, 2020 We have heard from a few of you about your stock market concerns but suspect there are many more who share in those concerns. We
The passage of the SECURE Act legislation in late December 2019 brought a few key changes that may impact your retirement planning. Several notable provisions included: 1. Stretch your IRA with
Economic update as of March 4, 2020 Until March, the stock market expansion, in its 11th year, seemed impervious to bad news. Then came the coronavirus! US stocks, as measured by
The 2 trillion-dollar CARES Act was recently signed into law. This is CMP’s summary of how you or your business might be impacted. Although most families with disabilities will receive a recovery
What a spectacular year for stocks in 2019! At this time last year, who would have thought that a year later we would be celebrating such growth? If you can remember back
By Barry Jamieson, CFP®, MAThere is still time to save on your taxes for 2019! For most tax-saving type accounts (not including 401Ks and 403B) you have until April 15 of
By Christina Povenmire, MBA, CFP®, and Barry Jamieson, CFP®, MA Last December, the US stock market went through a brief but noticeable downturn. For many market watchers, this seemed like the start
3 Great Tips for Retaining Staff in Your Dental Office by Christina Povenmire
For millions of special needs families and individuals with disabilities, Social Security benefits provide a key pillar of regular income. I was recently made aware of a situation where, to the
Social Security is a valuable but complex social benefits program. Most people are challenged to understand how to maximize the benefits they are entitled to. Even in the “simple” case of
I recently gave a presentation where many questions were asked about STABLE accounts and when they might be the most appropriate savings/investment vehicle for the individual with a disability. This
In last month’s Disability Insight article I discussed why my wife and I decided to buy long-term care insurance. For most Americans, long term care is the single biggest risk
Tax season is almost over. If you have not filed your taxes yet you may want to refer to the prior two Disability Insight articles (Tax Tips) and (Should I
By Barry JamiesonI found out that my wife and I were approved for long-term care insurance coverage – hurrah! We sailed past arduous medical interviews and a memory test and apparently
MBy Barry Jamieson, CFP®, MAThe best place to get started with taking care of your digital estate is by listing all of your accounts with your passwords, web addresses, etc.,
By Christina Povenmire, MBA, CFP®, and Barry Jamieson, CFP®, MAWhat a difference a quarter makes! In December I was lamenting that our long bull market was coming to an end. In
By Barry Jamieson In last month’s Disability Insights, various tax issues of particular importance to individuals and families with disabilities were discussed. In this article, we take a more in depth
Tax Tips for Special Needs Families & Individuals with Disabilities By Barry JamiesonThe weary gray cold days of winter are upon is! To make things worse, with winter comes the necessary chore
While the Christmas holidays may provide us with many reasons for celebration, the precipitous volatility and decline of the stock market indexes is certainly not one of them. A typical 60/40
By Barry Jamieson, MA, CFP® With increases in the standard deduction ($24K for couples, $12K for singles) resulting from last year’s tax changes, it has become harder to take advantage of
By Christina Povenmire, MBA, CFP®, and Barry Jamieson, CFP®, MA This has been quite a turbulent year for stocks! In case you hadn’t noticed, most stock market indexes are down for the
By Barry Jamieson One of the more difficult tasks in establishing your special needs financial plan is estimating expenses of your adult child after he or she begins living independently from
Creating a special needs financial plan involves putting together two plans: one for the parent and one for the child with a disability. Because the combined financial plans take into
By Christina Povenmire, MBA, CFP® According to the 2014 Nielsen Global Survey of Corporate Social Responsibility, more than half of consumers surveyed globally said they would be willing to pay more
By Christina Povenmire, MBA, CFP®, and Barry Jamieson, CFP®, MA For those of you who are prone to follow the business news, it has been hard to avoid the headlines that
by Barry Jamieson, CFP®, MA As you approach retirement, you may want to estimate more precisely estimate what your monthly Social Security benefit will be. For many this figure is important because
By Christina Povenmire, MBA, CFP®, and Barry Jamieson, CFP®, MA The stock market continues to bounce around much like it did the first quarter. Although quarter end portfolios were only slight
By Barry Jamieson Planning for the Housing Needs of Your Child With a Disability The current and future housing needs of a child with a disability are of particular concern to special
Barry Jamieson, CFP®, MA Since their inception, Roth accounts have been a great saving vehicle for families planning for their retirement. This saving tool has also been a nice way for
by Barry Jamieson, CFP®, MA Some of you may have been on the receiving end of a sales pitch to buy an annuity. The proposition that annuities defer taxes and guarantees
By Barry Jamieson, CFP®, MA Most special needs families understand the critical role Social Security plays in the financial wellbeing of their loved one with a disability. For families with children
By Barry Jamieson, CFP®, MA There are many dimensions to a family’s special needs plan. Past articles in the Disability Insights series have focused on estate and financial planning topics; however,
The initial planning energies of special needs families are often on hiring an attorney to draft necessary estate planning documents (e.g., wills, trusts). Developing a solid financial plan for such
by Christina Povenmire CFP®, MBA and Barry Jamieson, CFP®, MA What a difference a few months make! Over the past month it seems like every day comes with considerable market gyrations.
By Barry Jamieson, CFP®, MA Ok, so you have established a Special Needs Trust (SNT) or you have plans to do so. You have been thinking about what assets will be
By Barry Jamieson In presentations I have recently given to special needs families about Special Needs Trusts (SNTS) it is apparent that there is still confusion about when to establish an
By Christina Povenmire, CFP ®and Barry Jamieson,CFP® Source: William Vasil, CPA, Ary Roepcke Mulchaey, P.C. and ADA News bulletin The recently passed tax bill contains a number of provisions which will help
By Barry Jamieson. The tax overhaul bill passed at the end of 2017 ushered in major changes for all taxpayers including people with disabilities. Here are a few of the major
Special Needs Trusts (SNTs) have their advantages and disadvantages to consider in the estate planning process. The recent CMS directive regarding ABLE contributions highlights how the two planning vehicles can work
The House has passed their tax reform bill and the Senate has moved its version out of the Finance committee. Each chamber and the president would like a bill signed
With stocks continuing to go up and up, what’s not to like? Since the last Investment Update in mid-October, US stocks have gone up an additional 1.7%. YTD the S&P
The good news is that sponsoring a retirement plan for the practice not only benefits staff, but it benefits the dentist/owner even more. Dentists are concerned about being able to save
According to our survey of Ohio-based dental practitioners, dentists are stressed about their finances. Consider that of the 42 Ohio-area dentists we surveyed: 47% of dentists working with a financial
by Barry Jamieson, CFP® Some of you have expressed concern about the Equifax hacking and have asked what precautions should be made in light of this latest security breach. With this latest
Stocks and politics here and globally seem to be running in parallel realities. In the political sphere, news of some crisis or political impasse, either in the US or around
The economy, unlike our political situation, keeps on chugging along, growing at an annual 2% clip. Unemployment at 4.3% is at a 16 year low. The positive stream of earning
More Americans are participating in high deductible health insurance plans, making them eligible to also participate in a Health Savings Account (HSA). HSAs can be a super retirement savings vehicle.
For many parents choosing someone to look after their child with a disability is the most difficult part of their estate planning process. The chosen person must not only be
As their child with a disability reaches adulthood, families give increased thought to their child’s housing needs. Many families want to promote the maximum independence of their child while others
The US and global stock markets continue to reach market highs. The US expansion is now in its eighth year. At the beginning of the first quarter market analysts were
If you have a special needs child who has a permanent disability, it is likely that social security benefits will be an important component of their special needs plan. Although
One of the most pressing questions special needs families face with their estate planning is whether to establish a Special Needs Trust (SNT). Because individuals with disabilities are living longer,
The creation of STABLE accounts in Ohio has given people with disabilities and their families a new tool to save for future expenses. In addition to STABLE accounts there are
The previous Disability Insights article addressed the importance of developing a comprehensive financial plan. A key component of any comprehensive financial often involves insurance. Insurance protects assets in case of premature
So you have decided to establish a Special Needs trust (SNT). The previous Disability Insights article mentioned that the naming of a successor trustee of an SNT is a critical appointment,
What is a comprehensive financial plan, anyway? It is a plan that examines all financial aspects of a person’s life: savings, investments, retirement, taxes, public assistance, medical, insurance, etc., and
The 4th quarter 2016 was full of market changing news and events. Donald Trump was elected. OPEC reached agreement on limiting oil production. The Federal Reserve raised interest rates by
Because of the low inflation figures contained within the CPI index that determines Social Security increases, Social Security benefits are set to go up a mere 0.3% starting in January
It’s finally happened! In case you are wondering, I am referring to the Fed finally raising the funds rate again last Wednesday. Of course, other events also fit this pronouncement,
Now that STABLE accounts are available to individuals with disabilities, parents and guardians often ask whether they should establish a trust for their loved one as a substitute or in
Equities continue to churn out positive returns for the quarter and year to date in most categories including:
Those currently on Medicare understand they pay a standard part B premium amount of $121.80 a month (higher depending on income) and another $30 to $60 a month (or more
As the third quarter of 2016 draws to a close, we are enjoying a second quarter in a row of strong stock market returns despite the retreat of a few
For many of us, evaluating our investment account statements is like going to the dentist: it’s the right thing to do but we would rather put it off! Sure, we
In the second quarter, ending June 30, 2016, the stock market roller coaster ride continued--markets fluctuated depending on the news about either oil or China. Also during this quarter, investors showed greater attention
Think Before You Tip! Our society is becoming increasing mobile not just physically but financially. We love the convenience of paying for goods and services by swiping our credit card through
How Able Accounts Fit Into Your Estate Planning Needs A presentation by Barry Jamieson. Download here:
Economic and Investment Update As the second quarter draws to a close, many stock categories are showing gains for the year, while all bond categories are up. Large and small value
Taking Care of Your “Digital Estate” For those of you who have a formal will and estate plan, congratulations! You are way ahead of most folks in making sure your assets
Economic and Investment Update: First Quarter 2016 It doesn’t take a sophisticated investor to know that this past quarter has been a roller coaster ride for the stock market. US stocks
Tax Help for Families with Disabilities Ohio families with individuals with disabilities will soon be able to experience tax relief for providing for their loved one. The federal Achieving a Better
Update: Congress ends one Social Security Maximization Strategy The budget deal that was signed into law recently gets rid of one of the key strategies that has increased lifetime Social Security benefits
Q4 Economic and Investment Update According to John Waggoner, a market observer and contributing writer for Morningstar.com, there were three major financial stories for 2015. First, there has been the tumbling
Ways to Simplify Your Financial Life Who doesn’t want to simplify their life, particularly when it comes to their finances? Consolidating and automating your financial chores can make sense because it
Q3 Economic and Investment Update This column is not much fun to write when the markets are volatile, and it feels like we are giving back all of the gains we
Managing Healthcare Costs in Retirement For those who are thinking about retirement, it is important to consider the impact that future health care costs will have on your budget. Although Medicare,
What Increased Longevity Means for Your Retirement By Alissa Henry Good news! Older Americans are living longer than ever. However, that means retirees now need to save more than ever to make
Your Healthy Retirement: Low-Carb Diet that Embraces Fat By Alissa Henry Every year, losing weight tops the list of the most popular New Year's Resolution. But what’s the best way to do
The Choice: Have You Thought About Switching Gas or Energy Suppliers? by Alissa Henry Gas and electric are two of the biggest expenses for homeowners and renters alike. While it may seem that
