Blog Posts

Book Review: Make Time

Book Review: Make Time

by | Jan 6, 2021 |

By Jessica Searcy Kmetty

Make Time: How to Focus on What Matters Every Day by Jake Knapp and John Zeratsky is a pretty quick read that is packed with great ideas. It’s all about being intentional and not allowing things you may do by default to hijack your productive time.

The authors provide abundant details, tips and tricks to help you pick and choose what strategies you might utilize in your own life. It also includes a multitude of good ideas we should all probably be doing a better job of: exercise, drink water, watch less TV, get good sleep, etc.

Financial Gifts: What You Need to Know

Financial Gifts: What You Need to Know

by | Jan 6, 2021 |

During holiday seasons, you might think about different types of gifts for family members or for your favorite charity. A financial gift is certainly a generous offering, but it may also be something to think about come tax time.

This article is designed to give you an overview of things you may want to consider when making a gift in the here and now, while touching on longer-term tax relevance for both you and the recipient. We’ll also cover some estate considerations for gifts you make now and as part of your future legacy.

Perfect Timing Doesn’t Equal Perfect Results

Perfect Timing Doesn’t Equal Perfect Results

by | Jan 6, 2021 |

By Marc C. Shaffer

Skip the bad days? It sounds like a great concept.

How many of you would choose to skip right over 2020? If only we all had perfect foresight – both in life and with finances.

Here’s one thing we know about investment markets: in election years, years where we experience a pandemic, years that are filled with big news and years that are calm…they fluctuate.

Stepping Up and Giving Back: Doing What You Can for Your Community

Stepping Up and Giving Back: Doing What You Can for Your Community

by | Jan 6, 2021 |

The Ties That Bind

For people around the world, 2020 was a strange and lonely year. Many of us will remember it as a time of loss of family members, jobs, social lives, or even homes.

Cultural shifts, the fast pace of modern life, and other complexities, compounded by the practice of social distancing, might leave us feeling like true community is something from “the good old days” that will never return. In the wake of such a difficult year, we may find ourselves at a loss as to how to move forward and create a “new normal.”

But move forward we will.

One step toward healing is to build (or rebuild) stronger connections within your local community.

Short Term Savings Goals: Where Should I Be Saving?

Short Term Savings Goals: Where Should I Be Saving?

by | Jan 5, 2021 |

By Marc C. Shaffer

Retirement. It is arguably one of the most talked about “goals” people save for, so much so, that short term goals can often get overlooked. Short term and long-term goals are not the same and treating them the same could mean some important considerations might be missed.

Why I Volunteer: The Giving Group KC

Why I Volunteer: The Giving Group KC

by | Nov 30, 2020 |

By Marc C. Shaffer

Consider this concept: A group of 100 people in a given location come together and donate $100. During their social, they decide which organization should receive the donation and they leave knowing that $10,000 will be donated to that cause.

This is the idea behind charitable giving groups across the nation, and I am a member of our local group, The Giving Group KC.

Qualified and Non-Qualified Expenses of a 529 Plan

Qualified and Non-Qualified Expenses of a 529 Plan

by | Nov 20, 2020 |

By Marc C. Shaffer

If covering the cost of a college education for a child or loved one is a priority for you, there are ways you can do it that are tax advantaged and that allow you to save over time to meet the goal rather than trying to come up with money when the recipient is 18 and going to college. A 529 Plan could be a solution that fits your needs. Not only does a 529 Plan account grow tax free, but as a Kansas or Missouri resident, you get a state income tax deduction to save you money today.

Election 2020: Biden’s Policy Initiatives

Election 2020: Biden’s Policy Initiatives

by | Nov 19, 2020 |

Now that several major news groups have projected Joe Biden the winner of the presidential election—and Congress appears divided with Democrats in control of the House and Republicans the Senate—it’s a good time to review what type of legislative support would be needed to pass certain proposals.

Simple Tips for Ramping Up Your Savings

Simple Tips for Ramping Up Your Savings

by | Oct 21, 2020 |

No matter where you are in your life, saving for retirement or other goals is likely one of your most important financial considerations. But, even if you have professional guidance and a clear strategy for your desired future, you could still be missing some straightforward ways to maximize your savings.

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