Blog Posts

The DOL’s Fiduciary Rule: Bad for the Small Guy?

The DOL’s Fiduciary Rule: Bad for the Small Guy?

by | Jul 12, 2016 |

By Jessica Kmetty

Backdoor payments, hidden fees, loopholes in the rules…these were the conflicts of interest buried in fine print that advisors who were not acting as fiduciaries used to chisel away about a quarter of their clients’ retirement savings. When the Department of Labor issued their fiduciary rule, the theme was clear: when advising clients on retirement, advisors would legally be considered fiduciaries required to put their clients’ best interests before their own interests and excessive profits and loopholes would no longer stand. This sounds great for the investor, but what about the hidden consequences?

Preparing Your Pets for a Future Without You

Preparing Your Pets for a Future Without You

by | Jun 28, 2016 |

If you have a furry friend, you know your pet relies on you for every need. What would your pet do without you? Although pets are legally considered to be property, to those of us who own pets, they’re more like members of the family. And so, just as you make preparations to care for the human members of your family after your passing, you need to think about how to look after your pets as well.

Here are some options that can help you ensure your pets are cared for if something happens to you:

Are You $1,000 Away From Financial Ruin?

Are You $1,000 Away From Financial Ruin?

by | Jun 15, 2016 |

By John C. Fales

Sometimes it’s hard to tell your spouse they’re spending too much money, to tell your friends you need to skip the annual trip this year, or to tell your child their new car needs to be a joint investment rather than a gift. However, wouldn’t it be easier to have a crucial conversation today rather than a really challenging one later that starts with, “We have a big financial problem”?

10 Steps to 401(k) Success

10 Steps to 401(k) Success

by | Jun 6, 2016 |

The 401(k) plan is becoming the single largest source of retirement savings for a majority of American workers. According to the Society of Professional Administrators and Recordkeepers (SPARK), over 55 million people participate in 401(k) plans. If you participate in a 401(k) plan, the good news is that you have more control over your retirement money. The bad news is that you have more control over your retirement money.

Will the Fiduciary Rule Protect Your Financial Future?

Will the Fiduciary Rule Protect Your Financial Future?

by | Apr 27, 2016 |

By Michael J. Searcy

When it comes to an advisor managing the money you are saving and investing for retirement, the management and recommendations should be transparent and made with your best interest in mind.

The Department of Labor believed this strongly enough to spend years working on a rule that was finally issued on April 6, 2016. The rule states that any advisor managing a retirement plan or its participants is a fiduciary, legally bound to make decisions in the best interest of their clients. This rule also applies to advisors who recommend consumers move their investments from a retirement plan to an Individual Retirement Account (IRA).

Helping Families Protect and Preserve Assets

Helping Families Protect and Preserve Assets

by | Apr 12, 2016 |

By: Jessica Kmetty

The World Health Organization notes that an estimated 47.5 million people currently live with dementia, a syndrome that affects memory, thinking, behavior and ability to perform everyday activities.* It can severely impact the ability to make financial decisions, and finding ways to help those with dementia manage their finances is critical to their health and well-being. These 5 tips can help families protect and preserve assets:

Taxes 101, Part 2: Protect Yourself from Tax-Related Identity Theft This Tax Season

Taxes 101, Part 2: Protect Yourself from Tax-Related Identity Theft This Tax Season

by | Apr 6, 2016 |

Tax season is underway and that means an uptick in tax-related scams. One particularly pernicious form of fraud is tax identity theft. Tax-related identity theft happens when someone uses sensitive personal information (like your Social Security number) and files a fraudulent tax return in your name to collect a refund. According to recent statistics, scammers filed over 5 million returns in 2013 using stolen information, costing the IRS $5.8 billion in fraudulent refunds.

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