Blog Posts

By Marc Shaffer

Connections. This book is about connections and their immense value. I tend to think my life is also about connections, which may be why I am so drawn to “Who Not How: The Formula to Achieve Bigger Goals Through Accelerating Teamwork,” by Dan Sullivan with Dr. Benjamin Hardy.

The initial opening of the book is a story about Michael Jordon, who I grew up idolizing as a child as the best basketball player that ever lived. You see, although he was arguably the greatest player, he couldn’t win a championship for his first six years in the NBA.

When a family member passes away, there are many decisions that need to be made and many emotions to handle. The last thing anyone thinks about is taxes.

Unfortunately, even the deceased can’t escape taxation. If the departed family member earned taxable income during the year in which they died, then federal taxes may be owed. An executor or a survivor must, therefore, file a final federal income tax return (Form 1040).

Similarly, if the deceased individual had a sizable estate or assets that might generate income in the future, the estate may owe taxes. Federal estate tax forms pertaining to the decedent’s estate may need to be filed (Form 1041, Form 706).

Research suggests that 70% of married millennial couples argue about financial decisions more than any other topic. This could explain why some experts say financial problems are one of the top reasons marriages fail.

Fortunately, when couples work together to address their finances, they may be able to mitigate many of the problems money may cause in a marriage.

By Marc C. Shaffer

My wife recently gave birth to our first child, a baby boy. Not only was he an infertility miracle in the making (that’s another financial story for another day!), but his birth also created the need for estate planning updates across the board.

Caring.com’s 2021 Wills and Estate Planning Study showed a promising statistic for young parents: In 2021, 18-34 year-olds are, for the first time, more likely to have a will than 35 – 54 year-olds. Bringing a child into the world means you’re responsible not just for keeping them alive and healthy each day, but for setting them up for success in the event that you’re not around to care for them any time in the future, which is where a strong estate plan comes into play. Here are three main steps to help you get started:

Dear Friends,

Over the years, we have met with you at kitchen tables, living rooms, and multiple offices across the country as you have shared successes, failures, joys and sorrows with us. More recently, we have also connected via conference calls, FaceTime and computer screen-share video meetings. My, how things have evolved over the 46 years Searcy Financial has been in business! We couldn’t have grown into the company we are today without your faith in our ability to listen, problem-solve and provide sound advice for each of your unique situations. We enjoy every opportunity we get to stand Where You Stand®, learn about your lives, and help you plan to make a difference. We do not take our relationships for granted and we never stop striving to improve to honor our commitment to you and your families. Our future is dedicated to you…