By Marc C. Shaffer A very meaningful part of my work has been meeting and connecting with service members who are transitioning out of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and other branches of the military and stepping into what many of them call their “second act.” These are...
By Marc C. Shaffer and Brenda Carrico Tax forms often feel like background paperwork that quietly disappears after filing season. Some forms carry long-term consequences if they are missed or forgotten and IRS Form 8606 falls squarely into that category. For investors...
By Marc C. Shaffer Think of a Grey Gap Year as the retirement version of a college gap year, but with higher stakes and very different questions. A college gap year usually happens before adulthood fully begins. It’s a pause between structure (high school) and the...
By Marc C. Shaffer If you are over age 50 and saving for retirement, catch-up contributions have long been a valuable way to put away a little extra. As of 2026, an important change under the SECURE 2.0 Act is now in effect, and it is beginning to impact many savers,...
By Marc C. Shaffer For more than 40 years, my parents did life together. They raised a family, built routines, shared responsibilities, and made plans as a team. Shortly after my mom’s 70th birthday, my dad and I lost her to breast cancer. Grief changes everything but...
By Marc C. Shaffer Did you know that $1 trillion in retirement savings is estimated to be unclaimed due to job changes, company closures, or outdated contact information according to research from Capitalize? I’m always surprised when a new client meets with us a few...
If you own employer-issued stock in a 401(k) plan, you may benefit from favorable tax treatment under the NUA rules. But, to qualify for an NUA distribution, you must satisfy several very important rules, some of which are often misunderstood. To help make this...
When it comes to crafting a successful financial plan, there’s one question we always ask: What does your future look like? It’s not rhetorical. We genuinely need to know, because your vision for the future determines one of the most important inputs in our Financial...
Do Roth Conversions Lock Up My Money for 5 Years? Here’s What You Need to Know By Marc C. Shaffer A client recently reached out with a concern that we hear quite often: “If I convert money into my Roth IRA this year, do I have to wait five years before I can touch...
By Marc C. Shaffer Do you have Lazy Cash? Cash just sitting around in a general checking account or other location (mason jar, eek!) whittling away due to inflation and not WORKING for you? In the years leading up to the pandemic, cash planning wasn’t a frequent topic...