By Marc C. Shaffer Twenty years go by faster than you think. When I started at Searcy Financial® Services, my focus was on learning the technical side of financial planning, including investments, strategies, and how to serve clients well. What I did not fully...
By Marc C. Shaffer When you are raising kids, you get used to making all the decisions for them. You fill out the school forms… Sign the permission slips… Talk to the doctor… Keep an eye on their bank account… But magically, something changes the day your child turns...
Are you looking for a better understanding of the roles, responsibilities and functions within an independent RIA firm? An internship with the Searcy group of companies exposes students to a broad range of responsibilities. You will be trained on both the "why" and...
Thank you for considering a career with us! We’re excited to learn more about you and how you can contribute to our team. To kickstart the application process, we kindly ask you to click on your position of interest below which will include steps for completing our...
Are you leaving money on the table? It’s a question that everyone can stress about – figuring out where to allocate your hard-earned dollars. We’ve seen how easy it is to inefficiently use cash by overspending, or even leaving too much money just sitting in the bank....
By: Jessica Searcy Kmetty We have some exciting news to share! Searcy Financial® has been named to Inc.'s 2024 Best Workplaces List! This year’s list includes 535 companies that have redefined what it means to be a great place to work. All honorees have created...
Did you recently add a second comma to your bank balance? Has a recent financial event raised your net worth to the next level? It’s an exciting time, whether it’s the result of your long-term goals such as diligent saving and investing, the sale of a business, a windfall transfer of wealth, or a key promotion.
You’re probably already considering how to protect and manage your wealth.
The federal estate tax threshold rose to $24.12 million in 2022 for married couples and $12.06 million for individuals, as part of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA). Like several TCJA provisions, the higher estate tax limit is due to sunset in 2025. Barring congressional action, the exemption amount will return to about $6.2 million, adjusted for inflation, in 2026. Similarly, the current 40% maximum gift and estate tax rate will increase to 45%.
For high-net worth individuals, this could influence wealth transfer strategies. Although this sunset is coming, the good news is that it’s still a few years away.
By Marc C. Shaffer
Life does not go as planned. It’s a wonder I survive as a financial planner who lives by a calendar and a process, because this statement rings true for everyone, even me. I have seen it in both my personal life and in the lives of the people we help every day. It’s probably the biggest reason I get asked, “So, what happens if…?”
You could have a plan for retirement that includes contributing to your employer-sponsored 401(k) account, only to decide to start your own business. You and your spouse may plan to have one child, only to find out twins are on the way, or you may plan to have several children, only to find out the costly process of IVF is your only option for natural childbearing. You could plan to use a vehicle you purchased for several years before passing it down to your teen only for it to be totaled the very next day. You could create a financial plan that sounds good on paper but does not fit with your lifestyle or financial behaviors.
Most children stop being “and-a-half” somewhere around age 12. Kids add “and-a-half“ to make sure everyone knows they’re closer to the next age than the last.
When you are older, “and-a-half” birthdays start making a comeback. In fact, starting at age 50, several birthdays and “half-birthdays” are critical to understand because they have implications regarding your retirement income.