Category: Family Needs

Preparing to send your child off to college marks a significant milestone not just for them, but for your entire family. It’s a time filled with excitement, anticipation, and perhaps a touch of apprehension about what lies ahead. Many parents who send their first kid off to college are surprised to discover the various financial [...]

Ah, the Health Savings Account (HSA)… with its quick rise to fame, the HSA has gained popularity as a company benefit. The HSA is loved far and wide by financial advisors as a flexible and tax-efficient tool to cover medical expenses in retirement. However, it can be tempting to utilize the funds before retirement – [...]

Summer: A time of celebrating independence! The caps and gowns of late June give way to BBQs and 4th of July fireworks. What’s easily forgotten during this Summertime bliss is that for our nation’s Founding Fathers, it was hardly a smooth path to independence. They were metaphorically teenagers fed up with tightening rules and curfews, [...]

When we begin working with new families at Coldstream, we see some predictable patterns in their areas of focus. Perhaps their investment portfolio has grown to a size they no longer feel comfortable managing independently, or they have questions about when they can afford to retire, how to diversify out of a concentrated holding, or [...]

Starting college is a big life transition for both students and their parents. While your student may be focused on orientation and choosing courses, there are some important financial considerations that accompany this change as well. Some are administrative items for you to consider, such as getting legal documents in order, paying expenses from a [...]

As your college student heads off to campus this fall, you may be wondering what expenses the 529 plan can cover versus which expenses are better paid out-of-pocket. Let’s take a closer look at expenses your student may encounter during their academic year and which of those qualify under your 529 plan. What Are “Qualified [...]

529 Savings Plans are tax-advantaged accounts used to pay for qualified education expenses. Contributions are typically invested in target-date funds, gradually shifting toward a more conservative allocation as the beneficiary nears college age. You may be considering a 529 for your child, grandchild, or another family member. Here are some of the more common questions [...]

Back in the 80s there were two popular shows on TV – one cartoon and one sitcom – that portrayed a ridiculous interpretation of what a wealthy kid’s life might be like. In Silver Spoons, Ricky (played by Rick Schroder) meets his maturity-stunted father, who has never had to work a day in his life. [...]

Your teenager may have had their first job working at the snack shack last summer, and their W2 just arrived in the mail.  Or perhaps you collectively decided to sell some of the gifted Microsoft stock from their custodial account so your teenager could purchase their first car.  Now you’ve received a 1099 and wonder [...]