Category: Wealth Strategy

Each year in October the window opens to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the following school year.  Although you have until June 30th to complete your application, filing your FAFSA as close to October 1st as possible can improve your chances of qualifying for the most grant, scholarship and work-study [...]

Since the late 1990s, the Internet has enabled broad access to investment information. This, coupled with the rise of discount brokers, has provided cost-effective ways for anyone with a computer to play in the stock market. Companies like Schwab and eTrade have reduced trading fees to zero, and “Robo advisors” like PersonalCapital.com have automated the [...]

Women’s financial power today is higher than it has ever been before, with estimates that women control 32% of the world’s wealth. That’s an amazing statistic considering that before 1974, women in the United States couldn’t get a credit card in their name if they were single or had to have their husband co-sign for [...]

Update as of: January 27, 2022 On January 27th, Governor Jay Inslee signed House Bill 1732 which delays implementation of the long-term care payroll tax in Washington State for 18 months.  Employers will not be required to collect the .58% payroll tax until July 1, 2023. In addition, the law was updated so individuals born [...]

KEY INSIGHTS Residents of Portland, Oregon, and the surrounding area (within Multnomah County) have two new income taxes effective January 1st, 2021: The Metro Tax is a 1% personal income tax on income over $125K for single filers and $200K for joint filers. The Multnomah County Tax is 1.5% on income over $125K for single [...]

SUMMARY President Joe Biden has proposed substantial changes to the tax code, mainly focused on individual income and investment taxes, and at least some of them stand to have a significant impact on high-net-worth investors.  The proposed changes create challenges, but also planning opportunities. This blog post focuses on what potential changes are ahead, who [...]

Update as of 12.12.2022 Read the latest update here. Update as of 03.03.22 When the Washington State Capital Gains tax officially went into effect at the beginning of 2022, it did so while still facing significant legal scrutiny. A ruling has now been reached by a Douglas County Superior Court Judge in which the tax [...]

June is always a great month – welcoming in summer, longer sun-filled days, and tons of rainbows everywhere.  Rainbow flags, that is.  Along with the summer solstice and all things vitamin D, June is Gay Pride Month, where everyone has that uncle/cousin/sister, enjoys joyful, colorful parades in many cities, and can boast allegiance with the [...]

May 12, 2021 Now that we’ve discussed the different types of stock option plans available to employees, it’s time to take a dive into how to leverage those options, striving to preserve wealth as best as possible.  As per my last post, there are three main categories of stock options: Restricted Stock Units (RSU), Non-qualified [...]