Category: Wealth Strategy

Microsoft (MSFT) provides generous company benefits which can help employees build wealth, manage risk and secure their future. It’s important to consider how to best integrate the additional compensation, retirement and health benefits into your financial plan. Equity Awards Your annual grants of Microsoft shares can support short-term cash flow needs or long-term goals, such [...]

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 – [...]

The National Financial Education Council estimated that a lack of financial knowledge costs Americans an average of $1,819 annually in 2022.[1] As managing money yourself may be complex and require more time than you can commit, partnering with a financial advisor may be the solution you need to make sound decisions for the present and the [...]

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 it comes to estate planning, LGBTQ+ individuals may need additional considerations to ensure that their wishes are fully honored and protected. Given the variation in state laws and recognition, same-sex couples must continue to be conscientious and thoughtful when it comes to their estate planning efforts, and are highly encouraged to seek a competent [...]

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 [...]

Rolling over a 401k to an IRA can be a wise decision, but it is important to weigh the pros and cons before doing so. While a 401k is a retirement plan sponsored by employers that allows employees to save and invest a portion of their paycheck on a tax-deferred basis, an IRA is a [...]

With Mother’s Day around the corner, we surveyed a few members of the Coldstream team to see what impact their mom had on their understanding of money as they grew up. Some of these messages are technical, while others are a lesson in the emotional aspect of finances. Larissa Vidal – Wealth Manager  Larissa’s great [...]

When the hard part of filing your tax return is over, it often feels like cause for celebration, and a relief to put behind you until this time next year! But depending on your unique circumstances, you may have seen the result of your filing and found yourself wondering “How did I get here?”. Maybe [...]