
Insights
Category: Wealth Strategy

January 15, 2025
How Does a Backdoor Roth IRA Contribution Work?
Backdoor Roth IRA contributions are a commonly used planning technique to help high-income earners contribute to a Roth IRA, even when their income is higher than the maximum set by the IRS. While the strategy is commonplace, the logistics are often misunderstood. This can lead to misconceptions and potential errors on tax return filings. In [...]

Contributions from: Vince Lee, CFP®, CPA

January 7, 2025
Ditch the New Year’s Resolutions: Set Some Goals Instead
My fitness class always starts with a “question of the day” so we can get to know each other. Yesterday’s question was particularly well worded, so I am going to steal it for our purposes of this blog post. The question was: “What is a short-term goal (2-3 months) and a long-term goal (12 months) [...]



Contributions from: Rachel McCracken, CFA®, MBA, David Bigelow, CFP®, MBA, Elaina Shemeta, CFP®

January 6, 2025
New Gifting and Contribution Limit Changes For 2025
There’s one thing we can always count on at the start of each new year — new contributions and gifting limitations from the IRS. As you begin your planning for the year ahead, we’ve highlighted some of the key 2025 changes to be aware of for retirement accounts, health savings accounts, and gifting. Individual Retirement [...]

Contributions from: Jay Winston, CFP®, CAP®

January 1, 2025
3 Reasons Why Consulting After Retirement Can Be a Smart Move
Many of our clients who retire from large technology companies or start-ups have been approached with opportunities to consult or serve as a board member. While it’s tempting to step away from work entirely, there are several reasons why setting up a business and taking on part-time work may be beneficial for your overall retirement [...]


Contributions from: Anne Marie Stonich, CFP®, CPA, Ian Curtiss, CFP®, CFA®, CPWA®, ChSNC

January 1, 2025
Sending Your Child Off to College: A Financial Checklist
Starting college is a big life transition for both students and their parents. While your child may be focused on orientation and choosing courses, there are 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 529 [...]



Contributions from: Anne Marie Stonich, CFP®, CPA, Katie Berntson, CFP®, Peter Beeson, CAPI

January 1, 2025
What to Consider if You Want to Retire
“Choose a job you love and you’ll never have to work a day in your life” ~ Confucius. As you approach retirement age, the first step to set yourself on a path for a successful retirement is to envision what that successful retirement will look like. Being able to visualize what you want for your [...]

January 1, 2025
Top 3 Year-End Tax Planning Strategies in a Down Market
Sometimes the markets take us on quite a ride over the course of a year. If you find yourself nearing the end of the year facing portfolio losses, use it as an opportunity to take advantage of some effective tax planning strategies. If you are the kind of person who finds checklists helpful, we’ve compiled [...]

Contributions from: Ian Curtiss, CFP®, CFA®, CPWA®, ChSNC

January 1, 2025
Ready to Use Your 529 Plan?
As your college student heads off to campus, 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 Expenses?” Qualified [...]

Contributions from: Heather Kessler, CFP®

January 1, 2025
Funding Graduate School by Gifting Appreciated Stock
If you have a student beginning graduate school, you may be looking for the best source of funds for the tuition payments. Clients who plan on funding all or a portion of the tuition for adult children or relatives often ask what the optimal funding method is – especially if other allocated savings, such as [...]

Contributions from: Katie Berntson, CFP®
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