Legacy Planning: Designating Your Beneficiaries

Legacy Planning: Designating Your Beneficiaries | Suzanne Himes, CFP® & Steve Carlson   According to the Investment Company Institute, total US retirement assets exceed $23 trillion, mostly in employer-sponsored retirement plans and IRAs. How these assets transfer to the next generation is a very important part of the financial planning process. Typically, these assets will pass…

Here’s a Merry Approach to Mortality

Here’s a Merry Approach to Mortality | Paul Fain The holidays (normally) conjure warm images of large family gathering with dinners, gift exchanges, and merriment. The holidays are different this year. As the COVID pandemic is filling ICUs across the country, our mortality has entered the national conversation. With that in mind, here’s a seemingly macabre…

Silver and Gold!

Silver and Gold! By Steve Carlson   “Silver and Gold!  Silver and Gold!  How do you measure its worth?  Just by the pleasure it gives here on Earth!”  – Sam the Snowman from Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer I can’t help but think about Cornelius the prospector from the Rudolph movie when people ask about investing…

Basic Investing Building Block #3

Basic Investing Building Block #3 By Steve Carlson and Jonathan McAlister   How can you reduce investment risk? Diversification! Diversification in investing is a technique whereby you allocate your money in different financial instruments, industries, etc. By doing so you reduce your risk by limiting your exposure to any single company. Simply put: Do not…