Making Cents: Guidance On Last-Minute Contributions
Many have spent the last month racking their brains thinking about gifts for their loved ones, friends or service providers. Yet when it comes to charitable contributions, many simply give at the end of the year without much thought about the tax consequences. Cash works great, and is most sought after by charitable organizations with…
Lions And Tigers And Bears
When we think of things that scare people, we often think of the world of Nature. Dorothy and her friends on the Wizard of Oz feared Lions and Tigers and Bears, oh my! For me, the natural things that freak me out are the things that shouldn’t be here in the first place. Also known…
Making Cents: Where Entrepreneurs Go Wrong
The lives of many entrepreneurs frequently get defined by their business. Business owners are typically smart, hard driving people with their eye on one thing only – SUCCESS. Entrepreneurs take on an alter ego that makes it very difficult to separate their lives from their business lives. There are six common missteps that, if avoided,…
Making Cents: What Does Your Parents’ Estate Plan Say
Speaking to your children about money is not easy, but speaking to parents can be even tougher. No parent goes through life wondering how they can ruin their finances or make their adult children miserable while settling an estate without a plan. Yet it seems that this scenario is more common than the elder parent…
Making Cents: What Is Volatility And Why Does It Matter
Unless all of your savings are stored in guaranteed rate instruments like bank accounts, you have probably felt the consequences of volatility somewhere. Volatility in the investment world attempts to measure the stability or susceptibility of your investment to sudden changes in value. These sudden changes cut both ways. Volatility can cause the value of…
Making Cents: Money Is The Root Of Many Family Problems
A common goal for most parents and grandparents is family harmony. They hope that the family will stay close and love each other beyond their lifetimes and for generations to come. Unfortunately, these dreams often fail to come true through a combination of their naivety, poor planning and weak communication. The reality is that you don’t…
The Four Corners Of The USA
While I enjoy travelling abroad, I am recently reminded of the beauty and grace of the many places to visit in the USA. A business trip combined with a little pleasure, I have had the opportunity to touch all four corners of the USA. The itinerary over a 4-week+ period went like this. Boston –…
Making Cents: Protecting Your Assets For The Next Generation
Many people are more concerned about preserving their wealth for the next generation than they are about their own well-being or bucket list. Hat’s off to you paternalistic savers – your next generation would thank you if they only knew how you really feel. Many make gifts that they can’t afford and avoid spending on…
Making Cents: Is It Best To Make Gifts Now Or Transfer Property At Death
Naturally, this answer is going to be different for everyone, so let me talk about the common mistakes and pitfalls of either bequeathing property at death or gifting while you are alive. Starting with transfers during your lifetime, one of the biggest issues that we see often surrounds the ultimate income tax consequences with lifetime…
Making Cents: How to talk to Elderly Loved Ones about their Estate Planning
In many ways, this is one of the most important issues that I see, and one of the least frequently discussed within the family ranks. The topic is family awareness of the aging parents’ financial situation and estate plan. All too often adult children are surprised at the poor planning that their parents did to…