On the last day of March in 2018, President Trump raised the issue that the United States Post Office was losing $1.50 on every package it delivered for Amazon. Two days later, he stated “our fully tax paying retailers are closing stores all over the country…not a level playing field.” The insinuation was that, one way or another, Amazon’s shipping costs were about to rise, cutting into profits. On the first day of trading following these comments, Amazon’s stock lost $30 Billion in value, ... [Continue Reading]
Financial Advisors
Articles and resources related to Financial Advisors.
Retirement Planning: Reflecting on the Journey
Co-Authored by Katy Vermeer Retirement planning involves a multi-faceted analysis that requires a combination of data gathering, quantitative and qualitative analysis, and discernment. It is an on-going process that offers peace of mind to our clients as their life goals evolve. As people approach their retirement years the number one question advisors are often asked is, “Do I have enough?” While the internet offers a host of formulas, calculators, and rules of thumb to answer this ... [Continue Reading]
Get Paid to Save for College
You have a routine. You wake, dress, brush your teeth, and ready yourself for the day ahead. Your routine comes naturally to you. What if there was a way to monetize part of your routine? Thanks to the Minnesota legislature, if you’re a Minnesota resident, there now is a way to do just that. Most of our clients have children or grandchildren who will someday go to college. Our clients understand the value and power of having a disciplined savings strategy in place for college funding. For ... [Continue Reading]
2018 IRA Actions Related to your 2017 Tax Return
Posted on February 8, 2018IRA’s (Individual Retirement Accounts) are one of the most common ways to save for retirement. Conceptually, they are familiar to many, but the details related to and surrounding these types of accounts can be confusing. Many investors are also familiar with Roth accounts, which are a type of an IRA. This time of year, January thru April 15, is a critical time to understand IRA parameters since during that time you can address both tax years--2017 and 2018. In this article by Jim Glass of The ... [Continue Reading]
Financial Lessons and Key Discussions with Children and Grandchildren
Like many parents, I want to help my children achieve success as much as possible. That success comes in many different forms – physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and financially. I want to be able to give my kids enough to help them, but not so much so that it’s detrimental. Many times it is a balancing act knowing how much to assist – while providing them with the right amount of independence. When it comes to finances, there are many teachable moments throughout a child’s life ... [Continue Reading]