Personal Financial Planning

There is ongoing academic research regarding how much money it takes to be happy, or at least satisfied, with one’s financial life.  While the numbers vary, at a certain point, studies show that increases in annual income no longer seem to bring greater happiness.

Financially, it has been an unusual and stressful year.  We are doing a series of “check up” articles to look at different areas of your finances to see what has changed, and what you might need to check up on to be sure your financial plan is still on track.  The focus of this post is cash flow;  many clients’ cash flow was affected significantly this year

Grown kids living at home and “sponging” off their parents (receiving financial help) is often the subject of sitcom humor, but in the right circumstances it can actually be helpful.

How you title an account, asset or business can affect current income and taxes, disposition in a divorce or incapacity, and ultimately directs how and to whom an asset can pass upon your death.  Titling can also affect whether the asset is protected from creditors. 

With some schools expected to stay closed for a while, many families are considering hiring a nanny or tutor to help care for children while parents work and to help their kids keep learning.  Childcare is expensive.  Average childcare costs range from $17,193 per year in the South to $24,815 in the Northeast – not too different than a year at a public college, we've se

With the tax-filing deadline behind us, many people are suffering tax-related sticker shock.  What would it take to have a better tax-season next year?  Here is a quick checklist of ideas; not all will apply, and of course there are caveats and limitations to almost every one of them.  We’ll get detailed and down in the weeds when strategizing with your personal situation i

There is no minimum age on Roth IRAs, only the requirement that a person needs to have earned income*.  OK, it’s true that babies have a hard time finding work, but as kids get summer jobs or are able to work in a parent’s business, a Roth is a great tool for savings. 

When you turn 65 you become eligible for Medicare.  Part A is free, but Medicare Part B is based on the income reported on your tax return from 2 years ago.  But is that a fair way to determine the cost when your income level may have changed in the meantime?

I saw the lowest mortgage rates I’ve seen in a long time this week.  With rates this low, it’s time to check to see how much you could reduce your monthly mortgage payment or speed up your pay-off date. 

How do you know if it's time to refinance?

It's worth exploring refinancing if:

Most people have some preferences about how they would like their life’s work and accumulations distributed or cared for, but many have avoided facing the sobering task of putting their preferences on paper. Whether you are updating an existing plan or creating a new estate plan, one roadblock to moving forward can be the process of finding an estate attorney.