Assisting our Elders – A Cautionary Tale
This is a story that’s personal and a bit troubling to share, mostly because it involves some miscues and errors that I would think, as a financial professional, I might have been able to foresee and avoid. Since I didn’t, I’m going to share my experience in hopes that it will highlight some steps you…
Read MoreShould You Consider a Credit Freeze?
Some time back a government agency that holds my personal data reported a data breach and offered free credit monitoring, for which I signed up. A few weeks ago the monitoring company notified me that my personal data had appeared on “the dark web,” a part of the internet that’s associated with illegal activities. It’s…
Read MoreBetween Greed and Fear: A Prudent Financial Path
Many of us arrive at adulthood with little to no formal education regarding investment management. How much financial management is taught in school or even college? Yet most of us eventually find ourselves owners of a 401(k) or similar self-directed retirement plan. Where do we start? Parenthetically, that is, in part, where I formed my…
Read MoreIn Support of the Fiduciary Standard
It’s one of the most fundamental and dear characteristics of the work we do at Empowerment Financial Guidance: earning the trust and confidence of our clients. We strive to do this in various ways, of course, including the intangibles of demeanor, openness, and honesty. We also have been very intentional in creating a structural business…
Read MoreNotable 2024 Tax Law Changes
Each year brings adjustments to the US tax code, and this year is no exception. Some specific changes which could be helpful to you are as follows: Leftover funds in a 529 education account can now be rolled over into a Roth IRA. This reduces the concern about over-contributing to a child’s or grandchild’s 529…
Read MoreLet’s Talk About Cash
If you haven’t compared the interest rate you’re currently earning at your bank or credit union against available alternatives, now is a good time to do so. This is especially true if you hold a meaningful balance in a savings account, as we encourage you to do. Cash reserves are the first “bucket” of money…
Read MoreYour Name Here
When my favorite hockey team of my youth, the New York Islanders, moved into their new arena a couple of years ago, my college friend Jim was eager to attend. “This place is awesome!” he reported to me some 3,000 miles away. I believed him. I was a hockey player and a fan long before…
Read MoreTransition Planning
Like many people my age, I have parents in their early 90’s who are no longer able to live independently. Although it feels to them like an abrupt transition brought on by my mother’s stroke nearly three months ago, in fact the situation has been developing gradually. For many years, their four children have been…
Read MoreSilicon Valley Bank: A Perspective
We’re following the story of the failure of Silicon Valley Bank on Friday March 10. While this is the largest bank failure since 2008, it’s not that unusual for a regional bank to fail. Between 2016-2020 there were 16 bank failures, half of which occurred prior to the pandemic. SVB was a large player in…
Read MoreSimple but not Easy
We’re all plenty familiar with the axioms of investing: spend less than you earn; keep investment costs low; create clear, appropriate investment goals; choose an appropriate risk profile and a balanced asset allocation; diversify; rebalance; to name just a few. They’re pretty straightforward – true? – and not so difficult to believe. 2022 has also…
Read More