Market Commentary Q1 2024
April 18, 2024
Five Reasons Your IRA might be the Best Source for Charitable Gifting
April 12, 2024
Getting a tax break for your charitable giving has become harder over the past handful of years. The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs act eliminated a bunch of potential ‘itemized’ deductions and severely capped others. As a result, today fewer than 20 percent of taxpayers itemize their deductions, eliminating the opportunity to deduct their charitable […]
Five Great Reasons for using a Donor Advised Fund
April 9, 2024
I’ve seen Donor Advised Funds (DAFs) referred to as the “bullet train” of philanthropy. Charitable-minded people for generations have created private foundations to manage their gifting – but DAFs have recently hurtled past foundations in popularity. 22% of all charitable giving goes to DAFs now, whereas 15% goes to private foundations. Their ease and convenience […]
MainePERS & Social Security
March 25, 2024
Teaching can be a thankless job, and it’s no secret that our educators earn modest wages. In 2022, teachers made 26.4% less than other similarly educated professionals (1). This gap has been widening for decades. One area where teachers make up just a little bit of ground is in benefits offerings. In Maine, the MainePERS […]
Exploring Long-Term Care Options
February 27, 2024
Exploring Long-Term Care Options Nearly 7 out of 10 people will need long-term care services in their lifetime. That probability, combined with the significant costs of long-term care, underscores the importance of advance planning. Proactive planning allows you to explore your financial options and the potential impact of each on your long-term financial plan. A […]
Market Commentary | Q1 2024 Halftime Report
February 16, 2024
Summary In this Halftime Report, Sam Chaplin and Jim Bradley discuss inflation, the economy, and the market outlook. They note that while inflation has been a concern, it is a mix of transitory and persistent factors, with goods inflation proving to be more transitory and service inflation remaining sticky. They also discuss the positive state […]
Life Insurance 101: Because Adulting Needs a Safety Net
February 2, 2024
Going through life we run into a lot of the “less-than-pleasant” adult responsibilities that force us to grow up and take action. A lot of time these responsibilities help us mature, make us better people, and can be rewarding… other times they can be as boring as watching paint dry, like purchasing insurance… Now, don’t […]
Market Commentary Q4 2023
January 16, 2024
Do I REALLY Need to Make Estimated Tax Payments?
January 5, 2024
Most taxpayers don’t need to even consider this question. If you’re paid by an employer and they withhold your taxes during the year, it’s unlikely you’ll need to add the complexity of estimated payments. This assumes you’ve completed your W-4 form correctly (if you routinely owe taxes or get large refunds, you may want to […]
