Retirement and Vacation: Both Need Careful Planning
By Nick Gertsema, CFP®, ChFC®, RICP®. AIF®, CEO & Wealth Advisor There’s so much that goes into taking a vacation, especially when traveling with kids. Choose the destination. Shop around to find the best hotel, AirBnB, or cruise line. Examine the calendar to choose dates that don’t in …
7 Economic Myths Busted
By Ryan Detrick, Chief Market Strategist We’ve been hearing many of the same myths over and over, yet we don’t think they are the big worry that the media and many make them out to be. These are legitimate concerns and have many investors worried, but we think the chances of them becoming l …
Financial Planning: It’s About Time
Nicholas Gertsema, Chief Executive Officer/Wealth Advisor Picture this: it was my son’s 15th birthday, and I wanted to do something special, something that would truly resonate with him. And what better way to do that than with music? My son had caught a bit of my country music bug, a …
Planning Your “DASH”
I’m currently reading a book called “Live Your Dash: Make Every Moment Matter” by Linda Ellis. The book begins with her poem that hooked me right away. This poem below appears here with the author’s permission.
Questions To Ask Your Parents Before It’s Too Late
I came across an interesting article right before Father’s Day written by Matt Christensen: 12 Important Questions To Ask Your Dad Before He’s Gone. I think it caught my attention because my Dad died at the age of 53 when I was 19.
Investing in Your Child’s Financial Future: Helping Kids Develop Strong Money Management Skills
Gaining financial literacy at a young age is a vital key to finding financial freedom later in life. Give your kids the lessons they need now to make better decisions about money in the future.
Financial Resolutions to Take Into the New Year
Tom Fridrich, JD, CLU, ChFC®, Senior Wealth Planner Thinking about making some New Year’s resolutions? Add financial wellbeing to your list. It’s a terrific time to identify goals and opportunities that may put you in a better financial position — not only in the upcoming year, …
Where is the Money Tree? How to Teach Kids About Money, Credit Cards, Saving, Investing, Venmo and More
Craig Lemoine, Director of Consumer Investment Research Ask kids what they think money is, and you get some interesting responses. Over the last month, I asked my friends, family and neighbors if I could pose a question to their children about money. Their answers covered it all …
The Opportunity in Change: How Changing Goals Change Financial Plans
During the pandemic, my family moved into a new house. We weren’t planning on moving, but that didn’t stop us from participating in the pandemic housing boom. But we did so at a time where the kids weren’t yet out of school, so for about three weeks, we owned two homes. Instead of having to …
When Shifting Goals Mean Shifting Plans
Your plan shouldn’t look the same when you’re 55 as it did when you were 35, and part of that is because you have ever-changing goals. So how do you know when it’s time to adjust your financial plan? Use this checklist to evaluate your goals and decide when it’s time to contact …
How to Make Charitable Giving Part of Your Financial Plan
COVID-19 caused an economic shockwave that we’ll feel for a long time. Nonprofits, from large global networks to the local churches, have been hit hard, too. In a recent survey of 110 nonprofits, 80% of them said revenue had fallen across the board.
COMPLIMENTARY RESOURCE
When Shifting Goals Mean Shifting Plans
Your financial plan shouldn't look the same at 55 as it did when you were 35, right? So how do you know when it's time to adjust your plan?
