Insights

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 …

Many investors are embracing the $160 billion gaming market. The industry is larger than the $43 billion box office, $60 billion video streaming and $19 billion music businesses combined.

By Scott Keegan, Associate Wealth Advisor An old school friend recently took a financial advisor job with a large broker-dealer that toted itself on financial planning. He soon learned that his job was to try and sell life insurance to his friends and family. His pay after six months was 10 …

By Mike Gertsema, CEO & Wealth Advisor I’m a very strong advocate of setting financial and personal goals. When the kids were growing up, I told them all I wanted for Christmas or my January birthday was a list of their goals for the upcoming year. In my experience, once I wrote my goal …

Retirement is far off until it isn’t. This chapter of life can sneak up on just about anyone, and we do ourselves a favor to be as prepared as we can. Like anything involving the government, finances can be confusing, with different tax treatments, contribution limits, beneficiary rules and more.

By Mike Gertsema, CEO & Wealth Advisor Everyone enjoys a good surprise when it’s a gift, not a bill. There’s a reason our bills aren’t wrapped in decorative paper, no one looks forward to opening them. This year has been one of several surprises, many of them not the fun kind. Let’s loo …

An estate plan doesn’t materialize with the snap of your fingers. In fact, an estate plan demands that you confront your mortality. Perhaps that’s why so many of us fail to plan for the future. The reality is that estate planning isn’t about you – it’s about your loved ones. Much stands to …

Heath Ledger’s death in 2008 is another tragic story of an extremely talented artist gone too young. The unfortunate circumstances of his death compounded the complexity of his estate, leaving lawyers and family in a difficult position.

By Jackie Heater, Director of Client Relations A few weeks ago, I went with my grandson to his college orientation. During the parent session, they recommended a book that each student and parent or grandparent should read: Designing Your Life: How to Build a Well-Lived, Joyful Life, by Bil …

By Mike Gertsema, CEO & Wealth Advisor Death and taxes are life’s two great “unavoidables,” so why do we always avoid discussing them? I was looking at our estate planning infographic that indicated that 42% of all adults have a will or living trust in place.

Teaching kids about money is especially complex – you aren’t just passing on a few bucks to go to the movies, but an array of attitudes, values and assumptions regardless of whether you mean to. Your kids watch, in a way not even they are aware of, how you interact with finance and how you …