Insights

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 …

Is your retirement plan lacking? Let’s look at 5 common retirement planning mistakes and how you can get the most out of your retirement plan.

Having a retirement income plan in place can help you approach retirement with confidence. Learn more in our informative webinar, Your Retirement Income Plan, with Carson Group’s Senior Wealth Planner Tom Fridrich and Retirement Plan Advisor Chris Tooker, now available on-demand. 

Retirement accounts like 401(k)s and IRAs allow individuals to save for their future in a tax advantaged manner. IRA and 401(k) contributions are often tax deductible and gains are tax deferred – meaning you may only pay taxes when you withdraw money from your account.

Your retirement is the culmination of years of careful planning, and you don’t want to fumble the ball when the end zone is in sight. Download our checklist of key tasks to complete in the year leading up to your retirement to make sure you’re prepared for this major life milest …

By Mike Gertsema, Senior Wealth Advisor When we meet with most of our clients, we discuss retirement in different stages that we call the Go-Go Years, the Slow-Go Years, and the No-Go Years.

Becoming hyper-focused on only one aspect of a problem is pretty much never a good approach. A racecar driver who only focuses on speed and ignores strategy won’t win races, at least not many of them. A carpenter who only hammers in nails won’t build strong structures. 

Tom Fridrich, JD, CLU, ChFC®, Senior Wealth Planner We’ve all asked ourselves whether it’s too early to retire (usually after a particularly challenging commute or dealing with a difficult client).  You may have even gone so far as to take a sneak peek at your account statements …

Matt Kory, Vice President, Retirement Programs As a retirement income vehicle, the 401(k) is second in popularity only to Social Security – and as CNBC reported in 2019 the number of 401(k) millionaires is at an all-time high. But is a million dollars even enough for your retirement needs? 

Multiple retirement savings vehicles are available but having options can be overwhelming. Each option comes with different rules leading to a variance of outcomes in the short-term and long-term. It’s not that dissimilar to choosing what to eat.

By Cristina Wiebelt-Smith, CPA, Wealth Advisor Part of our financial planning process is looking over tax returns for planning and savings opportunities. Sometimes we hear comments like, “I’m retired, so I don’t need tax planning” or, “I don’t make enough money to need tax planning.”