How Life Insurance Should Fit Into Your Financial Plan

By Mike Valenti, CPA, CFP®, Director, Tax Planning Corporate executives often receive the brunt of the U.S. tax system. Typically, most or all of their income is W-2 income and subject to the higher ordinary tax rates as well as FICA taxes. W-2 employees currently are unable to deduct home …

Tax planning for executive compensation doesn’t have to be confusing. Watch our webinar: Tax Planning for Executive Compensation with Carson’s Director, Tax Planning Mike Valenti and Wealth Planner Michael Gruidel, now available on-demand. 

By Scott Keegan, Chief Operating Officer/Associate Wealth Advisor There’s no doubt that one of the most crucial pieces of a person’s financial plan is having an emergency fund. This is one aspect of a financial plan that everyone needs no matter what age, income, or any other variable chang …

By Mike Gertsema, Senior Wealth Advisor I think we’ve all heard the phrase, don’t put all your eggs in one basket.  As a financial advisor I hear it all the time, so I decided to do some research to see what this really means. I visited merriam-webster.com to find the definition of the phra …

Companies may grant employees stock options as a form of noncash compensation. This allows the employees to purchase shares of the employer’s stock at a given price after a predetermined period of time has passed. The intent of stock option compensation is to align the interests of the empl …

Does the word “sale” send you running to your wallet? How many half-priced clothes hang in your closet with the tag still on? How many uncomfortable shoes did you buy solely because they were on sale? When thinking about money, do you feel stressed? Tense? Controlling? Confused? Like you ha …

Encourage wise spending and savings habits by helping your child learn to manage their money mindfully. This worksheet will show them how. Download the guide today to get started.

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.

By Mike Gertsema, Senior Wealth Advisor I see all the same marketing and advertising that you see from investment firms saying how they “offer something different” compared to other investment firms. Their slogans have been well-researched and sound great, but they’re missing a very importa …

By Scott Keegan, Chief Operating Officer & Associate Wealth Advisor The New Year is often a time for many people to set goals and try to adapt new habits or kick old ones. I saw a stat recently that I assumed but never knew for sure, 80% of people give up on their New Year’s …