When Should Married Couples File for Social Security?
Your Social Security filing strategy for married couples isn’t just about timing, it’s about protecting the surviving spouse. See the break-even math and learn why delaying the higher earner’s benefit can make a significant difference for life.
Do You Know Your Marginal Tax Bracket?
Taxes are confusing. The Form 1040 is confusing. Marginal tax brackets are confusing. Sometimes those of us who work around these things every day forget that most people only look at their tax return once a year, hand it to their CPA, sign where they are told to sign, and move on with life.
Roth Conversion Strategy: Tax Brackets, Medicare Premiums, and Hidden Retirement Planning Risks
A Roth conversion can be a valuable tax strategy, or a very expensive lesson in unintended consequences.
A Roth IRA is a retirement account funded with after-tax dollars, where investments can grow tax-free and qualified withdrawals in retirement are generally tax-free. There is a lot of Roth conversion FOMO (fear of missing out) out there. Like if you are not converting retirement assets into a Roth IRA, you are somehow missing the boat.
The Dry Powder Principle
The Dry Powder Principle is not defensive in spirit. It is disciplined in design. It allows you to pursue long-term growth while protecting your near-term lifestyle. And most importantly, it ensures that when volatility inevitably returns, you are not reacting.
How to Buy Your Next Home Without a Mortgage
Sometimes good planning is not about doing something flashy. It is about avoiding the mistakes that quietly erode wealth over time.
What Indiana Jones Taught Me About Early Roth Withdrawals and Roth 401(k) vs Roth IRA Rules
Financial planning is part art, part science, part archaeology. Sometimes you’re dusting off IRS rules buried under 20 years of assumptions. Other times, you’re sprinting out of a collapsing temple with a bag of tax-free dollars in your hands.
Estate Planning Basics We Hope You’ll Never Need (But Will Be Glad You Have)
Don’t assume you only need a Last Will & Testament once you’re “old.” Anything can happen at any time. Even a bare-bones plan is better than leaving your family completely unprepared, especially if there are minor beneficiaries in play.
The Peach State Tax Update…(In Case You Missed It)
To say that my wife Amanda loves the musical Hamilton would be an understatement. I remember how excited she was when we went to see it live at the Fabulous Fox Theatre six years ago. My favorite part, aside from seeing how enraptured Amanda was throughout the entire performance, was the first song of the second act, Thomas Jefferson’s, “What’d I Miss.”
Consistency vs. Chasing Returns: A Study on Investment Performance
The fear of missing out (FOMO) is the anxiety a person feels when missing out on opportunities they perceive that others are experiencing. Whether it involves trying to get tickets to Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour or keeping up with the latest trends posted on social media outlets (think Facebook, Instagram and Twitter) most of […]
Filing Early for Social Security Benefits: Avoid This Misstep in Your Retirement Planning
Saving Grace, The Early Filing Bear Trap As Capital Investment Advisor’s resident Social Security specialist, I spend a fair amount of time helping people with their benefits filing strategy. Many times, in that process, I discover that would-be retirees are not aware of how filing early could have a negative impact on their monthly Social […]
