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Data Breaches Are Inevitable – Here’s How To Protect Yourself Anyway
It’s tempting to give up on data security altogether, with all the billions of pieces of personal data – Social Security numbers, credit cards, home addresses, phone numbers, passwords and much more – breached and...
Read MoreFinancial Insights for the LGBTQ+ Community
Retirement is not easy for most couples and even harder for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBTQ) people. A modest amount of planning can go a long way to providing the financial support you need.Many LGBTQ seniors and those...
Read MoreLuck of the Investor: Making Your Own Luck on St. Patrick's Day
As Samuel Goldwyn once said, "The harder I work…the luckier I get!" 1 But when it comes to investing, luck may play a huge role in outcomes—no matter how hard you work.2 Below, we discuss some ways that luck may...
Read MoreSilicon Valley Bank Is the 2nd Largest Bank Failure
The FDIC-seizure of Silicon Valley Bank is the second-largest US bank failure in history as it held $209 billion in assets at the time of its collapse. Even after adjusting for inflation, by assets it trails only Washington Mutual, which he
Read MoreTake Steps to Protect Your Confidential Docs
Safeguard your personal, financial and medical records at home and work With several past and present events involving the White House, data breaches, or classified documents being leaked, the importance of safeguarding confidential...
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Making Wealth Management Decisions as a Couple
When making decisions about your wealth and finances, how often do you and your spouse (or partner) work together as a team to arrive at a place where you’re both happy? Consider that spouses reports higher relationship quality...
Read MoreHow Emotional and Behavioral Barriers May Impact Your Investing Decisions
Ah, Money. The word leaves you with a positive or a negative feeling when you hear it. The feeling we get from money, and investing, has deep roots inside our emotions, although we may not understand why. Behavioral science explains...
Read MoreEstate and Financial Planning Considerations for LGBTQ+ Couples
Even though same-sex marriage has been legal in the U.S. for about seven years, LGBTQ+ couples still face a few extra hurdles regarding estate planning. From family squabbles to establishing legal parenthood, here are a few...
Read MoreWhat to Know About the Secure Act 2.0
What to know about the Secure Act 2.0 that may impact you and your financial and retirement goals? Read below for a helpful overview of important information to know about the SECURE Act 2.0.
Read MoreHow to Help Protect Yourself Against Identity Theft
Massive computer hacks and data breaches are now common occurrences — an unfortunate consequence of living in a digital world. Once identity thieves have your information, they can use it to gain access to your bank and...
Read MoreDo You Need a Personal Umbrella Policy?
You have insurance policies on your house and vehicles, of course. You might also insure other types of property you own, such as art. But do you have enough coverage, considering your personal wealth?
Read MoreProtect Financial Information from Prying Eyes on the Web
As more and more consumers search for financial information on the Internet, they may inadvertently leave themselves open to being “tracked” by certain companies and individuals. Visitors to financial websites have created...
Read MoreA Path to Setting and Reaching Your 2023 Goals
What if you focused on your system instead of just your goals? Setting goals for a new year can feel overwhelming. We all know that resolutions don’t last, but we also feel the energy that comes with a new year of...
Read MoreAre You Fiscally Fit? 5 Ways to Check the Health of Your Wealth
Just as it is important to be physically and mentally fit, it is also important to be fiscally fit. Fiscal fitness is not only about how much money you earn or the balance in your savings or retirement accounts. Instead, it is...
Read MoreNew Year, New Goals: Your Countdown to Financial Health
For many people, a new year provides a new start—and nothing says "new start" like a fresh new set of financial goals. But setting these goals is easier said than done. What steps should you take to get the most bang for your...
Read MoreNew Year's Financial Resolutions to Implement Now
When it comes to New Year's Resolutions that include financial goals, writing them down and being visible is essential to your success. After you’ve written down what your financial resolutions for the New Year are, tell others...
Read MoreCharitable Giving: Making a Positive Difference
There are countless benefits of charitable giving. Through generous donations, you can make a difference in your community and society. You may also feel happier and even save on your taxes. Here are some key things to need to know...
Read MoreA Retirement Countdown Checklist: 5 Steps to Consider Before Retirement
Whether you're hoping to retire soon or are just beginning to explore the idea of stepping back from your job, you're probably wondering how to make it happen. Will you have enough money? How will you spend your time? What will you do...
Read MoreFamily Wealth Transfer Planning Keeping it in the Family Through Generational Giving
What is family wealth, and how do you preserve it? You have worked hard for years and accumulated wealth. You earned this money through your job, investing, and saving, and you want to preserve it for yourself and to take care of...
Read More#GivingTuesday: A Global Day for Giving Back
Consider whether a donor advised fund can help build a more generous world November brings us Thanksgiving – a day for simply giving thanks. The 11th month also brings us Black Friday and Cyber Monday – two days encouraging...
Read MoreA Guide to Incorporating Philanthropy into Your Financial Planning
If you're considering giving back to society or a cause as part of your financial planning, there are many ways you can do so. You can make an impact while receiving tax benefits by including philanthropic giving as part of a holistic...
Read MoreAn Essential Guide to Estate Planning Preparedness
A recent survey by Caring.com found that a whopping two in three American adults do not have an estate plan1—an alarming statistic, considering that an estate plan can protect your assets and ensure that they go to the right...
Read MoreAre You Cybersecurity Safe?
COVID-19 and remote work is continuing to increase the need for internet security. Social distancing has increased device use and strained security protocols. Although cyber-security attacks are often direct at companies, other attacks...
Read MoreA Year-End Wealth Planning Guide
As we approach the end of the year, you may want to review areas that may impact your wealth and estate planning next year. In this year-end planning guide, we examine four critical areas to consider that may affect your finances:...
Read MoreSix Keys to Optimizing Your Health, Longevity and Well-Being
It’s pretty safe to say that everyone wants to experience optimal health. It’s also pretty safe to say that most of us know the steps we should be taking to enjoy those benefits—but that we too often don’t...
Read MoreFive Keys to Investing for Retirement
Because inflation could reduce your purchasing power over time, you'll probably need to contribute more to your retirement plan than you think. What seems like a healthy amount now is likely to feel smaller and smaller over time.Making...
Read MoreThe Financial Planning Process: Why and How
Planning personal finances used to be the worry of the wealthy and their worry—usually preservation of wealth—was attended to by teams of trust officers and lawyers. Many of today’s middle class families have...
Read MoreProtecting Your Financial Information Online
More consumers are conducting financial transactions online and may become vulnerable to tracking, hacking, identity theft, phishing scams, and other cyberspace risks. While nothing can guarantee complete safety on the Internet,...
Read MoreA Fall Financial Checklist
For many, autumn is the best time of year. The return of cool breezes, comforting foods, and pumpkins can be invigorating. It’s also a bookmark of sorts, especially for your finances—a perfect time to take stock of your...
Read More5 Ways to Improve Your Financial Awareness
Regardless of what you do or how much you earn, you deal with money on a daily basis. The more you understand about finances, the more effectively you will be able to manage yours.Yet, many people lack financial literacy skills. One...
Read MoreDespite Concerns, Retirement Confidence Remains Steady
Nearly three quarters of workers and 77% of retirees in a recent survey said they remain at least somewhat confident that they will experience a comfortable retirement, according to the Employee Benefit Research Institute. Nevertheless...
Read MoreHow to Minimize Taxes During Market Downturns
Market downturns could be a good time to adjust your fund portfolio to minimize the tax bite. Here’s how to calculate the best ways to do that – now and in the future.Taxable accounts you hold longer than a year incur...
Read MoreA Mid-Year Financial Plan Review Makes Sense
Today, many people find themselves inundated by a constant stream of financial news from television, radio, and the Internet. Yet, does all this information and real-time data really help you manage your finances any better than in the...
Read MoreStaying on Track with Your Retirement Investments
All investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal, and there can be no assurance that any investment strategy will be successful. And asset allocation and diversification alone cannot guarantee a profit or eliminate...
Read MoreHow to Stay Committed to Your Financial Goals
Setting healthy financial goals is critical. Even more important is staying committed to those financial goals.Keeping yourself committed to your goals may be difficult, especially when times may be financially tough. But by staying on...
Read More4 Tips and Resources to Help Seniors During Periods of High Inflation and Market Volatility
In 2022, U.S. inflation hit a 40-year high, with prices for food, housing, gasoline, and other key staples increasing by nearly 10% over the previous year.1 During these uncertain times, stocks have continued a roller-coaster ride...
Read MoreThe Different Stages of Financial Freedom
If you're living paycheck-to-paycheck or stuck in a job you don't love just to pay the bills, it can be easy to feel as though you're financially trapped. But financial freedom doesn't need to be elusive—with some focused and...
Read MoreSeeking Simplicity: Understanding SIMPLE IRAs and SIMPLE 401(k)s
For those who don't have a 401(k) option through their employer—which includes some small-business owners—how to save for retirement might be challenging. In a competitive employment market, offering retirement options to...
Read MoreSecuring Your Future with Life Cycle Planning
The need for regular saving and investing spans many life stages. Through the years, your goals will change and your strategies will shift, but don’t be alarmed. You’re just progressing through the normal stages of life,...
Read MoreKeeping It Simple: The Benefits of Simplifying Your Investment Strategies
When it comes to investing, having fewer investments might help streamline your portfolio to manage stress better. Here are some benefits of a simple portfolio and some ways to help you create one.The Benefits of SimplicityUnless you...
Read MoreFinancial Freedom vs. Financial Independence: Key Differences and How to Work Towards Both
Working towards financial independence can often be a lifelong process. But for many, financial freedom may come far sooner—and include some fun along the way. What are the differences between financial independence and financial...
Read MoreQuestions to Ask A Prospective Financial Professional
If you are shopping for a financial professional, you need a good checklist of questions to ask. What you are looking for is someone who handles clients like you – and who is financially wise.As you assess a professional who...
Read MoreEstate and Financial Planning Considerations for LGBTQ+ Couples
Even though same-sex marriage has been legal in the U.S. for about seven years, LGBTQ+ couples still face a few extra hurdles regarding estate planning. From family squabbles to establishing legal parenthood, here are a few...
Read MoreHow Secure Is Social Security
No matter what the future holds for Social Security, your financial future is still in your hands.If you're paying attention to the news, you've probably come across story after story on the health of Social Security. And depending on...
Read MoreThe LGBTQ+ Community and Financial Wellness
An Experian survey recently revealed that 62 percent of LGBTQ+ individuals have experienced financial challenges due to their sexual orientation or gender identity.1 Another third of survey respondents stated that they had some bad...
Read MoreHow to Report Spam Texts
Brian X. Chen, the consumer technology columnist for The New York Times, offers advice for becoming part of the solution to the scourge of bogus text messages. In a recent column, I reported on the growing annoyance of text-message spam...
Read MoreEverything You Need to Know About Adjusting to Retirement
Economists and pundits predicted that the baby boomer generation's retirement would be dramatic, and the COVID pandemic sped things along. According to the St. Louis Fed, the number of retirees in the U.S. increased by 7% between...
Read MoreThe Financial Impact of Mental Health
Mental health is essential to everyone’s wellbeing. Mental health disorders, diagnosed or not, may be playing a role in your daily life. Often, financial problems or worries may impact your mental wellbeing, especially if...
Read MoreA Small-Business Owner’s Guide To Investing in Stocks
If you own a business and want to diversify your assets by investing in stocks, today’s online brokerages make trading fairly easy. However, stock investing is risky, especially in a volatile market. Here are four key...
Read MoreSocial Security Retirement Benefit Basics
Social Security benefits are a major source of retirement income for most people. Your Social Security retirement benefit is based on the number of years you've been working and the amount you've earned. When you begin taking Social...
Read More7 Retirement Considerations
When helping people get ready for retirement, financial professionals find the same issues come up over and over. Thinking ahead can spell the difference between a retirement with enough money and a stressful one with difficult...
Read MoreIf Social Security Falls Short
Are you worried about the current state of the Social Security system and how its future may affect your retirement income? It’s important to take a long, hard look at your current savings strategy to ensure you’ll be able...
Read More3 Golf Tips to Keep Your Retirement Plan on Course
In golf, as in finances, there are a few rules of thumb that may improve your game: keep a level head, avoid traps, practice before trying something new and stay the course. Applying lessons from the golf course to your financial life...
Read MoreMyths and Facts About Social Security
Myth: Social Security will provide most of the income you need in retirement. Fact: It's likely that Social Security will provide a smaller portion of retirement income than you expect. There's no doubt about it — Social Security...
Read MoreHow Financial Professionals are Closing the Financial Literacy Gap
The financial literacy gap—or the gaps in financial knowledge among various sectors of the public—may have racial, gender, and socioeconomic components. Those whose parents or mentors are experienced investors who may...
Read More3 Estate Planning Tips for Small-Business Owners
For business owners, estate planning may seem like another task to do on a long to-do list. Having a solid estate and succession plan in place may be crucial to your business's long-term success. If you are incapable of making business...
Read MoreHow to Spring Clean Your Finances with a Financial Review
Spring cleaning presents a great opportunity to clear out any items you no longer need—and the same goes for your finances. Checking in with your finances during tax season may be particularly beneficial, as it allows you to...
Read MoreA Guide to Retirement Planning for Doctors
Working in medicine may be challenging, especially with the strain placed on health care professionals throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Working towards a comfortable early retirement may be a financial goal for some physicians.
Read MoreByron Hancock Recognized as One of LPL Financial's Top Financial Advisors
Byron Hancock an independent LPL Financial advisor at Hancock Partners in Palm Springs, CA, today announced his inclusion in LPL’s Freedom’s Club.
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