Articles

The Gaps In Medicare

If you are nearing retirement, you have probably thought about Medicare. While at first glance it may appear the program covers all healthcare costs, the truth is more complicated. Upon receiving this information you might be wondering what services are included under Medicare, and what add-ons could be right for you.

What does the original Medicare program cover, and when can you enroll? Medicare is broken up into parts A,B,C…

Long Term Care: Better To Expect The Unexpected

By Steve Kim, CFP® It is easy to think of long-term care as a problem for the distant future. After all, needing help with daily mobility, maintaining hygiene, and preserving general quality of life is hard to imagine. Compared to retirement planning, there are more unknowns: will you need long […]
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Persistent Inflation: Time to Worry?

By Steve Kim, CFP® If you have been reading the news, you have probably noticed that inflation has been a top headliner. Questions and concerns are rising: when will inflation drop, and when will the Fed cut interest rates— if at all? As the months creep by and we still […]
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Happy New Year!

As we begin the new year, I want to share my reflections on the financial markets in 2023 and the outlook for the markets in 2024. If you have not done so already, I recommend taking time from the start of the new year to review your budget, past year expenses and investment allocations. Optimally, you would want to do this on a regular basis throughout the year. Targeting your annual budget and spending to income without sufficient financial reserves could weaken your future financial plans due to life events outside of your control.

Market Performance in Q4 2023

Index* Ticker QTD YTD TTM Yld Dow Jones DIA 13.03% 15.98% 1.81% S&P 500 SPY 11.64% 26.14% 1.40% S&P 500 Equal Weight RSP 11.81% 13.65% 1.64% Nasdaq QQQ 14.52% 54.76% 0.62% Mid-Cap 400 MDY 12.53% 17.12% 1.26% Russell 2000 IWM 14.03% 16.80% 1.35% Micro Cap IWC 16.00% 9.09% 1.17% EAFE […]
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Eight Obstacles To Retirement

The path to the kind of retirement you’ve dreamed about may not be well-marked and neatly groomed. It might be riddled with traps, rough patches, and obstacles. It’s likely that when you retire, you’ll have put in anywhere from 40 to 50 years of work, so don’t let your dedication […]
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Annuities: Perception vs. Reality

Annuity products have existed since the Roman Empire.1 And yet, even today, these products are often misunderstood. The bottom line is that annuities may be an option that can help people meet their needs for retirement income. However, we feel that very few people understand the features, benefits and drawbacks […]
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Why I do What I do!

I get asked this question A LOT!  It’s hard to say really, because it is a feeling and ultimately hard to articulate into a why?  In short, it is the relationships.  It is the people, the time, and the trust that builds over the years as I see their hopes and dreams unfold.  Of course, there are times when people are scared and uncertain as it pertains to economic environments.  There are births, deaths, job changes, job losses, COVID, and sending kids off to college.  The best part of my job is sitting down with my clients annually (often more) and hearing all about their life.