Blog
Articles written by the fiduciary advisors in our directory, shared from their own websites.
July 20, 2026
By Michael Reynolds, CFP®
Many people assume that managing money well requires complexity. More accounts, more spreadsheets, more strategies, more monitoring. The opposite is usually tru…
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July 17, 2026
By John Stoj, CEPS
Hiring a financial advisor is not easy, but it can be much easier than it’s made out to be. This guide gives you the tools to interview financial advisors and f…
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July 14, 2026
By Daniel Huffman
Learn what biblical stewardship means for money, wealth, financial planning, and how to manage your resources wisely, give generously, and live with purpose.
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July 13, 2026
By Cliff Brockmann, CFP®, EA
Younger investors are rarely informed enough to make this decision.
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July 13, 2026
By Michael Reynolds, CFP®
Understanding where the 20% number comes from, and what your actual options are, can help you make a decision based on your finances instead of someone else's r…
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July 8, 2026
By Cliff Brockmann, CFP®, EA
Most people hear about a Health Savings Account (HSA) once a year during benefits enrollment. They’re told it can be used for medical expenses, they check a box…
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July 8, 2026
By Bryan Minogue
How does the risk of a leveraged well-diversified portfolio compare to a 100% stock portfolio? Are stocks the best option for long-term investors?
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July 8, 2026
By Bryan Minogue
What is alternative investing? What types of investments best complement traditional stock and bond portfolios? What shouldn't be called an "alternative"?
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July 8, 2026
By Bryan Minogue
Finding the right amount of cash on hand is essential for financial health. Discover how to balance your cash holdings to protect against inflation, seize inves…
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July 8, 2026
By Bryan Minogue
A review of a 1996 Journal of Portfolio Management Paper: Why Not 100% Equities, and how Kardinal Financial and individual investors can put this paper into pra…
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July 8, 2026
By Bryan Minogue
An overview of a retirement withdrawal strategy that combines Monte Carlo simulations and a guardrails framework, with the goal of reducing the risks of outlivi…
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July 7, 2026
By Marcel Miu, CFA®, CFP®
The 4% rule was built for a 30-year retirement. Why it may not hold for 40 to 50 years, and what early retirees can do instead.
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July 6, 2026
By Michael Reynolds, CFP®
Financial avoidance is very common, but if you learn to recognize it and manage it, you can get better at overcoming these tendencies.
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July 6, 2026
By Michael Reynolds, CFP®
What is a pig butchering scam? Learn how this crypto fraud works, the warning signs to watch for, and how to protect your money.
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June 29, 2026
By Marcel Miu, CFA®, CFP®
Probability-based vs. safety-first retirement planning: Understand sequence-of-returns risk, map income floors, and learn how to secure your essential bills.
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June 29, 2026
By Cliff Brockmann, CFP®, EA
Still, the rent‑vs‑buy debate is everywhere. You’ve probably heard someone say, “Renting is just throwing money away so someone else can build equity.” There’s…
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June 22, 2026
By Chris Randall
You Beat Wall Street on Fees... Then the IRS Walked Off With a Quarter of Your Returns
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June 22, 2026
By Cliff Brockmann, CFP®, EA
Many people think about how they are charged but rarely think of how their advisor is incentivized to work with them. At nationally known firms, advisor incenti…
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June 22, 2026
By Cliff Brockmann, CFP®, EA
If someone is pitching you whole life insurance in the first 20 minutes, you’re not getting advice — you’re getting sold.
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June 20, 2026
By Allen Mueller, CFA, CFP®, MBA
Trump Accounts: The Complete Guide for Parents and Grandparents (2026) Last updated: May 12, 2026 Important note: This article is not an endorsement or criticis…
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June 20, 2026
By Allen Mueller, CFA, CFP®, MBA
Most disciplined savers don't run out of money in retirement - they run out of time. The same instincts that built the nest egg can quietly stop you from ever e…
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June 20, 2026
By Allen Mueller, CFA, CFP®, MBA
Original Medicare doesn't cover you abroad, and your Medicare supplement's foreign travel benefit caps at $50K lifetime. Here's how to close the international t…
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June 20, 2026
By Allen Mueller, CFA, CFP®, MBA
The gift tax sounds scary, but 99% of people will never owe it. Learn about the annual exclusion, lifetime exemption, Form 709 rules, and smart strategies to mi…
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June 20, 2026
By Allen Mueller, CFA, CFP®, MBA
We've had prospective clients ask us, "Why can't you just tell us what to invest in and we manage the portfolio?" It's a fair question, and the answer comes dow…
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June 20, 2026
By Allen Mueller, CFA, CFP®, MBA
Picture this: You've spent 30+ years working your tail off, diligently investing, and dreaming about the day you can finally tell your boss...
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June 20, 2026
By Allen Mueller, CFA, CFP®, MBA
Are annuities right for your retirement? Learn about their benefits, legitimate drawbacks, and why the industry has such a bad reputation.
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June 20, 2026
By Allen Mueller, CFA, CFP®, MBA
The 4% rule is outdated. Learn how the guardrails retirement strategy lets you withdraw more, adjust dynamically, and avoid running out of money.
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June 20, 2026
By Marcel Miu, CFA®, CFP®
Learn how an asset location strategy can reduce your tax burden. Discover which investments belong in taxable accounts versus tax-advantaged accounts.
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June 20, 2026
By Grant Webster, CFP®, TPCP®
There are several ways a financial advisor can charge for investment services and advice. How your advisor is compensated has a direct impact on the advice you…
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June 19, 2026
By Grant Webster, CFP®, TPCP®
Every year, we review beneficiary designations with clients and find the same thing: most people have no idea what the checkbox labeled 'per stirpes' actually m…
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June 19, 2026
By Grant Webster, CFP®, TPCP®
Few gestures are more meaningful than a grandparent investing in a grandchild's future. And for many families, that instinct leads to a financial planning quest…
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June 19, 2026
By Grant Webster, CFP®, TPCP®
One of the most important estate planning documents you'll ever create is one most people have never heard of.
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June 19, 2026
By Grant Webster, CFP®, TPCP®
One of the most common estate planning setups we see at Arcadia is straightforward: you name your spouse as the primary beneficiary of your IRA, and you expect…
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June 18, 2026
By Grant Webster, CFP®, TPCP®
If you're over 70½ and still writing personal checks to your favorite charities, you may be missing one of the most powerful and most overlooked tax strategies…
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June 18, 2026
By Grant Webster, CFP®, TPCP®
Inheriting assets from a parent or loved one is both a meaningful gesture and a financial responsibility that comes with real deadlines, tax consequences, and a…
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June 18, 2026
By Grant Webster, CFP®, TPCP®
San Diego is one of the best places in the world to retire.
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June 15, 2026
By Bill Pauley, CFA, CFP®
Explore historical bear markets to decode recession risk, valuation impact, and which investment styles perform best in downturns and recoveries.
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June 15, 2026
By Bill Pauley, CFA, CFP®
Modern portfolio theory has taught professional investors the benefits of diversification. Maybe it is time to diversify in a more intentional way to reduce ext…
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June 15, 2026
By Bill Pauley, CFA, CFP®
History of Fed easing cycles shows how cuts, hikes, and yield curves shape markets and style factors, offering late-cycle lessons for investors.
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June 15, 2026
By Bill Pauley, CFA, CFP®
Why S&P 500 reliance can undermine retirement outcomes, and how diversification, valuation discipline, and withdrawals reshape long-term portfolio risk.
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April 3, 2026
By Chris Shoup, CFP®
For most of your working life, the primary goal of your portfolio was simple: accumulation. You were in the "creation" phase, where time was your greatest ally…
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March 26, 2026
By Michael Reynolds, CFP®
The flex retirement isn't a fallback plan. For the right person, it's a genuinely better way to exit a career, one that preserves financial flexibility, maintai…
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March 20, 2026
By Michael Reynolds, CFP®
Managing money as a couple is one of the most important things you can do for your relationship and your financial future. Yet most couples rarely sit down toge…
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March 17, 2026
By Chris Randall
For many business owners, the decision to elect S corporation (S-corp) status versus remaining a disregarded entity (such as a single-member LLC taxed as a sole…
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March 10, 2026
By Todd J. Pouliot, AIF, IAR
Understand Your Tax Landscape. Effective planning starts with clarity about where you stand and where you’re headed. Know your tax brackets: Optimizing the timi…
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March 6, 2026
By Michael Reynolds, CFP®
Poor bookkeeping is one of the most common ways small business owners sabotage their own success.
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March 4, 2026
By Marcel Miu, CFA® and CFP®
Earn too much for a Roth? Use the Backdoor & Mega Backdoor Roth to bypass limits. Learn the steps, avoid tax traps, and maximize tax-free growth now.
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February 26, 2026
By Marcel Miu, CFA® and CFP®
Maximize your company IPO windfall. Learn to navigate double-trigger RSUs, avoid the ISO AMT trap, and manage the lock-up period with our liquidity roadmap.
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February 23, 2026
By Michael Reynolds, CFP®
If you're looking for ways to save and invest money for your child's future, you've probably come across UGMA and UTMA accounts. These custodial accounts have b…
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February 17, 2026
By Michael Reynolds, CFP®
If you keep money in a bank, you're probably familiar with FDIC insurance. It's that guarantee that keeps your deposits safe up to $250,000 even if your bank fa…
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February 13, 2026
By Todd J. Pouliot, AIF, IRA
Discover the Benefits of Working with a Flat Fee Financial Advisor for transparent advice. Learn how a flat fee model enhances trust and clarity.
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By Michael Reynolds, CFP®
Don't let your business fall out of good standing over a simple administrative filing. The consequences are too significant and the prevention is too easy.
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January 30, 2026
By Michael Reynolds, CFP®
If you’ve ever wondered how brokerage accounts are taxed, you’re not alone. It can be confusing, but understanding it can save you money and stress.
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January 23, 2026
By Michael Reynolds, CFP®
I love this exercise because it avoids the head trash that can result from the pass/fail nature of goal-setting. Don’t get me wrong, there is a time and place f…
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January 15, 2026
By Michael Reynolds, CFP®
Staying ahead of the numbers that affect your financial planning can save you money and stress. As we move into 2026, several important contribution limits, tax…
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January 7, 2026
By Michael Reynolds, CFP®
A Roth conversion can be a powerful tool in your financial planning toolkit. But like most financial strategies, it's not right for everyone, and the timing mat…
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December 29, 2025
By Michael Reynolds, CFP®
Most people believe their retirement accounts are completely off-limits until age 59½. But there are several ways to access your retirement funds earlier, inclu…
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December 23, 2025
By Marcel Miu, CFA® and CFP®
Offset RSU short-term gains. Learn how direct indexing + tax-loss harvesting helps tech professionals reduce tax friction & potentially improve returns.
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December 16, 2025
By Michael Reynolds, CFP®
If you're charitably inclined and have investments in a taxable brokerage account, you might be leaving significant tax savings on the table. Most people automa…
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December 9, 2025
By Michael Reynolds, CFP®
Using a HELOC as an emergency fund isn't always inherently wrong, but it's also not the straightforward optimization it might appear to be on the surface.
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December 4, 2025
By Stu Sneen, CFA, CFP®
Essential 2025 tax planning steps for tech professionals to cut taxes, optimize investments, and make year-end financial decisions with confidence.
Read more →December 2, 2025
By Raman Singh, CFP®
Asking “Are you a fiduciary?” isn’t enough. Learn how to check pay structures, review Form ADV, and confirm your advisor truly puts your interests first.
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November 25, 2025
By Michael Reynolds, CFP®
Cryptocurrency has moved from the fringes of finance to a mainstream investment option. If you're considering adding crypto to your portfolio, you have several…
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By Raman Singh, CFP®
Learn how inflation and taxes can silently erode your retirement income—and what you can do to protect your purchasing power. Discover Roth conversion, withdraw…
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November 14, 2025
By Michael Reynolds, CFP®
Scroll through TikTok (or YouTube and similar platforms) for five minutes, and you'll find no shortage of confident voices promising to unlock the secrets of we…
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November 10, 2025
By Marcel Miu, CFA®, CFP®
Want to retire early but think your 401(k) is locked until 59½? You might be wrong. There are two IRS-approved ways to access your funds penalty-free. We break…
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By Raman Singh, CFP®
One of the biggest fears retirees face is running out of money. That’s why financial planners often talk about a “safe withdrawal rate.” This is the percentage…
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October 30, 2025
By Michael Reynolds, CFP®
When you have a significant amount of cash to invest, you face a sometimes tough decision: should you invest it all at once or spread it out over time?
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October 24, 2025
By Michael Reynolds, CFP®
Volatility is a natural part of investing. It’s the “price of admission” that we pay in exchange for the opportunity to grow wealth over time. But when markets…
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October 21, 2025
By Michael Reynolds, CFP®
So what is the actual state of Social Security based on the most recent data and analysis? And what does this mean for your financial future?
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October 14, 2025
By Michael Reynolds, CFP®
Target date funds are convenient, popular, and designed to do the hard work for you. But does that mean a target date fund is the best choice for your financial…
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October 6, 2025
By Carlie Ransom CFP®, AIF®
Retirement planning for high net worth individuals requires more than hitting a number—it demands personalized strategies to manage taxes, healthcare costs,
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October 3, 2025
By Marcel Miu, CFA® and CFP®
Most people think it's a lifestyle choice. They don't realize it's a multi-million dollar wealth decision that can delay retirement by years. Here's the math th…
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September 29, 2025
By Michael Reynolds, CFP®
If you've come into a lump sum of money, whether from a business sale, inheritance, settlement, or years of disciplined saving, you may be asking: "How can I tu…
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September 25, 2025
By Michael Reynolds, CFP®
Life insurance can feel like one of those financial products that people think they’ll "get around to eventually." But waiting until later often means higher co…
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September 23, 2025
By Marcel Miu, CFA® and CFP®
Solid proof that lump sum investing often wins, but dollar-cost averaging can save you from the one mistake that ruins portfolios. Here’s how to decide.
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September 19, 2025
By Michael Reynolds, CFP®
Let’s unpack where dividends come from, why investors are drawn to them, and how to think more strategically about total return and diversification.
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September 18, 2025
By Michael Reynolds, CFP®
Gold has often been viewed as a store of value and a hedge against inflation or economic crisis. But when it comes to true disaster preparedness (natural disast…
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September 15, 2025
By Marcel Miu, CFA® and CFP®
Tax drag quietly erodes returns year after year. A Mega Backdoor Roth lets you shelter more money and keep millions compounding tax-free.
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September 10, 2025
By Michael Reynolds, CFP®
What happens when you transition to Medicare? Can you still use your HSA? And more specifically, can you use it to pay for your Medicare premiums?
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September 8, 2025
By Stu Sneen, CFA, CFP®
High earners can’t contribute directly to a Roth IRA but a Backdoor Roth IRA may help. Learn how this powerful strategy works for tech professionals.
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September 5, 2025
By Michael Reynolds, CFP®
Discover how to find and claim unclaimed money that may belong to you. Learn the steps to search state and federal databases for forgotten funds like old bank a…
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September 1, 2025
By Michael Reynolds, CFP®
It’s easy to be attracted to U.S. stocks, especially after a long period of great performance. However, when we step back and look at the bigger picture, the ca…
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August 28, 2025
By Michael Reynolds, CFP®
Feeling overwhelmed by your financial life? Learn how decluttering your finances can reduce stress, improve cash flow, and help you align your money with your v…
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August 21, 2025
By Michael Reynolds, CFP®
Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) are often misunderstood. Many people think of them as simply a place to park money for upcoming medical expenses. But HSAs can be…
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August 14, 2025
By Marcel Miu, CFA® and CFP®
QSBS benefits don’t start until you exercise. Wait too long and you can lose tax-free gains worth hundreds of thousands. Here’s how to plan ahead.
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July 28, 2025
By Michael Reynolds, CFP®
Gift taxes are one of the most misunderstood areas of the U.S. tax code.
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July 22, 2025
By Marcel Miu, CFA® and CFP®
Most employees have just 90 days to act. Without a plan, you could lose your options or face a massive tax bill. Here’s how to prepare.
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July 17, 2025
By Michael Reynolds, CFP®
As you approach age 65, one of the most important—and often confusing—financial decisions you face is how to structure your Medicare coverage. Understanding the…
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July 10, 2025
By Michael Reynolds, CFP®
Navigating health insurance can feel overwhelming. With so many plans available (and only a limited window during open enrollment to make changes) it’s importan…
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July 3, 2025
By Marcel Miu, CFA® and CFP®
Retiring in your 40s or 50s means decades without Social Security. Here’s why market timing risk is so dangerous and how to protect against it.
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June 27, 2025
By Michael Reynolds, CFP®
S-corps can offer significant tax advantages, but they also come with rules, responsibilities, and deadlines you need to understand.
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June 19, 2025
By Michael Reynolds, CFP®
Tapping into your home’s equity can be a helpful way to access funds for major expenses. However, choosing between a home equity loan and a home equity line of…
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June 11, 2025
By Josh Radman, MBA, EA
Co-Authored by Josh Radman and Kris BarneyIf you’re lucky enough to work at a public company and have RSUs, you have a decision to make every month/quarter upon…
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June 4, 2025
By Stephen Boatman CFP®, CSLP
Cost segregation can be a powerful tax strategy for real estate investors, but it's not always the right move for every property owner.
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June 3, 2025
By Marcel Miu, CFA® and CFP®
NQDC plans let you defer more income, grow it pre-tax, and shift payouts into lower-tax years. Here’s how they compare to investing post-tax.
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May 27, 2025
By Marcel Miu, CFA®, CFP®
Holding too much company stock creates risk, tax traps, and tough choices. Here’s how to match your priorities to the right strategy.
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May 27, 2025
By Michael Reynolds, CFP®
The Limited Liability Company, or “LLC” is a very common type of business structure, and for good reason. It tends to be convenient and easy to establish and co…
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May 20, 2025
By Marcel Miu, CFA, CFP
Exercising stock options can create surprise tax bills. Here’s the difference between ISOs, NSOs, and how AMT fits in.
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May 16, 2025
By Michael Reynolds, CFP®
Thinking about buying a duplex? Learn the pros and cons, from financing and maintenance to tenant management and resale value, to decide if it's the right inves…
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