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When it comes to planning for your education, there is no better vehicle than a 529. A 529 is a tax-advantaged account designed to help pay for education. 529 Plans grow tax-deferred, and withdrawals are tax-free if they are used for qualified educational expenses. The downside if proceeds are not used for qualified educational expenses, any earnings will come out as ordinary income and a 10% penalty is tacked on. However, recent legislative changes now allow for greater flexibility with leftover or unused 529 plan funds!

In 2019, I wrote the article you see below. At the time, I was extremely excited about the prospect of ETFs beginning to trade at zero cost, and frankly, I still am. Free trading of ETFs (and stocks in many cases) is a huge advancement for investors and gives us, as your financial advisor, additional tools to manage your portfolio. Below is a quick refresher on the history of ETFs, which explains what happened in 2019 and why I was excited about it. I have added additional commentary to the original article in italics.

You have probably witnessed a tweet or some financial ‘expert’ on TikTok pose the question, “Would you rather have a million dollars today or a penny doubled every day for 30 days?” The purpose of this question is that today many people are inclined towards instant gratification due to one-day amazon prime shipping, subscription services, and on-demand entertainment. Not only is the $1,000,000 gift today significant, but if I don’t have to wait 30 days, sign me up! Heck, maybe I’ll even invest it. Obviously, this hypothetical exercise is meant to make you think it through. Why bother asking the question if the answer is so obvious?

In 2012, McLaren Health Care froze its pension plan. Since then all employees had access to a 403(b) retirement savings plan but the pension plan remained frozen. Last year, McLaren made the decision to terminate the pension plan. The termination of the pension plan is unfolding now.

Springtime is almost here! Spring brings a sense of renewal and optimism after the long dreary winter months. As the warmer weather moves in, we tend to find ourselves feeling more motivated, ready to clear out the old and bring in the new! Spring cleaning is a popular tradition for many, as it provides a chance to clear out any stagnant clutter and stale air. We kick off the season with scrubbing, organizing, and decluttering all of the physical aspects of our home and lives.

After a tumultuous 2022, the market kicked off January 2023 with a bang. Stocks and bonds alike rocketed up to start the new year. As February and March closed, some of the heat faded. However, markets still closed the first quarter in the green...

Cash is truly a horrible investment. I’m not talking about folding paper; I'm talking about savings accounts, money markets, and short-term CDs. In the same breath that I say cash is trash, I could also say cash is king. Cash is king as it is the single most important financial planning tool.

Anyone can seem like a good financial advisor when markets are doing well. The expectation investors have when investing in capital markets is to make money, so when expectations are easy to meet, the bar tends to be set pretty low. However, it’s downturns in the markets that separate great financial advisors from mediocre ones. It’s times like these when people may wonder what their financial advisor is doing during this bear market.