Financial Clarity Blog

The first step to achieving financial independence is to define what financial independence means to you. It's going to be different for everyone. How do you want your life to look? What do you want to do for work if you could choose? What would you like to do in your free time? How much free time do you want to have?

Today we look at 10 of the most common and effective tax deductions for doctors. We will also wrap things up by discussing what is tax planning. Depending on your employment status, some tax deductions are more available to you than others.

The name sounds assuring, but is the SECURE Act leaving womxn feeling SECURE about how inherited IRA’s (or 401(k)’s) are being passed along to their beneficiaries? From what I have seen over the past few months, NO! Let’s dive into why and what the SECURE Act did to the Stretch IRA.

Last week, with the Powerball winner claiming the grand prize of $730 million and the Mega Millions at $1 billion, it got me thinking – what would I do if I won the lottery that much?  Doesn’t everyone wonder that every once in a while?  What would I do first with the money?  I know my wife wants a new backsplash in the kitchen, so I supposed we could get that done. Or buy the forever home. Should I claim the lump sum or the 30-year payout?  Do I tell my friends and family?  Do I tell my wife?  (Just kidding….sort of).  How do I ensure I don’t go bankrupt like a lot of lottery winners?  It all starts with putting together a plan.  Here are some initial thoughts on how I would react and what I would do.

Want to contribute to a Backdoor Roth IRA but don't know where to start? Here is a handy tutorial on completing the Backdoor Roth IRA conversion strategy correctly.

I have heard Mark Cuban in many interviews – he doesn’t shy away from the microphone. In one interview a handful of years ago, he was asked if he could replicate what he did with Broadcast.com by building another successful company. His answer was interesting to me. Cuban was confident he could grow another company and sell it to them for a handsome profit. However, he went on to say, doing it during one of the biggest stock market bubbles of all time is just plain luck. “I couldn’t replicate that.”

I’m really good at contradicting myself and making sense (in my head) while doing it. For example, I am a big advocate of setting goals and creating a plan to achieve those goals. The simple process of creating a goal and an action plan to achieve it can help you accomplish a lot. I’m not a big fan of New Year’s resolutions because they are usually a half-hearted self-improvement “goal” that we bail on by February. For example, every year, I tell myself I will swear less, say more positive things, and less negative things. I don’t make much progress.

When it comes to debt, there are both financial and psychological factors at play. The financial ramifications of paying interest ultimately exacerbate the total cost of a purchase. The fixed cost that comes with a monthly debt payment limits your ability to do other things with your money.

As a parent and a financial advisor, I feel a duty and obligation to teach my kids about money. It will be embarrassing for me if my kids aren't knowledgeable about money and finances by the time they are adults. Many of you are probably curious to learn effective ways to teach your kids about money as well. We all want our kids to grow up to be successful adults who make smart decisions, financial and otherwise. Today, we will walk through 11 ways to teach your kids about money so you can get them started on the right foot.

Longevity planning and Long-Term Care planning are an integral part of a solid financial plan, especially for LGBT families. But you have to trust that the advisor you work with will help you find, what you want, what you need, what you can afford, and what you can get approved. They also need to give you options if you cannot get the type of coverage you want or need. It is helpful to work with someone who is an expert in working with someone like you.