Changes to FAFSA coming down the pike
The excitement and pride that stems from having a child is often the most significant aspect of one’s life, and…
Protect yourself: 10 ways to prevent identity theft
Identity theft is a growing problem in the U.S., and pandemic relief made it worse as identity thieves targeted relief…
Preventing Over-indebtedness
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, a large portion of the country was struggling with debt and many estimate that one in…
Planning for Financial Literacy
As we wave goodbye to tax season and usher in spring, our thoughts and conversations with clients begin to include…
Knowledge Is Power: The Great Wealth Transfer & Financial Education
In 1973, just shy of the 100th anniversary of his death, descendants of Cornelius (“the Commodore”) Vanderbilt gathered at Vanderbilt…
Bitcoin and Ethereum Explained
Bitcoin What is it? In the first post we dove into what exactly cryptocurrency is, but not any of the…
Preparing Taxes
We have all likely heard Ben Franklin’s quote about there being only two certain things in life: death and taxes.…
Budgeting for 2022 Life Events (Big and Small)
Creating a budget can be a challenge even in the calmest of times, so how do you begin to tackle…
Crypto Compass: Cryptocurrency
Welcome to my Blog Hi and welcome to my blog, Crypto Compass. When I set out to learn about cryptocurrency,…
Six Resolutions to Improve Your Finances in 2022
At the beginning of the year people make resolutions involving health, work, or family, but getting your financial house in…
A Form that Accommodates the Mess: Financial Planning in an Age of Uncertainty
The idea that times past were simpler isn’t new. Modern life buzzes with confusion. The pace at which things change…
Did Covid Change Retirement for a Generation?
The world has changed since March 2020. Some of these changes have been small (have we ever cared so much…
How Earlier and Recurring Charitable Gifts Can Really Help!
One of the many great things about this time of year is the increased amount of charitable giving and overall…
Cybersecurity: What Can You Do to Stay Protected?
Prior to the pandemic, the risks of cyber fraud and identity theft were already a significant worry for many. As…
Who is Alexandra Armstrong?
This is supposed to be a short essay on Alexandra Armstrong – a little recap of her climb up from…
Year End Planning for 2021
It is that time of the year again – crisp fall air and holidays approaching – which is also time…
Inherited IRA Rules
If you plan on leaving IRA and retirement plan assets to heirs — or if you stand to inherit retirement…
Opportunity and Optimism Amid the Pandemic
For many, the pandemic turned the world upside down. For some, it offered an opportunity to view life from a…
Saving vs Investing
It’s a common misconception that saving and investing are one and the same. They are both key concepts to creating…
Know the Rules to Avoid 529 Distribution Mistakes
As a continuation of one of our recent blog posts on 529 accounts, we now wanted to focus in on the various…
Behavioral Finance: How Our Subconscious Beliefs Impact Our Real-World Dollars
Have you ever found yourself struggling to stick to a budget, despite your best efforts? When an investment you picked…
529 Accounts: The Ins and Outs of Qualified Expenses
As you may know, 529 accounts are a great savings vehicle for many individuals to save money for education. The…
Impact of Children on Your Financial Path
When thinking about your future, there are many factors and life choices you will have to plan and save for—whether…
Are You Actually in Good Hands? Risk and Umbrella Liability Insurance
People often think that their car insurance and/or the liability insurance policy on their home will protect them from personal…
Building Back Better: New Administration Bets Big on the Economy
President Joe Biden formally announced his COVID-19 stimulus plan on January 14, 2021, and on March 11, 2021, it was…
Financial Spring Cleaning
Are you a hoarder? Did you just put that Pepco bill away last month and see that the one all the…
To Buy or Not to Buy: Is that the Question?
We’re all quite familiar with the idea of the American Dream at this point. The house, the white picket fence,…
Are You Better Off with a Roth?
While you might already be invested in an employer-sponsored plan like a 401(k), an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) allows you…
ESG and SRI Investing: 2020’s Silver Lining?
As the dust settles on a year that was like no other, we can now look back at 2020 and…
Is a Donor-Advised Fund (DAF) Right for You?
A donor-advised fund (DAF) is like a charitable investment account with the sole purpose of supporting organizations you care about.…
2021 Post Election Outlook: Cautious Optimism
With the uncertainty of an election year nearly behind us, and COVID-19 vaccines heading for production, the stock market has…
Do You Really Need an Estate Plan?
As financial planners, one of the most difficult tasks we have is persuading people to do estate planning. Many assume…
Year End Tax Planning: A Few Reminders
As we approach the end of 2020, it’s a good time to take a look at your personal finances. There…
Charitable Giving: 4 Things to Know as 2020 Comes to a Close
This year has been challenging for people, no matter their means or situation. As we approach the holiday season (and…
With Election Season Heating Up, How Much Volatility Should We Prepare For?
As we head into October, with a contentious election less than five weeks away, it’s easy to see why investors…
D.C. is a Financial Standout. Are You Making the Most of Your Career?
The politics of our hometown might get more headlines, but the economics of D.C. tell a story that’s just as…
Understanding Medicare – Taking it Part by Part
Often when you are involved in or overhear a conversation about Medicare, terms like “Part A” and “Part D” make…
Trends Point to Rise of ESG Investing
Although the U.S. was not yet on lockdown as result of Covid-19, the stock markets began to sell off in…
You’ve Retired. Now What? Adjusting to the First Year of Your Retirement.
Retirement is often referred to as an event. In our most recent book, Your Next Chapter: A Woman’s Guide To A…
From Our Founder: A Woman’s Guide to Successful Retirement
Why write a book specifically for women about retirement? It’s the question my co-author, Mary R. Donahue PhD., and I…
Is the Market Recovery Rooted in Reality?
Hollywood screenwriter William Goldman famously said that “nobody knows anything” when it comes to what works in Hollywood. Despite decades of experience,…
Spotlight on Women: In Business and Beyond
Gender inequality in the financial industry, on both the professional and personal side, is not just a social or legal…
It’s Graduation Time, and Your 529 Plan is Ready for its Grand Entrance
The education world may be in flux, but higher learning will continue to be a priority for most families –…
The Mortgage Market’s Wild Ride: What Does it Mean for You?
It’s not standard practice to feel you need to check mortgage rates on a daily basis. But just as everything…
Machines of Loving Grace
I like to think (it has to be!) of a cybernetic ecology where we are free of our labors and…