Blog
A Word on SSI and SSDI- What's the Difference?
Did you know there is a difference between Social Security, SSI, and SSDI? Not only are they different payments but they come from different pools of money. I’ve found most people are confused by the different government benefits...
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Climate Change and Inflation- Are they linked?
We’ve been in a low inflation environment for decades now. Many investors have either forgotten what it’s like to be in this state, or weren’t even alive to experience it! Our last high-inflationary period was back in...
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We All Know Someone Who Can Benefit From a 529ABLE
When I say “disability”, what comes to mind? Does a specific person come to mind? Or an image? Is your first thought something broad and overarching or a narrowly defined vision? Think about what you’re seeing and...
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529ABLE Day: This Year, Let's Focus on Our Friends with Special Needs
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Life Insurance and Investing for the Transgender or Non-Binary Community
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Support Neurodiversity through Investments!
Did you know you can invest in neurodiversity? Well, you can! There is a Neurodiversity Index that only includes companies that meet 8 of the following criteria: 1) The company is dedicated to advancing Neurodivergent leadership 2) The...
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Investing in SRI/ESG: The decade’s next big growth trend?
2030 is targeted for incredible change in the US’s fight against climate change. As I have mentioned before, the US would like to be at 100% clean-sourced electricity by 2035, but there are many changes likely by 2030, for both...
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If You Get Maintenance Payments- This is the MOST Important Asset You Need
If you’re negotiating a divorce, or have been through a divorce and are receiving maintenance payments (and/or child support), there is one asset you must have- it’s Life Insurance. But not on you, silly, on your ex! The...
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Put Your Money Where It Counts: How to Invest in LGBTQ+-Friendly Companies
Investing in something should make you feel good. It should instill a feeling of excitement, hope and pride. But what if you’re investing in something that’s not aligned with your true core? How can you feel good knowing...
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Need Access to Cash After Your Divorce?
Oh no! Money got tight after your divorce, and you’re still learning what your expenses will look like now. I get it. You’re not alone, many people experience this same need for liquid cash. Unfortunately, that’s not...
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10 Things You Don't Know about Cryptocurrencies
You might remember I wrote a blog post not long ago about the crypto-craze and likened it to the beanie-baby craze of the late 1990’s. Regardless of my opinion on its long-term viability, crypto-currency is a topic that comes up...
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How are Target Date Funds like Vitamins?
Do you have a Target Date Fund in your 401k? If so, chances are you’re invested in it somehow, as 77% of all plan participants who are offered one are invested in one.1 And if you’re a Millennial, you’re likely to...
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Earth Day 2021
Earth Day 2021, what are you going to do differently? Our waters are getting dirtier and closer to becoming undrinkable as the days creep on. Our communities and municipalities are under attack financially because of the shape of our...
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The Water's On!
What can you not live without, is starting to become tainted most everywhere you look, yet you expect it to be available to you at any given moment? WATER. Let me rephrase that- CLEAN water. March 22 was World Water Day. I’ve...
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BITCOIN, The New Beanie Baby?
When I was in junior high my grandma gave us grandkids beanie babies for Christmas presents. I’d not heard of them yet but I was in junior high so I was a little old for them anyway. I kept them because, really, what else would I...
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The DOW Is Hot- Will it Burn Us?
Many people have asked me, “why is the market so hot when we’re in the middle of a pandemic?” Because -people have money and they don’t know what to do with it. When we can’t spend it (because...
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For the Love of All Things Female- Invest Socially Responsibly!
Were you aware that COVID-19 is forcing many young girls to revert back to old practices like child labor, childhood marriage, and genital cutting? No? Well I didn’t either. And now that I know it’s absolutely devastating...
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Should I Invest In This?
Is alternative energy a good investment? I’ve been asked this for years. And now, alternative energies are a hot sector. Some reasoning for this might be due to Tesla, which is not only a relatively new luxury electric vehicle,...
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Investing for Social Justice with Bonds
There are two main investment types available to most investors- stocks and bonds. Stocks a form of ownership in a company, so if you own a stock share it means you gain when the business is successful. Bonds are a little different....
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A Few of the Biggest Divorce Mistakes I’ve Seen
I’ve been in the business for 16+ years now so I’ve seen a few interesting things over the years. When financial planning for someone who is either going through a divorce or has gone through the divorce process, I am...
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Calming Election Concerns
I chose the name Equanimity for my business because of what it means- mental calmness, composure, and evenness of temper, especially in a difficult situation. Now is the time when many people need that steadiness, after all,...
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Wait, Climate Change Can Affect My Municipal Bonds?
There aren’t many people that are opposed to municipal bonds. My high net worth clients like them for their tax-free income, and most of my Socially Conscious clients like them as they inherently support the enhancement and...
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Women and COVID = Financial Distress and How To Combat It
I’m a working mother. And as of the pandemic, I’m basically working two jobs- one paid and one not. I’m now a Teaching Assistant to my school-aged child in addition to being a Financial Planner/small business owner....
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This Time It's Different!
Two weeks ago we had our friend Bill Dean from Franklin Templeton* speak to us (virtually, of course!) with some market perspective. Yes, this market is different than all other markets…but then again, in many ways it’s...
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Why do Google and Microsoft make up most of my ESG portfolio?
According to the World Weather Attribution (WWA) project, the Siberian Arctic has been experiencing a heat wave. The average temperatures between January and June so far this year have been up 5 to 10 degrees Celsius (that’s 41...
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Making Lemonade with an Old Annuity
I’ve just recently been reminded of an update we did a few years back for a client. He came to us from several transactional relationships with “advisors” and had investments scattered everywhere. Of those investments...
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Are you being Underpaid by Social Security?
Of the 68 million people receiving Social Security, Social Security Administration’s Office of Inspector General released an internal audit report in early June reporting more than 15,000 widows and widowers were being underpaid1...
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Combining Racial Justice and Investments
Black Lives Matter. Before I begin, let me be clear- I AM NOT taking a political stance nor am I addressing the police force in any way. This is simply recognizing that there are systemic issues that are baked into our world, of which...
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Many Marriages Planning Divorce at End of COVID-19
Divorce- it can be one of the unfortunate results of too much time together spent in tight, tension-filled environments like we’ve been in lately. Many households have both spouses home now, either due to the stay-at-home orders...
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In This Pandemic Don’t Leave Your Family High and Dry
I’ve been quiet about an important topic for fear of being tasteless in our current situation. But I’ve come to the conclusion that this is no time for me to hold back as it could be the difference between some semblance of...
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Social Security Rules for Divorcees
It is important to know the rules when it comes to claiming Social Security because there may be claiming strategies available to you that you’ve not heard of. For instance, did you know that Social Security benefits can be paid...
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Greenwashing and Investing
Greenwashing is nothing new, we’ve seen it with retail products claiming their product is made with “natural” ingredients (what is natural? And is natural always safe?) or claims that their products are certified by...
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The Market’s Down- Stop My Contributions!
I just heard from another client asking how to stop their contributions to their employer plan because of the recent Coronavirus (also known as COVID-19) market decline. It is times like these that I see how important my job is to the...
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Investing in Cannabis isn’t as Environmentally-Friendly As you Might Think
If you’re like me, you prefer to use “naturally based” products as much as possible rather than those that are man-made and chemical-laden. And when it comes to investing, you might similarly prefer to invest in...
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Should I Roth or Not?
Lately many of my clients have been coming to me with questions on whether or not they should be participating in their Employer Plan or their IRAs on a post-tax basis. The answer always lies in a case-by-case calculation.
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SECURE Act and Unwed Couples
Recent legislation called The SECURE Act (Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act) has widespread effects over many financial plans. One of the more interesting changes made regarding how beneficiaries can inherit...
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