What is Medicare Open Enrollment and why should it matter to you?
Women tend to live longer than men which means there is a good chance as a woman, you will be on your own after the death of a spouse. It's important to understand your options and strategies to get the most out of your Social Security benefits so that you are better prepared later in life.
In this video, Melissa explains possible avenues women can take when navigating through Social Security and how we can help talk you through those options before you or your spouse apply for benefits. At the end of the day, Social Security is not going to advise you on how you get a greater income in life from the system. That’s what we’re here for.
As you age as a couple, one thing you want to make sure to do is coordinate how AND WHEN you claim your Social Security benefits. If you claim before full retirement age, you won’t get your full benefit. Additionally, if you are the high-earning spouse, filing early will lower your spouse's survivor benefit if you die first. But if you file after your full retirement age, your higher benefit will be preserved regardless of which spouse dies first.
In this video, Melissa explains why delaying the higher earning spouses’ benefit is especially important when there is a meaningful difference in one partner’s payment vs the other. Your decision can make a huge impact in the paycheck that is left behind for your surviving spouse.
The decision of when to take Social Security can literally make a difference of several hundreds of thousands of dollars over your lifetime. That’s why many retirees today are approaching the Social Security question in a very different way and are allowing a financial planner to help them think through their best options. One of which may include delaying drawing their Social Security benefits months, or even years after they retire.
This brief introductory overview shares a few key points to consider before drawing your benefits. Stay tuned for additional Social Security videos specific to couples, surviving spouses, and divorcees.
While it may feel like an unpleasant topic, it’s important to ask, “Do I have a plan in place if I should need long term care?” 70% of adults over the age of 65 will need some type of long term care in their lifetime and without a proper plan in place the financial costs could derail your retirement savings.
In this video, Melissa Guttenberger, partner and financial advisor with Croix Wealth Management breaks down why it’s important to have a long term care insurance policy, how coverage can be more than nursing home care and how premiums don't have to be expensive.
In retirement, you’re entering a whole new world. That paycheck isn’t rolling in every two weeks like it used to. You can look to Croix Wealth Management as your new, but experienced payroll manager.
In this video, Melissa and J.J. discuss how a customized income plan can help you live your retirement to the fullest.
Do I really need a financial advisor or can I manage my money on my own?
With the election only days away, this video shares what we are focused on in hopes that it may relieve a bit of tension in the days ahead.
It’s almost time for the 2024 election. Are you worried it could disrupt the markets? Watch this quick video where Melissa Guttenberger tells you more.
When you have a lot to give to the organizations and communities that you care most about, it can be tricky trying to figure out the best approach to maximize your efforts. A donor advised fund could be a solution.
Wondering about the optimal time to invest during an election year? It's a question that pops up every four years, and Melissa is here to provide some insight in just a quick minute!
Divorce is a life changing event that can challenge your financial situation. Knowing if you are eligible for Social Security divorce spouse benefits now can give you peace of mind or allow you to be proactive in planning for your future income needs.
For years, families and students have had concerns about leftover funds being trapped in 529 college savings accounts if they did not need the money for college. Beginning in 2024, thanks to the Secure Act 2.0, some things have changed.
Let's take a closer look at how markets have historically performed following midterm elections.
You have likely heard it by now – The worst start of the year for stocks since the 1970s. We’ve heard it too, and we are asked daily by clients and friends, “So when will this recession end?” Melissa will explain why the future might be brighter than you think. Watch the video to find out more.
The current estate tax exemption/exclusion amount is $12.06M ($24.12M for couples), which means that most estates in 2022 will not be subject to estate tax. That’s the good news.The bad news is, in 2026, that exemption is scheduled to sunset, going down to $5.49M (adjusted for inflation). Even though the reduced exemption amounts still exclude most from owing estate tax, many are still worried. But why?
In this video, J.J. explains the current and future exemption amounts and breaks down the three primary reasons that people fear estate taxes. If you’re one of those concerned, please don’t hesitate to let us know if we can be a resource to help you to understand the key concepts so that you can take the first step towards creating an estate plan.
One of the most unfair parts of the tax code is the “widow’s penalty,” where the IRS allows for a surviving spouse to file a joint return ONLY in the year of your spouse’s death.
In this video, J.J. goes over the widow’s penalty and why we encourage you to consider this in your retirement distribution planning.
While the stock market remains volatile so far in 2022, J.J. would like to focus on the Bond Market in this video especially for investors near or in retirement as they likely have much more exposure to bonds than others. We understand that bonds are incredibly boring and realize that we may never share another bond video again, but if there ever was a time to talk about bonds it is now.
Retirees are one of the age groups most likely to donate to charities and philanthropic causes, but few are getting the full tax benefits from their generosity that they could be. There are many different methods of making charitable contributions, some more beneficial than others come tax time.
In this video, J.J. is here with three tips that can help you get the maximum tax benefit from your charitable giving.
For the past 20+ years, most of our business has, gratefully, come from referrals made by our existing clients. This has caused our firm to expand in ways we never dreamt before. But as we continue to grow, we now have to be very selective about who we bring on board as a client.
In this video, J.J. and Melissa define the type of new client we serve best, so that we can continue to provide the personal level of service our existing clients have come to expect and deserve.
