With the current uncertainty about every single thing happening with the federal government, a question I get asked a lot is what I think will happen to Social Security. While I do believe reducing Social Security would be difficult to enact unilaterally (and SO unpopular that no sane politician would try it), there is the…
Ever since the Global Financial Crisis of 2008, the US Federal Reserve kept interest rates at nearly 0% to stimulate the economy. As a result, safe money (cash you held for emergency funds or short-term needs) earned no interest whether that money was in a checking account, savings account, or money market fund. For so…
This month, I’m pleased to feature the expertise of my friend and Realtor, Renee Cohen. Renee and I started our businesses around the same time, and I’ve always enjoyed exchanging ideas about growing our firms, serving clients, and the state of the economy. Recently, Renee added a certification to help divorcing clients with their real…
‘Tis the season to be scrambling around at the last minute to make your charitable donations. In 2024, you may have benefited from a big increase in your investments and would like to use appreciated stocks or mutual fund shares to donate to charity and get a nice tax break. But what if you don’t…
If you own a business or are in the business of actively managing your career, now is the time to get going on planning for a successful 2025. To help you focus, I’ve brought in CPA-turned-business-coach Sarah Nemecek for tips on designing a year of growth and productivity. KS: What is your best tip…
Anyone who has met with me and is contemplating a remodel knows that I loooove a Home Equity Line of Credit (aka HELOC). I think every homeowner should have one in place. If you don’t, maybe this is a New Year’s resolution to add to the list. Why do I think HELOCs are so great?…
The mortgage world is crazy these days. My clients have so many questions on how to finance that first house, upsized house, or downsized house. This week I’m thrilled to present the expertise of Carol Core to help make sense of the mayhem. Kristi: Everyone who bought a house in the last year is…
What is a secret blunder lurking in many people’s investment accounts? Uninvested cash left sitting for months, years, even decades. How does this happen? A simple misunderstanding upon transferring or adding new money to brokerage accounts. Here is how money gets invested in a brokerage account: Here is what often happens: …
Over the last couple of years in a higher interest rate environment, the appeal of I Bonds went from Zero (kind of like their returns prior to 2021) to Kardashian-level break-the-internet appeal. Many clients have asked if they should get on that train. My answer – as always – is “it depends.” Last week’s blog…
After many years of low inflation, starting in 2021 I Bonds began having their moment. So, here is a primer on how I Bonds work (today’s blog) and how you might use them in your portfolio (next week – that’s right, a two-part cliffhanger blog!) I Bonds are a type of U.S. Treasury savings bond…
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