Posts in Pre-Retiree
Finance in a Flash: So You Want To Retire?

What do we think about when doing a Retirement projection? Someone walks into our office and says to us"I want to retire" or "I want to prepare for retirement", what do we do from there? In this episode of Finance In A Flash, Erin Campbell joins Nick Faulkner to walks us through this process and discuss the details of how we prepare a retirement plan.

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Stocks Move in “Bursts”

Wouldn’t it be awesome if you could invest your money and earn a consistent 0.85% every month (10.25% each year)? Unfortunately, the fact of the matter is that stocks often move in abrupt bursts. These bursts of volatility can lead to high stress, doubts, or even unrealistic return expectations.

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Finance in a Flash: How Should You Think About Debt When Gearing Up For Retirement?

On this episode of Finance In A Flash, Nick & Erin discuss a very important topic in the Financial Planning world: Debt. They discuss a variety of questions such as; What is considered good debt or bad debt? Which type of debt should you pay off first? When you should look at refinancing your home, and much more!

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Headline Risk

In today’s connected world, headline risk is everywhere! As harmless as headline risk may seem, it can represent a huge deterrent in making progress towards long term financial goals. 

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Finance in a Flash: How Does Your Cash Flow Impact Your Retirement Plan?

On this episode of Finance In A Flash, we talk through cash flow and the enormous impact it can have on your retirement plan. To help walk us through this important topic we bring back our tax and planning expert Erin Campbell. Throughout this episode we discuss the three phases of retirement, common cash-flow myths, and much more!

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Why are Personal Expenses so Important to your Financial Plan?

What are your monthly expenses? It’s a simple question we ask every new client, and one that’s often difficult for them to answer. But, consider the importance of this basic question: In order to plan a secure financial future, a key element has to be the amount we spend on a regular basis.

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Finance in a Flash: When Should I Take Social Security?

On this episode of Finance In A Flash, we discuss one of the most frequently asked questions people have when considering retirement or when they are currently retired; "When Should I Take Social Security?". To help us tackle this important question we bring in Erin Campbell our tax and planning expert!

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Common, Life-Altering Financial Mistakes

Unfortunately, we have been around long enough to have seen people make some serious financial mistakes. Mistakes that can have life-altering consequences. Helping people knock the dust off and pick up the pieces is not fun. If there is a bright spot in going through these difficult times with clients, it is that our current and future clients get to benefit from the knowledge we gain from having helped clients during these setbacks.

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Finance In a Flash: 401ks and FAQs

On this episode of Finance In A Flash, Nick and Chip discuss the importance of contributing to 401k's and their benefits. They go through 401k frequently asked questions, tax benefits of 401k's, and have a quick discussion on how you should view investment options within your 401k plan. Chip and Nick then discuss what you should do if you have an old or inactive 401k plan and whether or not you should consider rolling it over to your new 401k plan or roll it over into an IRA. Lastly, always remember to check your beneficiary designations on your 401k plans!

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Beacon Financial Strategies' Market and Planning Update Webinar 4th Quarter 2020

Here is a replay of our October 20, 2020 webinar. During this webinar we discuss: observations on 2020 market performance, thoughts heading into the election cycle, tax planning opportunities as we head into the end of the year, and what have we learned from 2020. All followed up with a Q&A!

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Third Quarter Market Review

As the Covid-19 pandemic enters its 8 month, so many questions remain unanswered. How far are we from having a vaccine? Will there be an emergence of new Covid cases as the weather gets colder? Will states be able to effectively reopen local economies? Most importantly, when will things get back to normal? These unresolved questions all seem pretty important at the moment. However, will these temporary issues have a meaningful impact on a well-diversified, long term investment strategy?

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Finance in a Flash: What is "The Market"?

In this episode of Finance In A Flash, Nick & Chip discuss one of the most used phrases in all of finance, "The Market". What are people actually referring to when they say things like; "The market is crashing today!", "The market is down 1000 points", or "Stocks are soaring!"? Nick and Chip unpack the different indexes people may be referring to when they mention "The Market" and why you shouldn't always correlate the performance of "The Market" with your overall portfolio.

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Finance In A Flash: Should I Adjust My Asset Allocation?

On this episode of Finance In A Flash, Nick and Chip discuss a question that a lot of people have been asking during this turbulent time in the market; "Should I adjust my asset allocation?". They start with the basics of describing how they think about asset allocation throughout a person's lifetime and then transition into instances when it may or may not be an appropriate time to adjust your portfolio's asset allocation.

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Longer Life Expectancies and the Impact on Retirement Planning

Let’s face it, seniors today are healthier, more active and are likely to have longer lives. So what are the financial implications for retirees who will likely live well into their 90s and possibly their 100s?

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Alternatives for Avoiding Probate

Many people would prefer that their estates avoid the probate process. While the probate process is not overly costly in most states, it is generally considered a hassle to those who have experienced it. The following is a discussion on several alternatives for avoiding probate.

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Finance in a Flash: Why You Should Hire A Tax Professional

On this episode of Finance In A Flash, we introduce another member of our staff at Beacon, Erin Campbell. Erin is a principal and a co-founder here at Beacon, who also has her CFP & CPA designations. We discuss the advantages of having a tax professional on your side and the possible pitfalls people may face when doing taxes themselves.

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