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A retirement plan is a structured financial strategy designed to provide income during non-working years. These plans include employer-sponsored accounts like 401(k)s, options, alternatives, individual retirement accounts (IRAs), and person

Wealth management isn’t just about growing your money, it’s also about making your financial life work for you. At its core, it’s a structured approach to handling investment management, tax planning, estate planning, and long-term...

When it comes to your financial future, having a clear and trustworthy guide is essential. Many people feel overwhelmed by the complexity of financial planning and struggle to find advisors who truly put their needs first. That’s where...

Roth 401(k) vs. Roth IRA: What's the Difference? Planning for retirement involves important choices, and understanding the key differences between retirement accounts can help you make better decisions. The Roth 401(k) and Roth IRA...

Entrepreneurs frequently juggle variable income streams, irregular cash flow, and the lack of employer-sponsored retirement benefits. This requires a more innovative and disciplined approach to retirement savings.

This guide will walk you through the options, clarifying complex topics and offer actionable insights.

This step-by-step guide will walk you through the essential components of retirement planning, from setting financial goals to understanding Social Security benefits.

For Women: Pay Gap Could Lead to a Retirement Gap

Erin Lapidus

Thursday, September 6, 2018

Women in the workforce generally earn less than men. While the gender pay gap is narrowing, it is still significant. The difference in wages, coupled with other factors, can lead to a shortfall in retirement savings for women....

Examining the Tax Paying Population

Erin Lapidus

Thursday, October 5, 2017

Where do you fit in? Every quarter, the Statistics of Income Division of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) publishes financial statistics obtained from tax and information returns that have been filed with the federal government....

What Are "Coaching Sessions?"

Jeff Lapidus

Tuesday, September 26, 2017

How do we approach financial planning for our clients? Here is just one of the many questions we receive in our inboxes. We’ll change the names to include our favorite couple, Joe and Sandy. Here it goes as follows: “My...

Tips for Reviewing Your Medical Coverage

Erin Lapidus

Wednesday, September 20, 2017

WHAT ARE SOME TIPS FOR REVIEWING MY MEDICARE COVERAGE DURING MEDICARE OPEN ENROLLMENT? During the Medicare Open Enrollment Period that runs from October 15 through December 7, you can make changes to your Medicare coverage that will be...

Can I Defer Medicare Sign Up?

Erin Lapidus

Friday, September 15, 2017

Can I defer Medicare sign up if I continue to work and be covered by my current plan? "I am a long time listener to your show and love the program. I turn 65 in 1 month and have a question about signing up for Medicare, I want to...

For Women, a Pay Gap Could Lead to a Retirement Gap

Erin Lapidus

Thursday, September 14, 2017

Women in the workforce generally earn less than men. While the gender pay gap is narrowing, it is still significant. The difference in wages, coupled with other factors, can lead to a shortfall in retirement savings for women....

Why work during retirement? Obviously, if you work during retirement, you'll be earning money and relying less on your retirement savings, leaving more to grow for the future. You may also have access to affordable health care, as more...

Hidden Wedding Costs

Erin Lapidus

Wednesday, September 6, 2017

THE COST OF A WEDDING Congratulations, you're getting married! While you're looking forward to the big day, chances are you're overwhelmed with all the planning you have to do...and how you can possibly afford the wedding of your...

Straight Talk Recap: Medicare

Erin Lapidus

Wednesday, August 23, 2017

We constantly receive emails from, who we like to refer to, as “Joe” or “Sandy”, commonly on the show. Also known as concerned individuals seeking help during a transition that can often seem overwhelming:...

Setting up a SIMPLE IRA Account for Your Employees

Erin Lapidus

Wednesday, July 26, 2017

Setting up SIMPLE IRA plans can seem overwhelming, but are pretty simple, and also something our firm specializes in for small businesses. Looking for a retirement plan for your employees that's easy and inexpensive to administer? Well...

Is It Wise to Trade Your Pension for a Lump Sum?

Jeff Lapidus

Sunday, April 16, 2017

Most private employers have already replaced traditional pensions, which promise lifetime income payments in retirement, with defined contribution plans such as 401(k)s. But 15% of private-sector workers and 75% of state and local...

Can You Get to a Million Dollars?

Jeff Lapidus

Friday, March 24, 2017

Often in life, you have investment goals that you hope to reach. Say, for example, you have determined that you would like to have $1 million in your investment portfolio by the time you retire. But will you be able to get there? In...

Spring Cleaning Your Finances

Erin Lapidus

Monday, March 20, 2017

The arrival of spring often signifies a time of renewal, a reminder to dust off the cobwebs and get rid of the dirt and grime that have built up throughout the winter season. And while most spring cleaning projects are likely focused...

What Are Bond Ratings?

Jeff Lapidus

Saturday, March 18, 2017

Bond ratings are an essential tool when considering fixed-income investments. Ratings provide a professional assessment of credit risk, or the risk of default, which can be measured to some degree by analyzing the bond issuer's...

Converting Retirement Savings into Retirement Income

Jeff Lapidus

Monday, March 13, 2017

You've been saving diligently for years, and now it's time to think about how to convert the money in your traditional 401(k)s (or similar workplace savings plans) into retirement income. But hold on, not so fast. You may need to take...

Navigating Divorce and Finance

Erin Lapidus

Tuesday, February 21, 2017

While divorce is never easy, thoughtful planning can help ease some of the pain. Here are key things you can do to keep on track while transitioning to your new financial life. 1 CREATE A BUDGET Track your expenses, figure out how much...

Four Lessons Grandparents and Grandchildren Can Learn Together

Erin Lapidus

Monday, February 13, 2017

If you're a grandparent, maintaining a strong connection with your grandchildren is important, but that may become harder over the years as they leave for college or become busier building their careers and families. While they're just...

Organizing your financial records is a cyclical process rather than a one-time event. You'll need to set up a system that helps you organize incoming documents and maintain existing files so that you can easily find what you need. Here...

Being self-employed has many advantages — the opportunity to be your own boss and come and go as you please, for example. However, it also comes with unique challenges, especially when it comes to how to handle taxes. Whether...

You're about to receive a distribution from your 401(k) plan, and you're considering a rollover to a traditional IRA. While these transactions are normally straightforward and trouble free, there are some pitfalls you'll want to avoid....

This is a hypothetical example and is not representative of any specific situation. Your results will vary. The hypothetical rates of return used do not reflect the deduction of fees and charges inherent to investing.Investing...