Laddering versus Chunking
Many times clients come to us to find a better rate than what their bank is offering when a CD is coming due. Sometimes they are looking for the best short term rate because they fear interest rates are going up and want to have the money available sooner rather than later. Other times they […]
Is a “Back Door” Roth IRA Right for You?
Have you ever known something was right for you and been told you couldn’t have it? It can be pretty frustrating. Many high-income earners, who would like to contribute directly to Roth accounts, cannot do so because of IRS income limits. However, that doesn’t mean it’s impossible for high-earners to reap the benefits associated with […]
Plan Early, Plan Smart
The old adage goes, “the early bird gets the worm.” The same rings true of financial independence. Those that start young are more likely to build substantial wealth over the course their lifetime. Those that wait may end up being forced to make concessions on their standard of living during retirement. Millennials are faced with […]
Family Finances When Dad’s Losing His Grip
I recently wrote this article for Money Magazine. Follow this link to view it. The unedited version is below: Just the other day, the daughter of a client of mine told me that she did not expect her father to last much longer. I had known that her father’s health had deteriorated somewhat, but he still […]
Secrecy or Transparency? – That is the Question
In reading through Trusts and Estates Magazine online, I came across two sets of opinions regarding what parents should tell their adult children with regards to family finances and estate plans. With our young children, we have not had these conversations yet but plan to do so after they start learning how to manage their […]
Financially Independent Children in the Age of Entitlement
“Father Merchant, Son Gentleman, Grandson Beggar” – Spanish Saying A few years ago, meeting with new potential clients who were considering retirement, it became clear that the biggest hurdle that stood in the way of a successful future was the continued dependency of their adult children. Even though the children were well into their forties, […]
Do Yourself a Favor on Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is one of my favorite times of the year. Not just because I’m surrounded by spectacular cooks who create some of my favorite dishes or round the clock football games. It is also the time of the year where we take time to say thank you and think of all that we have to […]
RISE UP – A Tribute to Patriots Day
What Do Falcons Do? “RISE UP” This past weekend we took our Franklin Wealth Management team to Atlanta for the weekend to see the Falcons in their opening game against the Saints. Our team has been working hard to achieve the many goals we set for them and this past weekend was a reward well […]
Do You Really Know What You Own?
WALL STREET’S PIGS AND WOLVES Brokerage firms are finding many stealthy ways to market proprietary products and strategies these days. We wrote about some of these conflicts of interest in our blog a few weeks back entitled Wall Street’s Pigs and Wolves. There are many good advisors at brokerage firms that are primarily focused on providing good advice […]
Freedom and Faith
Last week Jennifer and I visited New York City. Upon entering Manhattan, we were impressed with how clean and safe it now feels. One thing that was exceedingly evident is how the new Freedom Tower stands out above the rest of the New York skyline. Standing at 1776 feet to commemorate the year of our […]