Posts by Curt Stowers
Should You Take A Lump Sum Pension Distribution?
So you’re faced with a choice: take the money now or wait for your pension to kick in. What do you do? In this article we take you through how to make the choice that is right for you
Read MoreShould You Hire a Financial Planner?
If you are like a lot of folks, you would like to work with a financial advisor, but you are concerned about the cost. Further, you have heard the chatter in the popular press – to maximize your chances of success, keep your investment costs as low as possible. And that is great advice that…
Read MoreFinding A Financial Advisor Even Your Mom Could Trust
You’ve come to the conclusion that you need the help of a financial advisor. Multiple friends have given you “their guys” name. You’re confused and overwhelmed. You don’t want to make the wrong choice and you’re worried that you may inadvertently hire the next Bernie Madoff. Sound familiar? That’s not surprising at all. For most…
Read MoreCash Out Your Stock Options?
With the stock market reaching new highs on a regular basis, the question of what to do with stock options is weighing heavily on many individual’s minds. While each individual’s situation is unique, there are some factors that you should consider as you make this decision: What is your plan? Decisions regarding the sale or…
Read MoreIt Doesn’t Just Happen – The Importance of Execution and Monitoring
General George S. Patton captured the essence of the final step: “A good plan violently executed today is far and away better than a perfect plan next week” And if you’re not a fan of Patton, I’d offer this all-time favorite: The road to hell is paved with good intentions Rule #10 – Your financial…
Read MoreReversing the Flow – Withdrawal Strategies for Your Retirement
One of the biggest shocks that folks often experience is when they make the transition from “accumulation” to “decumulation”. Suddenly the monthly habit of saving and putting money away becomes one of pulling money OUT of the accounts. Those balances that you have watched for years and have given you the sense of security now…
Read MoreGrowing Your Nest Egg – Investment Fundamentals 101
It’s everyone’s favorite question to ask a financial planner – “So what’s the market going to do?” And my favorite answer is…
Read MoreMaking Sure the Kids Move Out – Education Planning
Education is near and dear to me. My wife spent four plus years as a teacher, and I invested the time to get my BS, MS, and PhD degrees in engineering.
Read MoreHaving a Really Bad Day – Putting in Place a Basic Estate Plan
One of the most important parts of the financial planning process is addressing the issue of estate planning. While estate planning can be extremely complicated, there are four key components that you should have in place
Read MoreYour Greedy Uncle – Minimizing the Impact of Taxes
There are only two things that are certain: death and taxes. Now some folks will say paying taxes is “patriotic”; and, while I’ll concede, that we all have a moral and legal obligation to pay our taxes, I hardly consider paying more taxes patriotic.
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