This article covers what a donor-advised fund is and why you should consider one. We also get you up to speed on the tax benefits of using a DAF. If you've heard of a DAF and are curious about incorporating it into your giving and tax planning strategy, this article is for you. Key Takeaways: Contributions to a donor-advised fund... Read More
In this post, we provide actionable items that you can do to help reduce your tax bill in any season of life, as well as actions to take in the three phases of your financial life – working, at retirement, and in retirement. As humans, it’s in our DNA to crave action in moments of uncertainty. It’s the fight or flight... Read More
Checklists are a great tool for year-end tax planning so I’m writing to share two that we regularly use. Whether you’re a corporate employee, a business owner, or you are retired, it is likely that there are tax optimization opportunities to consider implementing before the end of the year. It is also likely that the optimization that is best for... Read More
This past weekend marked the 38th running of the epic Hood to Coast (HTC) relays. For locals in the Portland area, most of us have either run, volunteered or have friends participate in the HTC. For those not familiar, HTC is a relay race that starts in the Cascades on Mt. Hood, moves through the Willamette Valley and Portland, and... Read More
Anyone contemplating retiring in the next few years already has a lot on their mind—wrapping up things at work and planning the next phase of life, getting financially confident they are ready to make the leap, building a retirement income plan, and navigating the healthcare transition that comes with leaving an employer. All essential areas to address but the retirement... Read More
In Portland, the seasons have changed. Local breweries boasting seasonal beers are now offering dark porters in place of pumpkin ales. Ugly Halloween costumes have been replaced by ugly sweaters. And while the season typically associated with Harvest is behind us, there is another type of harvesting season that should be in full swing - Tax Loss Harvesting (TLH). What... Read More
What's the best way to manage my accounts? As an employee of Intel, you have access to a wide number of investment options, accounts, and benefits through your Intel retirement plan. These can be very valuable for your retirement planning and – at the same time – very complex and time-intensive to manage. The fact is, the traditional financial advisory... Read More
As we enter December, the last month on the calendar marks the final chance to cross your financial T’s and dot your I’s. For many, this means making last-minute charitable contributions, maxing out your 401k or ensuring your health care is solidified for next year. And for those individuals in their 70’s, this means satisfying their Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs).... Read More
We received a couple of questions on our recent post “How to Increase Retirement Wealth With the Right Withdrawal Order” and will address the first one here. (Note: as we mentioned earlier this year, we will be making an effort to address more reader questions on the blog this year, so, if you have questions send them in.) The question... Read More
Last time we looked at how to generate a paycheck from your investment accounts. Getting money out of your portfolio is important, but just as important is knowing from which account to pull the funds as most retirees are going to have some mix of taxable, tax-deferred (IRA, 401(k), etc.), and tax-free (Roth IRA) accounts at retirement. The order in... Read More
