3 Steps to Prep for Tax Preparation; Money and More© January 2020

Having prepared taxes for almost a decade, I have learned what our best clients do to get ready for tax preparation.  US Income Tax law is quite complicated and can be intimidating if not overwhelming.  Before entering the financial planning profession,  I used outside preparers for my increasingly complex personal return. 

The Strategic College Plan

Essential Financial Strategies is pleased to announce a new service–The Strategic College Plan.   This service helps families figure out how to pay for college while minimizing  the future burden of college student loans.   Using a sophisticated knowledge base, Rorik Larson assists families to predict their Expected Family Contribution. 

Financial Peace: Creating it for the New Year; Money and More© December 2019

I have noticed over the years that clients that have financial peace of mind also have is to sufficient liquidity or cash on hand/emergency funds.   Having these funds available helps me and others feel a greater sense of abundance.  It helps cover the financial chaos of life and the ability to pay for life as it happens with much less financial stress.   That is financial peace of mind.

Yuck! Budgeting! I hate it! ( Not anymore) Money and More© October 15, 2019

From time to time I have had clients that I believed need to do some work on budgeting. In, both, my professional and personal life I like to walk my talk or said another way practice what I preach. So, it was time for me start or rather restart my budgeting journey. I had struggled in earlier attempts as I dislike bookkeeping type work and after a “honeymoon” period usually stop the effort.

Money and More© August 15, 2019 Retirement Investing

It can be scary retiring after a near lifetime of working.   Perhaps even scarier is realizing that you must live on what you have now in investments.   The markets daily ups and down with the television, radio, and social media hype only enhance this fear.  How are you to do your retirement investing?  Put them under a mattress or bank CD’s earning very little interest?  Here is a method that works for my clients.

Money and More© February 9, 2019

Thanks to the tax law changes, many taxpayers must now take the Standard Deduction on their federal income tax returns.   Additionally, the threshold for medical expenses jumped from 7.5% of Adjusted Gross Income to 10% in 2019.  There are strategies that can help save taxes in the short term or long term.

Money and More© January 19, 2019

Financial planners like myself often encounter clients wanting to know how to financially retire.   While retirement is about much more than just money, that is why folks frequently seek out financial planning.   These people just want to know “How much do I need to retire” to avoid living under a bridge?  This can become a kind of “Catch 22” question.

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