Risk management is a key component in any successful business plan. In today’s world — where data breaches are common occurrences — it’s especially important for business owners to understand the digital risks they face. Are you doing all you can to mitigate the risk of a cyberattack? The importance of cybersecurity Many small-business owners...Continue Reading

Ever since a legal secretary named Ida May Fuller received the first retirement benefit check in 1940, women have been counting on Social Security to provide much-needed retirement income. Social Security provides other important benefits too, including disability and survivor benefits that can help you and your family members. 1. How does Social Security protect...Continue Reading

As a successful business owner, you don’t want to think about your operations being interrupted by a natural disaster or other unexpected event. Yet the possibility is a real one.  Natural catastrophes represent just a portion of the crises that your business could face. Although you may not be located in an area prone to...Continue Reading

Investing with your spouse can be a difficult transition as you get married.  Some people decide to keep their investments separate and others decide to combine finances when they get married.  There is no right or wrong answer, but there are some things to understand about your investments and income when you get married.  There are four types...Continue Reading

If you care about what happens to your money, home, and other property after you die, you need to do some estate planning. There are many tools you can use to achieve your estate planning goals, but a will is probably the most vital. Even if you’re young or your estate is modest, you should...Continue Reading

As a business owner, you’re going to have to decide when will be the right time to step out of the family business and how you’ll do it. There are many estate planning tools you can use to transfer your business. Selecting the right one will depend on whether you plan to retire from the...Continue Reading

Part 2: Get Technical In part one, we discussed the benefit of having a conversation about finances with your significant other, setting goals, establishing time horizons, creating a budget and paying off debts.  Now I want to talk about the financial accounts and investments that can hopefully allow you to reach the goals you set. ...Continue Reading

Part 1: Starting the Conversation Going from dating to engaged is a time full of joy.  The same can be said when you finally get married.  Within one year I graduated college, started my career, and will be getting married.  For me, there was something so special about walking through those many changes in life...Continue Reading

When developing a succession plan for your business, you must make many decisions. Should you sell your business or give it away? Should you structure your plan to go into effect during your lifetime or at your death? Should you transfer your ownership interest to family members, co-owners, employees, or an outside party? The key...Continue Reading

As the cost of a college education continues to climb, many grandparents are stepping in to help. This trend is expected to accelerate as baby boomers, many of whom went to college, become grandparents and start gifting what’s predicted to be trillions of dollars over the coming decades. Helping to pay for a grandchild’s college...Continue Reading