By Christian Hudspeth, CFP® This year, newly retired John and Mary lived on $100,000 of portfolio withdrawals while paying a 0% income tax rate on those withdrawals. They also moved $140,000 from their pre-tax IRAs into Roth IRAs this year. Through this Roth IRA conversion, they paid an average tax rate of just 8%. Inside...Continue Reading
By Christian Hudspeth, CFP® Good news for teachers, first responders, and public sector employees – the bipartisan passage of the “Social Security Fairness Act” means up to three million of these American public service workers will soon receive larger Social Security checks in retirement. The 2025 law repeals the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the...Continue Reading
By Christian Hudspeth, CFP® As retirement draws nearer, some holding large positions in tech stock begin to get nervous. Especially with the great performance these stocks have had in recent years. Take the performance of the “Magnificent 7” stocks – Microsoft, Amazon, Meta, Apple, Alphabet, Nvidia, or Tesla — over the past several years for...Continue Reading
By: Christian Hudspeth, CFP® “When can I retire?” “How much do I need to retire?” “Will I ever be able to retire?” Regardless of how much income people make or the size of their net worth, I’ve seen these questions bring anxiety to hard workers, entrepreneurs, and diligent savers alike. The average American believes they...Continue Reading
By Christian Hudspeth, CFP(R) You know the biggest misconception I run into among people who have never worked with a financial advisor before is? It’s that a financial advisor is going to tell you to save every penny and that you can never spend money on anything fun. This is a myth. A good advisor...Continue Reading
by Christian Hudspeth, CFP® The Secure Act 2.0 law continues to bring sweeping IRA and 401k changes to workers and retirees alike. And plenty of opportunities that could lead you to financial independence sooner. Since the law went into effect in 2023, Secure Act 2.0 has: Deferred taxes longer for IRA owners by raising the...Continue Reading
by Christian Hudspeth, CFP® “Should I keep my life insurance policy?” This is a question our clients often ask, especially those who have been paying life insurance premiums on their policies for several years or decades. To explore this question, let’s review life insurance’s main purpose. Why and When It’s Important to Have Life Insurance...Continue Reading
by Christian Hudspeth, CFP® The Social Security decision. Nearly every taxpayer in America must make it. When should I take Social Security? Could I be penalized or miss out on thousands of dollars over my lifetime if I make a mistake? How do I know if I made the right decision? The “when and how”...Continue Reading
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