As a newcomer to financial planning, entering the world of investing without some basic principles to follow can feel a lot like Alice tumbling down the rabbit hole. All of a sudden, you find yourself in a bizarre alternate reality where normal, everyday language is replaced with “securities,” “beta,” “alpha,” “tranches,” “futures,” and “REITS.” You […]
Tax Planning 101: How To Make The Most Of Your Tax Bracket
(Note: all screenshots in this post are from our 2015 Numbers Unlimited financial planning worksheet, which you can access here.) With April 15 nearly upon us, you’ve submitted your tax returns by now, and the chances are good you’re breathing easy knowing the next tax season is nearly a year away. But before you get […]
Understanding IRA Transfer and Rollover Rules
If you have ever had any sort of retirement plan with your employer, you have probably at least heard the term “rollover.” Until recently, this term has generally referred to the process of moving your retirement funds from your employer-sponsored retirement plan to your own Individual Retirement Account (IRA), any number of times per year. […]
Secrets for Self-Employed Retirement Success
Saving for retirement as a self-employed individual can be difficult. Without an employer setting up and contributing to a 401(k) or similar plan, retirement savings often fall off the radar. But if you are self-employed without employees, you and your spouse have access to one of the most powerful and underutilized retirement planning tools available: […]
Quantifying the Value of an Excellent Financial Advisor
For any business relationship to work, the value gained for both parties must exceed the cost. The calculation for a financial advisor is quite simple: The relationship works for the advisor if the compensation received in return for advice and service is enough to cover costs and a reasonable profit. The calculus for clients, when […]
Home Bias – Winter 2015
If you’ve been with us long enough, you know that we value efficient diversification on a very large scale. True diversification decreases your risk without decreasing your expected return over long periods of time; an invaluable component of a robust financial plan. Not only do we invest in thousands of different securities, but we also invest across […]
Why Becoming An S Corp May Be Bad For Your Retirement Plans
Conventional wisdom encourages small business owners to form an S Corporation to reduce the amount of self-employment taxes they owe. The idea is to reduce your wages and pay profits out through a profit distribution that is not subject to the 15.3% (employee and employer combined) self-employment tax. For high earners with a willingness to […]
2014 Christmas Brunch
In celebration of this season and with deep appreciation of our relationship with you, we extend this invitation to an elegant Christmas brunch as our gift to you. We look forward to your presence and would be delighted to accommodate any guests that you would like to bring. Friday, December 12th, 2014 7:00 AM – […]
401(k) and other Pension Plan Contribution Limits Increase in 2015
It’s official: the IRS has announced the cost-of-living adjustments affecting 401(k) contribution limits for the 2015 tax year. Here’s a breakdown of the new changes, and how they might affect your ability to contribute to your retirement fund. Elective deferral and SIMPLE IRA Contribution Limits These limits apply to individuals seeking to contribute to a […]
Financial Plan is Moving – Autumn 2014
After 17 years in our downtown office, Financial Plan is moving to a new office location. Beginning October 1st, 2014 our office will be on Barkley Blvd. Our new address is: Financial Plan, Inc. 2115 Barkley Blvd, Suite 101 Bellingham, WA 98226 Our telephone and fax numbers remain unchanged, as […]