Filing taxes isn’t the highlight of most people’s year. It can feel overwhelming and potentially get quite expensive if you go in without a game plan. That’s why it’s important to prepare for your tax appointment in advance. Just like your financial plan helps keep your personal finances in order, some tax appointment planning can help you get your personal and business documents in order—making it easier to file your 2023 taxes.

Retirement planning can feel like navigating a sailboat through the Bermuda Triangle. From shifting inflation rates to unknowable health care costs, it can seem impossible to know exactly what route to take and how much to save. That’s why we created a Retirement Income Calculator to help you estimate what you may need to save to support your lifestyle into retirement.

Each year, the Social Security Administration (SSA) adjusts the benefits that retirees receive to keep up with inflation. On October 12, 2023, the SSA released its official cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) announcement. Here's what you need to know.

Serving in the military is a profound commitment that utterly transforms your lifestyle. Although it comes with its fair share of rewards, military life also brings a unique set of challenges—especially when it comes to finances. As a Veteran, you've made sacrifices for our country. In return, our government provides a host of benefits and opportunities for you. However, navigating the financial landscape post-service can be daunting.

For decades, investors have been told that investing in a portfolio of 60% stocks and 40% bonds is a tried-and-true method to diversify and optimize returns. This strategy assumes that most of the returns will come from your equity exposure while fixed income will provide the needed ballast to offset losses in down years for the market. Modern portfolio theory supports this methodology, and since 1945, it has yielded an average return of close to 10%.

Choosing long-term care insurance? Learn the 3 key features to evaluate—coverage options, cost considerations, and policy flexibility—to protect your future and make informed decisions.

Americans today are living their lives differently than previous generations. According to a Pew Research Center analysis from 2021, more adults than ever before are living single, with a partner, or raising their kids outside of marriage. In general, people are getting married later—or not at all.

Retirement planning is crucial for everyone, but it introduces particular challenges for women. With longer life expectancies, as well as reduced earning potential due to the gender pay gap and other factors, women face a unique set of obstacles in preparing for retirement compared to men.

Sometimes, it might feel like you're just scraping by financially. But every once in a while, you may receive a windfall of cash. Whether from your tax refund, a work bonus, an inheritance, or just accrued over time, smart financial consideration and a little planning can help you figure out how to put that cash to work.

Along with investment market volatility, high inflation has recently been a persistent concern for investors. In March 2023, The Federal Reserve added fuel to that fire by signaling its readiness to ramp up interest rates in response to a string of red-hot economic reports.