Blog

Karen Visits Philadelphia

Karen Melo Ticas, CFP®

Tuesday, October 10, 2023

I was fortunate to attend an AssetMark Investment Mastery conference this past September and lucky for me, my hubby tagged along on a little 5-day adventure to Philadelphia. To recap, it was an awesome two-day intensive class on how to...

Here are some rules to know if you were not the spouse of the original IRA owner. These tips are provided by one of the leading IRA experts whom we follow to stay up to date with law changes: #EdSlott #InheretedIRA #PlanningforGood...

What would you do with a windfall? It’s a question I’ve read or heard a lot lately. Considering the Mega Millions jackpot has now grown to $1.02 billion, it’s safe to say most of us have thought about what it would...

Review of Atlantic City and Margaritaville

Karen Melo Ticas, CFP®

Tuesday, September 26, 2023

Note: I write these reviews as I travel to help provide my clients with a little insight and inspiration! My aim is to review establishments, big and small, from the perspective of my unique client base. That is, I assess things like...

Review of Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort in Hancock, MA

Karen Melo Ticas, CFP®

Friday, September 8, 2023

If you ever find yourself traveling on Rt. 9 around Shrewsbury, MA, do yourself a favor and stop in at Pho Sure, a local Vietnamese restaurant. I stopped in with my family while headed back home from a vacation in the Berkshires...

It’s time for your life insurance checkup. September is National Life Insurance Awareness Month, so it’s a great time to review your coverage.1 If you don’t have any life insurance, you’re not alone. Life...

As pre-retirees, the prospect of financial freedom in retirement is a dream we all aspire to achieve. The essence of independence and freedom lies in enjoying life on our terms without worrying about financial constraints.

Review of Pho Sure - Shrewsbury, MA

Karen Melo Ticas, CFP®

Tuesday, August 29, 2023

If you ever find yourself traveling on Rt. 9 around Shrewsbury, MA, do yourself a favor and stop in at Pho Sure, a local Vietnamese restaurant. I stopped in with my family while headed back home from a vacation in the Berkshires...

At some point, you’ve probably heard the financial advice that says you should max out your 401(k)—i.e., contributing the maximum allowable limit each year. You can contribute up to $22,500 of your annual salary for this...

August is here, the month of simplicity and decluttering! As we embark on "Simplify Your Life Week," it's the perfect opportunity to take a step back, reassess our priorities, and streamline our lives for greater peace and fulfillment...

Your Vision & Objectives for Planning

Karen Melo Ticas, CFP®

Monday, August 7, 2023

One of the best places to start planning is by figuring out what you'd like your future to be! Try a visualization exercise and write down specific goals. This is important not only in articulating your thoughts, but clients have...

The Berkshire Museum

Karen Melo Ticas, CFP®

Thursday, August 3, 2023

If you ever find yourself in the Berkshires of Massachusetts, do yourself a favor and stop in at the Berkshire Museum. I stopped in with my family for the second time while traveling. Here are a few things we learned and saw at this...

We're so excited to announce our new Tax Planning Services! New planning tools have been introduced to our industry in recent years that allow financial advisors to review a client’s information in light of current tax rules.

June is Pride Month, a time to celebrate. Pride serves as a reminder of our progress in fostering a society that embraces people of all orientations, identities, and expressions. It is a time for us to honor the contributions,...

At Planning for Good, we strive to provide exceptional service and guidance to help you achieve your financial goals. Today, we're requesting your support through a Google review. Previously, financial advisors were restricted from...

Pride Month is here! All month long, people across the country are planning parades, events, and other community gatherings to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community.For this entire month, we honor our collective rights to live freely, love...

The clock is ticking on US debt ceiling negotiations. Treasury Secretary Yellen informed Congress that cash balances are estimated to run out by early June, the so-called X-date. With the deadline fast approaching, markets are sending...

Whether beginning your investment journey, saving for a major purchase, planning for college, or funding your retirement we will help to track and realize your financial wishes. Working together, we’ll review your objectives...

Birds singing, bees buzzing, and slightly longer days are all signs that winter has finally turned to spring. And with spring often comes the urge to deep clean your home, giving you the feeling of a fresh start. But spring cleaning...

Over the last two weeks, the banking system experienced stress not seen since the 2008 financial crisis. Today, the Fed raised the Fed Funds Rate by 0.25%. Fed Chairman Jerome Powell emphasized the resilience of the banking system...

Recent developments in the U.S. banking sector have a lot of people thinking back to the unprecedented events of 2008 and questioning the stability of well-known financial services organizations. It is natural to have concerns during...

What a week it's been! We're getting lots of questions about FDIC insurance, the SIPC protection program and similar programs offered for insurance and annuity products. Here's a quick summary of it all. Please click the link for...

In partnership with HerMoney, a digital media company, started by personal finance expert Jean Chatzky, focused on improving the relationships women have with money, the Alliance released the fifth chapter of new research, The State of...

Periodically, we'll be providing a flowchart with answers to the questions we most get asked! If this topic doesn't pertain to you at this time, stay tuned, more frequently asked questions will follow.

Over the last month, we’ve been proactively connecting with our clients by phone, Zoom meeting, and via a client survey.

I rolled over assets to an IRA. Will I pay tax on this? IRS form 1099-R will be generated for any distribution from a retirement account. To know if your distribution is coded as a non-taxable direct rollover, look for the code...

Clients can expect a tax form 1099, of various kinds, if (this is not an exhaustive list):You took a distribution from an employer retirement plan, such as a 401(k) or 403(b)Including a rollover to an IRA, which isn’t considered...

From eligible deductions to limits, changes, and deadlines, deciphering the annual tax updates can be challenging. We’ve attached this handy quick reference guide that outlines key tax information for 2023 so as you look to the year ahead,

Are you getting ready to change your name and dreading the process of updating all the various accounts and systems? Perhaps we can help… HERE is a list of the most common places where you’ll want to update your name....

The new year is an ideal time to review your financial goals for the future; it’s fresh, new, and a time of intention. Credit and finances go hand in hand, so it’s also the perfect time to spot-check your credit and...

Following a budget is one of the essential steps to securing your financial future. Coming out of the holidays always creates an opportunity to review your budget and refocus. Not only that, inflation has skyrocketed to levels not seen...

A summary of how time periods impact perceived risk and return.

One of the best ways to protect the security of your most important data, and to help ensure lenders are seeing your best credit score, is to check that all of your financial information is up to date and accurate.

A new year is on the horizon. Each day that comes presents something new and exciting both for you and the people in your life.Is this the year you open the door to something new and exciting? Embark on some new travel adventure? Or...

The holiday season is a time for celebrating and connecting with family and friends. It’s also a time of increased spending. Many consumers rely on electronic methods to cover the cost of gifts, travel, parties and gatherings,...

Are you tired of getting inundated with junk in your mailbox? Are you having to recycle more mail than you open? Not only is this a nuisance, but it could cause you to miss something important in the shuffle. Here are some tips to...

Thanksgiving is here, and we have much to be thankful for – In good times and bad, there is still much for which to be grateful. Our quality of life is remarkably high. We come through tough times and solve problems – and...

You need someone who will actively monitor your plan, someone who listens when you tell your story, someone who provides leadership at the right time.

The holidays are right around the corner, and you’ve likely got a long to-do list to prepare such as planning meals, booking travel, and picking out gifts.One holiday prep tip that often goes by the wayside but is most important...

This year’s COLA increase won’t be the all time highest, but the Senior Citizens League anticipated it to be as much as 8.7%. As it turns out, they were right on the nose. This tops last year’s 5.9% increase.

AssetMark’s experts review the markets and economy for last quarter and year-to-date. They also will review recent Fed actions, inflation, and the possibility of recession, as well as the investment implications for stocks and...

We’re entering a tricky time of year: September and October have a reputation for bringing an extra measure of market volatility.Some of the stock market’s most challenging events have hit in September and October, and...

If you’ve felt like stock prices were a little more volatile in 2022 than in recent years, your “spidey senses” are right on the money.The S&P 500 has posted 81 daily moves of at least 1% through August. Of those...

Yes, portfolio losses are painful, but volatility can offer opportunities to strengthen portfolios and enhance long-term results. In this edition of On the Mark, AssetMark Chief Investment Officer Christian Chan, CFA shares three...

"Where there's a will, there's a way." Sage advice that applies not only to our lives but to your estate strategy.

Summer’s here, and the time is right for vacations, outdoor activities, and fun. It’s also a good time to consider a few financial matters. Here are some questions to ask yourself mid-year.

Stock market losses can occur for a variety of reasons, sometimes they are driven by excessive market valuations after an extended bull market and other times, may be due to external events, such as a war or a pandemic.

Together we can learn about diversity, equality and inclusion. We get to dig a little deeper into LGBTQ history and share our hopes for the future.

Last week, the yield curve inverted for the first time since August 2019 (as a refresher, a yield curve inversion means that long-term interest rates have dropped below short-term rates).

I am overwhelmed with gratitude as I pause to reflect on the evolution of Planning for Good. It was 15 years ago that I made the decision to leave corporate America so I could focus on directly helping people manage their finances.

Since income taxes are currently top of mind, I thought I’d share a tip on where to find details of information provided to and from the IRS, which now has a new way to verify your identity.

The one thing that is certain when geopolitical events take hold is that uncertainty runs rife, and one thing that the markets don’t like is uncertainty. It’s during these times when market volatility picks up, it's most...

An important part of planning is to ensure that you think ahead and prepare: for the unexpected, for eventualities and for silly mistakes you’re sure you’ll never make, until you do! Like what, you ask? A sudden flood, loss...

Stocks closed lower for the week as escalating tensions on the Russian-Ukrainian border added to existing jitters over higher inflation and a pending tightening of monetary policy. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slid 1.90%, while...

If there’s one thing that causes me to roll my eyes, it is people patting themselves on the back for doing things they are expected to be doing. It’s for that reason that I don’t typically go-on about what our team...

Every February, Americans celebrate Black History Month. In addition to honoring the accomplishments of Black Americans past and present, many clients often ask if they can do more. The answer is yes! By supporting Black-owned...

Prospective clients often tell me that that they feel uncomfortable or embarrassed to share their personal circumstances with me, for fear that they will be judged. It’s likely been the thing keeping them from seeking help when...

Interest rates. Trade Talks. Inflation Fears. Political Events. International Developments. During the past year, every one of these events have influenced stock prices. So when you hear that the financial markets are reacting...

In order to bring your vision alive, we need a well-thought-out framework, we need specialists, and we need people to pay attention to the details and move things along smoothly.

By any measure, 2021 was a strong year for investors. But what’s in store for 2022? From my perspective, I expect that many of the same forces that influenced markets last year will play a role again in the year ahead. COVID-19...

Divorce can be an emotional rollercoaster, and because of its unique challenges, you can find countless articles online about how to get through it. That’s not my goal here. Below you’ll find some of the commonly overlooked...

We strive to keep you updated on the latest financial updates and information.  Each year the markets bring new surprises and 2021 was no different. Despite a slew of concerns including new COVID variants, inflation and supply...

Preparing for retirement just got a little more financial wiggle room. This week, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced new contribution limits for 2022.Staying put for 2022 are traditional Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs)...

In this day and age, we have endless responsibilities competing for our time. Some decisions are complicated and have serious repercussions if we make a poor choice, or neglect to act. Traditionally, we’ve learned to seek...

Let’s begin by defining “retirement”. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines retirement as “withdrawal from one's position or occupation or from active working life.” While this may be the traditional...