By Brian K. Case, Certified Financial Planner® While keeping up on my reading about the latest investing and planning developments, I was struck by an article on charitable giving and how it can make a difference in a world dominated by bad news and no shortage of good causes. Bruce DeBoskey, a philanthropy expert, came…

If a disabling illness or injury were to prevent you from working for weeks, months or even years, how would you support yourself and your family? If disability strikes, you may discover that your most valuable asset isn’t your home or your savings – it’s your ability to earn a living. Group disability insurance can…

The IRS has released proposed regulations that would shut down some suggested workarounds for the new $10,000 limit on the deductibility of state and local taxes (SALT). The new guidance would close the door on a strategy offered by some states to circumvent the deduction limit by attempting to turn the taxes paid into charitable…

Blockchain is a data structure used to create a digital ledger shared among a distributed network of computers. In plain English, a blockchain reverses the way computer networks work and helps to make them more secure. Currently, computer networks connect to a central hub where information is stored. In blockchain, the information is stored on…

Congress recently made several changes to credit rules that benefit consumers. You are now allowed to “freeze” and “unfreeze” your credit report free of charge at all three of the major credit reporting bureaus, Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. The law also extends free credit freeze protection to children under age 16 and increases initial fraud…

The Medicare Open Enrollment Period is the time during which people with Medicare can make new choices and pick plans that work best for them. Each year, Medicare plan costs and coverage typically change. In addition, your health-care needs may have changed over the past year. The Open Enrollment Period is your opportunity to switch…

There’s no getting around it: A college education is expensive. But there are ways to reduce the cost. Although some of the tips below deviate from the typical four-year college experience, they just might be your child’s ticket to college – and your ticket to financial sanity. When the time comes, your advisor will help…

As you grow older, your housing needs may change. Maybe you’ll get tired of doing yardwork. You might want to retire in sunny Florida or live close to your grandchildren in Illinois. Perhaps you’ll need to live in a nursing home or an assisted-living facility. Or, after considering your options, you may even decide to…

You’ve saved for your child’s college education through the years, helped your child research schools and supervised the application process. Now, thankfully, your child is ready to head to college. But you probably can’t disappear just yet – there are still bills to pay. Maybe you underestimated exactly how much financial aid would cover. Or…

You know how important it is to plan for your retirement, but where do you begin? One of your first steps should be to estimate how much income you’ll need to fund your retirement. That’s not as easy as it sounds, because retirement planning is not an exact science. Your specific needs depend on your…