Should you move domiciles to pay lower taxes?

By Christopher M. Jones, CFP® | Published: May 24, 2016
Tax planning involves searching for and taking advantage of legitimate opportunities for tax reduction. As clients seek to reduce their tax bite, a common question is, "Should I move to another state to reduce my taxes?" For those on the East Coast, the move might be from New Jersey to Florida. On the West Coast, Californians may consider moving to Nevada.

New Ruling Holds All Financial Professionals to a "Fiduciary Standard"

By Christopher M. Jones, CFP® | Published: April 6, 2016
The fiduciary standard is receiving significant press in light of the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) approved expansion to the “investment advice fiduciary” definition under the ...

Inflation: The Grinch Who Stole Your Purchasing Power

By Christopher M. Jones, CFP® | Published: December 19, 2014
As the holidays arrive, there are many constants in life to be thankful for: family, friends, and experiences, just to name a few. As many of us gather around the dinner table, discussions of internet ...

Social Security: Timing Matters

Published: September 8, 2014
A few weeks ago Chris recommended that I read a new book, “Social Security Strategies”, to better understand some of the strategies that clients can use to get the most out of Social Security ...

Don’t put your retirement in jeopardy over college expenses

Published: May 9, 2014
Middle-aged parents face two huge expenses: college costs for their children and the even larger eventual cost of retirement. Many find it hard to juggle the two and get confused over priorities and where ...

Want to retire but cannot control the markets? Save more

Published: May 9, 2014
The old saying about not worrying about things we can’t control and concentrating on those things we can control applies to retirement planning, says Vanguard, the large mutual fund company. It ...

A lesson for young workers: Save as much as you can now

Published: December 19, 2013
Here is a lesson to keep repeating to your children and grandchildren: it is easier to save $381 per month toward retirement than to save $5,778 per month. Seems simple, doesn’t it? Yet it might ...

Marriage and wealth determine whether retirement is a success

Published: December 19, 2013
What is the secret to leading a financially successful and healthy retirement? Accumulate wealth while you are working and stay married in retirement. And, for the best individual outcome, die before ...

More Stocks Can Mean a More Secure Retirement

Published: September 24, 2013
Some people who are about to retire make a big mistake: They keep too much of their retirement portfolio in “safe” fixed-income investments, and not enough in “risky” stocks. Some ...

Retirees lose out on Social Security

Published: January 8, 2013
Many retirees are claiming their Social Security benefits too early and losing out on their chance to maximize benefits, according to figures compiled by the Social Security Administration. It’s ...