Blog Investment & Financial News

Benjamin Rickey obtained the CIMA Designation

Benjamin J. Rickey recently obtained the Certified Investment Management Analyst® certification. Only 2 percent of financial services professionals hold CIMA certification, which is a credential designed specifically for investment advisors and consultants. The CIMA certification identifies individuals who have met extensive experience and ethical requirements and successfully completed advanced investment management consulting coursework provided through…

Don’t Roll Your Tax Refund Forward

Getting a refund this tax year? You might be planning to use this money like a bonus: buying things you need or want or even putting it into an investment account. However, many Americans choose to apply their refund to next year’s taxes. At first glance, it might seem like a sensible idea – prepaying…

Where Your Durable Power of Attorney Won’t Work

You’ve seen a qualified attorney and drafted up a Durable Power of Attorney so your loved ones can act on your behalf if you become incapacitated or disabled. You think everything’s set. But is it? A DPOA is a widely recognized and useful legal document, but it may not work in every situation. Social Security…

4th Quarter 2015 Commentary

Market Summary 2015 was a difficult year for investors as many of the major asset classes finished down or flat for the year. The trends over the last few years continued in the fourth quarter, including U.S. stocks outperforming most other world markets, declining prices from oil and other commodities, a strengthening U.S. dollar and…

2016 Changes Coming to Social Security and Medicare

The budget bill signed by President Obama in November included significant changes to the Social Security program. The changes have left many pre-retirees scrambling to make sense of the new rules. Here’s a breakdown of some of the changes coming: The Good News *No COLA. Existing Medicare beneficiaries won’t see an increase in their Medicare Part…

Capital Gains – FAQs

What is a capital gain? A capital gain is the profit when you sell a capital asset, such as stocks, bonds, mutual funds or property. The profit is your gain over the original price you paid and you must pay tax on that gain. For example, if a stock is bought at $50 and later…

Year End Tax Planning

With the new year just around the corner, now is a great time to think about end of year tax planning. If any of the following apply to you, it might be a good idea to call and schedule a meeting with your advisor before the end of the year.  Thinking of a Roth Conversion? If you are planning…

Bad News for Some Medicare Beneficiaries

According to the Social Security Administration, Medicare Part B premiums will be going up beginning January 1, 2016 for more than 7 million Americans. The reason for this increase has to do with the decision not to do a cost of living increase for social security in 2016. A provision in the law states that…

Company News

Employee Spotlight – Jacqueline Cremen

Shreds and Meds Day – October 28th at The Valley Mall

Employee Spotlight: Chelsie Smith

Employee Spotlight: Dirk Bernd

Congratulations, Gunnar!

Market Commentary

2023 4th Quarter Investment Commentary

2023 3rd Quarter Investment Commentary

2023 2nd Quarter Investment Commentary

Debt Ceiling: Should Investors Worry?

2023 1st Quarter Investment Commentary

Retirement Planning

2024 Key Financial Changes

Social Security Benefit Increase of 3.2% for 2024

The 4 Changes from SECURE Act 2.0 You Should Know for 2023

Medicare Open Enrollment for 2023 Begins October 15th

Social Security Benefit Increase of 8.7% for 2023

Tax Planning

2024 Key Financial Changes

2023 1099 Release Information

2023 Year-End Tax Planning

When do I start my Required Minimum Distribution?

UPDATE: Washington State Long Term Care Payroll Tax

Cyber Security

Red Flags When Transferring Money

Cybersecurity 101 – 2022 Update

Cybersecurity 101

New Changes to Web-Portal Password Requirements

Equifax Data Breach Update: Make a claim today