Do you own residential or commercial real estate for investment purposes? If so, you may want to consider doing a cost segregation study to lower your taxes. It is a way for investors to more quickly deduct the depreciation of a property against their taxable income. By doing this, you can reduce your annual federal…
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If you have any fine art or collectibles (furniture, jewelry, etc), it’s a good idea to get them appraised. This way, you can insure them at the correct value. These items often have a special place in our hearts. You may have saved your hard earned money to purchase them. Or, you may have inherited…
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The crisis about the federal debt ceiling back in June was temporarily averted when lawmakers agreed to suspend the ceiling and ensure that the US didn’t default on our debt. However, there still may be a government shutdown looming later this fall, since the agreement reached included freezing some funding and capping spending. A fallout…
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The idea of a legacy is intriguing. Many of us feel a call to help provide for future generations or to leave our mark in the world in some lasting way. We strive to be good stewards of our blessings now so that we may not be a burden to others in the future and…
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We are about a month away from the TD Ameritrade/Schwab merger. For clients with accounts at TD Ameritrade, you can go ahead and confirm/create your Schwab Alliance login credentials. By doing this now, you’ll automatically have access to your Schwab accounts on Day 1 of the transition. To setup your Schwab login follow the below…
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I dug up a tiny Japanese Maple seedling from my parents’ yard a few months ago hoping I could transplant it to mine. Within a week of transplanting it, it looked dead. The leaves fell off and it looked pathetic. But, I kept watering it and noticed that the branches were pliable and alive. Then,…
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My family has lived in the same house for 20 years. During this time, 2 of the 800 houses in my neighborhood have been completely destroyed by fires caused by lightening. Our house backs up to a wooded area that is susceptible to fire. I’m a bit of a natural worrier, and so we have…
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We live in a world full of change. Each day we are met with new opportunities that can help us grow. Sometimes even the simplest of changes can be uncomfortable. To demonstrate this, try crossing your arms over your chest. Easy enough, right? Now uncross your arms and try crossing them in the opposite way. …
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The Answer: Connections. A Harvard study followed some 724 people over their lifetimes to answer the question: What makes us happy? As the study’s participants entered their retirement years, more and more of them communicated the difficulty of forming new and meaningful relationships outside of work. To maximize your happiness in retirement, I believe you…
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