Posts in General Financial Plan...
Health Insurance Options After Retirement but Before Medicare

Retiring before age 65 can feel exciting, but it also raises an important question: how will you cover health insurance until Medicare begins? Fortunately, there are several paths to consider.

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Why Not Target a 4% Income Rate For Retirees’ Portfolios?

At Beacon Financial Strategies, we agree that investments that generate income should be a valuable component of most retiree’s portfolios.  However, we also believe that maintaining a diversified investment approach will enhance returns and reduce risk for most long term investors.  This really proves beneficial during the distribution phase of your life as it provides for income, growth, potential tax efficiency, and flexibility as life changes. 

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2025 New Tax Law Updates: What You Need to Know

Join us for an informative session on the recently signed 2025 tax law and its impact on individuals and families. We’ll cover new provisions, changes to existing rules, and rules that are eliminated. This webinar will help you understand how the new law may affect your taxes and what that means for your financial planning moving forward.

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What Longer Life Expectancies Mean for Retirement Planning

Let’s face it, seniors today have access to improved medical care and are healthier, more active and are likely to have longer lives.  So what are the financial implications for retirees who will likely live well into their 80s and possibly their 90s? 

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Remember to Take Full Advantage of your 401(k) Plan!

Employer-sponsored retirement plans such as 401(k)s are some of the most powerful retirement savings tools available. If your employer offers such a plan, we would strongly recommend you consider participating.

 

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Swimming Your Way to Financial Success

The principles of efficiency, consistency, and composure bind swimming and financial success together. In both, it’s not about how hard you work, but how smartly you move forward.

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A First Look at Tax Updates in the New Law

On July 4th, 2025 the new tax and spending bill was signed into law.  There are many changes/updates included in the new law from taxation and spending to national defense.  While there are many opinions regarding the costs and benefits of the new law, we wanted to take time to outline the provisions that directly relate to our clients and their taxes. 

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Understanding Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) Rules

Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) have been around for many years.  Over the past few years, updates have been made via Secure Act 1.0 and Secure Act 2.0 so we wanted to provide a reminder and update on how the current rule works. 

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May 2025 Market Update and FAQs Webinar

During this webinar, Dave and Chip share their perspective on the current economic landscape and financial markets. They cover timely topics such as tariffs, interest rates, market valuations, and the outlook for domestic versus international investments. They also address some of the most common questions clients are asking right now—providing clarity and context to help you stay informed.

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Navigating Asset Allocation Decisions through Market Cycles

We frequently speak with clients about their asset allocation—especially during periods of significant market movement. These conversations often revolve around the desire to increase equity exposure when markets are rising and reduce it when markets are falling. While this instinct is understandable, a visual representation can often help illustrate why market timing is rarely a successful long-term strategy.

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Understanding the Cost of Medicare and IRMAA Rules

Did you know that your monthly Medicare cost adjusts based on your income?  While most retirees may know this, many pre-retirees do not. It is important for those who are not receiving Medicare benefits yet to understand the rules so that financial planning decisions can be made ahead of time to reduce or avoid the impact of this additional expense.

 

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Do you worry about your finances? You are not alone!

Over the years working with worried clients it has become obvious that going through the financial planning process and reviewing existing plans in the context of a changing financial environment helps alleviate worries.

 

 

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Training Your Mind for a Clearer, More Confident Future

Just like you can train your body to be stronger, you can train your mind to focus in a way that promotes clarity and good habits. This skill isn’t just helpful for managing daily stress—it can also be a game-changer when it comes to financial and investment decisions.

 

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Understanding Differences in the “Flations”

Over the past 3 years, the word “inflation” has dominated the headlines. In the current environment, there seems to be some confusion among investors and consumers regarding this term and what is happening. Therefore, we thought it would be a good idea to go over some of the key “flation” terms and clarify what each means and where we are today.

 

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Financial Planning and the Importance of Discipline

For most, achieving financial success isn’t about picking the right stock, saving to the right account, or even finding the perfect advisory firm. Financial success is most often achieved through discipline, intention, and consistency.

 

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How Do You Compare Target Date Funds?

Target Date funds have grown in popularity over the last decade especially inside employer benefit plans such as 401Ks.  On the surface, they all seem to be exactly the same.  First, you pick your fund based on your anticipated retirement date.  Then you let the manager handle the rest – they utilize their glide path and make the portfolio more conservative as you approach retirement.  While true, behind the scenes there are subtle differences that investors should be aware.

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Considerations for End of Year Tax Planning

As the year winds down, it is always a good idea to review your tax situation to determine if there are ways to reduce your tax liability or take advantage of financial planning opportunities that may exist.  Here are several items that may warrant consideration prior to the end of the year.

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