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Technology Guide for Dementia Patients and Their Caregivers
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease or any other form of dementia, this can be an extremely challenging time. While promising new treatments are developing and research continues, a cure remains elusive....
Read More10 Financial Missteps to Avoid During a Divorce
Divorce is one of the most stressful life events. Even the most amicable splits can be complicated and emotionally draining. We likely all know couples who have gone through divorce, and it can be a trying time for everyone involved....
Read MorePreparing for the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act Sunset at the End of 2025
While we haven’t yet said goodbye to 2023, it’s not too early to begin thinking about any tax changes that may be on the horizon. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017 was designed to overhaul the federal tax code by...
Read MoreGrace Note October 2023
Does generative AI serve investors? Generative AI has been all the news during most of 2023. It might surprise investors to know that AI has been embedded in financial services for longer than they may think. In a CNN...
Read MoreThe Impact of SECURE 2.0 in 2024 and Beyond
SECURE 2.0: Changes Going Into Effect in 2024 Passed in 2019, the SECURE Act was the most substantial retirement legislation in over a decade. It contained important changes designed to help investors save more and be better prepared...
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A Year-End Financial Checklist
Time to Think About Year-End Financial Strategies As we roll into fall and the fourth quarter, now is a good time to pause and reflect on proactive ways to set up your finances for 2024. Economically speaking, we are now in a much...
Read MoreAI's Role in Shaping Our Tomorrow: A Look Ahead
While artificial intelligence (AI) is making headlines today, the concept of "thinking machines" can be traced back to ancient philosophers and mathematicians. The phrase artificial intelligence was first used in the mid-20th century,...
Read MoreGrace Note: September 2023
Do you have life insurance? For most of us, the answer to that question might be “Yes, through my employer”. But do you know what the coverage amount is? Many experts recommended having 5-10x your annual income as a...
Read MoreTop 10 Questions High Net Worth Individuals Ask About Social Security
Social Security, the program you may have spent a lifetime paying into, is designed to offer stability, supplemental income, and other valuable benefits that can play a role in your overall financial strategy after you retire. We've...
Read MoreUnderstanding the September Effect: What It Is and Why It Happens
If you ask the average investor which month is the most volatile for the stock market, they will probably say October. It's a reasonable answer, but it's incorrect. Despite October's reputation for market-defining events like the...
Read MoreDon't Get Hooked: A Guide to Recognizing and Avoiding Phishing
As financial professionals, we understand how vital it is to safeguard your personal and financial information. Unfortunately, in our increasingly digital world, cybersecurity risks, such as phishing attacks, have become a prevalent...
Read MoreGrace Note: August 2023
August; time for a check upBack to school is often a very busy time for many families. A quick tune up on your finances may pay great dividends later with a few steps now. Here are a few suggestions:As you get your kids...
Read MoreMoney Tips for Parents Sending Children Off to College
You’ve done a great job teaching your children vital life lessons and instilling values that will last a lifetime. As summer ends and a new school year begins, one thing that shouldn’t be overlooked, especially for...
Read MoreAttention Parents and Grandparents of College-Bound Students: FAFSA Gets an Overhaul
Changes are coming to the complicated form that students must submit to qualify for college financial aid, known as the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).The Department of Education is calling it the “most...
Read MoreThe 6 Biggest Mistakes DIY Investors Make and How to Avoid Them
The 6 Biggest Mistakes DIY Investors Make and How to Avoid ThemBodyIntroductionOver the last several months, I have met with quite a few self-proclaimed do-it-yourself (DIY) investors who, after struggling with the markets in 2022,...
Read MoreGrace Note: July 2023
Asset rich and cash flow poor….for those soon to retire or retired I became an advisor in 2009 in the heart of the financial crisis. ...
Read MoreHow the SECURE 2.0 Act Changed 529 Plans
How the SECURE 2.0 Act Changed 529 PlansBodyChanges to 529 Plans in the SECURE 2.0 ActThe SECURE Act was initially passed by Congress at the end of 2019 and was intended to improve retirement savings opportunities. It was a big deal at...
Read MoreHealth Savings Accounts: Pros, Cons, and Retirement Considerations
Health Savings Accounts: Pros, Cons, and Retirement ConsiderationsBodyWhat if your child needs braces? The cost may be as much as $6,000 for metal braces—more modern versions can run as much as $13,000. Your health insurance may...
Read MoreGrace Note: June 2023
Asset rich and cash flow poor…. “It never occurred to me to think of space as the thing that was moving.” Montgomery Scott I love quotes; sometimes a good quote gives me fresh eyes to consider some...
Read MoreTop 7 Most Common Estate Strategy Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)
Getting your affairs in order and outlining what you want done with your estate after you’re gone is one of the greatest gifts you can leave your loved ones. However, not preparing for the transfer of your assets can lead to...
Read MoreNavigating the Costs of Senior Care: Tips for Preparing for Long-Term Care
Senior care costs can be overwhelming, particularly when long-term care is required due to illness or medical conditions. With the number of seniors in the U.S. expected to rise exponentially by 2030, it's crucial to be prepared for...
Read MoreLiving Trusts: Understanding the Basics and Key Considerations
Estate management can be a complex and daunting task for many people, but it’s a critical step in helping your assets get managed and distributed according to your wishes.One popular tool that can be used in estate strategies is...
Read MoreMay 2023 Grace Note
Cash flow, keyman, and covenantsFor business owners, cashflow is the “blood” of your business’ circulatory system. As a fellow business owner; I understand the critical role cash and cash flow play...
Read MoreTrying to Time a Recession?
Economies move in cycles – always have, always willThe Federal Reserve has been steadily increasing interest rates in an attempt to slow the rate of inflation. Its efforts are yielding some results, although inflation remains...
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What Factors Have the Greatest Impact on Your Credit Score?
What Factors Have the Greatest Impact on Your Credit Score?BodyFun fact: You probably have dozens of credit scores out there, and each one might be a different number. You’re probably familiar with a credit score, why...
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Important Financial Considerations to Make When Remarrying Later in Life
Important Financial Considerations to Make When Remarrying Later in LifeBodyDiscussing personal finances is important for any couple preparing for marriage. However, this topic can be more complicated for those who remarry later in...
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Top Considerations to Help Adult Children Be Better Prepared As You Age
Top Considerations to Help Adult Children Be Better Prepared As You AgeBodyAs we get older, it’s important that our adult children are prepared to manage any aging-related situations that may arise. This includes everything from...
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Building your financial house is a lot like building your forever home
Building your financial house is a lot like building your forever home People are often surprised to hear the two houses linked.But the two share far more similarities than most people think about….In both cases, a blueprint...
Read MoreGrace Note: February 2023
Does Your Money Work as Hard as You Do? I love working with entrepreneurs. I grew up in an entrepreneurial environment and decided to embrace our family legacy and become one again in 2015. Entrepreneurs often influence...
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Grace Note- January 2023
The Overlap of Life Have you ever had a situation where...
Read MoreGrace Note- December 2022
If it’s too good to be true, it usually is!Over the fourth quarter, we want to share real "it's too good to be true" case studies with this Fiscal HarmonyTM community. Many of these stories have a genesis in market...
Read MoreLife Insurance – Is It a Good Investment Alternative?
If it’s too good to be true, it usually is!Over the fourth quarter, we want to share real “it’s too good to be true” case studies with this Fiscal Harmony™ community. Many of these stories have a genesis...
Read MoreIf it’s too good to be true, it usually is!
If it’s too good to be true, it usually is!After more than a decade serving clients in the financial planning industry, I have heard a lot of heartbreaking stories. As advisors, we keenly understand how the lack of financial...
Read MoreHow can you protect your most vulnerable family members from financial abuse?
There are few things in life that break my heart more than elder abuse. Unfortunately, elder financial abuse is rapidly on the rise, and those most vulnerable can be easy targets.So often, the shame associated with these situations...
Read MoreGrace Note- August 2022
“Money is only a tool. It will take you wherever you wish, but it will not replace you as the driver.”-Ayn RandWould you trust an entirely autonomous self-driving vehicle to safely transport you and your family to your...
Read MoreWhen is doing nothing the most important thing you can do?
As we approach the notorious second anniversary that we will leave unnamed, I’m reminded of why we continue to follow our SCORE model of financial planning. By investing our time to understand your story and build cash flow...
Read MoreWhich Came First, the Chicken or the Egg?
Every day, we work with clients who are both investors AND human beings with real emotions. Those very real emotions can, at times, short circuit our decision making when our fight or flight response kicks in.As an investor who is also...
Read MoreDo you have a financial well-being team?
I am probably crazy, but I actually love the first quarter of the year. It is a time when I have the opportunity to connect with clients’ CPAs, attorneys, business strategists and key business leadership to get the whole picture...
Read MoreShould you pay off your mortgage?
“Money is only a tool. It will take you wherever you wish, but it will not replace you as the driver.”– Ayn RandAs bonus season begins for our employee clients, we are often asked about paying off their house. My...
Read MoreDo you feel like you have a “financial junk drawer”?
“You must gain control over your money, or the lack of it will forever control you.”-Dave RamseyEverything is cyclical. As markets rise and often conversely become turbulent, marketing efforts of various financial products...
Read MoreWhen is doing nothing the most important thing you can do?
Orchestrating Fiscal Harmony™, Kelly Kunst CFP®Founder2021 Five Star Wealth ManagerOnce again, I am honored to be named a Five Star Wealth Manager by Texas Monthly. Nearly 4,000 Dallas-Fort Worth wealth managers...
Read MoreIt All Starts with a Plan
“It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan.”– Eleanor RooseveltIn my ten plus years in the industry, the number one problem I see repeatedly is investments with no actual plan. It feels a bit like a jigsaw...
Read MoreDo You Know Your SCORE?
Would John Williams have hired musicians for Star Wars before the score was completed? Do you know your SCORE?As 2021comes to a close, what are you most looking forward to in 2022? What 2021 accomplishments are you cheering and what...
Read MoreProtecting Your Family from Cyber Theft
What can you do to protect your financial information online? A few simple steps can make a huge difference fo you and your family!Far too often, the holidays bring not only joy but increased theft. Cyber theft and holiday scams seem...
Read MoreWhat Matters to You
What if you could make your money work harder AND help your passion philanthropic projects thrive?Sometimes, the daily news and social media feeds leave me feeling a bit dragged down. Does this happen to you? It’s in those...
Read MoreThe Covey Conundrum
Do you find you are working in the urgent, but not the important? How do you make decisions now that have a long-term impact?I like to call it “The Covey Conundrum” – that moment when the urgent tasks pile up and take...
Read MoreWhy Ownership Matters
Business ownership in the U.S. is on a tear! According to a CBS news article dated February 8, 2021, 4.5 million new business applications were filed in 2020. That’s a 24% increase over 2019.As a business owner, myself, I am...
Read MoreWhy Customization Matters
Have you ever been on social media, and a random ad pops up for something you would never want or need? I know I have, and I always think, “I looked at hummingbird feeders to hang along my fence. Why would Facebook think I now...
Read MoreWhy Fiscal Harmony
From time to time, clients and colleagues ask me why I named my practice Fiscal Harmony.The name comes from my love and understanding of music and my desire to help my clients find a harmonious relationship with their money and...
Read MoreThe Pursuit of Knowledge
Seven years ago, I was preparing to take the CFP exam. It was the culmination of a wonderful two-year learning experience that I knew would help me better serve clients.While my CFP studies were ending, I felt earning my certification...
Read MoreInvesting Time
Recently, I remarked to a new client that I tended to think slowly. I’ve found that taking time to process helps me make more strategic decisions on a variety of fronts, including working with clients.After more than a decade...
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