Articles

Lifeboat

Are You in the Lifeboat with Your Investments?

Most of us know the story: It was 11:40 PM on April 14, 1912. Lookout Frederick Fleet spotted an iceberg immediately ahead of the Titanic and alerted the bridge. First Officer William Murdoch ordered the ship to be steered around the obstacle and the engines to be put in reverse, but it was too late.1.…
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November 24, 2020 0
College

College Funding in 2020

Paying for college tuition can be a daunting task: for the 2019-2020 school academic year, the average cost of attendance for private colleges and public colleges is $53,980 and $26,590 respectively.1 Among those who borrow, the average debt at graduation is $25,921.2 Luckily, there are some unique ways to fund college that can help you…
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November 17, 2020 0
Election

Election Results and Your Next Steps

Leading up to the election, we focused on several areas in your life that the results could have major impact on. Right now – post election – is the time to prioritize your to do list in light of the results. As I sit here writing, the presidency is still uncertain. Yet the House and…
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November 10, 2020 0
Farm

Ag-Value and Estate Taxation

According to the IRS: Estate Tax is a tax on your right to transfer property at your death. Due to what might be owed at your death, the government realized that estates comprised mostly of small businesses, farms, and ranches could face ruin after the death of the owner. So, in 1997 Section 2032A of the tax code…
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November 3, 2020 0
Complicated

Money Doesn’t Have to Be Complicated

Let’s just lay it out on the table: money often brings out the extreme in people. Money is a frustrating topic. You find two-sided information on every topic you search regarding money. Everyone you know seems to know everything about what you are going through. And caution! Marriage counseling may be required. It can be…
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October 20, 2020 0
Opportunity

The Opportunity in the Mirror

Remember when buying a coke was a treat and eating out for dinner was a true luxury? When you’d get a hole in your pants and your Mom would fix them – not throw the pants away?  When you walked down the street and truly overweight people – especially children – were few and far…
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October 13, 2020 0
Financial Planning

Real Financial Planning

In this world of vast information, just about anyone can claim to be a financial advisor. Moreover, the McDonald’s of financial advisors are popping up on every corner in those big brand names you recognize. Unfortunately, this means most of the advice families receive is generic information. I say “Unfortunately” because very few families have…
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October 6, 2020 0
Road

Are You Where You Want to Be?

You are where you are because you want to be there. Wait…what? Even Zig Ziglar didn’t agree. He shared a story about receiving written directions late one night from a man at a gas station. Thirty minutes down the road, he learned he went the exact opposite direction he intended. He didn’t want to be…
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September 29, 2020 0
Business

How Do You Successfully Transition the Family Business?

The most consuming questions are typically regarding logistics: How will the ownership look? Who will be in control? How do you structure it? How do you minimize taxes during transition? The most overlooked question, however, is the most important question. And it has nothing to do with logistics…. We sat down with a family last…
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September 22, 2020 0
Probate

What is Probate and How Can You Avoid It?

Beyond grief, one reality that loved ones must face when someone passes is the responsibility of dealing with the departed’s estate. This undertaking can be quite cumbersome, especially due to the seemingly “foreign” language of the law. One aspect, the probate process, is public. It is filed in the city or county in which the…
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September 14, 2020 0

Securities offered through Calton & Associates, Inc. member FINRA and SIPC, a Registered Investment Adviser. Investment advisory services offered through Smart Money Group, LLC, a Registered Investment Adviser. Smart Money Group, LLC and Kennedy Financial Services, Inc. are not owned or controlled by Calton & Associates, Inc.