Category: Estate Planning

Worried

Why Haven’t You Updated Your Estate Plan?

Be forewarned. I am going to be candid here: Whatever excuse you just gave? It is just that—an excuse. First, it’s important to recognize that we all have dysfunctional families to some degree. Maybe you are facing substance or alcohol abuse, your kids are not getting along or there are others that don’t understand the…
Read more


January 24, 2025 0
Dollar

What is Your Money For?

Too often money is looked and considered for just what it is: money. A financial plan focuses on numbers, targets, returns, risk, etc., with a lot of hype placed on the latest and greatest investments, and returns on your money. After all, almost everyone wants their money to grow and they want to protect it,…
Read more


January 16, 2025 0
Goals

How Do You Live Your Best Life?

This is certainly a loaded question… and it’s meant to be. You might immediately think of the people you treasure, the things you love to do, the places you want to see, or the memories you have yet to make. There’s nothing wrong with a little mental wandering when you consider the question, but you…
Read more


January 7, 2025 1
Family

IRAs and Estate Planning

When you start your career in life planning and wealth management you realize every day is like drinking from a fire hose. As time goes on…it doesn’t really change. Unfortunately, there is ever increasing complexity that surrounds what seems to be the simplest of planning tools. IRAs, 401(k)s, and other like-kind retirement accounts are a…
Read more


October 23, 2024 0
Family

My Estate Plan – A Will vs A Trust

Just the idea of having a trust seems complicated…but is it? The truth is that not having a trust in certain situations creates significantly more complications than having one. Then again, that’s not always the case. So, let’s break it down and look under the hood. If you die with a Will most likely you…
Read more


October 2, 2024 0
Sunset

Tax Reform Sunset

Can you hear it?  It’s those two, ominous notes from the movie Jaws to let you know we are drawing nearer and nearer to the almost inevitable…the sunset of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017. This could mean that higher income taxes and estate taxes are headed your way. It’s important to…
Read more


June 26, 2024 0
Family

Discussing Finances Over the Holidays

The holiday season is upon us; from story time with sorely missed grandchildren to laughter with friends and family over long-cherished memories, there’s little doubt that “the most wonderful time of the year” has arrived. For most families, this season is a time of reflection and connection as we bid farewell to the old year…
Read more


December 27, 2023 0
Digital

What Happens to Your Digital Assets When Something Happens to You?

I’m so grateful Angela invited me to be a guest on the Life Planning 101 podcast. In this week’s episode, we talked about how technology — which makes our daily lives easier — has the potential to make things incredibly challenging for our loved ones, should something ever happen to us. One of the topics…
Read more


June 6, 2023 0
8 Life Planning Issues

Preventative Financial Care

The August 2008 Money Magazine offered up an article of several successful individuals talking about the smartest financial advice they have ever received. Billionaire and CEO of Virgin records, Richard Branson shared a story about his lack of knowledge in the financial realm and being humble about what you don’t know. Have you ever noticed…
Read more


April 19, 2023 0
Will

A Will is Not Enough

Have you ever been through the process of probating an estate? If so, you probably have a story or two you could share about it. If you haven’t, you may want to say a prayer that you won’t have to. We have always said that Texas is a friendly place to die. While this is…
Read more


February 1, 2023 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.