5 Common Retirement Fears and How to Overcome Them
By Erin Wood, CFP®, Senior Vice President, Financial Planning and Advanced Solutions If we’re to believe everything we see in magazine and TV ads, retirement is a time of leisurely bike rides with your spouse, lunching with friends and exploring hobbies like painting or ceramics, all done i …
Do I Need a Financial Advisor? How to Know What You Need Now
By Erin Wood, CFP®, Senior Vice President, Financial Planning and Advanced Solutions, Carson Group Do I need a financial advisor? Given what I do for a living, I get this question a lot. I may be biased, but I think almost everyone would benefit from some kind of advice for their money. …
Do You Have a Cognitive Decline Plan?
By Erin Wood, CFP®, Senior Vice President, Financial Planning and Advanced Solutions, Carson Group My paternal grandmother was the type of woman who was always bustling with activity, whether it was hosting post-church lunches every Sunday or helping a neighbor in need. So, it was a bit …
How to Stick to New Year’s Resolutions
Picture this: My husband and I are squeezing in workouts by power walking at the gym where our daughter’s swim team practices. Normally, the brisk walks get our heart rates up and, after several laps around the indoor track, we’ve broken a sweat. In January, though, we find ourselves dodgin …
From Breadwinner to Retiree: How to Manage the Transition
By Erin Wood, CFP®, Senior Vice President, Financial Planning and Advanced Solutions, Carson Group While some people leap into retirement with joy, delighting in the freedom to pursue their passions or spend time with the people they love, others struggle to get their footing. They’ …
‘Tis The Season (For Open Enrollment): How to Pick the Right Options for Your Family
Life is busy, and sometimes we don’t the time (or the headspace) to make the savviest money moves. But if there ever is a time to roll up your sleeves and learn more, it’s during open enrollment —that period of time at the end of the year when you can sign up for new benefits …
The Opportunity in Change: How Changing Goals Change Financial Plans
During the pandemic, my family moved into a new house. We weren’t planning on moving, but that didn’t stop us from participating in the pandemic housing boom. But we did so at a time where the kids weren’t yet out of school, so for about three weeks, we owned two homes. Instead of having to …
The Cost of Infertility: Navigating IVF Financing
By Erin Wood, Senior Vice President, Financial Planning and Advanced Solutions After my struggle with pregnancy issues, I was surprised by how quickly I found out I wasn’t alone. Friends, relatives, coworkers – people I’d known for years – were suddenly sharing with me a vital but private p …
Estate Planning for Farmers and Ranchers
As a financial advisor who’s spent her career in the midwest, I’ve worked with more farm families than I can count. From buying new expensive equipment to riding out the drought years, there can be millions in play even on small family farming operations. Estate planning – splitting up the …
Charitable Giving Strategies for Successful People
COVID-19 caused an economic shockwave that we’ll feel for a long time. Nonprofits, from large global networks to the local churches, have been hit hard, too. In a recent survey of 110 nonprofits, 80% of them said revenue had fallen across the board.
