Posts by Hunter Kuffel, CEPF®
Social Security
Does Disability Pay More Than Social Security?
Applying for Disability benefits has a reputation as a time-consuming and inefficient process. Consequently, many people entering their 60s who could potentially qualify for disability benefits may opt to just elect for Social Security a couple of years early to… read more…
Tax Policy
States That Do Not Tax Military Retirement
When deciding where to spend your golden years, it’s crucial for many of us to consider how the taxes of any prospective location will affect the income we’ll be living on. For retired service members, the state you live in… read more…
Tax Planning
How to Avoid Capital Gains Tax on Collectibles
Collecting is a pastime to which a great many people are drawn. The satisfaction of having a complete set of old stamps or unearthing a rare bottle of wine is quite easy to understand. However, a less easy-to-understand aspect of… read more…
Mortgage Basics
Fixed vs. Adjustable Rate Mortgages
Buying a home is one of the most important purchases a person makes in their lifetime. And therefore, it’s paramount that the mortgage one attains is the right type of loan for their financial needs. When deciding on a mortgage… read more…
Portfolio Management
How Much Interest Can $500,000 Earn Per Year?
The savings and fixed-income landscape grows more diverse every day and individuals have many options at their fingertips. When making an investment, you will want to consider how much money you could get in return. Here’s a breakdown of how much… read more…
Annuities
How Much Would a $5 Million Annuity Pay
Annuities can be complex, and it’s easy to be overwhelmed by the different types and sub-types, but they are one of the best ways to receive guaranteed income in retirement. While $5 million sounds like plenty of money to retire… read more…
Brokerage
TD Ameritrade vs. Fidelity vs. Vanguard
If you’re considering opening a brokerage account to buy and sell equities, chances are you’ve come across TD Ameritrade, Fidelity or Vanguard in your research. The three firms are among the biggest names in the financial services industry, and the… read more…
Brokerage
Robinhood vs. Schwab vs. Fidelity
In the world of brokerage firms, Robinhood, Charles Schwab and Fidelity loom large as three of the most prominent. As competing firms in the financial services industry, these firms naturally share several things in common, offering many similar products and… read more…
Market Analysis & Economic Trends
Are We Heading for a Recession? Here’s How to Protect Your Portfolio
Gross domestic product in the U.S. fell 0.9% in the second quarter of 2022, marking the second consecutive quarter of negative growth, the commonly accepted definition of a recession. The National Bureau of Economic Research is the body that officially… read more…
Certifications & Licenses
What Is a Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC)?
The chartered retirement planning counselor (CRPC) designation distinguishes financial advisors and other retirement professionals as experts in helping clients prepare for retirement. To become a CRPC, these individuals must meet several qualifications, undergo hours of training and take an examination. Once a… read more…
Trusts
How to Create a Living Trust in Maine
If you are considering an estate plan, there are many paths you can take. One way to protect assets for your family is to create a living trust. Probate and inheritance laws vary from state to state, which means that the… read more…
Trusts
How to Create a Living Trust in West Virginia
When planning your estate, you have different tools at your disposal to protect your assets for your loved ones. One such tool is a living trust, which many estate-planning experts consider to be a more iron-clad strategy than writing a will.… read more…
Trusts
How to Create a Living Trust in New Hampshire
If you’re thinking about your estate planning strategy, odds are you’ve heard about creating a living trust. A living trust can protect your assets and make life easier for your heirs. Residents of New Hampshire may particularly benefit from using a… read more…
Social Security
Guide to Social Security Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLAs)
Although the future is unpredictable, there are some things we can generally say with confidence. One is that prices are likely to rise, or inflate, over time, meaning the cost of living rises as well. Inflation affects those in the workforce, and… read more…
Investing for Beginners
What Is a Prospectus, and How Do You Read One?
In investing, a prospectus is a legal document that describes an investment security to potential investors. Required by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), a prospectus contains facts about the company or fund issuing the security. This can include… read more…
Trusts
How (and Why) to Use a Spendthrift Trust
Leaving money behind for an heir can be nerve-racking, especially if they’re new to managing money or have trouble controlling their spending. An estate planning tool that can help you in this situation is a spendthrift trust, which affords a trustee… read more…
Trusts
How to Create a Living Trust in Hawaii
In the realm of estate planning, it’s crucial to be proactive and to put a plan in place that takes care of your family. A great way to accomplish this is to create a living trust. If you want to plan your estate, a financial advisor could help guide you on important decisions for your… read more…
Trusts
How to Create a Living Trust in Massachusetts
Thinking about the best way to structure your estate may not be particularly enjoyable, but it’s essential if you want to leave a financial legacy to your family. For many, a great way to streamline things is through the creation… read more…
Trusts
How to Create a Living Trust in Nevada
Creating a living trust can be a great way to be proactive with your estate planning, giving you the means to protect your assets and make life easy for your family after you’ve died. But the rules governing the creation… read more…
Trusts
How a Special Needs Trust Works
If you have a loved one who deals with chronic illness or a disability of some kind, you want to be able to keep supporting them after you’re gone. However, you don’t want to disrupt their ability to collect funds from programs like Medicaid or Disability. In these situations, you can use a special needs… read more…
Brokerage
What Does It Mean to Buy Investments on Margin?
Buying on margin is a technique often reserved for intermediate and advanced investors through which someone borrows money from their broker in order to invest it. In the best-case scenario, buying stock on margin can increase your earnings significantly. On the… read more…
Income Investing
Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS)
One downside of many low-risk investment products is that the rate of the return often does not keep pace with inflation. That downside is eliminated with Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS). With TIPS, your investment principal increases alongside the Consumer Price… read more…
Insurance
What Is an Insurance Deductible?
When you have an insurance policy, you may have to foot the bill for some of your medical expenses before your insurance company starts chipping in. This initial amount is your insurance deductible. The size of deductibles can vary depending… read more…
Insurance
A Guide to Coinsurance and Copays
Having health insurance makes it possible to receive medical care while only paying a fraction of that care’s true cost. Insurance doesn’t cover everything, however. Some of the cost of your care is still up to you to pay, and… read more…
Financial Planning
Financial Therapy: What Is It, and Do You Need It?
Dealing with your finances can be very stressful. Financial therapists work to lessen that stress, or at least help their clients develop a more sustainable and healthy relationship to money. Financial therapy is a brand new field, but more people… read more…