Articles and Videos

Managing Your Financial Future

Why Naming Your Estate’s Beneficiaries Is Vital- Season 6: Episode 2

June 15, 2021

Estate planning – it’s not just for the ultra rich! While many people don’t have estates that are large enough to warrant an estate tax (which, for married couples, is in excess of $23 million for 2021), there are other aspects of estate planning that most individuals should be aware of. The one that perhaps affects the most people is where beneficiaries are concerned. If you have assets that you want to go to specific people or certain organizations, it’s vital that you have your beneficiary assignments done correctly, even if you already have a will and a trust in place. What do you need to know about beneficiary assignments?  It’s all about making sure your assets go where you want them to go.

Capitalize

Are Annuities Good? Do You Actually Need Life Insurance? Interview with David Lau (Part 2) -Season 1: Episode 13

June 14, 2021

You may have heard that annuities are the greatest thing in finance. Or maybe you’ve heard that annuities aren’t right for anyone at all. The truth, though, lies somewhere in the middle: Annuities may be completely suitable for one individual, while another should never consider owning one. In today’s interview, Christoper Panagiotu, CFP®, CRPS®, talks about the good and bad of annuities, and brings up the question of whether life insurance is actually needed — or not — in part 2 of our interview with David Lau, founder and CEO of DPL Financial Partners.

Managing Your Financial Future

How To Know If Your Social Security Benefits Will Be Taxed- Season 6: Episode 1

June 8, 2021

Have you heard that your Social Security benefits are always going to be taxed as income?  Have you heard that they’ll be taxed at a 50% rate?  Or have you heard that your Social Security benefits are never taxed at all?  These statements (rumors, really) have made their way around the online world over the… View Article

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How a Qualified Charitable Distribution May Be One Of The Best Tax Moves for a Retiree

June 3, 2021

As you get closer to, or into, your required minimum distributions, you may find that the requirement to remove a percentage of funds from your tax-deferred retirement accounts is a bit of a tax burden.  Of course, if you need those funds to pay your monthly expenses, there’s not much you can do except bite… View Article

Capitalize

Retirement Got Harder, The Income Dilemma, and Interest Rates – Interview with David Lau (Part 1) -Season 1: Episode 12

May 31, 2021

For many retirees, it’s all about the income.  In fact, that’s true for almost everyone who’s either retired, or looking to retire in the near future.  How do you supply yourself with enough income to last the rest of your life? On this week’s podcast, host Christopher Panagiotu, CFP®, CRPS®, speaks with David Lau, founder and Chief Executive Officer of DPL financial Partners about the challenges of creating lasting, stable income during an era of low interest rates.  How do you manage when rates today are less than half of what they were just 20 or 25 years ago? Find out more on today’s episode of CAPitalize, the podcast for the intelligent investor!

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Is Hiring a Financial Advisor Worth It?

May 27, 2021

If you’ve ever considered hiring a financial advisor, you probably also asked yourself this question: Why should I pay an advisor when I could probably just manage my investments myself? It’s a legitimate question, and one you should consider carefully if you believe that self-management of your assets is a viable option for you. Is… View Article

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The Best Qualities of a Good Financial Advisor

May 20, 2021

Any time you hire someone to do a specific job for you — whether it’s painting your house, fixing your car, or anything else — you want to know that you’re getting value for your money, and that your project goals are going to be met.  Otherwise, you’re simply wasting your money and everyone’s time. The same holds true when it comes to hiring a financial advisor.  It should go without saying that the person who’s handling your life savings has to be trustworthy, but you should also expect to receive something from them that you wouldn’t have otherwise been able or willing to achieve on your own.  But what should those expectations be? In this week’s edition of Lucia Capital Group Weekly, you’ll hear from “Professor” Rick Plum, CFP®, about what he believes are the qualities of a good financial advisor, and what expectations you should reasonably have for that individual.

Managing Your Financial Future

When Should You Start Taking Distributions from Your 401k?- Season 5: Episode 12

May 18, 2021

If you’re retired, or you’re approaching retirement, there’s a decent chance that you’ve got some money saved up in what’s known as a “qualified” retirement plan – meaning one that gave you a deduction going in, is tax deferred while it grows, and then will be taxable when the money comes out. In general, we’re… View Article

Capitalize

Is It Really Possible to Retire Early? – Interview with Colin Slabach (Part 2) -Season 1: Episode 11

May 17, 2021

In this week’s episode of CAPitalize, host Christopher A. Panagiotu, CFP®, CRPS®,  continues his interview with Colin Slabach, assistant professor and assistant director of the New York Life Center for Retirement Income at the American College of Financial Services. What does it take to retire early?  Is that even possible?  And what can everyone learn from women when it comes to finance and investing? This – and much more – on today’s episode of CAPitalize, the podcast for the intelligent investor!

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Is It Possible to Over-Save?

May 13, 2021

We all know that if you don’t have enough saved up for retirement, you probably can’t quit working any time soon.  This is why we stress the importance of having a nest egg you can rely on, and building it as early as you possibly can. But is it possible that someone could actually save too much for retirement?  From a purely tactical standpoint, probably not.  More money is usually better than less.  But if your savings GOALS are set too high, such that you put off retiring until much later than necessary or you’re denying yourself more than you currently should, then it can certainly become problematic. Learn more about this savings dilemma

Managing Your Financial Future

The Conventional Social Security Strategy That Could Seriously Backfire- Season 5: Episode 11

May 11, 2021

Conventional wisdom, rules of thumb, standard advice – those are what the lazy person often resorts to when they don’t have an answer for you, or they can’t figure out what to do.  “Everyone else does it this way” is not always a good reason to pursue a strategy that may not be suitable for… View Article

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How You May Avoid a Tax Audit

May 5, 2021

Last week’s video dealt with some of the things that may trigger a tax audit of your return.  Of course, there’s no hard-and-fast rule about why anyone’s return might be looked at more carefully by the IRS than others, but we do know that certain actions, or incorrect accounting, can lead to an eventual audit. It’s always best to avoid those situations.  In this week’s edition of Lucia Capital Group Weekly, “Professor” Rick Plum, CFP, gives you some tips on how to keep the IRS out of your hair in the first place.