Articles and Videos

Managing Your Financial Future

Why Should You Hire a Financial Advisor- Episode 133

April 25, 2023

The question is pretty straightforward: Do I need to use the services of a financial advisor, or can I simply manage my investments, my retirement income, and my taxes by myself? The answer, though, is not readily apparent.  A financial advisor can help a person with a little, with some, or with all of their financial needs, depending on what each individual requires.  As we so often say, everyone’s situation is different.

Managing Your Financial Future

Why Your Asset Location Is So Important- Episode 132

April 18, 2023

You may have heard of something the investing world refers to as Asset Allocation, which has to do with deciding between asset categories like stocks, bonds, CDs, alternative investments, etc. It’s an important part of building your portfolio. But there’s another, equally important part that doesn’t get talked about nearly enough: Asset Location. This has to do with how assets located in different types of accounts (Roth, IRA, or personal) are ultimately taxed to you. When done properly, an asset location strategy may dramatically decrease the amount you’ll ultimately pay in taxes on those assets.

Investing and Personal Finance

Three Unique Benefits of a Roth IRA

April 13, 2023

Individual Retirement Accounts, or IRAs, are (as the name implies) savings vehicles for your retirement. Pretty simple. You contribute money to it over the years, allow it to grow and compound, and once you turn age 59½, you can begin taking penalty-free distributions if you so desire.  And that’s generally true for all IRAs, whether… View Article

Managing Your Financial Future

Is Your Nest Egg Doomed by Your Withdrawal Method?- Episode 131

April 11, 2023

Building a nest egg is relatively easy if you’re both consistent and patient. Regular contributions over time can lead to compounded growth, which may give you the amount of money you need to live on. But while building a savings can be easy, keeping it from running out is a whole other challenge. How you take withdrawals from your savings once you’re retired is crucial to the survival of your portfolio. If you’ve put yourself in a “reverse dollar cost averaging” (RDCA) situation, you could be asking for trouble. What is RDCA, and how do you avoid it? 

News and Press

Lucia Capital Group Named the Official Wealth Management Partner for San Diego Loyal Soccer Club 2023 Season

April 6, 2023

Lucia Capital Group announces that it will serve as the official wealth management partner for San Diego Loyal Soccer Club for the 2023 season.

Investing and Personal Finance

Deciding Between a Will and a Living Trust

April 6, 2023

Two of the most popular estate planning tools are a Will and a Living Trust. Both of these are estate planning documents that allow you to name beneficiaries for your assets so they’re distributed to your heirs after your death. But how do you determine which one might be better for you? 

Investing and Personal Finance

Avoiding a Tax Audit

March 31, 2023

Last week we talked about some of the things that might trigger a tax audit.  If you missed that video, we’ll have a link for you in the description. Sometimes, being audited is just pure random chance, but as mentioned in that video, your odds of being audited can go up significantly if your tax… View Article

Investing and Personal Finance

Are You At Risk For a Tax Audit?

March 23, 2023

Have you ever gotten something in the mail from the IRS?  It’s kind of scary, isn’t it?  Even if you’re sure you’ve done nothing wrong, just getting that letter seems to trigger an anxiety response, and makes you question yourself before you even read it: “Did I miss something?”    Sure, it’s a scary feeling, but… View Article

Managing Your Financial Future

Some Good News About 529 Plans!- Episode 130

March 21, 2023

You may have heard of a 529 Plan, which allows you to put money away for someone’s college education, have it grow tax-deferred over the years, and then be taken out tax-free when the funds are used for qualified higher education expenses.  The problem has always been, though, that if the money wasn’t used for those higher education expenses, it would be both taxed and penalized upon withdrawal.  That rule has now changed – in some circumstances, you can use some or all of that money to fund a Roth IRA. This is good news for many people who were looking at the prospect of extra taxes on a 529 Plan that had leftover money in it.

Managing Your Financial Future

Will You Be in a Lower Tax Bracket in Retirement?- Episode 129

March 14, 2023

Does retirement increase or decrease the amount of taxes you have to pay? You might think that once you begin retirement, your tax bill will tend to go up at first, since people normally have much (if not most) of their retirement funds in a company retirement plan (401k, 403b, etc.) – all of which are taxable upon withdrawal at ordinary income rates. But is this really the case?  Should retirees simply resign themselves to giving up a big chunk of their retirement savings to Uncle Sam?

Investing and Personal Finance

Is It Time to Re-Think Your 401k Allocation?

March 9, 2023

Have you thought much about your 401k lately? One of the great features of the 401k is its design – you can set it up, forget about it, and let the markets do what they always do. But if you’re about 5 years away from retirement, it might be a good idea to take a second look at your 401(k) allocation.

Managing Your Financial Future

Roth IRA vs. 401k: Which Is Better?- Episode 128

March 7, 2023

So you’ve got some money to save for retirement… Where should you put it? Would it be better for you to take a tax deduction right now by contributing to your 401k plan, or would paying the taxes now and socking it away in the Roth, with the potential to take it out tax free later on, be a wiser course of action?  This is a common dilemma for many people. What may be the better option for you?