<strong>COVID Relief Bill’s Tax, Cash Benefits Can Apply to Some Wealthy Clients</strong>
Financial Planning | March 11, 2021 The $1.9 trillion COVID relief package signed by President Biden on Thursday isn’t aimed only at lower-income and middle-class individuals. Advisors say that many upper-middle-class earners and even the mass affluent can potentially qualify for a portion of the tax breaks or direct cash payments. Here’s a cheat sheet […]
<strong>What You Need to Know About HSAs</strong>
If you had unlimited resources and access to a saving account with the following characteristics how much money would you attempt to save in an account that: You can contribute money on a pre-tax basis Then grow your contributions tax-deferred And finally, access the contributions and tax-deferred growth free from income tax? What kind of […]
Our PT5 Process Interview on Business Innovators Network
We believe that every dollar has a purpose and a timeline. When and how your retirement assets will be used should be understood before making important financial decisions. We shared our unique financial planning approach with the Business Innovators Network. The Triplett-Westendorf Purpose and Timeline 5 Step Planning Process (PT5) begins with Discovery. Understanding where […]
You Just Received Notice of an Inheritance: What Should You Do?
You’ve just been notified that you are receiving an inheritance. Someone cared enough about you to include you in his or her estate. Maybe it was a parent, an aunt or uncle, a sibling, or a longtime friend. Maybe you were expecting it. Then again, maybe the notice came as a complete surprise. Regardless of […]
Ancient Wisdom of Pharaoh’s Dreams
Every workday I spend 30 minutes reading. This habit developed about 5 years ago after I was introduced to the world of personal development by my good friend Kevin. He’s been a big influence on my life, usually leading me to be a better person by example. I try to read books about topics that […]
When is a good time to convert from an IRA to a Roth?
When is a good time to convert from an IRA to a Roth? An attendee at one of our recent workshops asked us a question about Roth Conversions. Specifically, she asked “when is a good time to convert to a Roth IRA?” In short, the final two months of the year are typically when we […]
Will You Need Less or More Income in Retirement?
Our firm holds regular educational classes at the community college campus near our Ankeny, IA office. We invite folks in surrounding communities to these classes through direct-mail postcard invitations and digital invitations through Facebook. The invitations highlight several specific topics that we commonly cover during our classes. For example, strategies to optimize entitlement programs such […]
The Plight of a Retired Widow–Part 2
In last month’s publication we explored the complications that can arise when a retirement plan is designed for a married couple (filing taxes jointly) suddenly gets turned on its head at the passing of one of the spouses. This month we will examine the real-life challenges from the view point of fictional couple, William and […]
Retirement In Sight August 2020
Monthly News and Information for Current and Future Retirees Presented by Mark Triplett – AUGUST 2020 QUOTE OF THE MONTH “Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.” JAMES BALDWIN FIGURING OUT WHEN TO START YOUR SECOND ACT Many Gen Xers and baby boomers look forward […]
The Plight of a Retired Widow–Part 1
Death is never fun to talk about. However, it is an inevitable part of life. In 1789 Benjamin Franklin wrote in a letter to Jean-Baptiste Le Roy, “Our new Constitution is now established, and has an appearance that promises permanency; but in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” […]