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In today's world, an individual's personal finances are ever changing and throughout each of our lifetimes we will have dozens of financial accounts. Think about how many times you may have changed banks, insurance companies, retirement plans, etc. Sometimes we create new accounts and forget about the old ones. Trying to track down old accounts doesn't have to be a nightmare because the internet makes it easier than ever to try and track down old accounts.

Star Wars. What an incredible franchise. Its movies have captivated audiences for decades, including financial advisors. Believe it or not, we do find some time between staring at spreadsheets and reading up on the latest change to the tax code to catch up on the important pieces of pop-culture. We can all enjoy these movies, but as financial advisors, we see things through a different lens, and Star Wars is no exception. Without further ado, we would like to present to you four financial lessons we can learn from Star Wars.

As more and more pensions have phased out, individuals have become increasingly reliant on other retirement savings vehicles, like a 401(k) or an IRA. We hear a lot about people not saving enough for retirement, but for those that do, it's likely they will end up passing their unspent savings to younger generations. This can leave the individual inheriting these accounts in tax situations they haven't come across before. While there are many options for transfers and distributions you have to make sure that you avoid making any mistakes that could lead to costly tax consequences.

No one likes talking about death. But as Ben Franklin said, the only two certainties in life are death and taxes. Although we may not enjoy talking about it, this is an incredibly crucial part of anyone's financial plan. But where do you start? After you have some sort of idea of what your wishes will be, it is crucial that you find a qualified estate planning attorney to set those wishes into action.

As financial advisors we understand that the topic of insurance is not the most exciting or glamorous. When we discuss insurance with our clients, we do everything in our power to keep their eyes from glazing over in boredom. Today we will discuss one the most plain vanilla policies, but arguably one of the most important, the umbrella policy. Stay with us because getting umbrella coverage could be one the best financial decisions you ever make.

While retirement is a chance to begin a new chapter, that does not mean it comes without financial risks. One of the most troubling is the potential for needing long-term care. According to longtermcare.gov an individual turning age 65 has almost a 70% chance of needing some form of long-term care service at some point in their life. With the costs of healthcare continually on the rise, what have you done to prepare to ensure you and your family are taken care of?