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We all know that college is expensive. We also know that the last thing on a child's mind is how they are going to pay for college, 5, 10, or 15+ years from now. To help the funding hurdle many parents and grandparents use 529 college savings plan accounts to help pay for this, possibly quite large, future expense. Although to a child, a contribution to a college savings plan isn't as fun or exciting as a hot new toy, but we adults know that saving a little for the future can go a long way.

Having an investment strategy is a key part to any comprehensive financial plan. At a high-level, this includes setting a target mix of stocks vs. bonds for your portfolio. But how often should you be rebalancing back to your targets when things inevitably drift higher or lower? Especially during an incredibly volatile year like 2020 where we've seen precipitous stock market drops followed by record highs later in the year - should you look to rebalance every week, month, or annually? How far off from the targets do you have to be to warrant a rebalance?

This year has been a challenging year financially for many Americans. With businesses closing, layoffs soaring, and many pay cuts implemented, if you weren't impacted you almost certainly know someone who was. It seems like a century ago, but to address some of these struggles Congress passed the CARES Act in late March to provide some much needed assistance to struggling families and businesses. There is still a chance for Congress to pass additional support before the end of the year, but as the days go by without any progress, this is appearing less and less likely.

It's just about the time of year when many people begin to experience the holiday rush. Believe it or not, Thanksgiving is only a couple weeks away, and Christmas a mere four weeks after that! During this time, many people will be excited for the upcoming days off from work and the time to reconnect with friends and family (although it may be digitally this year).

If you've been following the stock market at all, you know that it has been a bumpy year. After hitting record highs in February, when the coronavirus became more severe the market dropped precipitously shortly after, only to recover much of its losses since hitting lows in late March. As financial planners, a big part of our job is to help our clients navigate the uncertainty and help them stay the course to reach their long-term financial goals.

Annuities. Often considered a dirty word to both financial planners and consumers alike. As financial planners, we have seen many annuities sold to people who later regret the purchase. Whether they are high in fees, inflexible, or just not quite what they thought it was, many times these purchases come with buyers' remorse. Like any tool in a toolbox, an annuity is just another weapon in a financial planner's arsenal when it comes to crafting a complete financial plan. However, you have to understand what the annuity will and will not do. Annuities certainly have their uses, but we find they are often too broadly recommended, or incorrectly avoided, based on preconceived notions about the product. Here's what to consider when deciding whether to buy an annuity or not.