One quality we've noticed a lot of our clients share is a great curiosity. We're often asked about what we are seeing, reading and paying attention to. So, our own Seth Corkin has started collecting the most interesting articles he's coming across to share them with you in his new blog series, "What's New(s)?". Seth [...]
What are the qualities that make a great financial planner? Quite frankly, the technical skills needed to analyze and provide impactful advice are mere table stakes. Empathy: It's hard to imagine someone being effective in any "helping-based" career without the ability to understand and share the feelings of others. Curiosity: The instinct to ask great [...]
Rene discusses the recent run-up in Bitcoin and SPPs general view on crypto-currency for our clients. He's spent a lot of time researching and learning about crypto, and the role certain investors see for it in portfolios. We'll continue to monitor the role for our clients with an open and inquisitive mind. [...]
Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) are the (not so new) cool account in town! It is like a Roth IRA, but for healthcare expenses. You can open and contribute to an HSA if you are enrolled in an eligible high-deductible health insurance plan. The amount you can contribute is capped each year, but any contributions grow [...]
Ever wonder how Santa funds his operation? Does he have any plans to retire? Does he have to file millions of gift tax returns? In our biggest ever interview on BTC, we sit down with Santa to discuss his financial planning. The kids got a little face time with the big man [...]
I'm typically skeptical of recognition in our industry. Mainly because I know the behind the scenes of most of these "Top Advisors Award blah blah blah" we see from some industry publications. At first glance the criteria for what makes someone a "top advisor" is never very clear. You'll notice if you dig a [...]
Do you own mutual funds in a taxable investment account? If so, you should be aware of year-end Capital Gain Distributions. December (year-end planning season!) truly is the most wonderful time of the year (for nerdy financial planners.) Bottom line (if you don't want to watch the video): you should compare tax cost of holding [...]
The "right" time to sell an individual stock is one of the tougher financial decisions we see people struggle with. This can be especially tricky when it is your company stock and you feel more connected to it. But as these positions grow (specifically if part of your compensation is via additional stock), a single [...]
For part 3 of our series on the impact of the election on your finances, let's tackle the potential impact on estate taxes and the planning you can consider. Right now, the Federal estate exemption is as high as it’s ever been ($11.58MM per person!) with the exception of 2010 where the estate tax was [...]
Long-time clients of SPP have heard me describe our process of updating our business plan each year. Our focus for the year ahead always begins with exploring how we can best "improve the advice, service, and overall experience we deliver to our clients". Our hope has always been that the outcome of this mindset would [...]
