Advisors

andresr | E+ | Getty Images Covid-19 has disrupted tax and retirement planning for small-business owners, especially those who focused on saving their businesses from the pandemic’s fallout earlier this year. With some hard work, however, there is still time to get back on track by Dec. 31. Here’s a great example. After his business

David Rea in Chobe National Park in Botswana. Source: David Rea For two years in a row, something hasn’t changed on CNBC’s ranking of the top 100 financial advisors in the U.S.: Salem Investment Counselors has come in at No. 1. CNBC spoke recently with Salem’s president, David Rea, about why he believes his firm

Ariel Skelley | DigitalVision | Getty Images Nearly anyone can hang out a shingle and just call themselves a financial advisor. To be sure, the terminology in the financial services industry can be very confusing to investors. There are advisors, brokers, broker-dealers, certified financial planners, chartered financial analysts and certified investment management analysts, investment advisors,

Your bank account balance doesn’t have to stop you from being able to hire a financial planner. towfiqu ahamed | iStock | Getty Images There’s a big misconception that financial planning is only for the wealthy. The truth, however, is that financial planning is a path for anyone to actually gain wealth. The objective of

krisanapong detraphiphat | Moment | Getty Images Health-care coverage and costs are top of mind in this election year, and one of the loudest arguments between Republicans and Democrats is the claim they will protect people with pre-existing medical conditions. What does this really mean and why is it so important for your personal finances?

SDI Productions | E+ | Getty Images Set aside your panic over post-election tax policy and focus on something you can control: your 2020 tax bill. It’s no secret that Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden has an extensive list of tax proposals, including higher taxes on households with more than $400,000 in income and lowering

Former Vice President and presidential nominee Joe Biden gives remarks at UA Plumbers Local 27 Erie Training Center in Erie, PA on October 10, 2020. Demetrius Freeman | The Washington Post | Getty Images A “blue wave” of Democrat victories in elections next month could upend the normal incentives for tax planning this year. Typically,

Choreograph | iStock | Getty Images For the nation’s older cohort, the stakes can’t be higher when it comes to choosing health-care coverage. That’s partly because under Medicare — you’re eligible at age 65 — changing plans can be challenging in some circumstances and costly if you get your choices wrong. So whether you’re giving

Pascal Broze | Onoky | Getty Images Sometimes, an inheritance lands in your lap when you aren’t expecting it. Whether due to the untimely death of a loved one, or because you were a named heir and didn’t know it, the unplanned event may prompt uncertainty about how to handle the assets. Depending on what

Daniel Balakov | E+ | Getty Images With billions of dollars flowing into sustainable investing strategies, it’s safe to say it’s no longer a fad. Investors are pouring cash into funds that use environmental, social and governance criteria to screen the companies they invest in. Even passive investors are jumping in: There were 534 sustainable

Getty Images It’s no secret that many people worry whether Social Security will be there for them when they retire. And recent headlines could be stoking those fears. Last week, the Social Security Administration announced the annual cost-of-living adjustment will be 1.3% in 2021. The change will amount to just $20 more per month for

Jamie Grill | Getty Images If you’ve nearly drained your savings due to the coronavirus pandemic but have a retirement account, it’s now easier than ever to draw it down. While taking money out of such an account before retiring is generally something financial advisors say to avoid, it may make sense for those who

Paul Bradbury | OJO Images | Getty Images As more Americans push for diversity, equality and inclusion in the world around them, financial advisors are finding ways to adapt. The Black Lives Matter movement and nationwide protests have changed the dynamic, yet many financial firms are still dominated by White males. In 2019, 77.7% of

Mike Kemp | Blend Images | Getty Images Matt Becker opened his financial advisory practice, Mom and Dad Money, not long after he and his wife, Casey, had their first son, Aiden, and struggled with all the financial decisions new parents need to make. “I looked around and I didn’t see a lot of advisors

kate_sept2004 | E+ | Getty Images Young investors are more likely than older generations to seek out financial help from a computer than a human. In addition, the Covid-19 recession has led to more interest among younger people in getting financial advice. Financial advisors should take note. Millennials, a group spanning their mid-20s to late

10’000 Hours | DigitalVision | Getty Images This fall, when employees sign up for next year’s workplace benefits, they should take a close look at the offerings. Odds are they’ll be changing in 2021. The coronavirus pandemic was hard on employers and workers, forcing them to adapt on the fly amid social distancing and efforts

Westend61 | Westend61 | Getty Images It’s now easier for older savers to continue socking money away for retirement. Just be aware that unintended consequences may follow — and they could cost you. That’s due to the Secure Act, legislation that was signed into law late last year and took effect in 2020. The measure

FatCamera | E+ | Getty Images You may have recently received a new disclosure form, as mandated by federal securities regulators, from your financial advisor. Or, maybe not. And from where some experts stand, that may not be a bad thing. While a broad swath of the nation’s broker-dealers and registered investment advisors — known

Getty Images It’s no secret that 2020 has been an unpredictable year. And that uncertainty can cloud the decisions we make, especially when it comes to money. Consequently, investors and their financial advisors need to be on their guard for clouded decision making that could lead to regrets later. “It’s possible that the times have

Audience members listen as Democratic presidential nominee and former vice president Joe Biden participates in a CNN town hall event on Sept. 17, 2020 in Moosic, Pennsylvania. Drew Angerer | Getty Images Expanding the child tax credit Currently, families with qualifying children under age 17 may be eligible to claim a child tax credit of