Confessions of a Financial Planner: I’ve Held “Too Much” Cash
Have you ever wondered how and why a financial planner makes their own decisions around money? This new series “Confessions of a Financial Planner” is for you. Each month, I’m going to write one confession about an action I’ve taken that breaks a financial “general rule of thumb” or something I wish I had done […]
Kindness Financial Planning Turns 3 – Reflections from the 3rd Year
I’m celebrating Kindness Financial Planning, LLC’s birthday on December 9! The business turns three this year. The best word I can come up to describe this year is surreal. Like I’ve reflected in year 1 and year 2, building a business is still hard. I still ask myself, “Am I doing the right thing to […]
2024 Year-End Tax Planning Checklist
If no legislation is passed, tax rates are changing in 2026. That means you have the end of this year and next year with these current tax rates. Knowing that tax rates are lower and wider now, how will that affect you? Should you proactively be doing tax planning this year? The answer is yes! […]
How to Use a Crisis to Help Your Parents
You’ve tried everything to get your parents to plan for aging, but they still won’t do it. You want them to finish their estate plan, give you a copy of their durable power of attorney, discuss end of life wishes, tell you what kind of funeral services they want, and ask where all the important […]
Estate Planning Horror Story – Why You Should Ask More Questions
What estate planning horror stories have you heard? It could be money going to the wrong person, incorrect people settling the estate, or other restrictions someone never intended. I encourage folks to regularly review their estate plan, ask their estate planning attorney lots of questions to make sure they understand it, and consider putting contingencies […]
7 Factors to Choose the Best Retirement Location
Once you are retired, you don’t necessarily need to live in the same place. You can consider different factors to choose the best retirement location for you — not needing to worry about your commute to work. Where will you go? Although there are many different factors to choose the best place to retire, below […]
Write Your Own Obituary to Live Your Ideal Life
When my uncle died while I was in high school, I remember family and friends dividing tasks for my aunt. One of the tasks, writing an obituary, became a team effort. While someone took the lead, multiple eyes read it before it was finished — each person adding or subtracting a few words. There are […]
End of Life Lessons from My Mom
Elliott’s Note: After writing 9 Lessons I’ve Learned About Death and Money when my dad died, a reader said they would be curious to read an article from my mom’s perspective. They were interested in learning what would overlap and what would be distinct from a different generation. I asked my mom if she wanted […]
Is It Different This Time?
“A nuclear bomb was detonated today for the first time in 200 years” screams the headlines. The DOW Jones dropped 20%, hitting multiple circuit breakers where trading was temporarily halted. People are panic-buying household goods, including toilet paper, water, and staples like rice and beans. It’s inevitable that the war will drag on, stocks will […]
What to Do With An Old Annuity: 6 Options
A common question I am often asked is, “What should I do with an old annuity?” Maybe you decided years ago that it made sense to buy an annuity, were sold one without fully understanding it, or you had an agent explain it poorly to you. People often buy an annuity, leave it for a […]
