Crystal Wipperfurth, CFP®, CRPC®

Planning for the possibility of becoming incapacitated can be daunting. While many may have their estate planning documents squared away and have end-of-life plans carefully laid out, they may not have planned adequately for the possibility of incapacitation. Incapacitation, or the physical or mental inability to make or communicate your decisions, often caused by illnesses like stroke or cognitive disease, is a real threat for retirees. Incapacitation presents a unique challenge, in that your family members, designated POAs (Powers of Attorney), doctors or lawyers will need to make decisions for you – and will need access to your documents and…

Parents have arguably the most difficult job on the planet. Molding your children into high-functioning, independent beings takes more effort than simply teaching proper manners. The saying “actions speak louder than words” applies to some parenting duties – politeness, for example – but many valuable lessons must be presented to your kids through honest conversation. Unfortunately, financial conversations can often feel quite uncomfortable. In fact, 71% of parents have some degree of reluctance to discuss financial matters with their kids, but failure to have meaningful money conversations with them leaves them to learn from your actions alone, which are not…

Asking for help when it comes to your financial decisions is never a bad choice. Whether it is something as simple as, “How much should I contribute to my 401k?” or as big as, “Can I retire next year?” we could all use some help along the way. Enlisting the services of a financial planner is a major decision, since this person may ultimately be managing your financial life, maximizing your wealth, planning for your retirement, and helping you work towards major goals. Because of that, your search process should involve several steps as it would when hiring any sort…

So, you’ve finally graduated college and entered “the real world.” Maybe you have secured your first job, or are in a new city, and are feeling truly independent. Now that you have a professional income, you may think that you can spend money on whatever your heart desires. But have you taken a step back from all this newfound excitement to assess the state of your personal finances? For many young people, the answer is no. To take the next steps towards establishing a secure financial footing for yourself, first understand that personal finances are not to be left to…