Resources

According to the National Retail Federation, online sales accounted for over $1 trillion of total U.S. retail sales in 2021.1 Online shopping is especially popular during the holiday season, enabling you to avoid the crowds and conveniently purchase gifts using your smartphone or computer. Unfortunately, the popularity of online shopping also means that cyber criminals and online scams are more prevalent than ever. Here are some tips to help protect yourself when shopping online. Check your device. Make sure…

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Busy, cash-strapped parents might welcome all the help they can get when saving for college. Building a college fund, even a small one, can help families feel more in control and less stressed during the college research and admission process. Think of a college fund as a down payment. Then at college time, it can be supplemented by financial aid (grants, scholarships, loans, and work-study), current income, and student funds. A good benchmark is to try and save at…

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The passage of the SECURE Act in 2019 effectively eliminated the stretch IRA, an estate planning strategy that allowed an inherited IRA to continue growing tax deferred, potentially for decades. Most nonspouse beneficiaries, including children and grandchildren, can no longer stretch distributions over their lifetimes. Moreover, proposed IRS regulations require most designated beneficiaries to take annual required minimum distributions (RMDs) within the 10-year distribution period if the original account owner died on or after his or her required beginning…

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IMPORTANT DISCLOSURES Wellspring Financial Partners, LLC does not provide tax or legal advice. The information presented here is not specific to any individual’s personal circumstances. To the extent that this material concerns tax matters, it is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, by a taxpayer for the purpose of avoiding penalties that may be imposed by law. Each taxpayer should seek independent advice from a tax professional based on his or her individual circumstances….

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The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the 2023-2024 school year opens on October 1, 2022. Here are some things you should know. Why file it? The FAFSA is a prerequisite for federal student loans, grants, and work-study. In addition, colleges typically require the FAFSA before distributing their own need-based aid and, in some cases, merit-based aid. The few hours it might take to complete the form may be time well spent in order for students to…

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The importance of proper estate planning cannot be overstated, regardless of the size of your estate or the stage of life you’re in. Nevertheless, it’s surprising how many American adults haven’t put a plan in place. You might think that those who are rich and famous would be way ahead of the curve when it comes to planning their estates properly. Yet plenty of celebrities and people of note have died with inadequate or nonexistent estate plans. Michael Jackson…

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If you worry about your retirement investments during market downturns, you’re not alone. Unfortunately, emotions are often the enemy of sound investing. Here are some points to help you stay clear-headed during periods of market volatility. Markets Rebound Historically, even the worst bear market has bounced back and eventually gone on to reach new highs. In fact, since 1970, bear markets have lasted an average of 14 months. A Chance to Buy Low If you’re investing a set amount…

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