Wealth Wednesday

Welcome to the second part of our seven-part series on the keys to retirement success! Last time, we discussed the importance of cash flow in retirement. Today, we’re diving into a crucial aspect of planning for retirement: managing income taxes. Taxes are a fact of life, but with the right strategy, you can reduce their impact on your retirement savings. Let’s break down how you can plan effectively to manage taxes and keep more of your hard-earned money.

What is your definition of a successful retirement? Is it leaving a legacy to your kids or grandkids? Is it simply not running out of money? No matter what your definition is, the path to crossing the finish line is remarkably similar. Perhaps the most important one is understanding your cash flow.

As the calendar turns towards fall, it is natural to think about the young people in our lives heading back to school. With that in mind, we wanted to spend a few minutes talking about the new and improved 529 plans. The SECURE Act made some significant changes that alter how these accounts can be used.

We all face a difficult reality in our lives. At some point, either you or your spouse will pass away. This event creates an emotional wave. In addition, those feelings can be complicated by financial issues. Today we are going to talk about 5 things you need to consider when your spouse dies

When it comes to investing, emotions can be our worst enemy. Feelings of fear and greed can override rational thought and lead to poor choices. Make enough of those, and it can have a significant impact on your real-life return. As we head into the second half of the year, it’s time to hit the pause button on the noise and reflect on what really matters when it comes to stocks.

Catch the replay of our live show from July 3rd. We discuss: Stocks and bonds year-to-date, the impact of the Magnificent 7, market valuations, the importance of longer-term holdings, Expectations for a correction, and what we see going forward.

Tyler Brautigan and Zach Seese have joined the Commonwealth team as financial advisors. Tyler is in the Wheeling office. He recently completed the requirements to earn his CFP® designation. This makes the fifth member of our team to earn the Certified Financial Planner Professional­­™ marks. Tyler is a native of the Upper Ohio Valley, is married, and has three children. Zach is a recent graduate of WVU's financial planning program. He will be in the Parkersburg office. He has served the past two summers as an intern. He is currently preparing for the CFP® exam. He is also the son of advisor, Michael Seese

AI – Artificial intelligence. It is the new frontier of technology and could revolutionize every industry. This also includes the world of personal finance. It’s intriguing, exciting, and downright scary. Today, we dig in.