Roger Wohlner

There are pros and cons to Roth IRA conversions. (Image: Shutterstock)
Much has been written about the benefits of converting retirement assets in a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA. During 2020, Roth conversions received a lot of favorable press with tax rates being low and the stock market being depressed for part of 2020.
This is a retirement savings strategy that might be beneficial for some of your clients, but like any financial strategy it should be looked at on a case-by-case basis to de...

A Direct Stock Purchase Plan (DSPP) can be a cost-effective method for investors to accumulate shares in a particular company over time. It's become less popular as investing has become cheaper through online brokers. But direct stock purchases can still be an effective way to invest. If you're thinking about using a DSPP, you need to understand how it works. This includes knowing all expenses and fees associated with the plan. Let's dig in and find out more about Direct Stock Purchase Plans.

The terms bull market and bear market are used frequently in financial news media to describe stock market conditions. But just because financial experts use the terms doesn't mean everyone knows what they mean. Read on to find out more about the difference between bull market and bear market and what's behind them.

There can be significant tax advantages to taking withdrawals from one retirement account over another.

ESG INVESTING
flexshares.com | ESG Investing: Why It Makes Sense | 1 of 8
The premise behind ESG
investing is that companies
that properly integrate ESG
criteria into the fabric of
their business processes and
practices will see a positive
impact
Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) indicators, an extension of the Socially Responsible Investing (SRI) movement that has been around for a number of years, we believe are becoming increasingly important factors people are considering when th...

Source: iStock
To date, 2020 has been a rough year for investors with the stock market well off its highs reached in February. You may have a number of clients for whom a Roth conversion makes sense. Financial advisor Jim Blankenship, CFP, EA of Blankenship Financial Planning feels it can be beneficial to do a Roth conversion when account values are low. Why? “Because the reduced value of your holdings will likely increase significantly as the momentum swings upward,” he explains. “This way, ...

Source: iStock
The volatility in the stock market due to the COVID-19 pandemic is stirring a range of emotions, including fear in even some very experienced investors. Some of these investors might be your clients. As their financial advisor, part of your job is to help your clients look past any emotions they may be feeling and allow them to focus on their plan and objectives.
Controlling What You Can Control
It’s important for advisors to stress to clients that there are certain aspects of ...

Each fall, many companies offer their employees a chance to choose their employee benefits options for the coming year. Employee benefits are a significant benefit of working for a company. Choosing the best benefits option can help your clients save money on things like healthcare and other services. As their financial adviser you can serve as a key resource for your clients as they make their choices.
Benefit Options
Typical benefit options include:
Health insurance
Dental insurance
Disabil...

Low interest rates could mean that now is a good time to refinance your student debt, but it depends on your circumstances. Is refinancing the savings solution you’re looking for?
The pandemic has impacted many of us in various ways individually and economically as a whole. One outcome of this has been generally lower interest rates and unfortunately, a large number of job losses as well.
Low interest rates may indicate that now is a good time to refinance your student loan debt, but there ar...

For financial advisers whose clients are saving for their children’s college education, 529 college savings plans can be a good place to save and invest for this goal.
These plans offer the opportunity for money contributed to the child’s account to grow tax-free. If the money is withdrawn and used for qualified higher education expenses, there are no taxes or penalties on these withdrawals. Additionally, some states offer incentives for residents under certain conditions.
In advising savers ...

For investors who are charitably inclined, one giving option is making their donations using shares of appreciated securities.
Whether using shares of individual stocks, ETFs or mutual funds, this can be a good strategy for financial advisers to discuss with their clients who hold appreciated securities inside taxable accounts.
Donating appreciated securities allows investors to contribute the market value of the security while eliminating any capital gains taxes that would be due if they wer...

On Thursday, AT&T (NYSE: T) showed just how much it was pinched by cord-cutting and closed theaters. However, it managed to beat lowered Q3 analyst estimates, causing its shares to rise 1% in premarket trading. Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) also managed to beat estimates on Wednesday due to strong demand for its phone and internet services. As offices and schools continued to operate in a digital framework to surf their way through the pandemic, this trend fuelled Verizon's growth. It see...

Asset allocation is a common term among financial advisers and those involved with providing financial advice and investing. While it might be a common term for those in the business, do most investors truly understand it and its value?
This is an area where financial advisers can provide expertise and guidance to their clients.
While advisers likely won’t want to go into excruciating details about this topic, it’s important to help clients understand why you invest their money in the way tha...

Single folks investing and saving for retirement have some special planning issues for which financial advisers can offer valuable expertise.
Unlike married investors, single people are on their own without the additional retirement savings of their spouse to help build their retirement nest egg. Here are some issues that financial advisers can consider when helping single clients plan for their retirement.
Saving as much as possible for retirement is important for all, but especially so for ...

For financial advisers whose clients are saving for their children’s college education, 529 college savings plans can be a good place to save and invest for this goal.
These plans offer the opportunity for money contributed to the child’s account to grow tax-free. If the money is withdrawn and used for qualified higher education expenses, there are no taxes or penalties on these withdrawals. Additionally, some states offer incentives for residents under certain conditions.
In advising savers ...