Blog
What’s on our mind? You can read about it in our blog. Whether it’s ideas from the industry or emerging trends, you can read about it here. And once in a while, we may throw in a movie review or some other surprise. If there is a specific topic you'd like to hear more about, feel free to drop us an email!
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Your Emergency Fund Isn’t Optional.Here’s Why It’s One of the First Things We Talk About
You know you’re supposed to have one. Three months of expenses. Six months. Some version of “just in case” money sitting somewhere safe. But for a lot of people, it’s the financial goal that keeps getting delayed. There’s always...
Read MoreYou’re Not Bad With Money. You Just Don’t Have a Plan.
Let’s be honest.You’re not reckless.You’re not irresponsible.You’re not someone who “doesn’t care” about money.You’re just busy.Juggling work, family, responsibilities and money management keeps getting pushed to “later.”The...
Read MoreThe “High-Earner” Trap: Why Your Bank Account Doesn’t Feel Like Your Salary
You remember that number.In your 20s, you had a specific salary in mind, a "magic number" that represented "making it." You figured once you hit that bracket, the stress would vanish, the savings would pile up automatically, and...
Read MoreFinancial Wellness During Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Planning for Health and Wealth
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a time to honor survivors, support those currently facing treatment, and raise awareness about the importance of early detection. While the focus is often on health (and rightly so), it’s also...
Read MoreA Softer Way to Plan: Who Do You Get to Be When Your Money Supports You?
When it comes to financial planning, many people expect spreadsheets, projections, and complicated jargon. But the work we do starts with a much simpler question: Who do you get to be when you feel financially supported?What do you get...
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Financial Areas to Revisit
For many GenXers and Millennials, the years between 35 and 55 are filled with transitions—career growth, caregiving, homeownership, or changes in family dynamics. During these stages, it’s common to overlook key areas of a financial...
Read MoreSpring Clean Your Finances
Spring is the perfect time to refresh not just your home, but your finances too. With many of usjuggling multiple financial priorities, taking a moment for a financial reset can help ensure you'reon track to meet your goals. Here are a...
Read MoreThe Rise of the “Forever Renter”
In today’s housing market, the idea of homeownership as the ultimate financial goal isn’t as universal as it once was. More and more people are embracing the idea of being a “forever renter”—not because they have to, but because they...
Read MoreThe Importance of Reviewing Your Beneficiary Elections
When was the last time you reviewed your beneficiary elections? Life is constantly evolving, with changes in relationships, family dynamics, and financial situations. What seemed like the perfect decision years ago may no longer...
Read MoreUnderstanding 401k Withdrawals: A Guide for Generation X
As a financial advisor who understands Generation X, we want to provide some clarity on a topic that often sparks many questions: withdrawing from your 401k account. You may be considering accessing these funds for various reasons,...
Read MoreBenefits of Having a Personal Financial Advisor
You have a question about something related to your finances. What do you do? You do what most people do with access to the internet. You look it up. There is plenty of information on the internet, but the...
Read More3, 2, 1 LAUNCH – Teaching Your Kids About Money
Graduation time is just around the corner. Whether it’s Kindergarten, 8th Grade, High School or College, basic financial lessons are vital to launch your kids to success. When do you start? As soon as kids know...
Read MoreWhat is ESG Investing?
ESG investing has been in the news lately and it’s worth knowing about. ESG is an acronym for environmental, social and governance. It used to be known as socially responsible investing or SRI. There have been...
Read MoreInvestor Behavior During Uncertain Times
Let’s face it, the world is weird right now. The markets have been a roller coaster ride, the debt ceiling is a looming problem, Congress and the White House are arguing with each other like 6 year olds in a playground spat...
Read MoreWhat is the latest with student loan repayment?
There have been a couple of updates, and here is the latest:$10,000 loan forgiveness ($20,000 for Pell grant recipients) has been suspended due to two lawsuits challenging the forgiveness. The Supreme Court has scheduled hearings...
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Conversations Over Pie
During the holidays, we get the opportunity to connect and reconnect with friends and family. Many of the conversations that take place this time of year are about food, festivities, and holiday plans. However, we also have...
Read MorePublic Service Loan Forgiveness
Attention Public School Teachers, Professors, Military Personnel, Government Employees and all others in the public service sector! Did you know that you may be eligible for forgiveness of your student loan balance? If you...
Read MoreTax Savvy IRA Distribution Ideas
As we approach the end of 2022, it’s a perfect time to begin to consider your options for retirement plan distributions. If you are 72 or older in 2022, these options may apply to you. One of the options you may wish...
Read MoreInvestment Performance vs Investor Performance—what’s the difference?
While market volatility will no doubt have an impact on investment performance, it’s also a good time to focus on our own performance as investors. Buying low and selling high is sometimes easier said than done. What...
Read MoreStudent Loan Forgiveness Changes - What They Mean To You
You have probably heard that President Biden announced some federal student loan forgiveness. And you may be wondering how it will affect you. Many of our clients have taken the ostrich approach to their student loans...
Read More365 Days In The Making
We, at Emerge Wealth Strategies, wanted to take a moment to reflect on the last 365 days. You might recall that almost 1 year ago, our business moved from the Waddell & Reed Platform to our new home at LPL. This change...
Read MoreDoes your financial advisor empower you?
Do what your told… or not! Growing up, anytime I asked a “why” to an adult, the inevitable response was “Because I said so.” Maybe you can relate? Often, there are financial professionals...
Read MoreThings to Consider When Choosing a Financial Advisor
Things to Consider when Choosing a Financial Advisor Choosing a financial advisor can feel like an overwhelming task. Who do you trust? What questions should you be asking? So many factors to consider that might...
Read MoreStudent Loan Repayment: Important Considerations if you have Federal Student Loans
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How to get the most from your relationship with your Financial Advisor
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Using a solo 401(K) to Mega Backdoor Roth IRA your Retirement
Using a solo 401(K) to Mega Backdoor Roth IRA your Retirement If you've read any of my quotes in the media (ranging from CNBC to Nerdwallet) you'll know my full pledged appreciation for the Roth IRA. I graduated college at age 20 and...
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Filling out the FAFSA: What to know about FAFSA and your Expected Family Contribution
So, you’re about ready to send you son or daughter to college. Likely, you have worked hard to save money for tuition, room and board, and the occasional run to the bookstore. But while you have been saving on your own, now is...
Read MoreManaging a Spending Plan
How do you build a budget or spending plan when your income isn’t consistent? That is one of the most common questions we get from people trying to build a financial plan. When you have a paycheck with more or less consistent...
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Dentists and Money
I was recently approached by a young dentist who was feeling overwhelmed about his student loan payments. He had many other questions about his personal finances in regard to purchasing a home closer to work, whether or not to receive...
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Aligning your values and financial goals
Markets are volatile, the economy is currently in a recession and Coronavirus is running its course, so what do you do? Investors, when left to their own devices, have historically done a bad job of navigating market downturns. It is...
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Making a Move During the Pandemic?
Since the lock down in March, companies across the nation asked their employees to work from home (where possible), it seems even some formerly reluctant workers are embracing the short commute to their home office, pj's, zoom calls...
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Our new reality
This weekend marks a month here in Illinois where we have been under a shelter-in-place order. How has the past month changed your life? I have been checking in with clients. Some have absolutely no work and are trying to keep...
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The COVID-19 Stimulus bill and your Finances
As I’m sure you know, the $2 trillion “Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security” (“CARES”) Act was recently signed into law. The CARES Act is designed to help those most impacted by the COVID-19...
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Steps to Financially Prepare for a Divorce
So, you've realized it is time to move on. What do you do next to protect yourself financially as you go through the life-changing process of a divorce? Get copies of all your financial documents. At a minimum this will include: At...
Read MoreThe problem with consolidated and extended student loan payments
I recently worked with a client who had just over six figures of federal student loan debt. A few years ago, when cash flow was tight, she enrolled in an extended repayment plan. This managed to lower her payments to a manageable level...
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Having “Difficult” Financial Conversations Over The Holidays
A couple of months ago I had an interesting conversation with an exciting younger client. She expressed concern about who would provide care for her aging parents and how that could be paid for. She and her siblings all live in...
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Financial Planning: Sudden Windfall
As the leaves change color and the weather here in the Midwest gets progressively colder I'm reminded of the only certainty in life-Constant Change. One of my dear friends and clients reached out to me earlier this week and mentioned...
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Does your financial advisor understand your student loans?
Does your financial advisor understand your student loans? Three questions to ask to find out. Student loan debt has become an enormous issue for many people over the past couple of decades. It affects the student’s finances for...
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What does your ideal retirement look like?
Last week we hosted a painting event to allow everyone an opportunity to visualize their ideal retirement. As everyone began to paint, it was clear that people's preferences were quite different from the person sitting right next to...
Read MoreHave you considered a Credit Freeze to protect your credit & your minor child’s credit?
Have you considered a Credit Freeze to protect your credit & your minor child’s credit? Data breaches seem to be the top news headline in our day and age. Some big headlines include the most recent, where Capital One was hacked...
Read MoreSo what is Financial Planning?
I hope you are enjoying your summer so far! Wanted to wish you a Happy 4th of July 🎆 I am off to Europe today to explore the scenic castles from “King's Landing” (for all GOT fans) and eat cevapi on the streets of Sarajevo...
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May is Disability Insurance Awareness Month
May is Disability Insurance Awareness Month. I thought this was an important topic to cover, one that is often overlooked especially by small business owners. As Financial advisors, we focus a lot of our time on investing. Typically...
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Financial things to consider when expecting a baby
So one of my best friends is having her first baby! I am very excited for her for so many reasons, and I admit-one of them is selfish. Since having my two boys 4 years ago life hasn't been the same. I no longer go to the "adult only"...
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Couples and Money
I recently had a meeting with a couple I've been working with for over a year now and I was delighted to hear that they no longer fight about money. That may not seem like a big issue, but disagreements over money is the second biggest...
Read MoreSo you want to save more money in 2019?
So you want to save more money than you did in 2018? This is a top new year resolution for the majority of Americans, so let’s talk about it. I am a big proponent of new year resolutions, and so every year I sit my reluctant...
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