Today is the deadline to file and pay your 2018 income taxes, but it’s not too early to start looking at 2019 tax planning and potential changes for 2020 and beyond. Both Congress and the IRS have changes in mind. The House Ways and Means Committee recently passed the SECURE act that would make a… read more
Barron’s Top 1200 Advisors
March 14, 2019
Posted in: In the News
In this week’s issue of Barron’s, Frank Moore was again named to the exclusive list of America’s Top 1200 Advisors. The number of advisors per state is based on population and wealth and there were just 30 advisors from Michigan again this year. Frank debuted on the ranking in 2017 at #28 and jumped to… read more
Tax Refund or Tax Cut?
February 15, 2019
Posted in: Financial Planning, Taxes
We’ve often heard frustrated people exclaim, “I had to pay taxes this year” when faced with writing a check to the IRS in April. The fact is, unless they’re very low income, most people pay taxes every year, mainly through the withholding from their paychecks, pensions or Social Security. With the dramatic change in the… read more
New Tax Forms
January 14, 2019
Posted in: Taxes
With the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act at the end of 2017, several provisions of the tax code changed considerably. From tax rate changes to the elimination of many deductions and a big increase in the standard deduction, many taxpayers and preparers are still wrapping their heads around the sweeping reform bill…. read more
Are You a Buncher?
December 13, 2018
Posted in: Charitable Giving, Financial Planning, Taxes
As the holidays roll around many people do their annual charitable giving. And these gifts usually come from the heart. But there’s also the tax deduction. Unfortunately, this year many taxpayers may find that their charitable donations won’t be deductible, though they may not learn that until their tax return gets filed in a few… read more
Open Enrollment Tips and Tricks
November 14, 2018
Posted in: Estate Planning, Financial Planning, Investments, Retirement Planning, Taxes
It’s that time of year to make key benefit elections for 2019. From healthcare to savings and everything in between, taking time this fall to review and optimize your benefit decisions can save you money and headaches in the New Year. Healthcare It seems that every year health insurance costs, and what you have to… read more
Will You Have a Healthy Retirement?
October 12, 2018
Posted in: Financial Planning, Investments, Retirement Planning
Do you know your weight? How about your cholesterol level? If you’re concerned about living a long and healthy life, you probably know both answers and are working to keep them in a healthy range. Now what about the net investment return on your retirement savings? Do you know what it was for 2017? How… read more
A Survey Course in College Funding
September 14, 2018
Posted in: College Funding, Financial Planning, Taxes
Many parents have kicked off a new school year and their children are one year closer to heading off to college. While that’s an exciting time in many households, it begs the question of how do I pay for it, and what incentives are out there? It’s easy to get lost in the noise of… read more
Where Will You Find Our Clients?
August 15, 2018
Posted in: Fee Only, Financial Planning
One question we sometimes get is “where do our clients live?” We decided to take a look, and the findings may surprise you. Clients and friends often assume that most of our clients live in the Ann Arbor area, but just over a quarter of our clients actually reside in Ann Arbor. And while the… read more
Senior Tax Savings
July 16, 2018
Posted in: Charitable Giving, Financial Planning, Taxes
With the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that increases the standard deduction to $24,000 for married couples ($26,600 for those 65+) and $12,000 for single filers, the textbook recommendations for itemizing deductions are being rewritten. A key deduction that hasn’t been altered significantly despite the changes in the tax code is the… read more