Pros of Contributing to an NQDC As with any type of compensation plan, there are both pros and cons of contributing to them. When it comes to the NQDCs some of the advantages that come from contributing include: An Ability to Save More When contributing to a 401(k) or another qualified retirement plan, there are limitations on the amount of money that is allowed

Six months ago, if you would have described a scenario involving more than 40 million people filing for unemployment, plunging corporate profits, and a highly contagious worldwide pandemic all translating to portfolios that are essentially flat for the year, we would have considered that to be highly unlikely. And yet, here we are. State of the Economy While economic numbers are still negative,

If you are one of the 90% of taxpayers who don’t itemize deductions, you cannot claim a federal deduction for charitable donations. To get past this issue, some people lump their charitable gifts together. Wondering how to claim a deduction for charitable giving? Curious about how clustering charitable gifts together can help? Here’s what you need to know.  Standard Versus Itemized Deduction  Before

This is the latest in a continuing series of posts where we feature a member of our team using a Q&A format so you can get to know them a little better – both personally and professionally. This week we’ll be interviewing Vonda Charboneau, who joined the team in September 1997 as Executive Assistant to Mark R. Brown. Vonda’s expertise in managing the

We know that as life happens, plans change. Nothing works out exactly as planned. Whoever thought the entire world would be shut down for a virus? Plan B™ is an important part of Brown and Company’s personalized financial analysis and retirement consulting services, custom tailored to help you deal with the ‘What if?’ scenarios life and retirement may throw at you. The best financial

After years spent launching and growing your business, the day will finally arrive when you can sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labor. But, just as starting your business involved hard work and planning, the process of exiting your firm can be a long and challenging process. Many entrepreneurs put off making decisions about the disposition of the business until their

Markets higher after holiday – Following the big gains in US equities last week, the S&P 500 Index opened above the 3000 level for the first time since early March. Asian and European markets fared better as well, with Japan a standout. Moreover, WTI crude prices are higher after a solid four-week showing. Meanwhile markets remain supported by signs of recovery as more

We have experienced a significant rebound in investment returns since late March, but if current conditions worsen are you prepared for another market downturn? The S&P 500 Index is up nearly 40% from its low on 3/23/2020. The chart below from CNBC is a visual representation of eight months through May 2020. That is a remarkable rebound, and we are encouraged to see

If you’re a small business owner, you’ve invested a great deal of time and effort into building your company. With day-to-day demands, it may be difficult to imagine your eventual transition into retirement. Yet, if you want to build personal financial security and ensure business continuation, it is important to plan ahead. Business succession planning can help create retirement income for a retiring

Whether your business has been temporarily closed by a state shelter-in-place order or is still operating as a provider of essential services, balancing your revenue needs with protecting the safety of your employees and customers can be an unprecedented challenge. Learn more about some of the resources available to help small businesses survive this pandemic, as well as steps businesses can take to keep employees healthy and

It is important to stay in the know about knowing when to enroll in Medicare. According to Medicare.gov, when you’re first eligible for Medicare, you have a 7-month Initial Enrollment Period to sign up for Part A and/or Part B. If you’re eligible for Medicare when you turn 65, you can sign up during the 7-month period that: • Begins 3 months before

Headlines had oil selling at -$37.63 per barrel at close on Monday, April 20. The negative sign in front? Sellers had to pay buyers $37.63 to take the oil off their hands. Except this wasn’t the price of oil. It was the price of a useful financial instrument, called a futures contract, in this case a contract for delivery of oil in May

Financial planning is never more valuable than it is during times like these. But it needs to be an ongoing process rather than a one-time event. The best way to illustrate this is to get specific. Here is a short video that explains how we’ve been working with our clients and the type of planning we’ve done:   Recession Preparation For more than

As an investor, you may be observing a couple things. First, the stay-at-home orders and the timeline pertaining to COVID-19 are being extended out. Second, there is a general sense that the news is going to get worse before it gets better. So, given that, why not take some money out of the market and wait for things to start to turn around?

With 90% of the country now in lockdown to slow the spread of COVID-19, large swaths of the economy and small businesses are in dire need of assistance for survival. To provide this support, a slew of policies are being implemented by the government, including the CARES Act that was signed into law on Friday, March 27. We have some practical recommendations we want

If you have cash to invest – now or in the near future – what is the best way to do that? This is a common question we’ve heard over the years, and it is particularly important at this point in time. The major market indices are down roughly 20% year-to-date and smaller company stock indices have lost 30%. But, even more importantly,

Here are the key components of The CARES Act: INDIVIDUAL ASSISTANCE Recovery Rebates Provides all U.S. residents with an adjusted gross income of $75,000 or less $1,200 for singles and heads of households ($2,400 for married couples filing joints returns). The rebate is phased out by $5 for every $100 over $75,000 that an individual receives, and phased-out completely for incomes exceeding $99,000

It is anything but business as usual in the U.S. and around the world today. With 1 in 3 Americans in lock down and most of the population trying to stay at home and practice social distancing, our wallets are shut not because we want them to be, but out of necessity for health reasons. Here are our most recent market commentary and