Would you know what to do if you lost your job?
Posted by The Lyon Group on November 1, 2018
We all know how important it is to be prepared for a fire, flood, or other type of emergency. What about something that seems less dramatic, but can be equally devastating, like unemployment? You can’t dial 911 or stop, drop, and roll, but you can take steps to help minimize some of the fallout from losing your job.
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Why We Do It
Posted by The Lyon Group on October 7, 2018
“What do you do when you’re full of life, and you learn
there’s a fast-growing cancer inside of you?”
Nautilus Member Bill Lyons shares the story of his client, Noelle, a free spirit who would rather spend her time helping others than think about herself.
Watch Bill’s story (3:01) to see how this remarkable woman reacted to the news that she would not watch her daughters get married, after all.
Asset Titling
Posted by The Lyon Group on September 2, 2018
Even if wills and revocable living trusts are drafted to maximize estate savings, titling and beneficiary designations of property may prevent the documents from operating as intended. Additionally, assets may not pass to the intended beneficiaries if not titled properly.
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Choosing the Right Insurance Mix
Posted by The Lyon Group on August 6, 2018
Should you purchase term insurance or is permanent insurance the better buy? If you already own a term policy, should you convert it to a permanent plan, such as whole life? Or is a flexible plan such as universal life the way to go?
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Donor Advised Fund
Posted by The Lyon Group on June 26, 2018
Donor advised funds (DAFs) are separate accounts of a sponsoring charitable organization established by a donor. The donor (or his designee) retains the right to make nonbinding recommendations for fund grants and investments. The sponsoring charity typically receives a small annual management fee and may assist the donor with selection of worthy grant recipients and performing due diligence on donor’s recommended grants.
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Planning for Privacy in a Public World
Posted by The Lyon Group on May 30, 2018
We live in a public world, where anyone with a computer, smart phone, or tablet can easily access an unsettling amount of our clients' personal information. Clients have become increasingly concerned with protecting their privacy and personal security, and often look to professional advisors for practical solutions. Below are several privacy planning strategies the professional advisor can recommend.
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Tax-Advantaged Education Funding
Posted by The Lyon Group on April 21, 2018
Saving for college education can be an intimidating undertaking for many parents who may be inexperienced with tax laws, and unsure how to balance their own financial goals, such as saving for retirement and the financial needs of their children. There are many options available to finance a child’s education, and which one or more options to choose requires consideration of many important factors.
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Gifts to Minors
Posted by The Lyon Group on March 4, 2018
Helping a child with his or her education or support often requires gifts. Fortunately, there also may be income and estate tax savings to making gifts to minor children. Gifts can be made directly or indirectly to a child, or to a trust for his or her benefit.
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Section 457 Plans for Non-Profit Organizations
Posted by The Lyon Group on February 10, 2018
Section 457 of the Tax Code provides the rules that govern all NQDC plans sponsored by “eligible employers.” The term “eligible employer” is defined to include states, their instrumentalities (e.g. schools, police departments, etc.) and tax-exempt organizations, but does not include “the federal government or any agency or instrumentality thereof.” A plan sponsored by a state or local government entity does not have to meet a specific ERISA exemption.
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Charitable Gifting
Posted by The Lyon Group on January 20, 2018
The desire to assist a charitable organization must be a primary motive for making a gift; if no charitable inclination exists, charitable giving is difficult to justify. Alternatively, if a charitable motive exists, the tax laws provide various methods and incentives to encourage the donor’s goodwill.
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Using the 1040 to Find Planning Opportunities
Posted by The Lyon Group on November 16, 2017
For most taxpayers, the best way to reduce current income is to establish and fund a qualified retirement plan or IRA. After deductible retirement plan contributions have been maximized, the next best thing from an investment standpoint is to find ways to defer investment income. Roth contributions may be appropriate where a current tax deduction is not as important as future tax-free income. Additionally, certain assets—such as non-dividend paying (growth) stocks, tax-efficient mutual funds and exchange-traded funds, deferred annuities, and life insurance—can defer income tax. With regard to investment income that cannot be repositioned or earned income, when possible, time the recognition of income to stay below the next highest tax bracket.
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365 Saturdays
Posted by The Lyon Group on November 8, 2017
Here’s an interesting question...“On which day of the week do you spend the most money?”
For most people, it’s Saturday. In retirement...every day is Saturday!
How will you pay for your 365 Saturdays a year?
I hope they are everything you wish for them.
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7 Steps to Protect Yourself After the Equifax Breach
Posted by The Lyon Group on October 3, 2017
From May through July, hackers exploited a website vulnerability at Equifax, one of the major consumer credit reporting agencies. If you have a credit report, there is a chance your sensitive and personal information including Social Security numbers, birth dates, addresses, and driver’s license numbers, may have fallen into the wrong hands. The stolen information could be used in tandem with passwords taken from other databases to commit financial crimes against you, reported a source cited by Consumer Reports.
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Tax Diversification
Posted by The Lyon Group on September 17, 2017
Is it better to fund your retirement with pre-tax dollars or after tax?
Most of the emphasis on diversification has revolved around having the right mix of stocks and bonds. But when it comes to tax-treatment, it’s not always so simple.
Watch a short video that may make a big difference in how you think about taxes:
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Junk Drawer
Posted by The Lyon Group on July 3, 2017
Most of us have at least one “junk drawer” in our house. But does the concept describe our financial lives?
Check out this two-minute video by my partner. See if you can relate.
De-cluttering – whether it’s your junk drawer or your finances may help you improve your game!
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Revocable Living Trust (RLT) vs. Traditional Will
Posted by The Lyon Group on February 8, 2017
Revocable Living Trust: No estate tax savings. Trust assets are included in the grantor's gross estate and subject to estate tax. The same estate tax planning methods are available as with a traditional will.
Traditional Will: Assets owned by the decedent are included in the gross estate and subject to estate tax. The same estate tax planning methods are available as with a revocable living trust.
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