Facts Vs Feelings Take 5 – The Fed Pivot?
In the latest episode of Carson’s Take 5, hosts Ryan Detrick, Chief Market Strategist, and Sonu Varghese, VP, Global Macro Strategist, break down Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s comments from the Jackson Hole Symposium. While Powell cracked the door open to rate cuts, inflation remains sticky, an …
Your Most Common Social Security Questions Answered
Chances are we’ve all felt a bit like Rachel on the hit show “Friends” when she looked at her first paycheck in bewilderment and said, “Who’s FICA? And why’s he taking all my money?”
Market Commentary: Stocks Jump Following Dovish Comments from Fed Chair
The S&P 500 was down five days in a row heading into Friday of last week, although the losses were fairly minor with only one day down more than 0.5% (and that one barely). Then Jerome Powell opened the door for a rate cut in September and the bulls stepped up in a historic way. …
Your Money
MoreYour Social Security Game Plan
Have you given much thought to your strategy for Social Security benefits? It’s good to have a plan in place to help you make the most of this program. But you may have questions.
Do I Need Life Insurance? How to Choose Life Insurance Coverage and When to Reassess Your Needs
Just because we express a desire to do something, doesn’t mean we’ll do it. Insurance is a great example of this. A recent study on life insurance statistics showed that 42% of Americans report feeling that they need more life insurance coverage.* At the same time, the percentage of familie …
Health Savings Account (HSA) Worksheet
Did you know you can utilize a health savings account (HSA) to invest for your future? HSAs have many tax benefits, including tad-deductible contributions and tax-deferred growth. But is one right for you? This worksheet will help you determine if you qualify, as well as identify common mis …
2025 Calendar: Key Tasks & Financial Dates
Tackle 2025 with this month-by-month financial task list. We’ve also included important dates so you won’t miss any key deadlines.
Your Business
MoreYour Guide to Business Succession Planning
As a small business owner, you may be so immersed in the day-to-day functions of your business that you haven’t yet put much thought into the day you leave it behind. In fact, for many business owners, the thought of bringing their time to a close can be daunting. Yet planning for your depa …
Life Insurance Strategies for Business Owners
Owning a business can be like parenting. You’ve likely experienced many sleepless nights and spent a countless amount of energy on your “baby.” Like parenting, being a business owner can be an enriching journey and make life worth the trip.
From Tax Efficiency to Retirement: Financial Planning for Small Business Owners
Financial planning for a small business gets more complicated every day. Business owners must navigate tax efficiency (and life under the new Tax Cuts and Jobs Act), retirement preparations for yourself and your employees, and succession planning. Get your financial plan in place today and …
Business Succession Planning Checklist
You remember your first day of business. But what about your last day? Succession planning is more complex than it may seem. Our guide walks you through the details.
Your Retirement
MoreYour Most Common Social Security Questions Answered
Chances are we’ve all felt a bit like Rachel on the hit show “Friends” when she looked at her first paycheck in bewilderment and said, “Who’s FICA? And why’s he taking all my money?”
Social Security Taxation Worksheet
Did you know that your Social Security benefits can be taxed? That’s right, as much as 85% of your Social Security benefits—money that you put away over your entire career—could be subject to taxation when you receive the benefits in retirement. This worksheet helps you figure out if …
Claiming Social Security Benefits Early
In many cases, our parents, grandparents, and great grandparents started collecting their Social Security benefits as late in life as possible. Their generations believed it was a great way to maximize their benefits. As younger generations, we have spent our entire lives listening to their …
Medicare and Managing Health Care Costs in Retirement
Health care costs in retirement aren't going anywhere. Naturally, as our bodies get older, it costs more to keep them running. Let's look at the parts of this vital program and how it plays a part in your financial plan.
Your Legacy
MoreHow Estate and Gift Taxes Can Impact Your Financial Plan
Tom Fridrich, JD, CLU, ChFC®, Manager and Senior Wealth Planner Giving something you own to someone else. It’s a simple, human act – one that seems like it shouldn’t take too much planning to do it correctly. But when does gifting become a tax issue? What do you need to consider about gifti …
Why You Might Need a Power of Attorney
Have you thought about your legacy? We highly recommend that you appoint a trusted family member or friend as your power of attorney (POA), giving them the ability to help with your financial or health needs, should an unfortunate event occur in your life.
7 Tips to Successfully Transfer Wealth to Your Kids
70% of family wealth is lost by the end of the second generation and 90% by the end of the third. Get our step-by-step guide to help you successfully pass your wealth to the next generation. Download Guide
A Guide to Gifting to Your Heirs
Gifting to your loved ones now or posthumously each carries their own positives and negatives as they relate to your estate plan, taxes, your goals and your legacy.
Your Freedom
MoreCompounding Wealth (and Wisdom): The Power of Compound Interest
No single strategy works forever, but you also don’t want to change your approach every time the markets shift slightly. How does investing work – not just for a season or a year or two, but for a lifetime? Time is a major factor when it comes to successful investing.
How to Make Charitable Giving Part of Your Financial Plan
COVID-19 caused an economic shockwave that we’ll feel for a long time. Nonprofits, from large global networks to the local churches, have been hit hard, too. In a recent survey of 110 nonprofits, 80% of them said revenue had fallen across the board.
7 Economic Myths Busted
By Ryan Detrick, Chief Market Strategist We’ve been hearing many of the same myths over and over, yet we don’t think they are the big worry that the media and many make them out to be. These are legitimate concerns and have many investors worried, but we think the chances of them becoming l …
When Shifting Goals Mean Shifting Plans
Your financial plan shouldn't look the same at 55 as it did when you were 35, right? So how do you know when it's time to adjust your plan?
Market & Investments
MoreFacts Vs Feelings Take 5 – The Fed Pivot?
In the latest episode of Carson’s Take 5, hosts Ryan Detrick, Chief Market Strategist, and Sonu Varghese, VP, Global Macro Strategist, break down Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s comments from the Jackson Hole Symposium. While Powell cracked the door open to rate cuts, inflation remains sticky, an …
Market Commentary: Stocks Jump Following Dovish Comments from Fed Chair
The S&P 500 was down five days in a row heading into Friday of last week, although the losses were fairly minor with only one day down more than 0.5% (and that one barely). Then Jerome Powell opened the door for a rate cut in September and the bulls stepped up in a historic way. …
Facts Vs Feelings Take 5 – What Happens if the Fed Cuts?
In the latest Take 5, with markets at all-time highs and inflation showing mixed signals, hosts Ryan Detrick, Chief Market Strategist, and Sonu Varghese, VP, Global Macro Strategist, dive into the Fed’s dual mandate, historical patterns of rate cuts, and what this could mean for investors. …
Midyear Market Outlook 2025
The economy has weathered volatility and uncertainty to start 2025, with the ongoing bull market continuing its run and the labor market staying strong. But plenty of headwinds remain as we head into the second half of the year.
In the News
More5 Common Retirement Fears and How to Overcome Them
By Erin Wood, CFP®, Senior Vice President, Financial Planning and Advanced Solutions If we’re to believe everything we see in magazine and TV ads, retirement is a time of leisurely bike rides with your spouse, lunching with friends and exploring hobbies like painting or ceramics, all done i …
Do I Need a Financial Advisor? How to Know What You Need Now
By Erin Wood, CFP®, Senior Vice President, Financial Planning and Advanced Solutions, Carson Group Do I need a financial advisor? Given what I do for a living, I get this question a lot. I may be biased, but I think almost everyone would benefit from some kind of advice for their money. …
Do You Have a Cognitive Decline Plan?
By Erin Wood, CFP®, Senior Vice President, Financial Planning and Advanced Solutions, Carson Group My paternal grandmother was the type of woman who was always bustling with activity, whether it was hosting post-church lunches every Sunday or helping a neighbor in need. So, it was a bit …