Part of planning for the end of the calendar year includes a thorough review of your investment plan. One of the problems that many people face is discovering they may have not paid as much attention to investment planning as they originally thought. While the stock market has stayed fairly strong through most of 2014, it may still be a good time to re-evaluate your portfolio, especially if your goals have changed and you have yet to adjust your investment plan. Here are a few topics to cover with your Financial Advisor before year end. [+] Read More

Your Financial Advisor is there to keep an eye on your investments and make adjustments to keep your finances on track. But if your journey through retirement is going to stay on track, you should regularly check in with your Financial Advisor as your life and the economy change. These reviews (at least quarterly) give you an opportunity to evaluate your goals and make adjustments to your investment and retirement income plan. They also help make sure your investment strategies are still appropriate for you. It is also a good time to take care of housekeeping items such as updating beneficiaries. Tasks like these may seem minor, but they could have a big impact on your finances if they’re neglected. It doesn’t take long to review your investment plan with your Financial Advisor. Just an hour or two per quarter can keep everyone on the same page and help you to meet your goals. [+] Read More

Much like a successful marriage, the managing of your finances is like a flourishing garden. Proper care and attention can help it grow and thrive. An essential part of this is discussing and planning financial matters with your spouse. Not only can this help prepare both of you to manage the finances individually, it can actually help enhance your relationship and financial future. Make the best use of your financial advisor by having them review your finances with you both. You'll be happy you did. [+] Read More

WrapManager's Investment Policy Committee highlights certain money manager strategies each quarter for investors to consider. Download the report to learn more about: Risk-Managed - Newfound Research LLC Dividend Equity - Brookmont Capital Management Multi-Cap Growth - ClearBridge Investments Small Cap Growth - Granite Investment Partners International Equity – Cambiar Investors [+] Read More

Often times your fixed sources of income like Social Security and pensions will not fully meet your retirement income needs. This likely means you’ll need to tap into your investment accounts to increase your income. But which accounts should you draw from first, and when is the right time to take distributions? Here’s a general guide for choosing which accounts to draw down first and why. Remember, which approach you take depends on your unique situation and goals. [+] Read More

Midterm elections are just a few months away, prompting many investors to explore the often-asked questions: how do political outcomes affect the stock market? Is it worth making any adjustments to your portfolio? We can look to past midterm elections for what may lie ahead for the markets and your investment portfolio. Why Do Midterms Affect the Market? 1. Less Legislating, More Campaigning This can be a net positive for the markets, given the lowered near-term possibility of new laws affecting the markets and the business community. [+] Read More

Each quarter WrapManager's Investment Policy Committee highlights 4 money manager strategies that have been ranked in the Top 1% of Performance in their respective categories since inception by Informa Investment Solutions. Dividend Equity – Brookmont Capital Management Multi-Cap Growth – ClearBridge Investments Tactical - F-Squared Investments AlphaSector® Premium Composite International Equity – WHV Investments You’ll find brief descriptions of the strategies and can request more in depth information for each. One of our Wealth Managers will reach out to you with the information, and can also show you how they would fit into your current portfolio. [+] Read More

Should you count on Social Security benefits as an integral part of your retirement income plan? And how much? These are questions we hear often. There's a lot of confusion out there regarding social security benefits because misinformation abounds. With political issues, rhetoric becomes inflamed, and information is often used to sway opinion or policy. But when you're planning for retirement, misinformation is dangerous. What you need are solid answers about Social Security. Let's look at some of the most common questions surrounding Social Security in retirement. [+] Read More

Creating a Family Limited Partnership (FLP) as part of your estate plan can potentially save your family thousands of dollars in gift and estate taxes. FLPs also provide savings via protection of your assets from creditors – in this sense, you’re saving by not losing. For families with significant assets in businesses, real estate, or other income producing assets who are looking for effective ways to pass assets to heirs in a tax-efficient manner, Family Limited Partnerships are worth exploring. What is a Family Limited Partnership? It is a limited partnership in which (generally senior) family members contribute assets in exchange for general and limited interest, and then in turn transfer limited interest unto heirs. The partnership itself isn’t taxable – the owners of the partnership report its income on their personal tax returns, in proportion to their interests. [+] Read More