Happy New Year!

I hope you had a great holiday season and that you are looking forward to 2022! It's hard to believe that we're at the beginning of another year. For my annual "new year" blog, I have a couple of topics to discuss...

Some things you might consider before saying goodbye to 2021.

Preparing for retirement just got a little more financial wiggle room. In November, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced new contribution limits for 2022.

Staying put for 2022 are traditional Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs), with the limit remaining at $6,000. The catch-up contribution for traditional IRAs remains $1,000 as well.¹

For workplace retirement accounts (i.e. 401(k), 403(b), amongst others), the contribution limit rises $1,000 to $20,500. Catch-up contributions remain at $6,500.¹

Eligibility for Roth IRA contributions has increased, as well. These have bumped up to $129,000 to $144,000 for single filers and heads of households, and $204,000 to $214,000 for those filing jointly as married couples.¹

Another increase was for SIMPLE IRA Plans (SIMPLE is an acronym for Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees), which increases from $13,500 to $14,000.¹

If these increases apply to your retirement strategy, a financial professional may be able to help make some adjustments to your contributions.

Hidden Risks, Let's Talk About It

There are things that happen in life that we all know about, but rather avoid experiencing personally. Like the host at a restaurant saying it will be a 2 hour wait or your contractor muttering “uh oh” as they work on that renovation in your basement. Generally, those two little words, “uh oh,” are a sign of something lurking behind the scenes that's about to become a big problem.

Some things you might consider before saying goodbye to 2021

What has changed for you in 2021? For some, this year has been as complicated as learning a new dance. Did you start a new job or leave a job behind? That’s one step. Did you retire? There’s another step. If notable changes occurred in your personal or professional life, then you may want to review your finances before this year ends and 2022 begins. Proving that you have all the right moves in 2021 might put you in a better position to tango with 2022.

Are you taking stock of your life and thinking about moving on?

(You're not alone.)

Inflation Is Inevitable - What Can we Expect in the Future?

With Fall officially arriving, we are reminded once again that we are closer to the end of the year than we are to the beginning. Along with that comes the holiday season, family time, and last-minute shopping. And while we may not be able to assist with the cooking, cleaning, and shopping that’s just around the corner, we want to help in the best way we know how—making sure your end of year financial checklist is complete!

It's natural to feel uncomfortable at times like these. But, you have resources available to help you navigate!

The stock market has been a little crazy! Are storm clouds on the horizon?

POAs and other advanced directives are becoming more important.

The point of the POA. A power of attorney (POA) is a legal document that delegates an individual’s legal authority to another person. If someone is incapacitated, the POA would allow a trusted party to make decisions on his or her behalf.

There are several types of powers of attorney: