Insights, Advice & a Whole Lot More

Are Inflation Fears Inflated?
As I mentioned in my recent Meridian Market Minute video post, headlines around inflation have started to appear as the next thing we should all be worried about. My colleague Sarah Irving also wrote a great blog around the topic back in early April. Since that time, the rate of

Cryptocurrency and Speculation: A Case of FOMO?
At Meridian, we’ve been trying to not wade into the cryptocurrency debate—as any skepticism can illicit firestorms of angry mail from crypto fans. But, with cryptocurrencies back in the headlines throughout 2020 and into 2021, it has attracted a lot of attention from investors. R

The Best Things In Life Are Free, Plus Tax
This tax season has been really complicated due to all of the pandemic-related policy changes. But some people are being surprised by tax bills for a very simple reason: They aren’t having enough money withheld from their paychecks throughout the year. If you’re a W-2 employee, y

May the Fourth be with you …. and your online security
Federal tax returns and depending on where you live, state tax returns, are due in t-minus 13 days. As much of a headache filing your income taxes, or owing taxes, can be, experiencing identity fraud or theft can be a much more permanent and long-lasting headache. Unfortunately m

Moving Targets
The COVID pandemic has changed a lot of things in all of our lives, and tax deadlines are no different. You now have until Monday, May 17th to do few things that count toward the 2020 tax year. Among them: File your taxes – the deadline has been extended from the traditional Apri

Fresh Start
With this week’s last gasp of winter temperatures, we are hopeful that Spring is finally here. Trees are flowering, daffodils are up, and at the Yakel house, we are just waiting for final frost danger before putting all of these healthy guys to bed: And, we met new puppies!! The

Home Sweet Home
Buying your first home is considered one of the biggest milestones — in life as well as finances. It’s a big commitment, and there’s a good chance this will be the largest purchase you’ve made to date. If you are a first-time home buyer, here are five guidelines to assist you in

Rising – inflation and interest rates?
The theme of things increasing seems to be all around us. The temperature is rising, the hours in the day are getting longer (yay!), and the number of fowls in the Irving family are continuing to grow… Not pictured, three more chicks and three new ducklings…. send help! In the fi

Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch Changes (to tax rates)
Facing Financial Changes The first refrain of the song “Changes” by David Bowie contains some surprisingly apt lyrics for probable changes in tax rates: “Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes. Turn and face the strange. Ch-ch-changes. Don’t want to be a richer man.” Yes, there are some changes (an

The Unexpected
March Madness is here, it is the season of surprises (we’re looking at you, Oral Roberts University…thanks for busting everyone’s brackets…). The members of Yakel family spent the weekend alternately crowing in victory or complaining in defeat, as our family bracket competition g

What is a Roth IRA?
If the only thing you know about a Roth is that it rhymes with sloth …well, then this post is for you. So. Are you ready to find out what this Roth IRA thing is? It is a type of retirement account! Roth IRAs (IRA stands for Individual Retirement Account) are specific retirement a

Teach Them Well
Four year olds are intrinsically curious which means they tend to ask a lot of questions…. About everything…. All the time. As tiresome as it can be, it is an incredible trait of children and a characteristic that most teenagers and adults grow out of. The favorite word in the Ir
