Insights, Advice & a Whole Lot More
A Field Guide to Common Tax Forms
The Tax Form Breakdown: Key Docs and Their Deadlines As Nathan pointed out in his last Meridian Market Minute, tax forms are beginning to arrive in mailboxes across the country right about now. We do get a lot of questions about what forms are coming and when, so here is a list o
Sarah YakelJan 30, 2018
Conferences Can Be Both Fun & Informative
Not Just a Vacation – We’re Learning! My partner, Sarah Yakel, and I are currently attending the Inside ETFs conference at The Diplomat Hotel in Hollywood, Florida. Yes, the weather is nice. Yes, the hotel is nice and so are the views. Yes, we are having fun (gasp!). And, yes, we
Nathan GilbertJan 23, 2018Lucky Break
While even the IRS is scrambling to figure out how to comply with the new tax act—one portion of the new bill does seem clear, and is a really nice gift for parents and grandparents of students. The new tax act allows 529 plan distributions for any eligible education expenses of
Sarah YakelJan 16, 2018Don’t Put All Your Money in Unicorns
Client question: What do you think is going to happen in the markets in 2018? Answer: Well, the global economy remains strong for the most part, so we see continued growth (but maybe not as much as last year) in 2018. There is limited chance of recession, and inflation continues
Nathan GilbertJan 9, 2018Christmas Deconstructed
Yesterday, we did one of my favorite holiday traditions. Much to the consternation of my husband, the morning of New Years Day is when we take down every inch of Christmas decorations and put it all away. Jonathan would happily leave all of the decorations up for another few week
Sarah YakelJan 2, 2018
No Takebacks?
As a parent of three young children, this time of year is certainly an exciting (yet hectic!) one. As you might guess, all of the kids were quite literally bouncing off the walls in anticipation of Christmas morning. Fortunately, Santa came through and delivered most of what was
Nathan GilbertDec 27, 2017Yankee Swap
The 2017 holiday season is in full swing, and as always, by this point in the year, I am getting tired. Our family has been to 6 Christmas concerts in 12 days…baked 20 dozen cookies…made (and decorated) 3 gingerbread houses…wrapped upteen gifts…and attended 8 holiday parties, eac
Sarah YakelDec 19, 2017
Purple and Gold…and Green
My alma mater’s football team is on a pretty impressive winning streak. The James Madison Duke Dogs won their 25th consecutive game in dramatic fashion this past Friday night. Clad in their signature purple and gold jerseys, they defeated Weber State in the quarterfinal round of
Nathan GilbertDec 12, 2017Cyber Thieves Don’t Take Holidays
Over this past weekend, I joined the masses of Americans out shopping for Christmas. I went to eight stores across three counties in under six hours. Afterward, I joined most of Fauquier County on Main Street to watch the Warrenton Christmas parade with my family. And, to end the
Sarah YakelDec 5, 2017Disney Cruisin’ – Vacation Diversification
The week before Thanksgiving, my family and I were fortunate enough to go on a Disney Cruise from Port Canaveral (Florida) down to the Bahamas. For a family of our size and ages, we have found that it is close to a “perfect” vacation for all of us. I don’t know that there’s any o
Nathan GilbertNov 29, 2017News Flash: Traveling With Kids is Hard
This past Thanksgiving week, my wife and I made the somewhat suspect decision to travel to the Gulf Coast of Florida and back (with a layover in Dallas) with our three children, ages 8, 6, and 3. While our time in Florida with family friends was a lot of fun, the travel part was
Nathan GilbertNov 28, 2017Counting Blessings
This weekend, our family went on a little mini-vacation to the Gaylord hotel in National Harbor. If you’ve not been, the hotel is quite stunning when decked out for Christmas. Numerous trees, twinkling lights, water fountain shows set to Christmas music, gingerbread villages—Chri
Sarah YakelNov 21, 2017