Category

Financial Planning

What Is a Stock Split?

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With the recent Netflix stock split announcement, we thought it might be a good idea to address stock splits and the reasons companies decide to split their stock. If you aren’t already aware, Netflix (NFLX) announced a forward split at a rate of 10:1 last week. So, if you are a shareholder of that stock, […]

Mind The Gap

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We have friends who have lived in London for the past few years, and we have enjoyed visiting them over the last few years. While there, we took the London Underground frequently, and our kids found the announcements to “mind the gap” entertaining. A very little Ethan and Ben at their first Tube stop Me […]

Using College Savings for Retirement

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If you have children and are fortunate enough to be able to save for their post-high school education in advance, a 529 savings account is often a great and popular option. However, there is some concern about leftover money that is not used for qualified education expenses, whether it’s because the child decides

How Do Long-Term Financial Goals Differ from Short-Term Financial Goals?

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When it comes to personal finance, setting goals is one of the most effective ways to ensure financial stability and growth. However, it’s important to understand that not all financial goals are created equal. Financial goals can be divided into two broad categories: short-term goals and long-term goals. Both

Planning for a Happy Retirement: Thinking Beyond Finances

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The past two weeks have been very emotional as an advisor—I’m not sure if it is because I’m in a reflective mood as Meridian nears our 10th anniversary in September. Or perhaps it is because of two solid weeks of meetings with clients about their financial plans, and everyone is on track and thriving…whatever

What the One Big Beautiful Bill Act means for you

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Big Bill, Big Changes On July 4th, as most Americans were attending BBQs and pool parties and gearing up for their local fireworks display (or multiple, as in my colleague’s cases), a sweeping budget reconciliation bill, otherwise known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” was signed into law by President Trump.

Caregiving, Preparing, and Communicating

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What my mother’s journey with dementia taught our family about being prepared for caregiving My experience as a caregiver through my mother’s dementia journey had a profound impact on me. Almost a year (to the day) after her passing, I’m not sure how I made it out of the fire. If you have a loved […]

Understanding Step-Up in Cost Basis

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I hope everyone is enjoying the start of summer and finding ways to keep kids and grandkids busy! In our household, that is always the tradeoff when school is out – less stressful mornings in exchange for kids constantly saying, ‘I’m bored and/or hungry!’ Speaking of kids and grandkids, they will often be the

Financial Roller Coasters

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Over Memorial Day weekend, the Yakel family took a quick trip up to Cedar Point as we have two teenage boys who are roller coaster fanatics. I walked Ben and Ethan to the park for early entry at 8:30AM…and then came back to collect them at park close after 10PM (I had given up trying […]
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