Financial Planning
One Size Fits All Does Not Fit All
Rules of thumb, they exist for every facet of our lives and can be helpful as benchmarks. But how accurate and applicable are they actually? Recently I read about the 5-2-1-0 rule of thumb for kids — 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day, no more than 2 hours of screen time d
Sarah IrvingJun 27, 2023
Will AI Replace Financial Advisors?
AI (Artificial Intelligence) has been increasingly in the news, on social media, and whether you like it or not, a part of your everyday life. Much of AI is a great thing, with AI programs capable of identifying potential cancer cells long before human radiologists can see it. Ot
Kira TopekaJun 13, 2023
The Transfer Process (Not always easy, but usually worth it)
Transferring your investment account(s) to a new firm can be intimidating and sometimes a reason to not make any change and leave things as they are. The two most popular reasons for transfer are 1) switching to a new advisor or firm and 2) changing jobs/retiring. While both type
Nathan GilbertJun 6, 2023
Light at the End of the Tunnel?
After months in and out of the headlines, the issues surrounding the debt ceiling have come into sharp focus, as the U.S. could become unable to pay its bills as soon as June 1. There’s nothing like an impending deadline to force action. Source: https://www.visualcapitalist.com/r
Sarah IrvingMay 22, 2023
Taking Care with Intergenerational Planning
Happy belated Mother’s Day to all the moms and mother figures out there! Our weekend was filled with gardening, making homemade pizzas, and I was surprised with breakfast in bed which happened to be a pancake in the shape of my head. Nothing says “I love you Mom” like having your
Sarah IrvingMay 17, 2023
The Goods on Giving
Today is Give Local Piedmont! Now in its 10th year, the Give Local Piedmont fundraising drive presented by the Northern Piedmont Community Foundation partnered with the PATH Foundation is a day of inspiring community members to give to support the many non-profit organizations ba
Kira TopekaMay 9, 2023
Nothing Like Waiting Till the Last Minute
As with many things in business and in life, deals/projects/agreements/settlements don’t get done in advance of a deadline. Once a deadline is looming, things generally get done at the 11th hour. I have a golfing friend who is perennially late to every tee time, so my other frien
Nathan GilbertMay 2, 2023
Inheritance Rules Kicking In
Hoping that all our clients and readers are enjoying this glorious weather and you aren’t stuck inside finishing your taxes! Just a friendly reminder that Tuesday April 18th is the filing date and you have up until the deadline to contribute to IRAs, Roths, HSAs, and SEPs (unless
Sarah IrvingApr 13, 2023
On the Hunt for Financial Easter Eggs
Hidden Easter Eggs in Your Finances Growing up, Easter meant driving up to my grandparents’ house in New Hampshire where the adults would place colorful plastic eggs all over property for the kids’ Easter egg hunt. As my elder cousins assumed the egg hiding responsibilities, they
Sarah IrvingApr 4, 2023
The Conversation Hasn’t Changed
We have been very fortunate to add some wonderful people to our team since starting Meridian in 2015 (!), and as they advance their careers and knowledge base, they have started to enter the regular blog rotation (shout out to Kira Topeka for next week!). It is nice to not only a
Nathan GilbertMar 29, 2023
The “R” Word
The dreaded “R” word is frequenting headlines and the minds of investors as the uncertainty of a “hard” or “soft” landing comes to the fore front. The “R” word being recession, a word that brings uncomfortable flashbacks to almost anyone and stirs up an instinctual fight or fligh
Sarah IrvingMar 7, 2023
Cash is Rarely King
As with many things, doing what “feels” good can seem like the best way forward. In our current market and rate environment, it feels pretty darn good to leave money in cash (savings, CDs, checking accounts, and money market checking). After all, the silver lining around all of t
Nathan GilbertFeb 28, 2023