Category

Money IQ

A Seinfeld Rally?

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Most of us remember the 90’s sitcom Seinfeld—as one of Nathan’s and Sarah Irving’s favorite shows, it is often quoted here at Meridian.  As for me, I am still afraid of licking cheap envelopes.  Seinfeld also indelibly marked things like the Soup Nazi, Fesitvus, and yada yada yada in our culture. Seinfeld

Happy T + 2 Day! (and Happy Birthday Molly!)

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We celebrated our youngest daughter’s 3rd birthday over the weekend. It was a very nice gathering with friends and family. And the kids even went swimming which must have been pretty darn cold. Peppa Pig was the dominant theme, and Molly cutely identified each of the British-based cartoon’s characters sitting atop

Milestones

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Yesterday, my son Ethan celebrated his 9th birthday.  He was super excited for his cake and his gifts—most of all his new skateboard.  To Ethan, 9 is a pretty important year—it is the last year in the single digits.  He says he feels like he is really growing up… There are some milestone birthdays in

School of Rock & Earnings Season

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For most of us with kids, summer presents the challenge of keeping our children occupied (hopefully constructively!) until school starts again. Camps are certainly a popular option as they take up big chunks of the summer and allow kids to explore activities outside of a typical classroom setting. Our middle daughter

ROI to ROL

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The financial services industry loves acronyms—as an example, I am a CFP1 that works at an RIA2 which makes me an IAR3—yeesh!   At Meridian we try to strip all of the jargon and opaque phrases from our conversations, as we want to help people truly understand their money and what it can do for them […]

Last Minute Tax Ideas

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Procrastinators rejoice!  Even though April 18—due date of taxes this year—is next week, it is not too late for a few smart moves to save on taxes for 2016. Make an IRA contribution.  Contributions to an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) are deductible and can be made all the way up to the tax filing deadline

How to Track and Plan Your Expenses

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I’ve been having a lot of conversations recently about budgeting—not because our clients are awful at it, but because it is helpful to get a handle on how much things cost every month when we are working on planning.  For those starting out, it is helpful to know how much those nebulous categories of groceries,

Snow Day

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We hope everyone is enjoying the snow—our kids are all delighted to have their first real snow of the season.  Those who are shoveling (me and my husband) are not enjoying it as much. As with every winter storm, it has been funny to hear the hysteria in the forecasts—originally, the National Weather Service had

When Should You Claim Social Security Benefits?

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Of all the questions our clients face, this is certainly one of the most perplexing. Timing when to claim social security benefits has a significant and permanent impact on your retirement cash flow. In weighing your decision, consider your health outlook and longevity expectations, whether you plan to continue