Your 2025 Tax Update: What’s Changing for Your Money

Every year brings changes in tax rules, and 2025 is no exception. Whether you are saving for retirement, running a business, or planning for your family’s future, these updates could affect your financial decisions throughout the year. While some changes simply adjust for inflation, o …

Tariff Tussle Resolved, But It’s Only the Opening Round

In Carson Investment Research’s 2025 Outlook, we looked at both policy opportunities and risks, including tariff policy, for markets in 2025. Our assessment was the impact of opportunities would likely significantly outweigh the impact of the risks. Our baseline view hasn’t changed, but the …

Market Commentary: Stocks Resilient Despite DeepSeek, Tariff Talk

What a week it was, as we came into Monday morning with stocks down significantly over worries about Chinese AI-based company DeepSeek. We will discuss that more below, but the bottom line is despite the large losses we saw in large technology names on Monday, last week really held up quite …

Your Money

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Your 2025 Tax Update: What’s Changing for Your Money

Every year brings changes in tax rules, and 2025 is no exception. Whether you are saving for retirement, running a business, or planning for your family’s future, these updates could affect your financial decisions throughout the year. While some changes simply adjust for inflation, o …

Four Common Financial Planning Mistakes

Financial literacy is a critical life skill to possess, but a good portion of Americans seem to struggle with it. Only 36% of American households currently have a written financial plan[1] and around 30% of Americans are living from paycheck to paycheck.[2] Having a loose understanding of f …

Mastering Financial Planning with the Bucketing Approach

When it comes to managing your wealth and pursuing your financial goals, clarity can be key. Enter bucketing, a powerful strategy that helps simplify your financial planning by categorizing your assets into three time-based buckets: today, tomorrow, and the future.

2025 Calendar: Key Tasks & Financial Dates

2025 Calendar: Key Tasks & Financial Dates

Tackle 2025 with this month-by-month financial task list. We’ve also included important dates so you won’t miss any key deadlines.

Your Business

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Life Insurance Strategies for Business Owners

Owning a business can be like parenting. You’ve likely experienced many sleepless nights and spent a countless amount of energy on your “baby.” Like parenting, being a business owner can be an enriching journey and make life worth the trip.

From Tax Efficiency to Retirement: Financial Planning for Small Business Owners

Financial planning for a small business gets more complicated every day. Business owners must navigate tax efficiency (and life under the new Tax Cuts and Jobs Act), retirement preparations for yourself and your employees, and succession planning. Get your financial plan in place today and …

5 Essential Financial Planning Steps for Small Business Success

Financial planning is important in all aspects of life, in the realms of both personal and business. But for small business owners, financial planning may look a little different from the traditional plans your financial advisor will draw up for your personal matters. Continue reading below …

Business Succession Planning Checklist

Business Succession Planning Checklist

You remember your first day of business. But what about your last day? Succession planning is more complex than it may seem. Our guide walks you through the details.

Your Retirement

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The Emotional and Financial Impact of Long-Term Care on Families

The idea of long-term care can be scary for many Americans. As we get older, however, it’s an unwelcome necessity for many. The emotional and financial consequences can and may be devastating to those that require coverage and those around them.

Understanding Long-Term Care Planning: What You Need to Know

As we age, the prospect of needing assistance with daily activities becomes more likely. Planning for long-term care (LTC) ensures that you or your loved ones will have access to the support needed, while avoiding financial strain. Below, we’ll explore some common questions about long-term …

The Emotional Journey of Retirement: Coping with Change and Finding Purpose

It’s finally time for retirement, and the feelings you’re experiencing as you prepare for the transition can certainly be bittersweet. All your years of hard work have finally paid off and you’re able to relax – but what now? What do you do all day? How do you fill your time? Will your life …

Medicare and Managing Health Care Costs in Retirement

Medicare and Managing Health Care Costs in Retirement

Health care costs in retirement aren't going anywhere. Naturally, as our bodies get older, it costs more to keep them running. Let's look at the parts of this vital program and how it plays a part in your financial plan.

Your Legacy

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How to Make Charitable Giving Part of Your Financial Plan

COVID-19 caused an economic shockwave that we’ll feel for a long time. Nonprofits, from large global networks to the local churches, have been hit hard, too. In a recent survey of 110 nonprofits, 80% of them said revenue had fallen across the board.

How a Donor-Advised Fund Can Help Your Charitable Giving

Giving is an important part of our society for many. It can provide us the opportunity to support causes we believe in and make a positive impact. Keep in mind, giving isn’t always about donating money. It can also include volunteering time or donating goods and resources. Here are some exa …

The Basics of Estate Planning: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners

Having an estate plan established when you pass is of monumental importance, especially to your loved ones. The added insult to injury of watching your assets get tied up in probate after your passing is something nobody wants to deal with.

A Guide to Gifting to Your Heirs

A Guide to Gifting to Your Heirs

Gifting to your loved ones now or posthumously each carries their own positives and negatives as they relate to your estate plan, taxes, your goals and your legacy.

Your Freedom

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Compounding Wealth (and Wisdom): The Power of Compound Interest

No single strategy works forever, but you also don’t want to change your approach every time the markets shift slightly. How does investing work – not just for a season or a year or two, but for a lifetime? Time is a major factor when it comes to successful investing.

How to Make Charitable Giving Part of Your Financial Plan

COVID-19 caused an economic shockwave that we’ll feel for a long time. Nonprofits, from large global networks to the local churches, have been hit hard, too. In a recent survey of 110 nonprofits, 80% of them said revenue had fallen across the board.

8 Financial Goals and Milestones to Work Towards Achieving in Your Life

Having milestones and goals to work towards are important for everyone to have. They give us a sense of drive and satisfaction when we finally achieve that goal. Financially, people oftentimes strive for financial independence or security. We’ve listed below eight common financial goals to …

When Shifting Goals Mean Shifting Plans

When Shifting Goals Mean Shifting Plans

Your financial plan shouldn't look the same at 55 as it did when you were 35, right? So how do you know when it's time to adjust your plan?

Market & Investments

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Tariff Tussle Resolved, But It’s Only the Opening Round

In Carson Investment Research’s 2025 Outlook, we looked at both policy opportunities and risks, including tariff policy, for markets in 2025. Our assessment was the impact of opportunities would likely significantly outweigh the impact of the risks. Our baseline view hasn’t changed, but the …

Market Commentary: Stocks Resilient Despite DeepSeek, Tariff Talk

What a week it was, as we came into Monday morning with stocks down significantly over worries about Chinese AI-based company DeepSeek. We will discuss that more below, but the bottom line is despite the large losses we saw in large technology names on Monday, last week really held up quite …

Facts Vs Feelings Take 5 – Is Deep Seek a Big Deal?

This week on Take 5, Ryan Detrick, Chief Market Strategist at Carson Group, and Sonu Varghese, VP, Global Macro Strategist at Carson Group, discuss the sudden rise of Deep Seek, a new AI company out of China, and its sudden impact on the markets: The market’s reaction to Deep Seek’s rapid r …

2025 Market Outlook Report

2025 Market Outlook Report

The economy had a big year in 2024, avoiding a recession while posting strong job numbers and a soaring stock market. But the new year brings new concerns. What impact could we see from tariffs? How long do we think this bull market will continue? What will the Fed do in 2025?

Valorem Insights

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3 Major Financial Challenges of High Net Worth Individuals

3 Benefits to Powering Up Your 401 (k)

Keeping Your Financial Accounts Cyber Secure

Cybercrime is on the rise everywhere. In fact, global losses due to cybercrime climbed from $600 billion in 2018 to $1 trillion in 2020. That’s enough to make anyone concerned about the security of their financial accounts. But you don’t have to feel helpless against the threat of hackers. …

In the News

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COVID’s Financial Toll Isn’t What You Think

By Erin Wood, Senior Vice President, Financial Planning and Advanced Solutions Just a few years ago, Rose retired with a decent-sized 401(k). With some careful budgeting and a part-time job, her retirement finances were on track. Rose was looking forward to traveling, reigniting her passion …

Emerging Financially Healthy After a Gray Divorce

By: Erin Wood, CFP®, CRPC®, FBS®, Senior Vice President, Financial Planning, Carson Group   Laura and Caroline are in their late 50s. Friends since meeting at a playgroup for their toddlers, both were in long-term, seemingly happy marriages.

3 Roth Conversion Traps To Avoid After The SECURE Act

Roth conversions can be a powerful tax and retirement planning technique. The idea behind most Roth conversions is to take money from an IRA and convert it to a Roth IRA. Essentially, you’re paying taxes today instead of paying taxes in the future.