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Traditionally, retirement was the state or period of cessation from work, usually after reaching a predetermined age, sometimes with pension benefits. It's a moment we're conditioned to look forward to our entire lives. Finally, free...

Retirement is something that all of us hope to enjoy at some point in our lives. It's a time to relax, reflect and spend time with family and friends. However, for many of us, the idea of retirement can seem like a distant dream. With...

Congratulations! You won the lottery! Now what? Should you quit your job and travel the world, buy a mansion, or start your own business? Alright, alright, I know this is exciting, but let's take it easy. While winning the lottery can...

Identity theft is all too common these days, and we're all vulnerable to it. Whether it's malware, phishing, or simply leaving your personal information out in the open, there are many ways criminals can steal your identity in the...

Everyone dreams of owning a beautiful vacation home, a place where they can escape from the daily grind and retreat to a peaceful sanctuary. People often invest their hard-earned money into buying these homes, which can provide years...

Finances can be overwhelming, especially when you have a lot on your plate. One of the most common challenges people have when they come to us is feeling completely disorganized. A lot of times we find with married couples, one spouse...

Buying a car is a significant investment. With so many options and considerations, it can be overwhelming to make the right choice. Buying or leasing. It is a popular debate. Each has its pros and cons, making it challenging to decide...

The cost of education has risen dramatically in recent years, and it can be a significant burden on both parents and students. However, there is a way to save for education expenses that can help reduce the financial pressure: a...

Achieving financial freedom may sound like a daunting task, but it is achievable with the right mindset, actions, and dedication. Financial freedom means having enough wealth and resources to do what you want without worry or stress....

Student loans, without a doubt, can be incredibly overwhelming. Whether you are a recent graduate or have been out of school for a while, the weight of monthly loan payments can be a financial burden. But, rest assured, there are ways...

Inflation is a silent thief that slowly eats away at our hard-earned money. Whether it's at a slower rate or a full-blown economic crisis, there's nothing more unsettling than the feeling of losing purchasing power. But fear not,...

Giving back is one of the most rewarding things that we can do as human beings. There is something deeply fulfilling about helping others and contributing to the well-being of our communities. However, being a generous giver is not...

Buying a house is one of the biggest decisions in anyone's life. Whether you are a first-time homebuyer or on the lookout for your second or third home, owning a house is a significant investment. When it comes to buying a house, there...

In this day in age, just about everything is one click away, thanks to the internet. We can read books, watch movies, and listen to music without even leaving our homes. The only downside is that we’re often required to pay...

Money is a precious commodity. Whether you are an individual or a family, it is important to use it wisely. In today's fast-paced world of instant gratification, it is easy to get carried away with overspending and credit card debts....

No one wants to dwell on the thought of their own passing, but it's an inevitable reality of life. As disconcerting as it may be, planning for the future is essential if you want to protect your loved ones and your legacy. This is...

As a parent, you want to provide your children with the best possible opportunities, and a good college education is a sure path to a bright future. However, college tuition rates have skyrocketed in recent years, and it's becoming...

Life insurance is a key component of personal financial planning. It provides financial protection to your loved ones in case something happens to you and you're no longer around to provide for them. While there are many types of life...

As we get closer to retirement age, it is essential to ensure we are well-prepared financially. There are some things we need to do to make sure our finances are in order. With life expectancy increasing and medical expenses also...

Overwhelmed by Student Loans? Here's What You Can Do

Kurt Whitesell, CFP®

Tuesday, January 31, 2023

Today's blog contributor is Kurt Whitesell, CFP®, Senior Advisor out of Summit's Rapid City, SD branch office. A few weeks ago, while playing some golf, I was visiting with a young couple. They were well-paid professionals who are...

The Super Bowl is the most anticipated event in American sports and one of the biggest events in the world. Every year, hundreds of millions of people around the world tune in to watch two teams battle it out for NFL supremacy. But...

Kurt Whitesell: The Challenges of Today

Kurt Whitesell, CFP®

Wednesday, January 18, 2023

When I read the world and National news, I find my attitude being manipulated by mainstream media and the hopelessness of the world. SCREECH!!!!! Hold on a minute!!What can be so terrible? Aren’t there two sides to every...

In your early working years, you probably aren’t thinking much about your retirement. You are working hard, trying to support a family, maybe pay down debt, payoff student loans, etc. As you arrive at your 40s or 50s, however,...

Tax season is here, and many Americans are excited to receive their tax refunds. For those that do receive a refund, it can feel like an unexpected bonus rather than simply the IRS returning what you overpaid in taxes that year. But...

How can I align my personal values with my investment portfolio? If this is a priority, then you want to be familiar with two terms: impact investing and ESG investing. How our dollars are invested can make an impact on the world.

Women encounter a variety of unique circumstances which impact their ability to save for retirement. Specifically, career pauses for life changes and lower pay than male counterparts make saving for retirement a challenge. Whether...

In 2022, recent studies now show 64% of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck. As the cost of living continues to reach historically high rates, gas prices hitting record highs, and the threats of an economic recession, it is now...

A term growing in popularity in recent years in the financial advisory industry is the term “fiduciary”. If you’ve never heard of it, it is a good one to know. What is a fiduciary? A fiduciary is any...

This blog will begin with a checklist of questions you need to address to help put you in a place to retire. Then we will walk through each of those questions in more depth to help you feel more comfortable with your retirement plan.

Too many people live each day without the clarity of a written financial plan. In this blog, we look at the 6 steps in the financial planning process so you can start creating a financial plan today!

Updated 6-22-2022 Being in the business of retirement planning, one of the topics we often talk about with clients is retirement living. As we continue our content series #RetiringWithPurpose, today we'll talk about the all-important...

Helping people on their wealth-building journey is what we do every single day. Today we are going to cover 5 observations about individuals who take building wealth seriously. For those of you reading this who might be on your own...

The three-bucket approach is a goals-based financial planning technique that aims to simplify the process for the typical American family. Essentially the way it works is to first consider this: all savings accounts aren’t created equal.

Perhaps the most common question we receive from our government employee clients is: “What should I do with my TSP when I retire?” It’s a great question, and one we will address in this blog post! The question...

It was the year 1621 when the Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Native Americans shared an autumn harvest feast that is widely acknowledged as the first Thanksgiving celebration in our country’s history. That means this marks the...

New Year’s resolutions are popular. People love the thought of a fresh start – “New year, new me.” It’s like a giant reset button, and we all have the opportunity to better ourselves in some way. Sadly,...

The holidays are here (believe it or not) and it is time to start planning for the additional expenses that come with it. Here are four ways to help you plan for holiday expenses! 1) Set the money aside For many married couples, one...

As you inch closer to your golden years, you'll likely start thinking about how to take care of your financial needs as an older adult. Social Security may prove a significant help, but you must have a withdrawal strategy to make the...

When you start a new job, don't let your excitement keep you from setting yourself up for financial success with your new employer. The financial planning experts at Summit Wealth Group are here to help you sharpen your financial...

The Thrift Savings Plan is a tax-deferred retirement savings plan offered to federal employees and members of the U.S. military. The TSP gives employees the same benefits as many private-sector retirement plans while providing...

Since the beginning of the pandemic, federal student loan payment requirements have been paused for eligible borrowers with interest and collections likewise suspended. With pandemic student loan relief ending on January 31, though,...

Raising children is expensive, and costs only increase as they reach their teen years. Funding your children’s education is a worthwhile endeavor, but paying for tuition, books, and living expenses can quickly become impossible...

American author and evangelist Robert Schuller once posed an interesting question to consider: “What would you do if you knew you could not fail?” If you are like me, you might be quick to say “jump off a cliff”...

In today’s blog post we look at some common misconceptions clients have when they first meet with our advisors. We asked three of our advisors to answer the question, what is the most common misconception they see with new...

One of the most frequent questions we get has to do with IRAs. There is a lot of confusion regarding IRAs, what their purpose is, what their benefit is and what are the differences between a Roth IRA and a Traditional IRA. The purpose...

A retirement plan should be carefully constructed with your unique set of goals in mind, but this should be a good starting point if you are not sure where to begin!

As financial planners, our job is often seen as helping people navigate through the financial aspect of retirement. However, we are the first to admit that a vibrant, meaningful, successful retirement goes far beyond finances. With...

A big risk to businesses and individuals alike, social engineering involves exploiting bugs in our “human hardware.” In person, over the phone, or via e-mail, criminals draw on social engineering techniques to evoke...

When it comes to money it can often feel like we have no control. Your income is what it is, your expenses are what they are. However, these 4 items are all within your control and can...

The process of meeting with a financial advisor for the first time can be intimidating. You are stepping out of your comfort zone into an office with fancy decor, meeting with someone in a nice suit who speaks in terms you may not...

We’ve walked many clients through the financial challenges of divorce and have compiled a few tips for women who might be finding themselves in the process...

To the untrained eye, it might seem that debit or prepaid cards are a smarter way to pay. Since they don’t involve borrowing money, there’s no way to get into debt, right? Before you shred all your credit cards, it is...

When it comes to your finances, try to consider possible future situations you could find yourself in, and ask yourself if you would rather have a professional or an automated platform to assist you in your decision-making...

Whether climbing a mountain or saving for retirement, we have to journey out into the great unknown. Embarking into the unknown can cause uncertainty, even with a good plan and a worn path ahead. It takes a lot of work to prepare but...

I wish every family could have an Aunt Pansy! There is so much that we can learn from someone so full of faith, love and spunk! As I think about her life, I have some very clear thoughts about the way her life has impacted mine with...

How to protect yourself from a "get rich quick" scheme that is actually a “go broke” scheme in clever disguise...

I think the link between money and happiness is the same as the link between relationships and happiness. It comes down to how we deal with the “bad” and whether or not we choose to appreciate the “good”.

Teaching your kids about money can start at a very early age. We recommend starting at age 3 or 4 (when they start learning how to count) because it is at this early stage when they can begin to learn some very basic concepts about the...

The use of debt is sometimes necessary, and sometimes beneficial. However, in our professional we often see the impact that debt has on the emotional well-being of individuals, particularly the use of certain types of consumer debt...

There are few things that are as overwhelming as insurmountable debt. Being in debt can feel hopeless for some. In fact, according to a 2013 study published in the journal Clinical Psychology Review, those who died by suicide were...

Ever felt a case of FOMO when it comes to investing? FOMO (the fear of missing out) is a common occurrence in the investment world. It’s hard to avoid it. Here are some examples of times when you might have felt like you blew a...

At Summit Wealth Group, we are passionate about seeing our clients reach their financial goals. Life often calls for a break from the norm. A reset or refresh if you will. This is why we love to see our clients getting out and...

You can learn a lot about the way a person spends their free time. Whether it is being with family, fishing out on the lake, taking a trip to the beach house, hitting the golf course — the way a person chooses to spend their free...

What is budgeting? Ask a few people and you might get a few different answers. The reason is because cash flows in and out of your account whether you are intentional about the budgeting process or not. Cash flow management, or...

We get the question a lot from clients of all ages and walks of life of whether they should contribute to a Roth or a Traditional IRA. Everybody’s situation is unique, but there are some things we can consider:Current ageInvestment...

Having kids is the most incredible gift I’ve been blessed with. I have two little girls and another child on the way, and the amount of joy they bring to our lives is simply indescribable. One thing they don’t tell you...

It’s Better to Prepare than Repair

Ross Haycock, CFP®, AIF®

Monday, March 22, 2021

We survived the snowmageddon of 2021. I’ve been in CO since 1976 and have seen quite a few spring blizzards. They arrive (used to without a lot of fanfare), dump a bunch of snow, create massive drifts and wreak havoc on travel...

A question we often receive, and one that is deeply intertwined within our financial planning process is the question of “when should I start collecting Social Security? Social Security is something we pay into throughout our...

What age can I retire? It's a common question and one that people would love to type into Google and have it kick out a quick answer. Unfortunately the reason we have a hard time finding a straight answer to this question is because...

Starting a budget can be hard. Keeping a budget is even harder. But it doesn’t have to be. Today we want to talk to those of you who have had a hard time keeping a budget over the years. Today we will simplify it for you so it...

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner and it’s been a long year. You deserve to spoil each other. Buy that special gift if your budget allows it. For some couples, the most romantic gift they can give each other is the...

Owning and operating a business can be complex but starting one doesn’t have to be! If you’ve ever had a business idea the thought of starting the business might be overwhelming to one who has never done it before. In...

Every year we make new resolutions for the New Year and every year we struggle to keep them. Research shows that 75% of resolutions will be continued through the first week of January and only 8% make it the full year. Oof. Popular...

Did you recently go through a divorce? As your marital status changes, so does your tax situation. Don’t panic, we are here to help. Keep in mind, in 2020 we saw the tax deadline extended due to the pandemic. We do not anticipate...

Working from home is something that many of us have had to adapt to over this past year, and it’s something the majority of business owners believe is here to stay even after the pandemic. It is interesting to see how the...

The Formation of a Dental Partnership What is a partnership? A partnership is a legal business entity in which each business partner has an equal or proportional ownership of a business. This typically means an equal ownership of the...

To say this past year has been a strange one would be an understatement. Many would label 2020 as the year they would prefer to forget. However, life’s biggest lessons can come out of challenges, trials and heartache. So...

4 Secrets of Happy Retirees We see a common theme amongst our happiest retirees. If happiness is what you’re seeking in retirement, consider using the happiest amongst us as a template for how to live out your retirement years....

6 Ways to Save Money on Life Insurance How can you save money on life insurance? Believe it or not, there are ways you can save. Let’s look at 6. 1) Buy term Term life insurance vs whole life or universal life is a popular debate...

The Case for High Wage Earners Using Roth IRAs Roth contributions are a popular choice for retirement planning for a number of reasons. However, some people try to make the case that high wage earners should prioritize traditional IRA...

What to do in retirement - Guide to Retirement Planning Part 1 What to do in retirement? Let’s take a look. This is the first part in a series of common retirement planning questions we get. If you are not sure what to do or how...

Our guest today is Michael R. Helbert, Esq. Michael is a managing member and a Trusts and Estates and Business Attorney engaging in both transactional and litigation matters at Arrowood Helbert PLLC. If you are in need of an estate...

Our guest today is Tom McFarland. Tom is an Office Manager at Allstate in the Scottsdale, AZ area and specializes in property and casualty insurance. If you are in need of home or auto insurance, give Tom a call! We’ve dropped...

Our guest today is Cassandra Leivas Cassandra is a realtor in the Scottsdale, AZ area with Realty ONE Group www.cassandraleivas.com and specializes in Residential Resales. If you are looking to buy or sell property, check her out....

The Secret to Financial Success

Ruth Hernandez

Friday, September 18, 2020

We have many things to take care of and worry about in our day to day lives. What seems to be unlimited tasks in one day or week, makes it difficult to prioritize some important things. Not to mention, in a technology driven society,...

We are now well underway into 2019, however, it isn’t too late to make some tax planning decisions that will make next tax season a little less dreadful. When you filed this year, you might have seen a significant change in your...

Today we are going to look at a key component to building wealth that is often overlooked. I’m going to share this in one sentence, and then I’ll explain some important caveats to what I’m about to say. Check this...

Saving money can mean different things to different people. Some of us are inclined to save for a rainy day. Perhaps you have 3-6 months of monthly expenses already set aside, but maybe your retirement savings is lacking. Today...

Raising children is one of the most rewarding, most life-fulfilling jobs many of us have been tasked with. And while the experience is invaluable, the actual cost of raising children is something that should be considered when mapping...

Coming to the decision to file for divorce is never easy, but at times it is unavoidable. As CPAs and financial professionals, we thought we would shed some light on what the cost might look like so you can begin to plan for a better,...

How Much Should I Save For Retirement (Specifically)?

Joshua P. Willink

Tuesday, July 7, 2020

“How much should I save for retirement?” It might be one of the most common questions we get here at Summit -- and rightfully so. It’s a big question. This is why, when you ask 10 financial advisors, you’ll...

5 Self-Care Tips to Adjust to the "New Normal"

Scott Marks, CFP®, CRPC®

Wednesday, June 24, 2020

Over the past few months we have all been stretched and squeezed into a new form of “normal”. For me, balancing working from home, raising children, and setting aside time for myself has been a challenge. Here are 5...

Updated 6-11-2020 If you’re wondering this, you are not alone. Day trading can be appealing for a lot of reasons. Investors who want to take a hands-on approach to investing may be drawn to the various strategies and research...

There’s a lot of wisdom to be had by studying the day to day lives and financial decisions of everyday folks who just seem to be successful in whatever they touch. You know the ones. They work a regular 9-5 job, they aren’t...

Planning that Post-Coronavirus Summer Vacation? Here are some tips!

Joshua P. Willink

Thursday, April 16, 2020

We all could use a vacation. Am I right? The coronavirus has plagued our nation since early March and no one knows when we will get back to "normal". However, let's dream a little bit. Someday (hopefully soon) the economy will open,...

To say the stock market has been on a wild ride the past couple of months would be an understatement. We can attribute it to the economic impact of the coronavirus, but the dust hasn't settled yet. Until we know more, much of what...

Being quarantined has forced a lot of people into doing something they may not otherwise be used to: slowing down. Seeing people around the country using their quarantine time to build forts with their kids, have popcorn and movie...

On Friday, March 27, President Trump signed a massive $2 trillion-dollar stimulus package to provide some financial relief for business owners and individuals across the country who may be feeling the financial effects that the...

When was the last time you spent an entire day looking at your budget? “A day?” Yes, a day. We are living in such a fast paced society. Time is one of the most precious commodities, and yet no one seems to feel like they...

3 Easy Steps to Spring Clean Your Finances

Josh Oller

Friday, February 28, 2020

As we roll into the spring season and the weather starts to get a bit warmer, you might be thinking of doing a little spring cleaning of your home. This usually consists of boxing up clothes you haven’t worn in years for Goodwill...

If you are looking to purchase a new home, you might be torn between selling or renting out your current home. If you’ve never been a landlord before, you need to be sure you know what you’re getting into. The thought of...

If you are in the market for a new home, or a refinance, you will eventually be asked by your lender if you wish to purchase mortgage points, or discount points. In this article, we will take an in-depth look at mortgage points. First,...

An interesting stat was reported by Investopedia recently. It said that 30% of affluent millennials have lied to their financial advisor about their savings and spending habits. The reason? According to the study, 34% said the reason...

Let’s face it, sticking to a budget can be challenging enough by yourself. Forcing yourself to have the self discipline to not only come up with a spending plan, but following it despite the many temptations that come our way is...

It’s 2020 and talks of recession have been in many investors' minds over the last several months. Our economy faces a lot of headwinds. We see political challenges, impeachment talks, trade deals, unrest in the middle east. Then...

This spring, if you have the space, consider gardening. There are so many benefits to it, and we are about to explain 5 of them. 1) Physical health benefits Studies show that gardening counts as your exercise for the day. In fact, the...

What are you thankful for this Thanksgiving season? At Summit, we have a lot to be grateful for this year. As a company we have been blessed to see another year of rapid growth. We've seen our team gelling like never before, despite...

If you or someone you know has recently been through a divorce, this article will be an important read. Today we are going to look at 4 ways to recover financially from a divorce. 1) Control the things you can control The reason we...

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Families around the world will celebrate by lighting their homes with Christmas lights, decorating a tree, singing carols and roasting chestnuts over an open fire. It is also tradition...

When you meet with a financial professional, chances are, the first question they will ask is: what are your financial goals? As a matter of fact, type in “financial advisor in my area” into Google and visit the top 2 or 3...

Have you recently received an inheritance? This can be a life changing, pivotal time for individuals. Not only can this have a massive impact in your financial lives, it can often come attached with deep feelings and emotions. Here are...

Imagine this. It's a normal day. You wake up, go to work, grab your coffee, sit down at your desk and open your computer. Browsing through the news, you see an article talking about unclaimed money sitting with the state government....

Being self-employed has many benefits. You set your own hours, you answer to yourself, you have the freedom and flexibility to set your daily schedule as you wish. However, along with the benefits comes an equally long list of...

As we approach the holiday season and end of year, now is the time to start thinking about how to close out the year strong financially. There are some tax considerations, as well as some financial planning ideas which you would be...

Have you ever met a rich person that hoards money or a responsible person going further into debt for no reason or someone that never lets others pay the bill at dinner? Money affects us all differently. We all have a certain attitude...

In our experience, we find the wealth building journey, is less about head knowledge and more about our relationship to money. My wife’s grandmother was a saver. She grew up on a farm and lived frugally. My mother-in-law once...

Building wealth doesn’t happen for most of us overnight. It’s a lifetime of hard work, combined with good decision-making and self-discipline. It starts early, learning and developing a savings-first mindset. Accumulating...

This is a great question, and one that was recently asked of Dave Ramsey featured in an article for Fox News. You can see his full response here. To summarize Dave’s response, he essentially says he supports taking a year or two...

It can be challenging to receive a straight answer when you ask this question from a financial advisor. And the reason is because it can be a deeply personal question. Retirement looks different for each person and, therefore, what...

The False Summit

Joshua P. Willink

Tuesday, July 2, 2019

My wife and I love hiking. Having lived in Arizona for a number of years, and traveling to different countries and states with beautiful landscapes, it has become one of our favorite pastimes. When most people go on vacation, they look...

Private mortgage insurance (often referred to as PMI) is one of the necessary evils for individuals trying to buy a home with a down payment under 20%. How it works: First time home buyers often get confused between homeowner’s...

As we continue our #RetiringWithPurpose content series for 2019, today we’d like to talk about something almost everyone strives for in retirement: happiness! While it will vary for each individual, there are some common...

Today we want to look at the 15 best financial decisions you can make in your 30s. How many of these have you already done? Own a home instead of rent - Real estate is historically a fantastic investment and a built in savings plan...

Last month we talked about 3 common misconceptions about retirement. Today we'll pick up where we left off. Now that we’ve addressed 3 things retirement is not, let’s look at 3 important truths about retirement! 1) A New...

Cemeteries are incredible places. When was the last time you visited one? It may sound a bit morbid, but I recently walked through a cemetery for no reason other than I wanted to experience the stunning silence and imagine the stories....

Did you know there are approximately 10,000 people retiring every day? The Baby Boomer generation started reaching the retirement age of 65 back in 2011 which means we are now in full swing. With this many people retiring every day, it...

You’re likely aware of how specific investments in your portfolio relate to your overall financial goals. But did you know that your investments can also reflect your personal values? Environmental, social, and governance (ESG)...

As we approach year-end, the market continues to drop. Plus, the major U.S. stock market indices are now in or approaching bear market territory (i.e., down 20 percent or more). As such, there is a real concern that this drawdown...

The stock market has been on a wild ride these past several months. Before Christmas we saw the worst week of trading since 2008 and we were on track for the worst December on record since the Great Depression, which understandably had...

How much thought have you given to the idea of what an "active retirement" will look like for you? Does it look like hours of fun on the golf course? Does it look like a cruise to the Mediterranean? Is it an entire reading of all the...

Whether you’ve been told you should retire at 62, 65, or some other age, only you can decide what is right for you. In fact, you may want to reconsider retiring at all––at least in the traditional sense. Many of us...

Epic Retirement from Summit Wealth Group on Vimeo.

As we look at a timeline of someone’s life, allow us to paint in broad strokes in regards to our observations. Age: 20s and 30s We generally find that in one’s 20s and 30s, individuals are often not thinking much about...

The Prosperous Retirement Reflections

Daniel Cook, CFP®, AIF®

Tuesday, November 20, 2018

In his book “The Prosperous Retirement: Guide to the New Reality”, Michael K. Stein, CFP® was among the first to discuss the non-financial factors that contribute to, or detract from, a successful retirement. Mr. Stein,...

Sharing your Legacy

Mallory Howard

Tuesday, November 13, 2018

During the holiday season many of us find ourselves spending extra time with our families and close friends. Whether you spend your time together laughing about the years past, playing games, or watching a favorite Holiday movie, this...

As we look to implement specific financial planning techniques with our clients, one strategy we often look to is something called a qualified charitable distribution, or QCD. First we will talk a bit about what a QCD is, then...

In a recent study performed by Charles Schwab, millennials were asked when they plan on retiring. The average answer? Age 60. Interestingly, this is 7 years before they would be eligible for full social security benefits. Yet, the...

A financial plan can also be referred to as a financial roadmap. In a recent blog by Nate Archuleta, he draws a parallel between the trips he and his wife take to Telluride, Colorado, to financial planning. He talks about the...

A plan for everything, a plan for everyone

Nathan M. Archuleta, CFP®, AIF®

Monday, September 10, 2018

Each year, my wife Nicole and I plan a road trip to the southwestern corner of Colorado to enjoy great blues music and the unparalleled beauty of the San Juan mountains. We begin months in advance, giving each other a wink and a nod to...

Turns Out You CAN Buy Happiness -- Here's How

Joshua P. Willink

Wednesday, August 15, 2018

Can money buy happiness? According to the age-old adage, the answer is no. However, I am about to explain exactly how purchasing happiness is not only possible, but very attainable — and affordable! In 2006, a team of biologists...

Retirement; an Unnatural Condition

Daniel H. Gilbertson, CFP®, CRPC®, AIF®

Wednesday, August 15, 2018

Over the last several months, many of our clients and prospective clients have asked me the question, “How long are you going to be doing this?” In other words, when are you retiring? I seem to be getting this question more and more. I...

How To Teach Your Child to Budget Early On

Britini Langford

Monday, August 13, 2018

Think back to your first experience with money. Not the time you swallowed 7 pennies, but rather an instance when you began to realize that money means something. I remember my grandparents handing me some change at church for the...

5 Ways to Keep Money From Ruining Your Marriage

Daniel H. Gilbertson, CFP®, CRPC®, AIF®

Wednesday, August 8, 2018

There are several studies out there attempting to discover why people divorce. Lack of trust, infidelity, lack of communication or incompatibility are all common reasons. However, surprisingly, in most studies it is the issue of money...

Are You Getting the Best Return on Life You Possibly Can?

Ross Haycock, CFP®, AIF®

Tuesday, August 7, 2018

When it comes to investing, the current standard of return on investment (ROI) can be self-limiting, adding pressure that is counterproductive. So much of ROI is not within our control. We can diversify investments––always...

Seems like a foreign concept, doesn’t it, graduating debt-free? The average debt of the class of 2017 students finishing their undergraduate degree was $39,400, and 88% of students attending a for-profit school graduated with at...

Tell us a little about yourselves so we can get to know you! I spent virtually all my live as government employee. So, I guess it’s fair to say I never had a real job. All kidding aside I spent about 40 years in law enforcement....

Top 5 Summer Travel Apps for 2018 Planning your summer vacation? There are many apps out there, designed to help you make the most out of your trip. Here are some of the trendiest travel apps for 2018. Hopper Price: Free Purpose:...

As we look at the top reasons for divorce, you’ll find almost any study shows that "financial reasons" consistently make the cut. It turns out compatibility in relationships extends beyond personality types. When couples are not...

Hey grad, congrats! You made it to the end — or shall we say, the beginning! Assuming you just graduated with a traditional 4-year degree and before that attended K-12th grade, you’ve accumulated about 21,600 hours inside a...

Homeownership is a big deal. Finding a house to call your home, moving in, fixing it up, decorating it, making it your own, then building years and years of memories in it is one of the more rewarding things we experience in life....

Millennials get a bad rap, no doubt about it. The stereotypes are generally negative: lazy, self entitled, no drive, no motivation. Generally people think of Millennials as the generation of “me”. Are these stereotypes...

Growing and protecting your hard-earned assets takes time, energy, and balanced emotions. At Summit Wealth Group, we feel that investing is simply the vehicle used to pursue a desired lifestyle. Retirement is the main goal for most...

During the week of February 5th, U.S. stock funds saw a record $23.9 billion withdrawn by investors, the worst outflows on record. The Dow Jones dropped 1,175 points that day, the greatest point drop in the history of the stock market....

If you are pregnant or are thinking about trying for a baby in the near future, first of all, congrats! What a super exciting time for you and your significant other! You are about to embark on a wild adventure. Speaking from...

1. Take advantage of compound interest. If you set aside $5,000 per year, starting age 25, and it averaged 10% growth per year (the average S&P 500 return since inception) you’ll have $1.05 million by age 55. If you had set aside...

Today we’ll address a question we commonly receive from our clients — “should I pay off my mortgage early?” This question comes up with clients in many stages of life, but today we’ll look at it...

Special thanks to Sarah Willink, Social Worker / Case Manager for Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan for contributing to this article There is no doubt, one of life’s more difficult challenges comes in caring for aging...

5 Ways to be a Smarter Online Shopper

Joshua P. Willink

Monday, November 20, 2017

The trend of online consumerism is fascinating. We do everything online these days. We shop for cars, electronics, clothing, even groceries can be ordered online! In fact, roughly 80% of consumers shop for things online. With...

The Trip That Changed My Perspective

Scott Marks, CRPC®

Tuesday, November 14, 2017

Visiting the barrio of Mexico really puts things in perspective. I had the privilege of going this past weekend with a team of individuals. Our mission: to build a house from the ground up. Start to finish. In one weekend. The kicker?...

What it Means to be a CFP®!

Nathan M. Archuleta, CFP®, AIF®

Thursday, October 19, 2017

Many financial professionals might call themselves “financial planners” but it is another thing to become a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional. About this time last year, I was spending what seemed like every...

The question for today’s topic: Is leasing a vehicle worth it? The really short answer is: perhaps! Let’s take a look. How Leasing Works Leasing is essentially a long-term borrowing situation from the dealership. A lease...

When brands become verbs informally adopted by the english language, it is a good sign that the company has made it big. Need an answer to something? Google it! Would you like to place a video-call to your friend? Skype them! Looking...

In our previous blog post, we revealed the first 5 of 10 common mistakes people make in retirement. In this blog, we pick up where we left off, providing the last 5. If you haven't already done so, you can check out part 1 here! 6....

As advisors, retirement planning is one of our greatest passions. "Retirement" may not be the correct terminology, rather, transitioning from full time work to “work-optional”. This is a wonderful time in life to continue...

“Are you a fiduciary?” This is a question our advisors get a lot these days. Interestingly, 2 years ago we rarely received this question. Now we get it all the time. The shift has to do with a recent ruling by the...

Every year, families around the country gather for Easter Sunday. As you celebrate the holiday with family, friends, eat dinner, decorate easter eggs and enjoy the holiday, we thought we would provide you with some ammunition to keep...

Well Compensated Astrologers

Gary W. James, CFP®, AIF®, CPA

Monday, February 27, 2017

Care to guess the most frequent question I received from my clients after the election? You’re right! “What should we do?” Futures and markets were down overseas and in the U.S. However, it wasn’t long before a...

Children are expensive —every Tom, Dick and Harry knows that. Thankfully there are several vehicles set in place that will help you lessen the financial burden of starting a family, should you implement them. When it comes to...

Retirement Benefits Boosted by 401(k) Plans

Daniel Cook, CFP®, AIF®

Tuesday, January 24, 2017

A recent article in the Wall Street Journal is unfortunately an example of the poor quality of journalism that has become all too common, even in such prestigious publications as this one. The article published on January 2, 2017,...

A Spirit of Gratitude -- Lessons From a 2-Year-Old

Joshua P. Willink

Friday, December 16, 2016

I have a 2-year-old daughter at home named Remy. She is our only child, and admittedly rather spoiled at this point. But, so much fun – she truly is the light of our world. Remy is at a very curious stage. For you parents out...

Who Needs a Financial Advisor?

Scott Marks, CRPC®

Monday, October 31, 2016

We live in an incredible age, with vast global knowledge available at the click of a button. As we continue to automate our lives through technology, who needs a financial advisor? Historically, the most common reason people have...

A Cheat Sheet on Employee Stock Options

Emily K. Biehler, CFP®, AIF®

Tuesday, October 4, 2016

As another option for compensation, many employers have added company stock plans as an employee benefit to promote loyalty and increase compensation. If you are reviewing your company’s benefits or considering a new position, it...

New Car Buying

Daniel Cook, CFP®, AIF®

Tuesday, September 20, 2016

Today I purchased a new vehicle. I hate to admit, because I try very hard not to be a typical materialistic American, but I do enjoy new vehicle shopping. I am not immune to the thrill of that new car feel. However, my "new" vehicle is...

How Hillary and Trump Could Change Your Investment Approach

Scott Marks, CRPC®

Friday, September 9, 2016

“Half of the American people have never read a newspaper. Half never voted for President. One hopes it is the same half.” —Gore Vidal Most would agree that this election is one of the most interesting yet anxious...

The Little Known Tax Benefit of Selling Company Stock

Daniel H. Gilbertson, CFP®, CRPC®, RFC®, AIF®

Tuesday, September 6, 2016

For anyone who has a qualified company retirement plan, such as a 401(k) or ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan), there is a little known tax strategy that can potentially save you thousands of dollars in taxes. The strategy is called...

4 Financial Planning Tips Picked From My Garden

Britini Langford

Tuesday, August 23, 2016

What a wonderful season so far for my herbs, peppers and tomatoes. And the carrots, beans, corn, squash and potatoes are coming up for harvest... is what I would be saying had I planned ahead with preparing my garden beds and sowing my...

The Diversification Deal

Gary W. James, CFP®, AIF®, CPA

Tuesday, August 9, 2016

Many advisors and clients are frustrated with portfolio performance from 2012 to date but for very different reasons. Clients are frustrated due to well publicized returns from 2012 through 2014 for the S&P 500 index and perceived...

Why do You Have to Work, Poppy?

C. Randal Morris, CFP®, ChFC®, AIF®

Tuesday, July 26, 2016

Amazing how questions from a 6 year old can grab your attention. We are spending some of our summer in the woods outside of Durango, Colorado. We purchased this “40-acre-slice-of-heaven” about 5 years ago. Nancy and I...

The Best Advice I’ve ever heard about Poverty

Ross Haycock, CFP®, AIF®

Tuesday, July 12, 2016

Came from Reagan. Not the Reagan you just pictured. My wife, Kaira, and I recently returned from Uganda. We went on a 10-day Compassion International sponsor tour. We’ve sponsored many children through Compassion International,...

3 Ways to Boost Your Savings

Emily K. Biehler, CFP®, AIF®

Wednesday, June 8, 2016

We’ve all heard the statistics about Americans and our savings rates. According to some recent data gathered by the Center for American Progress, nearly one-third of Americans have no savings. This is a problem that must be...

Giving Your Way to Financial Contentment

Ross Haycock, CFP®, AIF®

Monday, April 25, 2016

I have fond, fond memories of living in New Jersey. Being from Colorado and my wife from Hawaii, we had spent zero time on the east coast. We moved there when I was with AT&T. There's a significant event that occurred in our life in...

A Little Perspective

Gary W. James, CFP®, AIF®, CPA

Friday, April 8, 2016

An unfortunate effect of our 24 hour financial data cycle, (I refuse to use the word news since most of it is totally irrelevant to our financial lives at present, much less five or ten years from now) is a complete loss of historical...

Tax Season Follies

Daniel Cook, CFP®, AIF®

Wednesday, February 17, 2016

I was reading an article last week about crazy things that people do on their tax returns. The article was a CPA sharing some of the more humorous stories from the past few years. I thought I’d share a few with you as well as my...

The Sliding Markets of 2016

C. Randal Morris, CFP®, ChFC®, AIF®

Tuesday, January 26, 2016

Wow! The global stock markets have had a shaky start to 2016, to say the least. In a little over two weeks of trading, the U.S. S&P 500 index is down 10% on the year, which brings us into correction territory. On top of that, we’ve...

What About Mom and Dad?

Gary W. James, CFP®, AIF®, CPA

Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Baby Boomers are growing older and the “greatest generation” from the World War II era are now 80 years of age plus. This should add to financial planning discussions the unpopular topics of failing health and eventually...

How to Lower Your Golf Handicap to 9.9 - Goal Setting, Hiring a Professional and Perseverance

C. Randal Morris, CFP®, ChFC®, AIF®

Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Every year our advisory team goes through a business planning exercise. We each develop our own goals for the year and then share these with the rest of our team members. The goals are both personal and professional. It is quite an...

Really Confused

Gary W. James, CFP®, AIF®, CPA

Friday, July 17, 2015

As I write this article I am concurrently looking at two financial websites. They will remain unnamed to protect the guilty. Just a splattering of headlines read: “Historic day for Wall Street as Nasdaq rallies past Dot-Com era...

How Your Retirement Picture Can Look Like Havasupai Falls

C. Randal Morris, CFP®, ChFC®, AIF®

Friday, May 29, 2015

My wife and I recently had a wonderful experience hiking the 10+ miles to Havasupai Falls. Once there we were also able to plunge into the blue-green waters of Mooney Falls and Beaver Falls. This idyllic slice of paradise hours away...

Do Something!

Ross Haycock, CFP®, AIF®

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Half the year is almost gone. Summer is just around the corner, at least in Colorado we’re optimistic it is. During Mother’s Day week we had crazy weather, 9 inches of hail, lots of rain and even a couple of inches of snow....

Healthcare Regulations Make for Tax Filing Surprises

Daniel Cook, CFP®, AIF®

Friday, February 27, 2015

Imagine my client’s surprise when she found out the health insurance policy she owns is not “qualified coverage” for purposes of the new healthcare rules, and that she would be paying approximately $1,100 in...

Tower of Terror

Ross Haycock, CFP®, AIF®

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

Last October, my wife and I took our youngest daughter, Kulia, age 9, and middle child, Mason, age 20, to Disney World. Check that off the to-do list. We had a great time building memories as a family. Over the last several years I've...

Lessons from the Sony Hack

Joshua P. Willink

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Many of us are aware of what took place recently when Sony Corporation’s entire computer network was breached by a group of hackers that work under the disguise name “Guardians of Peace”. We know that sensitive...

Do You Have a Will?

Nathan M. Archuleta, AIF®

Tuesday, January 13, 2015

I recently had a lifelong friend pass away at the age of 30. He had a week-long battle in the hospital before finally going peacefully in the presence of the most important people in his life. His situation involved serious medical...

3 Questions That Predict Your Quality of Life

Daniel Cook, CFP®, AIF®

Monday, December 8, 2014

My mom lives back in the Midwest, and it’s not nearly often enough that I make the trip from Colorado to Missouri to visit. So last month when she said she needed some work done around her house, I immediately got online, booked...