From 2007 to 2011, our practice operated as a franchise of Ameriprise Financial. We shared our Winchester office space with two fellow Ameriprise advisors. In 2011 we founded Boston Standard, won the coin flip, and got to keep our office suite. The Ameriprise advisors moved to Burlington, leaving us with plenty of breathing room and […]
H.S.A. = Retirement Planning Tool
A Health Savings Account (HSA) is a place to set aside money for current health care expenses. But if you’re eligible to contribute to one, don’t underestimate an HSA’s value to your retirement plan. Most people recognize that health care spending will consume more of their budget as they age. A 2015 study by Fidelity projected […]
Household Income & Happiness
Princeton economist, Angus Deaton, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Economics last year, is best known for his work on the relationship between a household’s earned income and how the members of that household report their feelings of emotional well-being (e.g. happiness). The 2010 study suggested once annual income exceeded $75,000 (national average), it […]
Massachusetts 529 Looking More Attractive
I have some good news for Massachusetts residents who are savings for college: Beginning in 2017, our state will offer married couples a tax deduction on the first $2,000 in contributions to a 529. With a 5.1% state tax, that equates to $102 of annual savings. We thought the tax savings would easily be offset […]
A Zero Card?
Debits an existing balance like a normal debit card, but offers rewards like a credit card? That’s an exciting innovation for folks who have cut up their credit cards (and the fun benefits that were attached) in exchange for the responsible, albeit boring, reality of living within their means. Well, there’s a silicon valley start-up […]
New Coffee Line-up
We loved the convenience of our Keurig single cup coffee machine, but reports of the environmental impact caused by all those plastic cups became too much to ignore – particularly since we like to tout our sustainable office practices. So we’ve upgraded our coffee offering to San Francisco Bay Gourmet Coffee, which comes in 97% […]
Fingers Crossed for Proposed 529 Legislation
Last month, US Senators Richard Burr and Bob Casey introduced legislation titled The Boost Saving for College Act. A very limited number of bills are called for a vote, but we’re hopeful this bill is both called and passes. It includes four major provisions that would benefit families saving for college: Low- and middle-income families […]
Finding Good Financial Counsel
The Wall Street Journal’s latest guide for choosing a Financial Planner puts forward criteria that we wholeheartedly endorse. A quick summary is below, but I strongly encourage you to follow the link for the full article. Hire a CFP®. It’s the gold standard credential in financial planning. Decide if you can (or want to) do […]
New 529 Spending Flexibility
Congress passed legislation allowing additional flexibility for qualifying 529 withdrawals. The big inclusion is for computer-related expenses made in the same year that college expenses are incurred. The legislation also allows for a 60-day window to re-contribute funds that were overdrawn similar to the 60-day window for IRAs. The first linked article provides a broad […]
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