According to the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), there are 19,884 registered financial advisors located in Colorado as of October 2020; this number is six times greater than that of Nevada with only 3,301 advisors.   It comes as no surprise to see this elevated number of advisors residing in Colorado since Colorado is ranked #13...

By Cindy Alvarez, Senior Wealth Management Advisor   It is a common myth to believe that any sitting President’s fiscal policies can or will manipulate the barometer of the U.S. stock market, while the truth is, over the past 120 years – the long-term performance of the market has shown almost no correlation with government...

Quick Links:   2019 Income and Payroll Tax Rates  2020 Income and Payroll Tax Rates  Corporate Tax Rate  Alternative Minimum Tax  Kiddie Tax on Unearned Income  Income Taxation of Social Security Benefits  Standard Deduction  Itemized Deductions  Deduction for Qualified Business Income  Capital Gains and Dividends  Deductions for Contributions to Public Charities  Individual Retirement Accounts  Dollar Limits for Qualified Retirement Plans  Required Minimum Distributions  Estate and Gift Taxes  2019 INCOME AND PAYROLL TAX RATES...

Your Competitive Edge Build your business by attracting—and keeping—the best employees In this Guide Introduction  Why Attract, Retain, and Reward Your Top Performers?  Executive Compensation Strategies: Compare your Options  Control and Flexibility: Nonqualified Deferred Compensation (NQDC) Plans  Simplicity and Deductibility: Executive Bonus Arrangements  Affordability: Split-Dollar Arrangements  Conclusion 1. Introduction Your employees are a huge part of what makes your business successful. However, in today’s fluid employment environment, your competitors are also looking for top talent. Executive(1) compensation strategies that use life insurance allow you to put the proper arrangements in place that can help ensure that key players stay where they belong: with you.  1 “Executive” is defined as a 5% or more...

The rising cost of healthcare has led to an increased focus on the need for both short- and long-term savings to fund these expenses. Employers, benefit consultants, and financial advisors are seeking additional tools to help employees plan for the healthcare costs they will face throughout their lifetime, particularly during retirement years, when healthcare costs...

TAKING CONTROL OF YOUR FINANCIAL FUTURE THROUGH THE GENERATIONS Empowering Women: Taking Control of Your Financial Future Through the Generations INTRODUCTION The increase of women in the workplace and as heads of their households has created a paradigm shift from the days where men-controlled family financial affairs. Now more than ever, women are decision-makers in...

A Menu of Options to Create More Liquidity  Let’s face it, life inevitably throws some curve balls our way from time to time. Sometimes it feels like they come in multiples. Building options into your financial plan for these sometimes-unforeseen curve balls can often be the difference between making decisions on our own terms versus doing...

Social media and the online news sites love to publish articles discussing Americans’ reluctance to plan for their retirement. These articles paint a gloomy picture of a future with too little money saved, the possibility of reduced Social Security benefits, and many people feeling they may never be able to retire. While this may be...

As you develop or update an estate plan, consider the following ways life insurance can help address your needs. Determining how to meet your loved ones’ needs and accomplish your financial goals are the primary tasks of an estate plan. In addition, with a well-constructed plan, you can prepare for predictable events, such as the...

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act which was recently passed by Congress is intended to assist business owners with specific needs they have right now. Although the first $350 Billion for these programs has been drained, it appears congress is negotiating to contribute more to this lifeline for small businesses. We know...