View from the Lake
Where Financial Planning meets the Real World
Congratulations to our 2018 Service Award Winners!
Shakespeare’s core values are Faith, Family and Fiduciary. Community service and giving back to our communities is one of the main ways we demonstrate each of these core values. It’s part of Shakespeare’s DNA and not surprisingly, it’s also part of yours. In that regard, three years ago we created the Shakespeare Service Award to […] Read More
Year-End Tax Planning Considerations
The Tax Cut and Jobs Act (TCJA) passed late last year has kept us busy throughout 2018. With 12/31 quickly approaching, we wanted to summarize year-end planning strategies to consider. Keep in mind these strategies will also apply in 2019; so this year-end summary can also give you a head start when planning for next year. […] Read More
How-To Guide for a Great Thanksgiving
The turkey has been bought, the pies are being prepared, and we’re all busy preparing to celebrate our annual day of giving thanks. As we approach the big day, let’s review some things to consider in making this Thanksgiving the best ever. Love the Ones We’re With Although we love our relatives, being with […] Read More
Budgets Gone Bad – How Successful People Get in Financial Hot Water
This title sounds like something you’d read on the cover of a magazine in the checkout line at the grocery store, relating to something other than personal finances. You might think that budget problems are confined to people with lower income and asset values. But you’d be wrong. In recent years, there has been an uptick […] Read More
The 4 Everyday Habits You Need For Successful Financial Planning
You’ve probably seen articles across websites, newspapers and magazines with variations of a title that reads “The Most Successful People do ‘This’ to Stay Ahead.” The articles then proceed to identify key personality traits, work habits, etc. that benefit productivity and success. Why is this type of content so popular? Because a big part of […] Read More
Did my portfolio beat the S&P 500?
One of the most common questions we receive from clients relates to the performance of investment accounts. It’s a fair question. You entrust us to manage your money and you need and deserve a reasonable return. It’s interesting that the nature of investor questions changes based on changes in market volatility and where we are […] Read More
What your Grandkids can teach you about Financial Planning
One of the best things about having little ones around is they teach you all about the small joys in life. Picture the last time you were with your grandkids, or even think back to when your kids were just little tikes playing their favorite game, finally getting the toy they always dreamed of on […] Read More
Your Parents’ Inheritance
Your parents called, and they asked me to write you this note about what to do when inheriting their money. I wasn’t thrilled with the idea, but they are good people, so I figured I better do it. We both know how hard it is to say “NO” to them so let’s take a look […] Read More
Case Study: Planning Issues for Spouses with Large Age Differential
Love has no age limit. Couples who meet in high school or college are typically less than 4 years apart in age. However, when spouses marry later in life, the age gap can be 10, 15 or even 20+ years. Planning for spouses who have a large age differential presents unique planning issues. Meet the […] Read More
