View from the Lake
Where Financial Planning meets the Real World
Fishing for Returns
Fishing for Investment Returns Having just returned from our annual Canadian fishing trip and having spent lots of time sitting in the boat doing nothing, my mind had free range to roam. Most men would be thinking about the big one that lies beneath, but my mind is wired a little differently. I couldn’t help but to ponder the correlation […] Read More
Legacy and Traditions
From Family Traditions to Legacy My father was an avid fisherman. To satiate his hobby, and to appease my mother, my brothers and I tagged along on his fishing excursions. When I was not yet five years old, he began an annual tradition of taking us fishing in Canada. In 1981 we went to a new ‘fishing camp.’ […] Read More
Taking Inventory of Your Life Insurance Policies
As financial advisors we see all different kinds of life insurance policies that were sold for all different reasons at all different times of life. Here are a few examples: A “baby policy” sold to your parents when you were just an infant. Policies are often from the 1950s, fully paid up, and offer a […] Read More
Taxes and Consumption
Taxes and Lifestyle – Competing Forces With tax season behind us, I figured now is a great time to write an article related to taxes. Writing about tax strategies is always topical, but we’ve done that before (visit our blog for awesome posts), plus we cover all applicable strategies in our client meetings. Rather, I […] Read More
My Dog’s Deferred Gratification
Can you teach an old dog new tricks? A week ago, I was working in my yard with Mocha (our chocolate lab) outside with me. Mocha understands when I’m in work mode, so she sniffs her way around the yard, staying out of my way and looking for who-knows-what. After about an hour of good hard […] Read More
Why Do I Owe Money On My Tax Return? Chortek Weighs In.
GUEST POST: Taxpayers Surprised They Owe By Michael C. Radtke, Partner, CPA, CVA Chortek CPAS | Business Advisors “Why do I owe money on my tax return?” Were you surprised by your tax returns this year? You’re not alone. Many taxpayers who received refunds last year ended up owing this year, and depending on what you’ve […] Read More
Long-Term Care in the 21st Century
If we look back through history, we’ll note that caring for those who became elderly or disabled was handled far differently than it is today. In the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, most people worked either on a farm or in a factory. People worked until they physically couldn’t, and then they would retire. They […] Read More
Plan for Extended Health Care Needs Now, While You’re Healthy
By Michael Smith,LUTCF, President of CPS Horizon During the last 2-3 years I have seen a significant increase in people learning more and taking action for long-term care planning. Pre-retirees and those already retired are beginning to realize that having a plan for care, if needed, is an important aspect of retirement living. Perhaps […] Read More
Documents to Provide to Your CPA
It’s officially tax season — that time of year our friendly neighborhood CPAs begin hibernating in their offices… and the time you need to provide documents to your CPA. As with a typical grizzly, it’s important not to needlessly poke the bear. Let’s review the key information your CPA will be looking for and make […] Read More
