New Hampshire Number-One in Study By: Alex Talcott & James Lewis – Aug. 2020 Enjoy Americana, albeit at social distances, at your Fourth of July barbecues? “Fireworks Illegal” digital signs on U.S. Route 1 in Massachusetts make you want to muster up? A recent study by WalletHub sought to quantify patriotism and rank it […]
By: Alex Talcott – April, 2018 Finances can be a major source of stress for many Americans, as they strive to balance myriad money priorities. This financial stress is particularly common for those who experience a job reduction or job loss and no longer have the same amount of income coming in. If you experience […]
By: Alex Talcott – March 2018 There are 28 million small businesses in the U.S. that employ over 120 million people, according to the Small Business Association 1. For many entrepreneurial people in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, owning a small business starts with creating a plan and building it from the ground up. However, buying […]
By Alex Talcott and Chase Hagaman, JD George Washington understood a key principle about public debt: It is a tool to be used when necessary, but not to the detriment of future generations. Unfortunately, the United States has significantly strayed from this principle. In his Farewell Address, Washington said: “As a very important source of […]
By: Alex Talcot – Nov.2017 If you are a Medicare enrollee, you should know that open enrollment takes place from October 15 through December 7, 2017. Any changes you make to your coverage will take effect on January 1, 2018. Since your health care priorities are likely to change over time, you might find it […]
By: Alex Talcott -Oct. 2017 If you’re a parent of a child with special needs, you’ve likely dedicated much of your life to researching, providing, and advocating for the best care for your child. So naturally, you may worry about what will happen when you are no longer able to supervise your child’s care due […]
By: Alex Talcott – Sept. 2017 Social Security benefits are a cornerstone of retirement income for many Americans, though I’ll respect Gen X and millennial clients who don’t wish to assume it will continue to be available — in its present or any form — once they reach their 60s or 70s. We can run […]
By: Alex Talcott – July, 2017 It can be easy to overlook the importance of saving for retirement, especially when you’re focused on shorter-term financial priorities such as buying a new car or saving for college. However, it’s crucial to consider your long-term financial security and make saving for retirement a priority. If you start […]
By: Alex Talcott – June, 2017 Saving for – and even thinking about – retirement can be overwhelming. While it’s natural to worry about your financial future, be careful not to let preconceived notions prevent you from saving for tomorrow. My wife is a therapist by trade, so we talk about the kinds of things […]
By: Alex Talcott – May, 2017 New England is an especially exciting, entrepreneurial place. Many choose the fulfilling journey of self-employment, taking upon themselves the management of opportunities as well as responsibilities. Small-business owners just starting out are in control of virtually every aspect of their enterprise, which includes making personal retirement happen. If you […]
By: Alex Talcott – April, 2017 Age 70-1/2 represents an important milestone for your retirement savings. Once you reach this age, you will need to begin withdrawing money from your retirement accounts. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) requires you to take these mandatory annual withdrawals, which are formally known as Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs). RMDs […]
By: Alex Talcot – Feb. 2017 More than 110 million Americans collected a tax refund – worth an average of just under $3,000 – after filing their 2015 tax returns, according to statistics released by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). If you’re one of the many Americans who expect to receive a financial “windfall” (note: […]
By: Alex Talcott – Jan. 2017 There are so many truly small businesses in New England that I like to joke with budding entrepreneur clients that if a “mom-and-pop shop” has both a mom and a pop involved – two employees – that’s a midsize business here! For more of my undergraduate business students than […]
By: Alex Talcott – Dec. 2016 Teaching college and high-school students of all backgrounds in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, and advising families on how to finance their education goals, has been exciting and changing, as fundamental questions are being asked about what college is—and when to do it. A growing number of U.S. students are […]
By: Alex Talcott – July, 2015 READ PART I I’ve heard you allude to the possibility that Edward Snowden had an above-top-secret security clearance. Any comments on the theory or practice of security clearances? Well I hold a security clearance myself. …We have the best system in place right now to try to preserve our […]