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Social Security Survivors Benefit
When the unthinkable happens and one spouse dies, Social Security provides a benefit, commonly referred to as the widow’s benefit, to the survivor. Why is the survivor benefit referred to as ‘widow’s’ benefit? Simply put, approximately 80% of the individuals receiving survivor benefits are women. Decisions about how long to work and when to claim Social Security Survivor benefits can have a significant impact on the life of the survivor. If you find yourself in this situa
Steve Coker, CFP
4 days ago3 min read
Is it time to raise rates?
As we discussed a few weeks ago, newly appointed Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh, has a challenge on his hands. Inflation is still running above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target. More concerning, it has begun to move in the wrong direction, rising from a 2026 low of 2.4% in January and February to a concerning 4.2% in May and 3.5% in June as measured by Consumer Price Inflation (“CPI”). Admittedly, much of the rise in inflation over the past few months relates to the sp
Steve Coker, CFP
Aug 92 min read
California is not the worst for taxes!
The new State Tax ratings from Tax Foundation are out and once again California ranks as one of the highest taxed states in the nation. But here is some good news – it is not the worst! This analysis factors in things like income tax, sales tax, property tax, inheritance tax, and other policies. California continues to rank just below New York and New Jersey as the highest taxed states in the nation. California is plagued with everything from the highest income tax bracket
Steve Coker, CFP
Aug 12 min read
How to spot a scam
Unfortunately, it happens all the time. The best official estimate is that almost a million Americans are victims on cyber related fraud each year. This is not the same as being hacked, where computer systems are compromised. Fraudsters use clever narratives to convince victims to willingly hand over their cash, or the rights over the assets. There are many scams and they are difficult to spot. However, they often share some common characteristics. If you see any of these r
Steve Coker, CFP
Jul 243 min read
Why Gold?
During May of 2025 we made the decision to add gold, purchased through an exchange-trade fund, to many of our portfolios. At the time, we did not purchase gold because we expected some imminent US Government debt crisis, or governmental collapse. However, we purchased Gold as a hedge or insurance policy against crisis. Over the past year Gold has risen considerably, rising from a price of $3,000 per ounce last May to a peak of more than $5,300 before selling off to approximat
Steve Coker, CFP
Jul 162 min read
