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Walter Cifuentes
- Jun 27
- 3 min
Trust Implementation Checklist
If you have successfully worked with an estate planning attorney to create a living trust, then congratulations! You have completed a...
Steve Coker, CFP
- Jun 13
- 2 min
Do I Need Umbrella Insurance?
I admit that I am an insurance skeptic. Not only can insurance be extremely complicated, but it is also frequently sold aggressively,...
Steve Coker, CFP
- Jun 6
- 2 min
How to check your own credit
Identity theft has become one of the most significant crimes of today with over 15 million people in the United States falling victim...
Carole Meitler
- May 28
- 3 min
New Rules for Inherited IRAs
There are new rules for IRA’s inherited after January 1, 2020, and it may impact estate planning for existing IRA owners. The SECURE Act...
Steve Coker, CFP
- May 22
- 2 min
The Coming Tax Wave
There are rumors coming out of Washington – rumors of increased taxes. While the specifics are still being worked out, momentum is...
Steve Coker, CFP
- May 7
- 2 min
Save More...Tomorrow
We as Americans have a problem – we don’t save enough. In fact, a recent study by Bankrate.com reported that 18 percent of those in the...
Steve Coker, CFP
- Apr 30
- 4 min
A Surviving Spouse Checklist
There are a number of steps to take to manage a departed loved one’s finances. Knowing what to expect and what you can do will make the...
Steve Coker, CFP
- Apr 23
- 1 min
How to Get Your Social Security Statement
There was a time when the Social Security Administration would mail out annual statements showing your expected Social Security...
Steve Coker, CFP
- Apr 16
- 3 min
Retiring Out of California
California is a wonderful and expensive place to live. It has incredible beauty, amazing weather, and some of the highest tax rates in...
Steve Coker, CFP
- Mar 20
- 2 min
What is a Qualified Charitable Donation?
A Qualified Charitable Donation is a tax-free distribution from an IRA to a charity. Available only to taxpayers aged 70.5 or older, a...
Steve Coker, CFP
- Feb 27
- 3 min
Overcoming the Covid-19 Retirement Black Hole
“I never thought that retirement would be like this.” The comment from one of my clients struck me this week as we discussed his recent...
Steve Coker, CFP
- Feb 13
- 3 min
Adding up the stimulus
How could the stock market continue to rise during the pandemic? Why are stocks rising while so many Americans are still unemployed? The...
Carole Meitler
- Feb 5
- 2 min
Investor Basics: Stocks and Bonds
At Cedarstone we believe it is important for every investor to understand the fundamentals, including how securities work and what their...
Walter Cifuentes
- Jan 29
- 2 min
What is a 1099-R?
It is that lovely time of year that we all like to look forward too - Tax Season! You might have noticed something in your mailbox that...
Steve Coker, CFP
- Jan 15
- 3 min
The Year Ahead – 2021 Outlook
When we wrote our 2020 outlook almost exactly one year ago, we outlined a basic expectation for 2020 and then highlighted the key risks...
Steve Coker, CFP
- Jan 9
- 3 min
2020 A Year in Review
Now that 2020 is over there are many who would rather not look back! Certainly 2020 will be remembered as a challenging year as many...
Carole Meitler
- Dec 18, 2020
- 4 min
Can Money Buy Happiness
‘Tis the season to be …giving. We can’t help but notice the more generous spirit we see during the Christmas season. Furthermore, in some...
Steve Coker, CFP
- Dec 5, 2020
- 3 min
Giving Appreciated Stock
As we discussed last week, there is tremendous uncertainty about future tax changes, making 2020 year-end tax planning extremely...
Steve Coker, CFP
- Oct 22, 2020
- 3 min
Preparing for retirement – a checklist
Ok, let’s admit it. Retirement can be a stressful and time-consuming task. If you aren’t careful, the process of reaching retirement will...
Steve Coker, CFP
- Sep 25, 2020
- 2 min
Traditional vs Roth Retirement Plan Contributions – why not both!
Making after-tax contributions, also known as Roth contributions, to your 401k or IRA can be an effective way to save for retirement and...
