Should You Rethink Your Retirement Income Strategy?
By Mike Gertsema, CEO & Wealth Advisor Most people work their entire lives saving money in their 401(k) plans or other employer retirement plans with the goal of having enough to retire comfortably. The goal is to replace their net take-home pay with Social Security, pensions and the in …
Why Estate Planning isn’t a One-and-Done Scenario
By Mike Gertsema, CEO & Wealth Advisor Death and taxes are life’s two great “unavoidables,” so why do we always avoid discussing them? I was looking at our estate planning infographic that indicated that 42% of all adults have a will or living trust in place.
Is Your Financial Advisor All About You?
By Mike Gertsema, CEO & Wealth Advisor There are a lot of investment firms out there and they all say the same thing in different ways. They all say they have great customer service, get to know you, your goals, and they put a plan together.
How to Choose Between Brokers or Registered Investment Advisors
By Mike Gertsema, CEO & Wealth Advisor Recently, we had a prospective client visit us to discuss retirement planning. They had no idea if they were ever going to be able to retire and were concerned they would have to work until the age of 70. We had a pre-meeting to gather all their fi …
7 Questions to Ask When Looking for a Financial Advisor
By Mike Gertsema, CEO & Wealth Advisor There’s a list a mile long on what people are looking for regarding financial advice and a financial advisor. So, I decided to write this guide for you – “7 Questions to Ask When Looking for a Financial Advisor” – bas …
When the Unthinkable Happened – Phase 2
By Jackie Heater, Director of Operations In my previous blog, “5 Tips I Wish I’d Known When the Unthinkable Happened,” I talked about the immediate things that need to be taken care of: funeral arrangements, bills, insurance, bank accounts, investment accounts and various other finan …
Why Advising Investing are Both Important for your Comprehensive Financial Plan
By: Mike Gertsema, CEO & Wealth Advisor Most investors are very concerned about the markets, the economy, their health, their family’s health, whether they’re going to lose all their money, and will we ever get back to the good old days? Of all the things we worry about, which of them a …
Why Does my Financial Advisor Ask for My Income Tax Returns?
By: Nick Gertsema, AIF®, RICP®, Vice President & Wealth Advisor When we are preparing and updating financial plans for clients and prospects, we like to look at prior years’ tax returns. Ideally, we like to see returns for the last few years. There are very important pieces of informati …
What Do Current Income Tax Changes Mean for Me?
By: Mike Gertsema CEO and Wealth Advisor Most people are filing their 2019 income taxes and are hoping to get a refund and not have to pay additional taxes. In 2018 the income tax code was changed, and most people know about it, but wonder if it benefited them. Nick Gertsema, AIF®, Vice Pre …
Working in Your Practice and On Your Practice (and Your Financial Life)
By: Mike Gertsema Over the four decades plus of my business career, I’ve been very fortunate to have great business coaches and mentors guide me. A consistent message from my mentors and coaches was “Mike, instead of working in your practice, block out time to work on your practice.” I natu …
