ShankerValleau 360°- Build & Preserve Your Wealth with Year-Round Tax Planning
By now you’ve signed your 2021 tax returns (or put them on extension) and breathed a sigh of relief that April 15th is behind you once again. While “tax season” may imply that there is an optimal time to think about your taxes, many taxpayers are best served by a year-round, tax-wise, financial plan. Whether you’re building, preserving, or spending your wealth, intentional tax-planning remains integral every step of the way. ShankerValleau provides a unique and powerful combination of financial planning and tax expertise, with both CFP® professionals and CPAs on our team. Tax planning is best considered an ongoing …
ShankerValleau 360°- Investing through Good Times and Tough Times
In the last few weeks, we’ve witnessed the heartbreaking human toll of Russia’s military assault on Ukraine. We’ve also experienced the deluge of financial and economic analyses on its effects on global markets. As The Wall Street Journal’s executive Washington editor Gerald F. Seib reflected, “Russia’s military incursion deeper into Ukraine is one of those rare events that won’t merely affect the world. It will change the world.” We do not know what the future may hold but, as Dimensional Fund Advisors explored in its timely piece, “Navigating Geopolitical Events,” ample historical precedent illustrates what can happen during times of …
ShankerValleau 360°- Visualizing your Goals and Objectives
What are your hopes for 2022? What are your dreams for the next 10, 20, or 30 years? Do you have a vision for your family beyond your lifetime? While these questions may not seem related to your financial life, they should be at the core of every financial decision you make. At ShankerValleau, we tailor wealth management to your life’s goals and your timeline. When making decisions about your financial life, your goals can be broken down into two categories – short-term and long-term. Short-Term Goals What do you want to accomplish soon? Examples of short-term goals are purchase …
Why I’ll Always Be Optimistic About the Market
By David Booth, co-founder and Executive Chairman of Dimensional Fund Advisors It’s hard to believe we’re approaching the end of the second year of this global pandemic. Despite the pain and loss endured by so many all over the world, I hope some positive changes have come from the shock we’ve all been forced to experience. As we look forward to 2022, despite continued uncertainty, I’m feeling a sense of educated optimism that’s stronger than ever before. Why? Because over the past two years, my beliefs have been tested more than ever. And they’ve held up. At the start of …
ShankerValleau 360° – A Holistic Approach to Your Financial Life
A fresh new year is a great opportunity to tend to your financial life. The peace of mind that comes from knowing your life is built on a solid financial foundation is invaluable. But, where should you begin? Over the next year, we will provide insight into ShankerValleau’s holistic approach to wealth management. As we give you clarity into our process, we hope you will learn strategies to implement in your own life and pitfalls to avoid when building your solid financial foundation. Your Goals Our approach begins with your unique goals and objectives. What are your hopes and aspirations? …
Lump-Sum Investing vs. Dollar-Cost Averaging – Actual Outcomes
In Part 2, we continue to explore different strategies for investing available cash: Should you invest it all right away as a lump sum? Or are you better off wading in more gradually with dollar-cost averaging? Traditionally, lump-sum investing is expected to generate the highest returns over time. For simple reason, in markets that have risen more, and more often than they’ve fallen, the sooner you deploy your investable assets, the more time they have to grow. That said, general rules don’t always apply to you. Let’s look at when dollar-cost averaging may be preferred after all. Considering the Big …
Lump-Sum Investing vs. Dollar-Cost Averaging – Reviewing Returns
While the words may sound intimidating, the difference between a lump-sum investment strategy and a dollar-cost averaging investment strategy comes down to one simple question, “Should you invest your cash all at once? Or in smaller segments over a period of time?” In the following article we explore the pros and cons of two different investment strategies. Next time you have a lump-sum of investable cash, whether through inheritance, savings, or other means, we hope you’ll feel well informed of your options. As always, every financial situation is unique, please contact ShankerValleau to discuss the right investment strategy for you. …
The Steps of Estate Planning
In our last piece, we emphasized the importance of estate planning as the greatest gift you can bequeath to your loved ones, to reduce their stress load during an already painful time. If you’ve been putting off your estate planning, taking the initial steps can be daunting—but liberating. While it may feel overwhelming, ShankerValleau can assist you through every step of the estate planning process. Hurdle #1: Deciding Who Gets What A great first step is to think through what you’d like to have happen after you die. Who are your heirs and other beneficiaries? How much should each receive? …
Superfunding a 529 College Savings Plan
At ShankerValleau, we frequently advise entire families; supporting each generation as they plan for the next. Wishes for the next generation may include jump starting a grandchild’s college savings or giving a meaningful gift to a cherished family member. But sometimes, an individual’s wish to gift to the younger generation is constricted by gift tax laws. While there are various tools available for making significant, tax efficient gifts, let’s focus on 529 college savings plans and the act of “Superfunding”. What is Superfunding? In 2021, the federal gift tax exclusion is $15,000. A person may give away up to $15,000 …
