Regardless if you’re just starting out, starting over, or are somewhere in between, it’s important to include saving for the future as part of your financial plan. Designed to safeguard your money until you need it, a savings account is a secure place to deposit your money while building up your savings over time.
First Bank provided a well-deserved tribute to First Sergeant Harry Hope at the St. Louis Blues game. With a total of 38 years of service in the military, Hope has undeniably served his country well.
Tax planners often develop checklists to guide taxpayers toward year-end strategies that might help reduce taxes. Typically, suggestions are grouped into several different categories, such as "Filing Status" or "Employee Matters," for ease of reading.
A donor-advised fund offers an easy way for a donor to make significant charitable gifts over a long period of time. A donor-advised fund is similar to a private foundation but requires less money, time, legal assistance, and administration to establish and maintain. A donor-advised fund also enjoys greater tax advantages than a private foundation.
Charitable giving can play an important role in many estate plans. Philanthropy cannot only give you great personal satisfaction, it can also give you a current income tax deduction, let you avoid capital gains tax, and reduce the amount of taxes your estate may owe when you die.
A fixed annuity is a contract between you and an annuity issuer, usually an insurance company. In its simplest form, you pay money to the annuity issuer; the issuer invests the funds and pays the principal and its earnings back to you or to your named beneficiary. What's fixed about a fixed annuity? The issuer guarantees (subject to its claims-paying ability) a minimum rate of interest on your investment and a fixed benefit amount if you elect to annuitize.
Charles Claver, Senior Vice President and Private Wealth Advisor, discusses structures and strategies to implement for passing your business to the next generation successfully.