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The importance of having money set aside is undeniable.  In this article, I am not talking about a savings account per se, but instead, and emergency, or better yet, an "Adventure Fund."  You can easily combine this adventure fund with your regular saving account, or keep it separate, depending on which method works for you and your family.

As we head into 2022, it's crucial to know the new rules for required minimum distributions. If you're unsure of what RMDs entail, we'll go into greater detail in this article.  To start, let's specify what a required minimum distribution is for those that may not be familiar with the term. An RMD refers to the amount of money a person has to withdraw annually from their tax-deferred retirement account, and RMD's apply to those who are turning 72 this year or older.

We're incredibly excited to be celebrating 10 years of business here at TruNorth Wealth Management! I’d like to say Thank You to everyone we’ve engaged with over these past 10 years. Becoming a Certified Financial Planning Professional has been my dream since I was 12 years old and I’m so proud to have founded TruNorth Wealth Management and been a part of all of your lives.

Though the terms and overall process can seem overwhelming, gifting remains a fantastic opportunity to assist your loved ones financially. As we close out one year and welcome another, the desire to give that comes along with the Christmas season raises questions regarding gifting for many families and individuals.

The bottom line? Gifting is a fantastic option for many people. Before you jump into it, you'll want to ensure that you completely understand your reasons for gifting, that it fully aligns with your personal values and your gifting limits, whether transferring wealth from one generation to the next or helping out financially.

Developing a strategy can feel like a lot when you've decided to gift, especially concerning gifting limits, how much, and when to give. Gifting, when done correctly, can be a fantastic way to prepare your loved ones to maintain expenses and finances in the future.

Congratulations are in order! 

You planned, saved money for education expenses, and now your child is off to college. But as you settle into your “empty nest,” you might be wondering, now what?  It’s time to figure out how to adapt to your child’s new independence while keeping your family on a steady course financially.

Here, we’ll focus on some common financial planning issues encountered by empty nesters (or those soon to be!).  From finding new ways to save to considering powers of attorney, learn how to navigate this exciting transition while planning for the next phase of life.

Watch out for taxes when withdrawing from an IRA you inherited – important planning strategies for IRA Beneficiaries.

When you inherit an IRA, you are responsible for paying the income taxes on the amount of money you withdraw from the IRA.  The amount of money you withdraw will be added to your ordinary income and taxed at your highest marginal tax rate.  Please be careful before cashing in a $300,000 Inherited IRA to make a large purchase – your taxes could easily be over $100,000.