Benefit Financial Services Group

Gift Cards: How They Work, Pros, and Cons They offer convenience but can come with hidden fees and wasted funds.

Backdoor Roth IRA: Advantages and Tax Implications Explained The backdoor Roth IRA strategy is not a tax dodge. When you transfer the assets of a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA, you owe taxes on any funds—the principal as well as any earnings and appreciation—that have not been taxed previously.

Higher inflation, election uncertainty, and ongoing tensions in the Middle East caused weaker stock and bond returns for the month of October. Here are 3 things you need to know:

1) The S&P 500 (-0.9%) lost ground for the first time in six months. The index did hit a record high on October 18, but disappointing earnings from big tech pushed it back into negative territory for the month.
2) We saw the biggest monthly jump in the 10 yr. Treasury yield (+50bps) since September 2022.
3) It was another strong month for precious metals, with gold (+4.2%) hitting another all-time high in October and advancing for a 4th consecutive month.

https://bfsg.com/monthly-market-update-october-2024-3-things-you-need-to-know/

Monthly Market Update (October 2024): 3 Things You Need to Know | Benefit Financial Services Group Higher inflation, election uncertainty, and ongoing tensions in the Middle East caused weaker stock and bond returns for the month of October. Here are 3

Passing down an inheritance? Here's how to handle these 4 complicated assets — including houses and retirement funds Having a comprehensive estate plan is crucial to ensure the preservation of your assets.

Join us on November 6th at 10 am PT to learn tax strategies everyone can use to help minimize taxes before year-end. We will also take a glimpse into anticipated tax changes and how to prepare for 2025 and beyond.

Register here: https://ow.ly/he4Z50TYwmb

Inheritance: Definition, How It Works, and Taxes Inheritance refers to the assets that an individual bequeaths to their loved ones after they pass away. An inheritance may contain cash, investments such as stocks or bonds, and other assets such as jewelry, automobiles, art, antiques, and real estate.

Why a Roth IRA is the 'holy grail' retirement account—no matter your income Not only is tax diversification important in retirement, but many people may not realize just how big of a tax bill they will face in their later years if most of their assets are tied up in accounts like traditional IRAs and 401(k)s. One question clients often have is how to know that the Roth's ta...

Why your estate plan should include who will burn your journals When it comes to estate planning, most people think of dividing up financial assets and determining which child gets the family heirlooms, but there's so much more to consider. Journals, secure records, passwords for all of your online accounts, and even cellphone camera galleries, among others.

Life insurance is an important tool for planning for your financial future. The reality is there are many reasons over a person’s lifetime why they may need life insurance. This blog post will illustrate the different types of insurance coverage available, help you determine how much life insurance coverage you may need, and how your age plays a pivotal role in the type of life insurance coverage to get.

Do I Need Life Insurance? | Benefit Financial Services Group Life insurance is an important tool for planning for your financial future. The reality is there are many reasons over a person's lifetime why they may need

What does the election mean for the stock market? Worried about recent geopolitical events? Are stocks overvalued?

Join us on our "Navigating Market Volatility" webinar tomorrow (10/30 @ 10 am PT) as we help you circumnavigate market volatility and learn the "do's and do not's" of investing.

Register here: https://ow.ly/Icbm50TVOJN

Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: BFSG FWS 2024 - Navigating Volatile Markets. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the webinar. The “do and do nots” of investing Behavioral finance and how to circumnavigate market volatility Discover how having a balanced plan makes a difference

They Bought Insurance for Security in Old Age. They Got a Financial Nightmare Instead. People who bought long-term care policies decades ago face a wrenching dilemma: Pay much higher premiums or brace for crippling bills to cover their care in old age.

Pay attention! 12 ways to improve your focus and concentration span From gamifying your to-do list to going for a regular morning walk, top tips for improving concentration from psychotherapists, health coaches and other experts.

Who Matters More in a Move: You or Your Spouse? New research finds couples are more likely to move for a job when it benefits the man, even when the woman’s career stands to benefit more by moving.

Take the Win: Rebalance Your Portfolio Before Markets Get Bumpy The bull market may be nearing a peak after a stellar two-year run. Rebalancing into these areas could help you avoid losses.

As part of our ongoing commitment to provide timely and relevant content to our clients and friends of BFSG, we are excited to invite you to our upcoming complimentary webinar series. As we embark on the second half of 2024, this series will focus on navigating your financial journey, protecting your assets, and charting a successful course for your career and retirement. Join us to gain valuable insights that will empower you to take control of your financial future.

Register here:

Navigating Volatile Markets (October 30th 10 am PT): https://ow.ly/yx8w50TR6fn

Navigating Your Tax Strategy (November 6th 10 am PT): https://ow.ly/uXXA50TR6fg

Navigating the Financial Seas: A Roundtable Discussion (November 13 10 am PT):
https://ow.ly/e1lL50TR6fi

Navigating Your Retirement Plan (November 20th 10 am PT): https://ow.ly/T11q50TR6fj

Benefit Financial Services Group (BFSG) is proud to announce that four of our team members have been selected for the 2024 NAPA Top Women of Excellence award. Congratulations to:

Tina Schackman, CFA®, CFP®, Senior Retirement Plan Consultant
Aksana Munoz, QKA Lead Client Service Manager
Nicole Chou, Client Service Manager
Antonia Lipovac, Client Service Manager

“I’m very excited to see NAPA extend the award this year to our MVPs. It’s an important acknowledgement of the critical roles these women play in driving our business forward and fostering our client relationships.”– said Tina Schackman, CFA®, CFP®, Senior Retirement Plan Consultant.

Nominees were asked to respond to a series of quantitative and qualitative questions about their experience and practice. Those anonymized questionnaires were then reviewed by a blue-ribbon panel of judges who, over the course of several weeks, selected the women honored in the three categories. See the full list here: https://www.napa-net.org/industry-content/accolades-home/napa-top-women-of-excellence/2024-napa-top-women-of-excellence/



Disclaimer: Awards and recognitions by unaffiliated rating services, companies, and/or publications should not be construed by a client or prospective client as a guarantee that he/she will experience a certain level of results if the Firm is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services; nor should they be construed as a current or past endorsement of the Firm or its representatives by any of its clients. Rankings published by magazines and others are generally based exclusively on information prepared and/or submitted by the recognized adviser. The Firm did not pay a fee for inclusion on this list.

With Hurricane Costs On The Rise, U.S. Fiscal Concerns Are More Urgent With more catastrophes, there is a need to better align development with disaster risks and to improve how the government budgets, plans for, and responds to disasters.

4 Basic Facts to Know About IRAs Perhaps you've heard about individual retirement accounts (IRAs) but know little about what they are or how they can help you reach your retirement goals. To get you started, let's take a look at four basic facts about IRAs.