Erik Burns

Reach out if you’re looking for help creating a debt-reduction strategy.

Want to Get Out of Debt Faster? 4 Things to Ask Your Credit Card Company Right Now Most credit card issuers want to keep you as a customer, so it’s worth asking them for more favorable terms. These tips can help you get started.

Retiring at different times brings unique challenges and opportunities. Reach out if you need help ironing out the details so you can enter retirement feeling confident.

5 Things to Consider When You Retire Before Your Spouse If you decide to retire before your spouse does, there are a few things you should know. Here are 5 things to know if you’re retiring before your spouse.

We get this question a lot. The answer is that life insurance is not an investment. But when combined with other tools, like investments, it can add a lot of value to your financial plan.

How Life Insurance Adds Value to Your Financial Plan Is whole life insurance worth it? While whole life insurance isn't an investment, life insurance policies can benefit from cash value growth and dividends.

The amount you have in savings is important, but how you’re saving can go a long way to help you get the most out of your money. I’d love to schedule time to learn more about your situation and show you how some simple tweaks can help you get more out of your savings.

Here's What Americans Have Saved for Retirement by Age, and What They Think They’ll Need See how you stack up with your peers and what you can do to maximize your savings.

If you need help setting up a structure to track your expenses, we can help.

5 Steps for Creating a Monthly Family Budget Knowing where your money goes every month can free you up to splurge on fun activities. These 5 steps can help you get on the right track.

If homeownership is your dream, I can help you create a financial plan to make that happen.

Your Complete Guide to Buying a Home Buying a home may be the biggest investment you’ll make. This 8-step guide can help you navigate the process and make a decision with confidence.

I can help you figure out the best way to save and grow your money based on your goals and timeline.

5 Smart Things to Do With Your Tax Refund Your first impulse might be to splurge on something you’ve been wanting to buy—and you should! But you can also set some aside for savings or paying off debt.

Northwestern Mutual’s latest survey of American’s finances shows financial insecurity on the rise. Whether you’re feeling insecure or just want to up your money game, these tips can help you to start playing offense.

Feeling Financially Insecure? How to Go on Offense With Your Money The best defense against feeling financially insecure is a good offense—also known as a financial plan. These steps can help you get in the game or level up.

As your life evolves, your need for life insurance also tends to change. Let’s sit down to make sure your plans match where you’re at in your life.

When Should You Reevaluate Your Life Insurance Coverage? Like many parts of your financial life, life insurance isn’t something you should set and forget.

Tax code can seem complicated, and it constantly changes. Working with someone who’s up to speed can make a big difference when it comes time to file.

How to Get a Bigger Tax Refund These steps could help you earn a bigger refund on your taxes this year

When you’re strategic with your retirement savings, you can minimize how much tax you’ll owe today and in retirement.

Should You Contribute to a Roth or Traditional Retirement Account? Here’s why you should consider doing both.

Working with a professional can help you both see your shared financial picture.

Why All Couples Need to Have the Money Talk—And How to Get Started Financial discussions may not seem romantic, but they can help you develop a new level of trust and understanding for each other. These tips can help.

In the Weekly Market Commentary, Chief Investment Officer Brent Schutte looks at what the latest CBO estimates about economic capacity mean for the business cycle.

Mind the Output Gap Has the economy reached its growth limit? Read more in our Weekly Market Commentary.

Social pressure to spend is real. Enter “loud budgeting.” The new trend may help you say no to financial peer pressure. Whether you’re trying “loud budgeting” or just want to get off on the right financial foot this year, we can help.

What Is Loud Budgeting and How Can It Help Me? See how loud budgeting works—and could work for you.

A bonus is a great perk—but it can quickly move you into a new tax bracket, increasing your tax bill. If you want tips on minimizing what you owe, please reach out.

How Are Bonuses Taxed? Here's What You Need to Know The IRS has different withholding rules for bonuses than it does for your regular pay. Here’s what you need to know about how bonuses are taxed.

A Roth IRA can be a great retirement savings tool thanks to its tax benefits. But there are rules you need to be aware of. If you’d like a second look at your plan, please reach out.

Roth IRA Contribution Limits 2024 There are limits to how much you can contribute to your Roth IRA each year.

The new year is an ideal time to get a jump on making the most of your finances so you can achieve whatever is important in your life. Reach out to get started.

Resolutions to Solutions: A Financial Checklist for the New Year Our financial checklist can help you get a jump on making the most of your money in the new year.

A 401(k) is a popular way to save for retirement, but it’s important you follow the rules—like contribution limits. If you have questions about your plan, let’s connect.

401(k) Contribution Limits for 2024 There are limits to how much you can contribute to your 401(k) each year.

Creating and following a budget is one of the best things you can do to support your financial plan. Reach out if you’d like help with yours.

How to Create a Monthly Budget A monthly budget is a critical part of your financial plan.

If you’re contemplating getting married, I can help you and your partner navigate through some important money conversations.

4 Key Money Conversations to Have When You’re Getting Engaged A recent survey by Northwestern Mutual found that nearly three quarters of Americans think popping the question shouldn’t come before an honest conversation about money.

You still have time to get back on track. Reach out if you’re looking for help in creating a budget that works for you.

How to Recover When Your Holiday Budget Is Blown Even if you’ve already gone over your holiday budget, you still have time to get your finances back on track. These tips can help.

Having a baby is an exciting time! It’s also a good time to update or create your financial plan. Please reach out if you’d like to have a conversation to make sure you’re ready financially for your new baby.

Life Insurance for New Parents When you're putting together everything you need to take care of your new arrival, be sure to include life insurance—and take some time to research your options.

Some of the most memorable experiences don’t cost a dime, but it’s still important to reassess your financial plan towards the end of the year. Ready to get started? Reach out today.

It’s difficult to plan for unexpected expenses that are hard to predict. If you’re looking for strategies to plan ahead, please reach out.

Planning for Long-Term Care Expenses It’s hard to plan for something you’re not sure you’ll need. Here’s what you need to know about long-term care expenses.

If you’ve been putting off having necessary money conversations with your family members, we can get help you prepare for these important talks.

How to Have Conversations About Money With Your Family Money talks can be emotional but getting everyone on the same page can ultimately make for more harmonious family dynamics.

Year-end is a great time to review your finances as you prepare for whatever comes your way in the new year.

Your 2023 Year-End Financial Checklist Year-end is great time for a financial checkup. Here’s a helpful checklist to help keep you financially on track in the year ahead.

A health savings account (HSA) and flexible spending account (FSA) are similar. Both let you put pre-tax dollars toward qualified medical expenses. But they have key differences. Reach out to me for more clarity on which may be more right for you.

One of the benefits of permanent life insurance is that it accumulates cash value over time. One way to utilize your cash value is to take a loan against it. It can be a great financial tool, but there are a few things to consider before you do it. As always, please reach out with any questions.

What You Should Know Before Taking a Life Insurance Policy Loan Borrowing against life insurance can be beneficial, but here are things to know about life insurance loans before deciding on borrowing from life insurance.