Real estate can be a powerful tool for portfolio diversification, offering passive income, appreciation potential, and tax benefits. Unlike stocks and bonds, it provides stability during market volatility and allows greater control through active management. While risks like illiquidity and tenant challenges exist, strategic planning can help mitigate them. For many investors, real estate is a smart way to build wealth and strengthen financial security.

Understanding the business cycle helps investors make smarter financial decisions during market uncertainty. While we can't control the economy, we can plan with discipline—by staying invested, rebalancing portfolios, managing expectations, and maintaining emergency funds. Market cycles may be more volatile, but a resilient, diversified portfolio helps weather all phases. Don’t try to time the market—plan wisely and stay focused on long-term goals.

After a historic campaign, Donald Trump has won the 2024 presidential election and Republicans have won control of the Senate. For half the country, this is a cause for celebration, while for the other half, this is a disappointing result that will require time to process. This reflects the divisions in our country on both social and economic matters that we hope will heal in time. The stock market has performed well across both parties It’s clear that political outcomes can

As with many things in life, knowing what we’re supposed to do and actually doing it are two separate things. This is true for our health, relationships, careers, and, of course, our finances. When it comes to investing, it’s well known that adequately diversifying and staying invested are the best ways to achieve long-term financial goals. However, this is often easier said than done, especially when market and economic outlooks are uncertain, as they have been for many year

Are you thinking about selling your small business  and sailing into the sunset?  Have you poured blood, sweat, and tears into your small business over the years and are now ready to settle into retirement ?  That’s great, but where should you begin?  In this article, we will discuss a few simple questions that will help you in the planning of the sale of your small business.    Question 1 – When Do You Plan To Retire? This question sounds relatively easy, but the reality is

Do you have charitable intent?  Maybe you are already an active donor.  Do you generate a high annual income and want to take advantage of the greatest allowable deduction?  Do you like the idea of a private foundation but don’t want the complexity, burden, and expense of its administration?  Do you want to give anonymously?  Do you own liquid assets, such as stock, mutual funds, etc., on a low-cost basis and don’t have a plan to sell them?  In other words, do you want to org

A brokerage account is a “non-retirement” account with no contribution limits, no income limits, and no penalty for taking money out before age 59 and a half. It can go by many names: individual account, joint account, gap account, bridge account, non-retirement account, cash account, business account, or margin account, to name a few. It will never be the advice from a Whitaker-Myers Wealth Managers SmartVestor Pro to borrow money from a bank to invest, so please be very

An emergency fund is like a safety net, providing peace of mind during unforeseen circumstances. This money needs to be liquid and accessible in case an expense arises out of the blue. There are many names that an emergency fund can go by, some of which are the following: rainy day fund, savings account, contingency plan, stockpile of cash, stash, or cash reserves, but they all serve the same purpose: to provide relief in the event of a job loss, pay cut or significant unexp

Roth and Traditional IRAs With a Roth Individual Retirement Account (IRA), money is put in after paying income tax on it, and then you get the best benefit of any retirement account: TAX-FREE GROWTH & TAX-FREE WITHDRAWALS (once you reach age 59 and a half and have had the Roth for 5 years). As I tell every person I talk to, imagine taking money out of your checking account, which you have already paid tax on, making a contribution to your Roth IRA, and sitting back to enjoy

Long-term disability insurance. What are the risks, and the benefits of it?

To say a lot is going on in the world right now seems like an understatement, doesn’t it? You're not alone.