Blog

Elm3’s Guide to Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs)

2023-05-11T14:59:37-04:00July 28th, 2022|Blog, Investments|

Elm3's Guide to Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) By: Stacey Nickens As investors, we are always inundated with reminders to diversify our portfolios. Diversification involves adding lots of companies to your portfolio, such that your portfolio is exposed to a variety of company sizes, company styles, and sectors. Diversifying your portfolio helps create stability. If one [...]

5 Tax Considerations for Self-Employed Individuals

2023-05-11T14:59:50-04:00July 22nd, 2022|Blog, Financial Planning, Taxes|

5 Tax Considerations for Self-Employed Individuals By: Stacey Nickens Deciding to become your own boss can be incredibly meaningful and freeing. As a self-employed person, you have much more control over your day-to-day schedule, your business structure, and so much more. At the same time, costs that were previously covered by an employer now [...]

Is Your Emergency Fund Too Small, Too Big, Or Just Right?

2023-05-11T15:03:12-04:00July 7th, 2022|Blog, Financial Planning|

Is Your Emergency Fund Too Small, Too Big, Or Just Right? By: Stacey Nickens Goldilocks didn't have to build an emergency fund. She knew that she could break into any number of bears' homes and have as much porridge as she needed, but the rest of us aren't so lucky. How much porridge do [...]

4 Tips for Managing Rising Inflation

2023-05-11T15:03:26-04:00June 22nd, 2022|Blog, Financial Planning, Inflation|

4 Tips for Managing Rising Inflation By: Stacey Nickens Inflation is on the rise, and while the Fed is raising interest rates to try to tamp down on rising costs, your budget is still likely hurting from inflationary pressures. You may see your expenses going up more quickly than your income, and as a [...]

IRS Raises Mileage Rates Due to Rising Gas Prices

2023-05-11T15:03:50-04:00June 17th, 2022|Blog, Financial Planning, Taxes|

IRS Raises Mileage Rates Due to Rising Gas Prices By: Stacey Nickens This summer, I've sat around many a dinner table, bemoaning the rise in gas prices. Many of us have seen our gas bills rise astronomically. Luckily, if you use your car for business, the IRS has recognized the rise in gas prices [...]

Investing to Manage Volatility, Inflation, & Rising Interest Rates

2023-05-11T15:05:42-04:00May 13th, 2022|Blog, Financial Planning, Inflation|

Investing to Manage Volatility, Inflation, & Rising Interest Rates By: Stacey Nickens Since the New Year, investors have been riding the stock market rollercoaster. As of mid May, all major indices have posted YTD losses. The conflict in Ukraine, rising interest rates, and inflation have all impacted market returns. With that said, how can [...]

Do you need long-term care insurance?

2023-05-11T15:06:13-04:00May 6th, 2022|Blog, Financial Planning, Insurance|

Do you need long-term care insurance? By: Stacey Nickens Historically, individuals didn't need to plan for their care in old age. Most people stayed and lived within the communities that they were born into, and younger family members were expected to care for aging relatives. However, industrialization and the centralization of jobs in cities [...]

Elm3’s Guide to Selecting Life Insurance

2023-05-11T15:06:36-04:00April 22nd, 2022|Blog, Financial Planning, Insurance|

Elm3's Guide to Selecting Life Insurance By: Stacey Nickens Your life is invaluable. No one can put a price tag on the value you add to this world. You also may not want to consider the possibility that you or someone you love will die before their time. For all these reasons, it may [...]

5 Proposed Changes to Retirement Savings Laws Under SECURE 2.0

2023-05-11T15:08:14-04:00April 4th, 2022|Blog, Financial Planning, Retirement|

5 Proposed Changes to Retirement Savings Laws Under SECURE 2.0 By: Stacey Nickens You may have experienced changes to your retirement savings plan when the SECURE Act passed in 2019. Since then, lawmakers have continued to develop additional legislation with the hopes of making it easier to contribute to and withdraw from retirement savings [...]

Many Georgia Taxpayers to Receive Additional Refund

2023-05-11T15:09:10-04:00April 1st, 2022|Blog, Financial Planning, Taxes|

Many Georgia Taxpayers to Receive Additional Refund By: Stacey Nickens Many Georgia taxpayers will be receiving a bonus refund this spring. Once you file your 2021 state income return, the Georgia Department of Revenue may send you a one-time refund of up to $500 for joint filers, $375 for head of household filers, or [...]