What You Need to Know to Protect Your Greatest Asset

Estate planning for small business owners isn’t always at the top of the to-do list, but it’s one of the most important steps you should take to set up a legacy of success. It may feel overwhelming to think about what happens when you pass on, but it’s critical to have conversations now to ensure all your hard work doesn’t go to waste.

If you don’t have an estate plan, then your local state law will likely dictate where your business goes after you die. There are many things you can do now to prepare, from focusing on tax efficiencies to drafting up a solid will and estate plan, that will help you secure the proper transition of your company.

Read on for six smart estate planning tips for small business owners.

In the Face of Skyrocketing Education Costs, it Pays to Prepare

Even if they’re still quite young, it’s never too soon to begin planning strategies to help your kids pay for college in the future. Higher education is already expensive, and because college costs increase at about two times the rate of inflation each year, it will only get pricier as the years go by. Currently, it’s estimated that today’s toddlers – who will start college around 2038 – can expect to spend around $35,592.339 each year on tuition, fees, room, and board for an in-state public school. For kids who want to go to a private school, they can expect to spend around $81,470.95 yearly for the same.

Luckily, there are many financial aid opportunities, scholarships, and grants that can help your child cover college costs. In addition to these, there are also some key financial planning strategies that can make college costs a bit more manageable.

Four Ways to Level Up Your Retirement Readiness

Planning for retirement can feel overwhelming, especially if you happen to be getting a late start. However, it is essential to prepare your finances for retirement, especially as you enter your fifties and sixties, and have more clarity on what you want out of this next phase of your life. Use the three steps below as a roadmap to get started, or to help ensure your current retirement plan covers these essential areas.

Are You Using All the Tools Available to You?

If you’re a small business owner, you should be using every tool in your arsenal to grow and protect your business. This includes taking advantage of the many federal tax credits available. Since this can be a confusing topic, I’m going to share a primer on how tax credits work, which ones you should be aware of, and the forms you need to file in order to capitalize on them.

When Used Correctly, HSAs Can Be a Great Financial Planning Tool

It’s no secret that healthcare costs are on the rise and there are no signs of prices falling anytime soon. In the face of skyrocketing costs, many people are turning to their Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) to help pay for current and future healthcare costs. Often, these accounts are offered through an employer, but they can also be opened individually. To qualify, you must be covered under a high-deductible insurance plan, and if you are, you can take advantage of an impressive array of benefits.

If you have an HSA but you aren’t sure you’re optimizing it, read on for eight important benefits.