Insights & Education Baird Wealth Insights & Education Wealth Management Perspectives What's on Your Mind? Investment Management Retirement Planning Tax Planning Education Funding Estate Planning Charitable Giving Cash & Lending Services Insurance Planning Identity Theft Business & Executive Services Topics Reset Retirement Planning Education Funding Women Talking Wealth: Kathy Cobb In the latest installment of our Women Talking Wealth series, Business Development Consultant Kathy Cobb discusses her personal financial journey. Retirement Planning Pay to Play: Planning for Your Child’s Extracurricular Activities Make sure your budget is in line with your – and your child’s – expectations and level of interest. Retirement Planning Retirement Planning – at Your First Job Planning for your retirement isn’t hard, as long as you stick to a few simple principles. Even if you’re on your first real job, you can employ these strategies right now. Cash & Lending Services 5 Strategies for Paying Off Credit Card Debt U.S. consumer credit card debt recently topped $1 trillion. Here are five tips for getting you back in the black. Tax Planning What the New Stimulus Bill Means for You The Biden administration’s $1.9 trillion recovery plan offers several expanded tax credits and other relief measures. Here’s how you can take advantage of them. Investment Management Cash & Lending Services The Case for Liquidity The best way to maximize your outcomes is to maximize your choices. Investment Management Unpacking What It Means To Be a Fiduciary The fiduciary standard offers protection for investors, but that’s not the whole story. Investment Management Market Mailbag: What Dangers Lurk Around the Corner? Baird’s experts weigh in on the biggest threats to today’s stock market. Investment Management How To Deal With the Inevitable Volatility Be still, sad heart! Into each life some rain must fall. Investment Management To Bubble or Not to Bubble: That Is the Question Are the current sky-high stock market valuations sustainable? Baird’s John Taft and Mike Antonelli discuss whether we’re in a bubble, and how investors should deal with it. Retirement Planning Education Funding Parental Loans and Paying for College Advice for parents before they agree to take on college debt for their children. Retirement Planning Tax Planning Ten Financial Resolutions for Young Adults Now that you’re out of your parents’ house and on your own, here’s how to build a solid financial footing for yourself. Retirement Planning What’s in the New Coronavirus Relief Package In addition to the relief checks, the new Covid-19 stimulus package contains adjustments to such things as charitable giving provisions, tax credits and unemployment. Retirement Planning When Financial Health Meets Mental Health As many have learned in 2020, your finances affect your mental well-being, and vice-versa. Acknowledging this is the first step toward conquering the stress. Retirement Planning Tax Planning IRAs: To Convert or Not To Convert? Is it nobler to suffer the slings and arrows of your traditional IRA? It depends on your circumstances. Investment Management ESG Under the Microscope Baird’s John Taft and Chris Merker on how ESG is evolving and what investors should watch for. Retirement Planning Estate Planning Cash & Lending Services Planning To Be Alone 4 tips on how to financially prepare for widowhood. Charitable Giving A Smarter Way to Give With donor-advised funds, you can respond to a natural disaster in a way that fits your broader financial plans. Tax Planning Charitable Giving Potential Tax Benefits of Charitable Giving The 2017 Tax Cuts & Jobs Act (TCJA) will likely simplify filing for many taxpayers – but if you’ve traditionally deducted charitable gifts, you may have a new headache this tax season. Investment Management What Did We Learn? Baird’s Mike Antonelli and John Taft weigh in on what they took away from a tumultuous 2020. Tax Planning What To Expect From a Biden Presidency From tax brackets to estate taxes, President-elect Joe Biden has proposed many changes that could affect you. Retirement Planning Business & Executive Services Relaunching Your Career During COVID Baird Women Advisors offers five tips for women jumping back into the workforce during COVID. Education Funding Paying for Graduate School You’ve spent your kids’ entire lives saving for their college tuition – so what happens when they say they want to go to grad school, too? Retirement Planning Cash & Lending Services Small Change Investing isn’t only for the wealthy. Here’s how you can turn a weekly muffin and latte into a proper nest egg. Tax Planning Taking Advantage of Tax-Loss Harvesting After a year of great market volatility, many investors can make use of tax-loss harvesting - selling declining securities to get a tax advantage. Tax Planning Tax Strategies for 2021 Filing An in-depth look at the strategies taxpayers can take advantage of for the 2020 tax year. Tax Planning Cash & Lending Services Helping Out a Family Member in Financial Trouble How do you offer money in a way that works for everyone? Education Funding Saving for College: A Brief Guide for Parents Key questions that can help you get started on providing for your kids’ education. Investment Management So Now What? What investors should be thinking about now that the election is over. Retirement Planning Inside the Gender Wage Gap Women make 82 cents for every dollar earned by men. Here’s how – and why - that happens. Retirement Planning Clients Ask: How Should I Handle Early Retirement? The COVID-19 pandemic has pushed many people into retirement earlier than they expected. Here’s how to handle the key decisions. Retirement Planning Are You Working Too Much? When do you know you’ve crossed the line from “the right amount” to “too much?” Investment Management A Final Thought on the 2020 Election How will the stock market react once all the votes are counted? Investment Management The Dangers of Portfolio Tinkering “Your money is like a bar of soap – the more you handle it, the less you’ll have.” Estate Planning Taking Control of Your Financial Future A majority of American women say they would like to be more engaged with their finances. Here’s how you can remain in control of your money. Tax Planning High-Net-Worth Tax Moves for Right Now The current environment – low taxes, low interest rates, new CARES Act regulations – adds up to several tax advantages for high-net-worth individuals. Insurance Planning Key Moves for Open Enrollment Season During this year’s open enrollment season, take some time to make sure your benefits choices are aligned with your overall financial plan. Education Funding Teaching Kids to Be Fiscally Fit For any parent, one of the most valuable lessons you can teach your children is how to be smart with money. No matter how old they are, there are lessons to be imparted. Retirement Planning Investing Starts at Home Thinking about a home improvement? Here are a few that could actually pay off when you go to sell your home. Retirement Planning Where Should You Retire? Where should you retire? From low taxes to high culture, here’s a quick survey of the factors to consider in choosing where you’ll spend the rest of your life. Investment Management The 2020 Surge in Retail Trading Baird’s Mike Antonelli and John Taft discuss what it means when individual stock traders take things into their own hands. Investment Management Investment Strategy Mailbag: Where Do You Invest During a Pandemic?, Investing at Age 70 Investment strategy questions posed to Baird market experts. Updated: September 4, 2020 Investment Management Staying the Course Focus too much on day-to-day market performance and you could miss the larger trend. Investment Management Making the Most of Employee Stock Ownership With companies reducing grants of options or restricting company stock in their 401(k) plan, employee stock purchase plans are emerging as powerful investment vehicles. Investment Management ESG Investing During the COVID Pandemic Mike Antonelli and John Taft look at how ESG investments have fared in the face of extreme market volatility. Investment Management Investing in an Election Year Mike Antonelli and Ross Mayfield discuss the perils in letting the upcoming election influence your portfolio strategy. Investment Management How to Read the Financial News You can’t always take what you read at face value. Here’s how you can sift through the news to get to the actionable insight you’re after. 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Business & Executive Services Make the Most of Your Stock Compensation With an 83(b) Election Stock options are always tricky from a tax standpoint. Here’s one way to make them work for you. Investment Management Reg BI – A Win for All Involved Reg BI raises the bar for investor protection while preserving individuals’ ability to choose who they work with, the products that best suit them, and how to pay for them. Education Funding A Q&A on Education Planning During COVID-19 COVID-19 has had a major impact on the way people are saving – and paying – for college. Baird’s Wealth Solutions Group weighs in. Cash & Lending Services Five Do’s and Don’ts of Medical Debt It’s easy to get overwhelmed when that first big medical bill arrives. Here are five do’s and don’ts so you don’t pay more than you have to. Investment Management The COVID-19 Recession The COVID-19 recession is different from recessions in the past. Here’s why it matters. Tax Planning Estate Planning Cash & Lending Services 4 Myths When Managing Sudden Wealth Sudden wealth can be a blessing – or a curse, if not managed thoughtfully. Investment Management These Are a Few of My Favorite Quotes Mike Antonelli and John Taft turn to investing legends past and present to help make sense of these turbulent times. Retirement Planning The COVID-19 Stimulus Bill: How It Affects You In addition to direct payments and loans, the CARES Act also contains provisions dealing with your financial and tax planning. Here’s how it can help you right now. Business & Executive Services How Does Equity Compensation Fit Into Your Financial Plan? Equity compensation can be complex, but don’t let your benefits go on autopilot. Here’s why it’s important to factor them into your broader wealth management plans. 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Investment Management Lessons Learned From Investing in Volatile Times John Taft and Mike Antonelli discuss their experiences and how to avoid the most common mistakes. Retirement Planning The SECURE Act’s Impact on Your Estate Planning Thanks to the SECURE Act, certain tactics for tax and estate strategies have been curtailed. People who had been considering these tactics will now have to look elsewhere. Investment Management The Dangers of Selling During a Market Drop Timing the market can be difficult – timing the market in a panic can be devastating. Investment Management Baird Market Commentary What Investors Need To Know About the Recent Selloff Retirement Planning A Lesson From My Youth Life isn’t experienced on a balance sheet – it’s about experiencing what the world has to offer. 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Estate Planning A Brief Guide to Prenups Some 62% of marriage lawyers saw a rise in prenups between 2013 and 2016. If you’ve considered joining this trend, here some good reasons to do so – and the pitfalls to avoid. Identity Theft Protect Yourself From Wire Fraud Wire fraud is one of the most frightening types of theft that can happen to you, if for no other reason than wire transfers are routinely transacted in the tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars. But a good financial professional, such as those at Baird, can help ensure your transactions are safe. Investment Management The Difficulty in Calling a Market Top Trying to “time the market” is both highly risky and incredibly difficult. Cash & Lending Services How to Cover the Cost of Your Wedding The average American wedding costs roughly $30,000 these days. If that number gives you cold feet, here are some practical ways to help you keep that special day under control. Cash & Lending Services A Budget You Can Live With A budget can be the first step toward achieving your financial goals. But it doesn’t work if it’s not realistic. Here are some steps to help get your finances under control. Retirement Planning When to Take Your Benefit: A Key Retirement Decision You should manage your Social Security like any other investment. Unfortunately, most Americans don’t, and may be missing out on as much as $100,000 in benefits. Here’s a guide to help you make the most of Social Security. Investment Management Building Portfolios for Volatile Times If the market’s sudden moves have you thinking about getting out, here are some investment strategies to reassure you. Most important: Keep your focus on the long term. Insurance Planning How Much Life Insurance Do You Need? The primary purpose of life insurance is to cover the financial needs of loved ones after you’re gone. How much is enough for your family? This guide from Baird can help. Retirement Planning Education Funding Understanding Your Benefits: Financial Planning for Service Members Service members who reach their ETS date or retire from the U.S. military are eligible for a host of financial benefits. Here’s how you can take advantage of them. Business & Executive Services Picking the Right Corporate Structure for Your Business How you structure your business can impact taxes, fundraising and what you’re responsible for if things go wrong. Tax Planning So You Won the Lottery Don’t assume that all your problems are over. Sometimes more money can create issues you didn’t see coming. Here are some simple steps to take to protect your Mega Millions. Estate Planning Insurance Planning Planning for a Child With Special Needs More than 50 million Americans have some sort of special needs that their families are coping with? Here’s how to start addressing the financial challenges that these families are facing. 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Estate Planning Wealth Management in Real Life: What to Do When a Loved One Is Dying When a parent is approaching the end of their days, there are a lot of uncomfortable decisions to be made. Here’s a guide to help organize and clarify your thinking at this difficult time. Retirement Planning "Are We Going to Be Okay?" Bull and Baird blog author Mike Antonelli and John Taft, author of the blog Finance for the Greater Good, discuss the most important question they get from Baird clients. Retirement Planning 5 Financial Mistakes You Might Be Making Right Now Five of the most common money mistakes people make – and how to avoid them. Estate Planning Wealth Management Is a Family Affair It may be awkward and uncomfortable to involve your children in your long-term financial planning. But it can make things easier for everyone involved, both now and into the future. Estate Planning When a Loved One Is Diagnosed With Alzheimer’s Financial considerations you should keep in mind as you plan for care. Insurance Planning Managing Health Care for an Elderly Loved One For many caregivers, this can be a very difficult choice. This article can help you with both the practical and emotional sides of this decision. Insurance Planning Long-Term Care Insurance: A Beginner’s Guide More than two thirds of us are likely to need some form of long-term care in our lives. Will you be able to cover that expense? The time to start getting prepared for it is right now. Retirement Planning Have You Planned for All 3 Phases of Retirement? The key to a fulfilling, happy retirement is being prepared – mentally and financially – for all 3 phases. Cash & Lending Services Should You Buy or Lease Your Next Car? Four questions to ask yourself before signing on the dotted line. Education Funding To Consolidate or Not To Consolidate Your Student Debt Consolidating or refinancing your student loans could save you time and hassle – and even reduce your monthly payments. But is it the smart decision? Cash & Lending Services ‘Til Debt Do Us Part Thinking about taking the financial plunge and combining your finances? Here are six relationship-saving strategies to consider before merging your accounts. Education Funding Giving Love – and Money – to the Grandkids In addition to being an incredibly loving gesture, paying for a grandchild’s education is a substantial investment in their future. Baird has thoughts about how you – and they – can get the most out of it. Retirement Planning Don’t Believe the Word on the Tweet As a Millennial, you’ve probably read a million social media posts trying to tell you who you are and where you’re going in life. Let us help you prove them wrong. Identity Theft Cyber Self-Defense: Protecting Yourself Online Between online commerce and social media, we’re all spending more time on the internet these days. So are cyber criminals. Learn to protect yourself from their most common scams. Investment Management Some Things Are Just Too Hard How is landscaping like investing? For Baird’s Mike Antonelli, they’re both things he’s happy to pay a professional to do for him. Cash & Lending Services Building Your Emergency Fund Relying on credit cards in a crisis could be costly. The smarter choice? Start building your personal emergency fund. Identity Theft Safeguard Your Online Information With so much of our business happening online these days, it’s no surprise that hackers put a great deal of effort into trying to access your information. Identity Theft Gone Phishing 7 red flags that an email you received is actually an attempt to steal your personal information Cash & Lending Services Is Now the Time To Refinance Your Mortgage? Falling interest rates have many homeowners taking a second look at their original loans. Investment Management Incorporating Responsible Investing Into Your Portfolio While investing is instrumental to achieving the future you want, you don’t have to sacrifice your principles along the way. Tax Planning So You’ve Inherited Some Property…. Inheriting a lump sum of cash is a relatively simple process. Inheriting a noncash asset, though, like a vacation home or a stock portfolio, can present a whole different set of issues. Retirement Planning Three Alternatives to a Traditional Retirement Not everyone wants a traditional retirement, but it can be tough to visualize a different path when society seems to expect you to work for four decades and bow out when you’re eligible for Social Security. Cash & Lending Services Teaching Kids to be Financially Fit As a parent, one of the most valuable lessons you can teach your children is how to be smart with money. Insurance Planning Preparing for Risks You Can’t Foresee No matter where you are in your life’s journey, there’s going to be some element of risk you’ll need to plan for. Investment Management Investing in Your Values The rise of socially responsible investing lets investors put their money where their values are. This is the first in a two-part series on Socially Responsible Investing. Investment Management Putting Your Investment Eggs in Multiple Baskets No matter how a concentration position develops, if your portfolio is overweighted in any one position, you’re exposed to undue risk. Retirement Planning Prepare for Medicare: A Guide for First-Timers Medicare is a program that includes several different forms of health care, some of which are provided by the federal government and some by private insurers. As a result, it can be a fairly complicated program to understand. Business & Executive Services Maximizing Company Stock Compensation Receiving shares of stock in the company you work for as part of your compensation is an excellent way to share in the success of the business, and can be very lucrative. But stock awards can be tricky to manage. Cash & Lending Services How To Organize Your Financial Life Keeping your financial documents organized might feel like a chore, but it can be a lifesaver in an emergency. Investment Management Does Diversification Still Work? Hindsight may be 20/20, but investing is about looking forward. Business & Executive Services A Big Decision for Small Businesses It’s critical you identify the right retirement plan for your business. Retirement Planning How to Buy a House in Eight Steps: A Guide for First-Time Homebuyers Whether "someday" is coming up soon or still a couple years down the road, you can benefit from learning about the process and the financial decisions you'll need to make. 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Investment Management Don’t Let the Market Psych You Out Understanding the way our innate tendencies affect the decisions we make can help you be a smarter investor in any environment. Education Funding Wealth Management in Real Life Just engaged? Here’s how to financially plan ahead for marriage, a house and kids. Investment Management Getting Ahead of the Curve In December 2008, on the heels of the Great Recession, the Federal Reserve attempted to stave off deflation by lowering interest rates to near 0%. It took seven years before the Fed would raise rates again, but now – eight rate hikes later with more seemingly on the way – most economists agree we’re in a rising rate environment. Estate Planning Why Everyone Needs an Estate Plan – Yes, Even You No matter where you are in your life – just starting out, a couple years into your career or planning for retirement – you can and should have an estate plan. Estate Planning Don’t Put Off Your Estate Plan! No matter the size of your family or bank account, the conversation about estate planning needs to be had. Estate Planning Talking With Aging Parents About Their Finances How you can make conversations with your parents about their finances easier and more productive. Financial Advisor Locator Form Find a Financial Advisor Near You A Baird Financial Advisor can help get you from where you are now to where you want to be. Enter Zip Code
