Blog

How Much Should You Keep in Your Savings and Checking Accounts?

Mike Challe, CFP®

Wednesday, July 23, 2025

Money management can feel like a moving target, especially when it comes to deciding how much cash to keep in your savings and checking accounts. Too much cash sitting idle means missed growth opportunities, but too little might leave...

Is It Smarter to Buy or Rent a Second Home?

Jason Priebe CFP® J.D.

Tuesday, July 8, 2025

As summer approaches, your thoughts may drift toward escaping your daily routine. Whether your idea of a perfect vacation is sitting on a pristine beach, fishing in a mountain lake, or playing the back nine between pickleball matches,...

Behind the Numbers: Why FICO Scores Change—and Who Decides

Jason Priebe CFP® J.D.

Wednesday, June 25, 2025

Behind the Numbers: Why FICO Scores Change—and Who Decides When it comes to your financial life, your credit score is one of the most powerful numbers attached to your name. Whether you're applying for a mortgage, buying a car, or...

What You Can Do with a 529 Account if Your Kids Decide Against College?

Jason Priebe CFP® J.D.

Thursday, May 29, 2025

As a parent or grandparent, you may have diligently saved money in a 529 account to help fund your child's or grandchild's college education. But what happens if they decide college isn't the right path for them? It's a valid question...

Preparing for the Unexpected: A Caregiver's Financial Checklist

Jason Priebe CFP® J.D.

Monday, May 19, 2025

As caregivers, we are often thrust into roles we didn’t anticipate, and with that responsibility comes a lot of complex decisions. Whether it’s due to aging, a chronic illness, an injury, or other unforeseen circumstances, caring for a...

Herding Cats: Navigating the Complexities of Inflation in 2025

Jason Priebe CFP® J.D.

Monday, April 28, 2025

Tracking inflation these days feels a lot like herding cats—frustrating, unpredictable, and anything but straightforward. Should you trust the monthly updates from the Bureau of Labor Statistics? The forecasts from the Federal Reserve?...

The Costly Mistakes We Catch: What We Find in New Clients’ Portfolios and Tax Returns

Jason Priebe CFP® J.D.

Wednesday, April 9, 2025

One of the most valuable things we do for new clients—especially this time of year—is take a deep dive into their investment statements and past tax returns. It’s not uncommon for us to uncover errors or oversights that could be...

In the last few weeks, I've noticed how easily clients can become unsettled by alarming media headlines. "Markets Crash!" "Recession Looming!" "Is Your Retirement Safe?" These fear-mongering tactics are designed to grab your attention...

Market volatility has returned with force. As we entered 2025, many anticipated a slowdown in the economy and heightened policy-driven volatility. What has surprised many, however, is the Trump administration's renewed emphasis on...

Amid record-low bullish sentiment among individual investors, Warren Buffett’s timeless advice to “be greedy when others are fearful” rings especially true. With concerns about tariffs, inflation, and geopolitical challenges on the rise,...

One of the most important steps to investment success is to understand the concept of risk vs. volatility, while related, they are not the same thing. In fact, it is volatility that creates the opportunity in risk assets, without it,...

It is Monday January 01/27/2025 at 7:30AM. Nvidia, currently the largest company in Nasdaq and the S&P 500, is set to be down nearly 15% at the open taking many of the major indexes down with them.

The Role of Estate Planning in Safeguarding Family-Owned Businesses Family-owned businesses are the backbone of many local communities and economies. Passed down through generations, these enterprises often carry the legacy, values,...

The holiday season is a time for celebration, giving, and—unfortunately for many—taking on extra debt. According to a recent LendingTree survey, Americans who used credit or other payment methods to finance their festivities this past year

Kickstart Your New Year with Financial Wellness Month: Tips, Stats, and a Fresh Start The New Year always feels like a breath of fresh air—it’s a chance to pause, reflect, and plan for the next 365 days. For many of us, January becomes...

Advice for Soon-to-Be Retirees: Lessons from Watching Two Business Partners Retire Retirement is one of life’s big moments. It’s a time when someone steps away from years of hard work and begins a whole new chapter. Over the years,...

Give the Gift That Grows: Why Stocks Make a Perfect Holiday PresentAs the holiday season approaches, many of us face the challenge of finding meaningful gifts for our loved ones. Instead of the usual sweaters, gadgets, or toys, why not...

The holiday season is a time of joy, connection, and celebration, but for middle-income families, it can also be a financial challenge. Between gifts, decorations, meals, and travel, costs can add up quickly. The good news? With a...

Understanding the Fed's Rate Cut: What It Means for You and the Economy The Federal Reserve recently announced a quarter-percentage-point cut to its benchmark interest rate, reducing it to a range of 4.50%–4.75%. If you're wondering...

The Future of Work: How Trade Jobs Could Be Becoming the New Career of Choice In a world increasingly driven by technology, a recent Harris Poll survey conducted on behalf of Intuit Credit Karma has revealed a surprising trend: 50% of...

Navigating the Hidden Nuances of Long-Term Care Insurance: What You Need to Know Planning for long-term care (LTC) needs can be a challenging task, especially when it comes to understanding the intricacies of insurance options. While...

Wall Street knew a change was coming, but the Fed Chair hid the details until the end. At its September meeting, the Fed cut short-term interest rates by 0.50%, which unsettled some who thought Fed officials would be more cautious...

Thoughts from Dave “When you want to help people, you tell them the truth. When you want to help yourself, you tell them what they want to hear.” ― Thomas Sowell A reoccurring theme we see at Legacy Capital is the difficult experience...

Today marks a significant milestone in the history of American social programs: Social Security is celebrating its 89th birthday! Since its inception on August 14, 1935, Social Security has been a cornerstone of economic stability and...

Every four years, the world gathers to celebrate the pinnacle of athletic achievement: the Olympics. The event,rooted in tradition and full of amazing stories of personal and professional wins, captivates billions of viewers globally....

If you're diving into the world of retirement planning, you've probably heard about Roth conversions... But what exactly are they, and should you consider doing one? Let’s break it down.

Your legacy starts in the past, goes through today, into the future and (hopefully) long after you have passed.

The current estate tax exemption amount is historically high, but it’s scheduled to “sunset,” on December 31, 2025, unless Congress acts. Most of you likely believe you don’t have enough assets to worry about federal estate taxes, but...

Learn to safeguard your wealth as an entrepreneur by balancing pre-tax and after-tax savings, ensuring financial flexibility for now and retirement. Explore tax diversification to keep your future bright and IRS-friendly.

Did you know that 46.4% of all employees in America are employed by small businesses? Even more surprising, less than 20% of small businesses have employees at all.

It is easy to lose balance and focus in our whole life when we spend so much time on the business. This is why being INTENTIONAL with your time is key to maintaining a balance.

A few months ago, I had a long and heartfelt talk with one of my dear clients who was entering the last stages of his time here on earth. These are difficult, but important discussions. As an advisor, I feel that being able to provide...

Everything meaningful we do requires us to focus on what is directly ahead of us. Every survival skill requires us to pay attention to the short term. Most things are predictable in the very near future, like bumping your head on a...