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News From the Control Tower:

by Propel Financial Advisors

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Taking Charge of your Pay Day: Tools to help you SAVE money Thumbnail

Taking Charge of your Pay Day: Tools to help you SAVE money

In our June 2019 newsletter, Danielle Woods wrote an informative article - The Savings Crisis: Why are American’s so Ill-Prepared? In that article, she listed several recommendations to help create a personal financial plan as well as tips to set attainable savings goals. To reiterate and expand upon the points in that article, here are some planning and financial tools to help you save money.

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The SECURE Act: Its Impact on your Retirement Planning Thumbnail

The SECURE Act: Its Impact on your Retirement Planning

In late May 2019, the House passed the Secure (Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement) Act by a bipartisan majority (417-3). The bill currently awaits passage by the Senate. Many analysts expect it to pass substantially as-is, although there is some squabbling over revised rules for 529 plans (college savings plans). The impetus behind the bill is to help rectify the looming retirement crisis – the majority of Americans are not on track with their retirement savings. One goal of the act is to incentivize employers to put retirement plans in place.

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Taking Charge of your Pay Day: The Tax Savings Benefits of Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) Thumbnail

Taking Charge of your Pay Day: The Tax Savings Benefits of Health Savings Accounts (HSAs)

When we first bring up the idea of a Health Savings Account, we’re often met with reluctance. The general assumption seems to be that HSAs have too many stipulations and are too complicated to set up and maintain. That may have been the case several years ago when Health Care Savings Accounts and Flexible Spending Accounts (similar with different rules to HSAs) were first used regularly. Nowadays, HSAs are relatively simple to administer and provide a nice tax advantage for those that qualify.

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The Savings Crisis:  Why Are Americans so Ill-Prepared? Thumbnail

The Savings Crisis: Why Are Americans so Ill-Prepared?

Financial Stability does not have a simple definition in terms of the American household. We polled friends, family and clients to see how they would define it. Most of our responses alluded to having enough money to cover your bills and being able to address emergencies. One response was very direct and simply stated, “Uncommon.” My favorite response was, “when your kids move out of the house.”

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A Review of Berkshire Hathaway's Annual Shareholders Meeting Thumbnail

A Review of Berkshire Hathaway's Annual Shareholders Meeting

One of my favorite financial activities of the year is attending the annual Berkshire Hathaway shareholders meeting in Omaha, Nebraska, in early May. There is always something to learn and interesting people to meet. A highlight of this year’s meeting was Warren Buffet’s claim that their Iowa utility customers would soon have 100% of their electric consumption provided by wind power. Berkshire Hathaway Energy, a 90.9% owned Berkshire subsidiary, has already invested over $25 billion in renewable energy generation with a plan to add $6 billion more through 2021.

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How is Propel Different Than Your Local Broker? Thumbnail

How is Propel Different Than Your Local Broker?

This is a common question because many people believe that all investment people are the same. After all, it’s the same financial market, and they all buy stocks. But is there a difference? Propel Financial Advisors, LLC, is a registered investment advisor, not a broker at all. Investment advisors and brokers are covered under separate sections of the law and are very different. The key difference is that investment advisors owe a “fiduciary duty” to their clients, and brokers do not.

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Social Values Investing: A Propel Primer Thumbnail

Social Values Investing: A Propel Primer

Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) considerations are gaining popularity amongst investors.Considering these factors when making investment choices is a great tool that can lead to lower risk and enhanced returns. ESG criteria provide a way to determine a company’s ethics, sustainability, and future earnings.

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