MANUKA MUSINGS

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Q4 2021 Market Review

January 6, 2022

US and international developed stocks were up in the 4th quarter, while bond returns were flat. See how each asset class performed, including an article on "All-Time-High Anxiety" from Weston Wellington: Read More...

How to Freeze Your Credit

December 28, 2021

One of the best ways to prevent someone from opening accounts in your name without your consent is to implement a credit freeze. This blocks access to your credit reports, so when an application is submitted for credit using your social security number, the potential...

Do you have sufficient property and casualty insurance coverage?

December 17, 2021

In our first video blog post, Lisa Fajgenbaum, Private Risk Advisor with USI Insurance Services, joins me to address a number of common questions I get asked when considering property and casualty (P & C) insurance. Lisa has helped a number of families I serve...

Year-End Tax Planning Strategies for Individuals

December 7, 2021

Currently all the focus in the tax world is the potential “Build Back Better” bill being debated in Congress. But without knowing if or when the bill will be passed and what the final version will include, there are still a number of proactive...

Mike Powers featured in CNBC for Retirement Planning

November 8, 2021

I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Jasmin Suknanan at CNBC on the importance of saving for retirement. In Ms. Suknanan's article, one of the things she focused on was calculating how much money you'll need to fund your retirement. “The 4% rule is this idea...

Should you convert your traditional IRA to a Roth IRA?

October 25, 2021

With the potential tax law changes impacting some popular Roth conversion strategies beginning in 2022, many people are asking whether they should go ahead and convert some of their IRA assets to Roth IRAs before the end of the year. As in most things in...

Q3 2021 Market Review

October 6, 2021

Global stock and bond markets were mostly flat in the third quarter, with the exception of emerging market stocks. See how each asset class performed below: Read More... Looking for a trusted partner to help you accomplish your financial goals? Reach...

Elimination of the ACA “Subsidy Cliff”?

September 30, 2021

As part of the recent tax proposals, one potential change that’s not getting much attention in the early retirement community is an elimination of the affordable care act (ACA) “subsidy cliff.” As I wrote back in June, previously there was an income limit based...

Strategies to consider due to the recent tax law proposals

September 20, 2021

By now, you probably have heard that the House Ways & Means Committee released proposed changes to the tax code last week. If you’d like to read the full 881 pages, here is a link. For those of you who don’t have the time or desire to read all 881 pages, you may...

Why I Switched to Flat Fees

September 15, 2021

As Manuka Financial continues to thrive, one thing that I always prioritize is putting the interests of my clients first. In that regard, there is a relatively new fee structure that I believe is at the leading edge of financial planning / advising: the fixed flat...

How to fully utilize a Donor-Advised Fund

September 8, 2021

An incredibly useful planning tool for charitable gifting is a Donor-Advised Fund (DAF). A DAF allows you to set aside funds for future charitable gifts while receiving a tax deduction now. Donor-Advised Funds are especially useful for charitably inclined individuals...

How to save $1 million completely tax free

September 2, 2021

My favorite retirement account is a Health Savings Account, or HSA. I know, I’m weird. But hear me out. An HSA is the best of both worlds. It has the benefits of an IRA (pre-tax funding) and a Roth IRA (tax-free withdrawals) as long as they’re used for health care...

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