Valerie Schmitz, CEPA, CPFA President
Welcome to our Web site, where you’ll find a wealth of information in the form of newsletter articles, calculators, and research reports.
We hope your visit will help you understand the opportunities and potential rewards that are available when you take a proactive approach to your personal financial situation. We have created this Web site to help you gain a better understanding of the financial concepts behind insurance, investing, retirement, estate planning, and wealth preservation. Most importantly, we hope you see the value of working with skilled professionals to pursue your financial goals.
We’re here to help educate you about the basic concepts of financial management; to help you learn more about who we are; and to give you fast, easy access to market performance data. We hope you take advantage of this resource and visit us often. Be sure to add our site to your list of "favorites" in your Internet browser. We frequently update our information, and we wouldn’t want you to miss any developments in the area of personal finance.
Newsletters
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Roth 401(k) News: Is It Time to Rethink How You Save for Retirement?
High-income participants will not be allowed to make pre-tax catch-up contributions to a traditional 401(k) or similar plan starting in 2026, but they will be able to contribute to a workplace Roth.
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Mutual Funds: What’s in Your Portfolio?
Mutual funds offer a convenient way to invest across a wide range of market activity. This article provides an overview of different types of mutual funds in order of typical risk.
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A Mortgage Recast Is an Alternative to Refinancing
This article explains how a mortgage recast works to enable a homeowner to reduce a monthly mortgage payment without having to refinance and why it may be an appealing solution in certain situations.
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How to Kill Your Zombie Subscriptions
With inflation cutting into consumers’ purchasing power, getting rid of a few unnecessary recurring charges could be a painless way to help balance the household budget.
Calculators
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Mortgage Acceleration
This calculator can help you determine how soon you can pay off your mortgage.
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Lease Payment
How much would your monthly lease payment be?
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Lifetime Earnings
This calculator is designed to help you attach a dollar figure to your life’s work.
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LTCI Cost of Waiting
Estimate the potential cost of waiting to purchase a long-term care insurance policy.