Blog

By Ryan Johnson, Wealth Management Partner Being an independent contractor provides a bit of financial flexibility including the ability to save substantially for retirement… and subsequently enjoying a significant tax break. Some of the basic tax-deductible...

By Ryan Johnson, Wealth Management Partner One of the greatest advantages of being an independent contractor is the relatively large amount one can put away for retirement (in 2019 the max is $56,000*) and the significant tax savings that follow. Retirement may seem...

By Noel Roach, Wealth Management Partner We live in a stressed society, and financial woes are one of the leading concerns for Americans. Even those who make enough income to be in the top 5% or even 1% can find themselves stressed by daily finances. All the yoga and...

By Ryan Johnson, Wealth Management Partner This is a busy few weeks as we all wrap-up 2018. During the holiday season, many are considering making charitable contributions. With the new tax rules established this year, you might want to consider if your giving...

By John Golway, CPA and Founder of Financial Designs Tax Services, LLC It’s that time of year… cheery music, crisp weather, shiny lights… and wrapping up your taxes for 2018. Not only do you have the regular tax “to-dos”, but there are also new tax rules to be aware...

By Terry Westlund, Co-Founder Remember the big hub-bub about tax reform almost a year ago? Although the new tax rules were announced at the end of 2017, they don’t take effect until you start working on your 2018 return. Therefore, many are just now starting to think...

By Jay Widler Congrats! After years of hard work, little sleep and lots of determination, you have finished medical school and residency, and your paycheck finally reflects a physician’s salary. The jump from the average residency pay of $51,000 to a full-time...

By Noel Roach, AIF® Choosing to complete medical school is not only a large time commitment for physicians but also a large financial commitment. With no federal grant money available and little in private scholarships, students are entering residency with a...

By Cathy Lucas, Guest Writer, IDShield If someone stole your identity, would you know it? Identity theft can be a serious problem resulting in 100+ hours of work to resolve the issue. Thieves are getting more and more complex in how they obtain your personal data,...

By John Golway, CPA and Founder of Financial Designs Tax Services, LLC Tax reform has been all the buzz since the holidays. Tax professionals and financial advisers around the country have been busy educating themselves on the new rules. Many people will benefit from...

By Terry Westlund, Co-founder of Financial Designs It’s already the end of January  - for those of you who made resolutions, how’s it going? I imagine there are many of you who are going strong as January comes to a close. There is probably another sub-set of readers...