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OUR BLOG
Read what our experts are sayingContact us to ask a question or request more information. Receive the latest investment advice, tips, and strategies straight to your inbox by signing up for our e-newsletter, The Virtus View, at the bottom of this page. All information is written by our staff. We do not accept guest blog posts. No sales inquiries, please.
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Brian Tillotson
Charles R. Elhoff, Jr
Karen Spence
Virtus Wealth Management
Where Do the Markets Go from Here?
Well, that was an interesting couple of weeks. We just witnessed a lifetime of movements within a m...
The Social Security Fairness Act
The Social Security Fairness Act was signed into law in January 2025. This Act repeals two provision...
Will Medicare Be There When I Retire (Part 2)?
There are several proposals to address the Medicare funding crisis, aiming to ensure the program rem...
Will Medicare Be There When I Retire (Part 1)?
The question of Medicare sustainability is in tandem with Social Security sustainability. Both prog...
2025 Tax Season: Important Dates, Deadlines & Figures
It’s hard to believe that tax season is here already. In an effort to help our clients be prepared,...
Will Social Security be there when I retire?
The short answer is, “yes.” The long answer is, “in some form.” The sustainability of Social Secur...
The 10 Biggest Wealth Management Mistakes
I would prefer to write an article on the 10 biggest things people get right with their wealth but u...
What Is In Store For The 2025 Stock Market?
As we end 2024 with another good year and start talking expectations for 2025, it is important to re...
Healthcare In Retirement…For Real
For our retired and pre-retirees, I wanted to share some insights to the cost of healthcare in the r...
CUSTOMER SERVICE…REALLY?
I have always taken pride in providing customer service. I have been told I am anal and a bit of a ...
The Top Five Benefits of Roth IRA Contributions for Young People
Oktoberfest Is Upon Us
6 Facts Regarding Oktoberfest and 5 Facts Regarding the Stock Market in October Many of us love this...
TOP FINANCIAL FIRMS IN THE CITY, STATE, USA
I recently saw in an advertisement or article on the internet with this type of headline. I am sure ...
College Costs Now Can Exceed $90k…That’s Per Year!
Below I will share some thoughts for consideration. One needs to ask if college is really going to b...
The Importance of Simplifying Your Life
I recently had a conversation with a dear friend of mine since grade school and his beautiful wife. ...
10 Year Projection
Below are some of the more alarming predictions you may be hearing from pundits or in the media: WAR...
Healthcare Costs and Heath Savings Accounts
We at Virtus Wealth Management take pride in offering multiple services through all stages of life, ...
Why Having A Financial Advisor Helps
Behavioral Finance, that’s why! There are two types of investors: rational and irrational. Which ...
The Benefits of Being Proactive with Decisions On Aging
Well, life continues to move along for me, my family, my friends, my mom, my husband’s parents, my f...
5 Tips to Help Young People Build True Wealth
I was at a nephew’s wedding a while back and a family member asked me to speak with their son, who w...
Saving vs. Investing
Saving versus Investing. What’s the difference? Did you know that the typical person spends more ti...
CDs … All The Rage?
Policy tightening from the Fed pushed yields on cash-like instruments to their most attractive level...
Which Political Party is Better for Investors?
Welcome to the 2024 election year. Let the fun, drama, bob and weave begin! Game on! One of the b...
Is A Roller Coaster Necessary in Investments?
Did you know that although the S&P 500 was up over 25% last year, it is only up a little over 3%...
Tax Season: Important Dates, Deadlines & Figures
It’s hard to believe that tax season is here already. In an effort to help our clients be prepared,...
2024 Market Expectations
As we start off 2024, the most common question we get is, “What is the market going to do this year?...
10 Reasons to Partner with Virtus Wealth Management
1. We are purposeful. We have a clear mission to serve our clients and help them pursue their go...
ABLE Accounts
Although Uncle Sam loves to collect his share of taxes on everything from income to gains on your in...
Artificial Intelligence and Investing
AI (artificial intelligence) is poised to have a significant impact across various industries, trans...
Are Benchmarks Really Benchmarks?
“Numbers never lie, after all; they simply tell different stories depending on the math of the telle...
Time to Be Aggressive or Cautious?
Ever try a hot pepper and think, “that wasn’t so bad,” only then after a brief delay to have the bur...
The Debt Ceiling – Crisis or Fearmongering?
Déjà vu all over again. We have been here before, specifically in 2011. I am referencing a debt ce...
The Power of Social Security Planning
If you understand it, Social Security can be a powerful part of your retirement plan. At Virtus Wea...
Concerned About The Banking Failures?
The markets were hit with a major surprise this past weekend when Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) collapse...
SECURE Act 2.0 – What is it and how does it affect you!?!?
The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act is Washington policy makers d...
Retirement Income – Why The Bucket Strategy Is Important
Here at Virtus Wealth Management, we often talk to our clients about building multiple buckets in th...
Volatile Markets – What kind of investor are you?
Well, we all agree that 2023 is not off to good start. Inflation rages on, interest rates continue ...
Tax Season: Important Dates, Deadlines & Figures
It’s hard to believe that tax season is here already. In an effort to help our clients be prepared,...
Life Insurance At Every Stage Of Life
Life Insurance is an important part of financial planning and not something to be overlooked. Take ...
Urgent News Regarding Your Pension
Many Americans are learning a very tough lesson in regards to how pensions work due to the inflation...
Goal-Based Financial Planning
Tell us your goals, and we’ll tell you your number. When do you want to retire? How much do you wa...
Money Is Not Math & Math Is Not Money
Yes, money has numbers on it but, money is not math. Math is an accurate science while money is a co...
10 Mistakes You May Be Making
Now that the markets and economy has stabilized and estate sizes may have changed, as well as the fa...
Financial Planning During Covid – What You Need to Know
By now, many Americans have felt the economic fallout from COVID-19 in one way or another. The pande...
Retirement Insights – How a financial advisor can help you prepare confidently for retirement.
I ran across the chart below while reading an article about retirement plans. It quickly summarizes ...
Four Tax Strategies To Have In Place Before Retiring
To somewhat alleviate and help one overcome the “surprises” in retirement, let me suggest 4 tax stra...
Three Ways To Charge As An Advisor Don’t Fall for Marketing Gimmicks from Financial Advisors
Our industry is full of marketing gimmicks and misleading representations by wealth management firms...
Your Financial Review – Three Areas To Be Addressed
A financial review should not be just about the performance of one’s portfolio. I know, that is all ...
College Planning – Let’s Do This (Part 2)
It’s me again. Your friendly financial advisor and parent of 2 kids in college. I feel your pain and...
Human Understanding
As financial advisors and wealth managers, one might expect a preoccupation with money. But financia...
College Planning – Let’s do this! (Part 1)
With a recent college graduate and 2 more kids in college, I can understand why College Planning is ...
Finding a Financial Advisor for Mothers Impacted by The Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic had an unprecedented impact on lives around the globe. Billions of people were...
Financial Planning Advice for Managing an Inheritance Brought on By the Pandemic
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has impacted almost everyone to some degree. For some individuals, the...
Five Traits of Wealthy People Do You Have The Traits of The Wealthy?
Maybe you are already wealthy or maybe you are on your way. Maybe you are concerned about your...
The Pandemic Effect – Retirement
Five tips to help you rework your plans in a post-COVID world. Here we are in the post-COVID world. ...
How To Choose The Right Financial Advisor in 2022
Finding a Financial Advisor Near Me
On the surface, money is a simple thing. You earn it. You spend it. Sometimes you save some to spend...
Retirement Tips from a Financial Planner
When people think about retirement, they usually have a specific goal or image in mind of what they ...
Financial Planning Tips Advisors Want You To Know
It’s not uncommon to feel somewhat helpless in trying financial times such as these. Many people wor...
10 Reasons You Should Work with A Financial Advisor
Financial success requires a plan. While most people can manage their finances just fine on their ow...
Reasons Not To Own Life Insurance
I Have Other Financial Priorities This is understandable, but, where do those priorities rank when t...
How to Spot a Bottom!
“It is tough to make predictions, especially about the future.” Yogi Berra A question I get a lot is...
Tax Planning – It Makes a Difference!
Does your CPA do more than your taxes? Tax planning is imperative. Doing your taxes after the fact d...
Dealing With Market Volatility
There’s no question about it: markets have been volatile lately, and with ongoing inflation, rising ...
The Top 10 Rules of Building Wealth
“We must all suffer from one of two pains: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret. The differe...
COVID and College Planning – Are you prepared?
Well, here we are in 2022 and, sadly, COVID-19 rages on. So, what’s happening out there with college...
Should You Own Bonds? (Part 2)
As stated in Part 1 of this article, it depends. Same answer as before! In Part 1 of this series, ...
Disclosures Disclosures Disclosures! Who Broke The Code?
We individuals, including me, are inundated with disclosures from various financial institutions, in...
Should You Own Bonds? (Part 1)
Depends. How is that for an answer? It is important to understand the big picture and to not get cau...
SALARIES, COMMISSIONS, FEES…WHY?
So much is written and advertised about compensation in all industries. At the bottom of all these d...
WHAT NOW? 3 Occasions When Your Income Stops
We all go about our merry ways, but I suggest we need to be cognizant that our income can stop, both...
Empty Nester Guide – Financial Tips (Part 2)
Welcome to Part 2 of our Empty Nester Guide – Financial Tips. From my experience, these Financial T...
15 Reasons You Should Work with A Financial Advisor
Financial success requires a plan. While most people can manage their finances just fine on their ow...
Tax Season: Important Dates, Deadlines & Figures
It’s hard to believe that tax season is here already. In an effort to help our clients be prepared,...
SECURE Act – Legacy Planning
Did you know that one of the changes in the SECURE Act should be considered in your legacy planning?...
Empty Nester Guide – It’s happening … Now what???
Well, you made it! You are an empty nester. Is it time to celebrate or cry or a little bit of both...
How to Find a Financial Advisor Near Me
All Americans can benefit from a financial advisor in some capacity or another. In fact, not underst...
Financial Planning Tips Everyone Should Know
The best time to start planning for your financial future is when you’re just starting out. But the ...
Do Higher Interest Rates Spell Doom For the Markets?
January 2022 ended up being a volatile month for the markets. The NASDAQ hit the official correction...
The Biggest Mistakes People Make When Choosing a Financial Advisor
Everyone could benefit from the expertise of a well-educated and experienced financial advisor. Howe...
7 Tips to Find a Great Financial Advisor
When you’re looking for a great financial advisor, you want to choose someone who can give you sound...
How Often Should You Meet with Your Financial Advisor?
When people have a financial advisor to help them manage their money and help with financial plannin...
Estate Plan for Me/Us? What Estate?
The first time I heard the term “estate plan”, I was married with a baby and living in a rental hous...
What Happens When A Loved One Passes Away?
Having a financial advisor can help you prepare for and persevere through the passing of your loved ...
Where are the People Who Want to Work?
“If there is unemployment in America, it is because the unemployed do not want to work.” Henry Ford ...
Evaluating Institutional Money Managers
I am an engineer by education, with that I have certain quirks about how I evaluate various financia...
A Potentially Big Financial Mistake
Failing to plan for long-term care, i.e., what type one might need, how long one may need it, and ho...
What Is A Portfolio Stress Test And Why Is It Important?
Investing Success May Lead To Complacency; Complacency Leads To Over-Confidence “The stock market is...
IRAs, 401(k)s and Roth Optimization
“In this world, nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” Benjamin Franklin In an ...
How Safe Is Your Money?
It seems every few years a rumor or myth gets going that takes a life of its own. That doesn’t mean ...
Urgent Tax Updates – Advance Child Tax Credit Payments
In March of this year, the American Rescue Plan expanded the Child Tax Credit for 2021. For each chi...
Medicare: What Are The Penalties For Missing Enrollment?
There are consequences of missing or delaying enrollment for Medicare. Currently, Medicare has three...
I Don’t Want All My Money In One Place
This is certainly, a reasonable comment. We are all told to diversify and not put all our “eggs in o...
Financial Noise and Confusion
We often see ads on TV or read articles in various papers and magazines. Perhaps like you, when you ...
Inflation: Transitory Or Here To Stay
“Inflation is when you pay $15 for the $10 haircut you used to get for $5 when you had hair.” Sam Ew...
Temperature Check!
Well, we made it through 2020 and now through the first quarter of 2021! Yippee!!! We are well on ...
Why Annuities May Be Worth the Cost
Annuities are often perceived to be expensive in relation to other retirement savings and investment...
Watch Out for Bonds! Part 2
I wrote a recent article proclaiming my love for Warren Buffet and his practical retirement advice, ...
Watch Out for Bonds! Part 1
So, let’s get this out there … I love Warren Buffet. He’s just so inspirational, down to earth, fol...
Are Living Trusts Worth The Money?
Written by Brian Tillotson and Karen Spence The most common estate planning question we get at Virtu...
There is Much More to Financial Planning Part 2
There is Much More to Financial Planning Than Investing Part Two As we mentioned in the previous art...
There Is Much More to Financial Planning Part 1
There is Much More to Financial Planning Than Investing A key to the coordination and integration of...
Questions to Ask About Your Insurance Policy: Is Your Policy Working Efficiently?
Whether you are new to life insurance or had a policy for many years, finding the right coverage fro...
How Can Doctors Overcome These Common Issues?
Surgeons, radiologists and physicians have been a significant part of my clientele over the years. ...
Diversification
I’ll admit that I have a love, hate relationship with diversification. As a financial advisor, I th...
International Women’s Day – Unstoppable
In honor of International Women’s Day, I would like to highlight a couple of women that stand out to...
Do Valuations Matter or Do We Party Like It’s 1999?
A fun song from the 1990s from the late and great Prince. Part of the lyrics from that song include...
Mortgage or No Mortgage – The $64,000 Question
Written by Brian Tillotson and Karen Spence This is one of the most debated and asked topics from ou...
Tax Season: Important Dates, Deadlines & Figures
It’s hard to believe that tax season is here already. In an effort to help our clients be prepared,...
What to Consider Before Retiring
Retirement planning is a big aspect of financial planning. However, the job of a financial advisor e...
Our Top 5 Reasons to Open a Roth IRA
In this ever-changing world, finding a flexible investment retirement option can be challenging. But...
The Conservative Catch-22
I was meeting with a client the other day and we were discussing expectations. This couple is fairl...
Our Top 5 Reasons To Open a SEP IRA (Simplified Employee Pension)
Do you know what I’m tired of hearing? I’m tired of hearing about how hard it is for small business ...
Giving is Good For You… Really!
Giving is powerful! When you give to others, research shows you are more likely to reduce your stres...
What I’ve learned about Assisted Living … from Experience!!!
Last year my parents decided to move from their home in Plano of 40 years to an Assisted Living Faci...
Setting up Company Sponsored 401(k) plan
The Complete and Simple Guide Job seekers evaluate the benefits and disadvantages of different job o...
The Best Money Quotes
There are certain situations or times in our lives in which a good quote can perfectly explain how w...
Prevent Disaster With An Estate Planning Checklist
Did you know that if you do your estate planning incorrectly your estate could be destroyed from tax...
Our Best Tips for Saving Money When You are Older
According to Northwestern Mutual, 21% of Americans have no savings for retirement. The Government Ac...
Understanding IRA’s for Robust Retirement Planning
Individual retirement accounts, also called IRA’s, are a great retirement planning tool when you und...
What Should You do if You Inherit Money?
Saying goodbye to a loved one is a very trying time, but one we all must endure at one time or anoth...
Understanding Financial Risk Management: Are You at Risk?
We live in an unpredictable world. On a day to day, you never know when tragedy or disaster can stri...
It’s Time to Understand the Roth 401k Rollover 5-Year rule
December – Focus on Relationships
We are approaching the end of 2020 (Yay!) and it’s time to prepare for 2021 by using the month of De...
November – Making a Difference
As many of you know, I grew up as an age-group swimmer and continued to swim in college at the Unive...
What Is The S&P 500 Index and Why Is Everyone Talking About It?
“I found that if you have a goal, you might not reach it. But if you don’t have one, then you ...
What is a Financial Planner Worth?
Quantifying the value of a financial planner may seem difficult to many consumers. That value will v...
PMA … All the Way! PMA … All the Way!
This is a cheer that I’ll always remember from my swimming days. PMA stands for Positive Mental Att...
There’s LIFE in LIFE INSURANCE
Many clients ask me, “So I buy life insurance, I take money out of my pocket and buy this policy and...
October is for Optimism
Well, 2020 has been a struggle to say the least. I’m sad to say that I lost my dad in July after a ...
Presidential Election: Myth versus Fact
White Noise definition per Webster Dictionary: a: a constant background noise, especially: one that ...
An Election Year…What Should I Do?
In my years of experience in the financial world, I would always get this question, and my response ...
The Client or Customer is NOT Always Right
Sales people (even most all people in business) are trained to accept the idea that the client is al...
FINANCIAL LIFE is Like a GOLF GAME
You may not like the game of golf or you might be addicted to it, but in any case, I’m sure you are ...
What is Value Investing and Is It Dead? Will Growth Investing Rule Forever?
“Cheap is Cheap for a Reason.” Source Unknown There are several items I do not like buying on the ch...
Stand-Up to COVID-19
How did your portfolio stand-up to COVID-19 in March? Were you down 30% with the market? Were you ...
Credentials & Professional Designations
If you search “professional designations” on Google, you will find 42 pages of designations for 25 p...
Advice on Life Insurance is Lacking
Litigators, regulators, the media and technology are all paving the way for life insurance advice. C...
Quantifying Your Risk!
Have you ever wondered what risk tolerance means? What is the difference between a Conservative Por...
Who has the Crystal Ball?
What are the markets going to do? How will the tax laws change? When are interest rates going up? Al...
Invest in Your Momentum with Virtus Wealth Management
Mid-Year 2020 Market and Covid-19 Update
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of fo...
Balance 2020: Investing and Working – Leave it to the Professionals!
The final article in our Balance 2020 series focuses on the benefits of obtaining work / life balanc...
COVID-19 Where We Stand (webinar) DO NOT PUBLISH
COVID-19 Where We Stand: Government Assistance/The Markets/Oil Update on the government assis...
Flatten the COVID-19 SCAM curve – don’t be a victim!
Scammers are taking advantage of the fears surrounding the Coronavirus. Scammers have no shame, and ...
Important Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) Update
Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) are mandated by the IRS for IRA and 401(K) owners (among other...
Balance 2020: Investing and Sleeping – Consistency Saves the Day
As we continue our “Balance 2020” series, let’s talk about consistency. Fun! Investing consistentl...
Federal Tax Update
The federal income tax filing and federal income tax payment due date is automatically extended from...
CARES Act Highlights for Individuals and Families
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, also known as the CARES Act was signed by Pr...
Balance 2020: Investing and Eating – Portion Control
So, let’s get it out there. I’m not the best eater in the world. I really like a good hamburger. ...
Are You Ready for a Change?
Are you unhappy with the lack of communication from your current financial advisor? Did you lose mor...
What We Can Already Learn from the Coronavirus Market Correction
A MESSAGE FROM OUR PRESIDENT BRIAN TILLOTSON “Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishm...
Balance 2020: Investing and Exercise – Endurance Events
As most of you may or may not know, I was a collegiate swimmer for the University of Arkansas, mostl...
2020 The Year Of Balance
Like the numbers of the actual year itself, 2020, I declare 2020 the year of balance! Balance is im...
How Your Investments Are Like Perfectly Smoked BBQ
Trust the process! Josh recently wrote an article titled “Five Financial Lessons from the Dallas Cow...
Tax Season: Important Dates, Deadlines & Figures
It’s hard to believe that tax season is here already. In an effort to help our clients be prepared,...
Federal Debt Concerns: Fact or Fiction?
The most common concern I hear from people is regarding the federal debt and its impact on the econo...
Wear Sunscreen & When to Worry About the Market
In 1999, Baz Lurhmann released the song “Everyone is Free (To Wear Sunscreen),” a song I still play ...
Planning for Retirement and Choosing a Beneficiary
Retirement planning is about more than planning the fun things you want to do when you earn your fre...
Why The Secure Act is Important for All Age Groups!
If you think this is just for retirees, please don’t stop reading! Recently the Secure Act, official...
50th Anniversary, Financial Planning Profession
Unlike most professions, the Financial Planning Profession can identify a precise founding in Decemb...
Trump Impeachment Hearings: News or Noise for the Stock Market
Go to nearly any news website, TV, or radio station and you will most likely be bombarded with updat...
Myth Busters: The Baby Boomer Generation
My last Myth Buster article discussed the myths of the millennial generation. Today I would like to...
Myth Busters: Millennials and Finances
To continue my series on myths in wealth management, I wanted to focus on the millennial generation ...
Myth Busters: Insurance
Insurance… We buy it and hope we never need it. When we need it, it’s never enough, yet when we don’...
Myth Busters: Income Taxes
The next topic in our series of myths in wealth management is regarding income taxes. Who doesn’t w...
Myth Busters: Estate Planning
We recently introduced a new series on myths in all aspects of wealth management. The first of the ...
The 6 Biggest Mistakes You May Be Making With Your Wealth
We all make mistakes. There is no shame in making a mistake. However, in regards to your wealth it...
401k Plan Types
Retirement. Almost everyone looks forward to retiring from their job to live out the rest of their l...
Investing for Women … Women Tend to Invest Differently
Watch Out Girls … You could subconsciously be hindering your financial success!!! When I was in coll...
Retirement Planning is Different for Women
Watch Out Girls … Retirement Triple Threat!!! Calling all women! You face a retirement triple threa...
Retirement Planning
It’s the one thing that everyone should be doing, but not everyone understands. Planning for retirem...
5 Financial Lessons from the Dallas Cowboys
Fire up the grill, crack a cold one, and dig your jersey out of the back of the closet because footb...
Recession or Fake News?
The media is throwing out the recession word again. At first I thought ‘I wonder how much more view...
The Family Life Guide
This month we wanted to present to you the Family Life Guide – a worksheet we designed to help you g...
Paying for College
Paying for College … All or Nothing!?! Talk to your advisor. Graduations are such an exciting time ...
What Does Financial Freedom Mean To You?
Millennials have been credited with ruining the English language. For example, in 2013 the definitio...
Estate Planning – Say What?
When we were first married an insurance agent came to the house to set up our auto and home insuranc...
Aligning Your Investments and Your Beliefs
A look into socially responsible investing. A popular trend in investing is the aligning of one’s so...
Ethical Wills – The Gift That Keeps Giving
My dad passed away on July 27, 2003. It seems like just yesterday in some regards but so long ago in...
It May Not Be What We Think
I must confess I get very frustrated with articles, promotions and advertising. Yes I am too anal an...
Health Savings Accounts Now & In Retirement… Are You Taking Advantage?
Rising health care costs have never been greater. In 2017, estimated health care expenses for retire...
7 Financial Lessons from Game of Thrones
The cultural phenomenon that is HBO’s Game of Thrones, a show of political scheming, heroic battles,...
Five Things I Wish I Knew Before I Started My Own Business
Five Common Issues Business Owners Can Overcome!
Business Owners, We Can Help! Not only have business owners been a large part of my clientele throug...
Your Life Connected
If there’s one thing that’s constant in life, it’s change. There are “season...
10 Financial Travel Tips
My favorite thing about working at Virtus Wealth Management is the people; not only my great colleag...
A Retirement Lesson from a Dallas Legend
This month Dallas-Fort Worth said goodbye to a legend when Dirk Nowitzki of the Dallas Mavericks ann...
Myth Busters: Five Myths of Investing
I’m introducing a new series today called Wealth Management Myths. The first of the series wil...
Let Us Help You With Your Retirement Planning
Is retirement just around the corner or is it still years away? I have learned a lot over my career ...
Make Your Financial Health a Priority
Make Your Financial Health a Priority for 2019 2019 is off and running, and it’s already Febru...
Important Tax Law Changes
In December of 2017, Congress passed the most extensive changes to the tax code since President Reag...
Perspective Is Everything
Perspective is everything; it is shaped by your past, impacts the way you see the present and ultima...
How to Balance Your Savings
There is a common misconception in personal finance that one can just max out their 401K and be read...
Life and Disability Insurance – Really?
For over 35 years I have been licensed as an agent for Life and Health Insurance as well as a Licens...
A Choice – Paying for Long Term Care Insurance
Purchasing Long Term Care Insurance is a choice, plain and simple. I have found this to be somewhat ...
RMD Rule Reform
When a retiree reaches age 70 ½ the IRS requires them to withdraw a percentage of their qualified (4...
Sequence of Returns – It Matters
Relying on averages can be dangerous. Brian’s dad had a saying, “You can drown in a rive...
For the Youngsters – Use Time to Your Advantage
You are never too young to start saving for your future. The time value of money cannot be under-est...
Retirement Income Options – Evaluate a Roth*
When you retire, it’s nice to have income options, and focusing on building those income options is ...
Plan For Longevity
In the last Virtus View (Importance of Guaranteed Income), I said, “It is critical not to under-esti...
Guaranteed Income Makes a Difference – Maximize Social Security
When you retire, it’s nice not to worry about having enough money coming in every month to pay the b...
Control the Controllable
As with all things in life, some things are in our control in retirement planning and some things ar...
Annuities Are Like Puppy Dogs
A friend of mine was once asked if he sold annuities, to which he answered yes. The person asking wa...
Retire TO Something
It’s our belief that all of us are made to have meaning and derive purpose from something. Aside fr...
What is a QCD?
It is not a new drug for your health, but it may be beneficial to your financial health. Qualified C...
Medicare Premium Increases for 2018
When I watch the news, I see plenty of coverage about how the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will help b...
Nobody Needs Life Insurance
Nobody needs life insurance, that’s right, nobody needs life insurance. You are not alone if you’ve ...
When Will I Get My Tax Documents
It’s hard to believe that tax season is here already. In an effort to help our clients be prepared, ...
The Federal Reserve Chairman
There have been many big headlines coming out of Washington these days, but one that should not be o...
Expectations Versus Reality
Going into 2018 and in the midst of an 8 year bull market, content can set in. While being content i...
Medicare Help
The holidays are upon us now and, coincidentally, so is the annual Medicare Open Enrollment period! ...
Halloween Fun
At Virtus Wealth Management, we like to celebrate the holidays! Fall is in full force, and Halloween...
Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) What Are They?
Have you taken your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) yet? For investors over the age 70 ½ with an...
Understanding Your Risk Tolerance
Understanding your risk tolerance is complex, and the standard questionnaire provided by many financ...
The Power of Affiliation
As our clients know, Virtus Wealth Management is an independent wealth management firm which allows ...
Medicare Premiums and Copayments
More than one-half of working Americans know little or nothing about Medicare costs.1 Not knowing ca...
The Cost of Healthcare in Retirement
Retirement is a wonderful time! Many use their retirement years to spend more time with loved ones, ...
Is the Stock Market Overvalued?
When meeting with investors recently, we often hear “with the stock market at, or near, all-time hig...
Some Facts About Fathers
Last year, Pew Research Center spent some time collecting data about dads. They found some interesti...
Congratulations! Josh Hubman, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™
It’s Graduation Time!
Here at Virtus Wealth Management we love our families, our clients, and our clients’ families. It’s ...
Do You Need Long Term Care Coverage?
Less than 8% of Americans actually have insurance for long term care.1 Moreover, only 10% of the eld...
Protecting Your Identity
According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics (www.bjs.gov), an estimated 17.6 million Americans, ab...
Do You Need Disability Insurance?
Most Americans can’t imagine a situation where they or a loved one would ever become disabled. Almos...
HSA and IRA Contribution Deadlines Coming Soon
The deadline to file personal tax returns is fast approaching and that means so too is the deadline ...
Why Benchmarking Against the S&P is a Losing Proposition
It is common for investors to follow large stock market indexes such as the S&P 500 (GSPC) and t...
2017 Outlook
Now that 2017 is in full swing, your Virtus Wealth Management Team would like to wish you a happy, p...
Bond Laddering Investment Strategy for Rising Interest Rate Environment
The Federal Reserve has put investors and retirees in a very tough position. 10 year Treasury Notes ...
The Basics of Tax Loss Harvesting
It’s getting close to the end of the year, and it may be time to consider some strategies to optimiz...
Last Call for RMD’s
Have you taken your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) yet? For investors over the age 70 ½ with an...
Where Do We Go From Here Now That The Election Is Over?
Wow! What a dramatic presidential race. In a huge upset, Donald Trump was elected to become the nati...
Presidents Change, Investing Does Not
As I am sure you all know, Election Day is looming. On Tuesday November 8th we will all run to the ...
The Effect of Alternative Investments on a Portfolio
With pre-election market jitters in full swing, I would like to highlight one of the key strategies ...
How Efficient Is Your Money?
Money inefficiencies can occur in all areas of your financial plan. They erode wealth and can limit ...
What is BREXIT and Why Should We Care?
On June 23rd, Britain voted to exit (BREXIT) the European Union (EU). It is an important issue becau...
Don’t Be THE Target
Behavioral finance has become a much larger and more researched area of wealth management over the p...
Politics And Your Portfolio: Is There A Relationship?
As citizens of the state of Texas we all have strong opinions on who our next President should be; h...
Qualified Longevity Annuity Contracts: A New Breed of Annuity
When an investor turn 70 ½ years old, the Federal Government demands that they begin taking distribu...
Social Security Changes
Happy 2016! We hope you are off to a great start for the year. In this Virtus View, we would like to...
Balancing Confidence and Volatility
Please find in the link below a letter from Burt White, who is the Chief Investment Officer at LPL. ...
What to Expect from Virtus Views in 2016
There are several hot topics in the stock market and global economy as of late, and I’m sure some in...
Open Enrollment Season
‘Tis the season for family get-togethers, holiday cheer, food a plenty, and of course….open enrollme...
A Closer Look at HSAs and FSAs
We are always looking for ways to save pretax dollars that can be put to good use. A medical savings...
Maximizing Your Social Security Benefits
Social Security is one of the largest assets that retirees have today. The maximum social security b...
Is Your Trust Going To Cost You Thousands In Taxes?
As a Certified Private Wealth Advisor who has been trained in advanced estate and tax planning, I of...
Is Debt Free The Way To Be?
Is it better to make extra payments to pay off your mortgage faster or to invest that extra money an...
Permanent Life Insurance: A Tax Advantaged Savings Vehicle
Life insurance can be much more than just a death benefit, there are several key tax advantages that...
The Absolute Regarding Variable Annuities
Absolutes would work great in this business if every client had the same amount of money, the exact ...
Understanding Business Cycles and Their Impact on Stock Performance
As a big believer in sector rotation and finding leadership in a market, I closely watch which secto...
Has the Market Peaked?
If you recall in our 2015 Outlook, published on January 31, Virtus Wealth Management expects 2015 to...
Important Tax Information
I am afraid many Americans will be a bit shocked when they complete their 2013 taxes and clearly und...
Where to Invest in Rising Interest Rate Environments
This is the third part in a three part series on the impact of rising interest rates on our fixed in...
The Dangers of Huge Returns
I know it sounds counter-intuitive to state there are actually dangers to great returns. However, th...
Market Corrections are the Norm
A year like 2013 can spoil any investor, high returns with low volatility. The largest “correction”...
What Is In-Store for 2014?
Now that 2014 is in full swing, we here at Virtus Wealth Management would like to wish you a happy p...
Strategies for Bonds in a Rising Interest Rate Environment
This is the second in a three part series on the impacts of rising interest rates on fixed income in...
Interest Rates Rising, Bond Prices Falling… What Now?
Over the past several months, we have witnessed a 42% increase in the 10 year U.S. Treasury Note. F...
Safe Withdrawal Rate
Is the 4% distribution rule outdated? There are many “rules” in the investment arena but none receiv...
Federal Reserve Chairman
The stock market is a forward thinking entity. Stocks can and do move based on daily news but the lo...
Fiscal Cliff
We are fast approaching the new fiscal cliff discussions which will be a significant news item over ...
Terrific Tuesday
Terrific Tuesdays continue as the Dow Industrial Average was up this past Tuesday over 100 points. ...
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Where Do the Markets Go from Here?
Well, that was an interesting couple of weeks. We just witnessed a lifetime of movements within a m...
The 10 Biggest Wealth Management Mistakes
I would prefer to write an article on the 10 biggest things people get right with their wealth but u...
What Is In Store For The 2025 Stock Market?
As we end 2024 with another good year and start talking expectations for 2025, it is important to re...
Oktoberfest Is Upon Us
6 Facts Regarding Oktoberfest and 5 Facts Regarding the Stock Market in October Many of us love this...
The Importance of Simplifying Your Life
I recently had a conversation with a dear friend of mine since grade school and his beautiful wife. ...
5 Tips to Help Young People Build True Wealth
I was at a nephew’s wedding a while back and a family member asked me to speak with their son, who w...
Is A Roller Coaster Necessary in Investments?
Did you know that although the S&P 500 was up over 25% last year, it is only up a little over 3%...
2024 Market Expectations
As we start off 2024, the most common question we get is, “What is the market going to do this year?...
Artificial Intelligence and Investing
AI (artificial intelligence) is poised to have a significant impact across various industries, trans...
Are Benchmarks Really Benchmarks?
“Numbers never lie, after all; they simply tell different stories depending on the math of the telle...
Time to Be Aggressive or Cautious?
Ever try a hot pepper and think, “that wasn’t so bad,” only then after a brief delay to have the bur...
The Debt Ceiling – Crisis or Fearmongering?
Déjà vu all over again. We have been here before, specifically in 2011. I am referencing a debt ce...
Concerned About The Banking Failures?
The markets were hit with a major surprise this past weekend when Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) collapse...
Urgent News Regarding Your Pension
Many Americans are learning a very tough lesson in regards to how pensions work due to the inflation...
10 Mistakes You May Be Making
Now that the markets and economy has stabilized and estate sizes may have changed, as well as the fa...
Three Ways To Charge As An Advisor Don’t Fall for Marketing Gimmicks from Financial Advisors
Our industry is full of marketing gimmicks and misleading representations by wealth management firms...
Five Traits of Wealthy People Do You Have The Traits of The Wealthy?
Maybe you are already wealthy or maybe you are on your way. Maybe you are concerned about your...
How to Spot a Bottom!
“It is tough to make predictions, especially about the future.” Yogi Berra A question I get a lot is...
The Top 10 Rules of Building Wealth
“We must all suffer from one of two pains: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret. The differe...
Should You Own Bonds? (Part 2)
As stated in Part 1 of this article, it depends. Same answer as before! In Part 1 of this series, ...
Should You Own Bonds? (Part 1)
Depends. How is that for an answer? It is important to understand the big picture and to not get cau...
Do Higher Interest Rates Spell Doom For the Markets?
January 2022 ended up being a volatile month for the markets. The NASDAQ hit the official correction...
Where are the People Who Want to Work?
“If there is unemployment in America, it is because the unemployed do not want to work.” Henry Ford ...
What Is A Portfolio Stress Test And Why Is It Important?
Investing Success May Lead To Complacency; Complacency Leads To Over-Confidence “The stock market is...
IRAs, 401(k)s and Roth Optimization
“In this world, nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” Benjamin Franklin In an ...
How Safe Is Your Money?
It seems every few years a rumor or myth gets going that takes a life of its own. That doesn’t mean ...
Inflation: Transitory Or Here To Stay
“Inflation is when you pay $15 for the $10 haircut you used to get for $5 when you had hair.” Sam Ew...
Are Living Trusts Worth The Money?
Written by Brian Tillotson and Karen Spence The most common estate planning question we get at Virtu...
Do Valuations Matter or Do We Party Like It’s 1999?
A fun song from the 1990s from the late and great Prince. Part of the lyrics from that song include...
Mortgage or No Mortgage – The $64,000 Question
Written by Brian Tillotson and Karen Spence This is one of the most debated and asked topics from ou...
The Conservative Catch-22
I was meeting with a client the other day and we were discussing expectations. This couple is fairl...
The Best Money Quotes
There are certain situations or times in our lives in which a good quote can perfectly explain how w...
What Is The S&P 500 Index and Why Is Everyone Talking About It?
“I found that if you have a goal, you might not reach it. But if you don’t have one, then you ...
Presidential Election: Myth versus Fact
White Noise definition per Webster Dictionary: a: a constant background noise, especially: one that ...
What is Value Investing and Is It Dead? Will Growth Investing Rule Forever?
“Cheap is Cheap for a Reason.” Source Unknown There are several items I do not like buying on the ch...
Mid-Year 2020 Market and Covid-19 Update
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of fo...
Are You Ready for a Change?
Are you unhappy with the lack of communication from your current financial advisor? Did you lose mor...
What We Can Already Learn from the Coronavirus Market Correction
A MESSAGE FROM OUR PRESIDENT BRIAN TILLOTSON “Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishm...
Federal Debt Concerns: Fact or Fiction?
The most common concern I hear from people is regarding the federal debt and its impact on the econo...
Wear Sunscreen & When to Worry About the Market
In 1999, Baz Lurhmann released the song “Everyone is Free (To Wear Sunscreen),” a song I still play ...
Why The Secure Act is Important for All Age Groups!
If you think this is just for retirees, please don’t stop reading! Recently the Secure Act, official...
Myth Busters: The Baby Boomer Generation
My last Myth Buster article discussed the myths of the millennial generation. Today I would like to...
Myth Busters: Millennials and Finances
To continue my series on myths in wealth management, I wanted to focus on the millennial generation ...
Myth Busters: Income Taxes
The next topic in our series of myths in wealth management is regarding income taxes. Who doesn’t w...
Myth Busters: Estate Planning
We recently introduced a new series on myths in all aspects of wealth management. The first of the ...
The 6 Biggest Mistakes You May Be Making With Your Wealth
We all make mistakes. There is no shame in making a mistake. However, in regards to your wealth it...
Recession or Fake News?
The media is throwing out the recession word again. At first I thought ‘I wonder how much more view...
Ethical Wills – The Gift That Keeps Giving
My dad passed away on July 27, 2003. It seems like just yesterday in some regards but so long ago in...
Five Things I Wish I Knew Before I Started My Own Business
Myth Busters: Five Myths of Investing
I’m introducing a new series today called Wealth Management Myths. The first of the series wil...
Medicare Premium Increases for 2018
When I watch the news, I see plenty of coverage about how the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will help b...
The Federal Reserve Chairman
There have been many big headlines coming out of Washington these days, but one that should not be o...
Expectations Versus Reality
Going into 2018 and in the midst of an 8 year bull market, content can set in. While being content i...
Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) What Are They?
Have you taken your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) yet? For investors over the age 70 ½ with an...
Understanding Your Risk Tolerance
Understanding your risk tolerance is complex, and the standard questionnaire provided by many financ...
The Power of Affiliation
As our clients know, Virtus Wealth Management is an independent wealth management firm which allows ...
Medicare Premiums and Copayments
More than one-half of working Americans know little or nothing about Medicare costs.1 Not knowing ca...
The Cost of Healthcare in Retirement
Retirement is a wonderful time! Many use their retirement years to spend more time with loved ones, ...
Is the Stock Market Overvalued?
When meeting with investors recently, we often hear “with the stock market at, or near, all-time hig...
Some Facts About Fathers
Last year, Pew Research Center spent some time collecting data about dads. They found some interesti...
Congratulations! Josh Hubman, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™
Protecting Your Identity
According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics (www.bjs.gov), an estimated 17.6 million Americans, ab...
HSA and IRA Contribution Deadlines Coming Soon
The deadline to file personal tax returns is fast approaching and that means so too is the deadline ...
Why Benchmarking Against the S&P is a Losing Proposition
It is common for investors to follow large stock market indexes such as the S&P 500 (GSPC) and t...
2017 Outlook
Now that 2017 is in full swing, your Virtus Wealth Management Team would like to wish you a happy, p...
Bond Laddering Investment Strategy for Rising Interest Rate Environment
The Federal Reserve has put investors and retirees in a very tough position. 10 year Treasury Notes ...
The Basics of Tax Loss Harvesting
It’s getting close to the end of the year, and it may be time to consider some strategies to optimiz...
Last Call for RMD’s
Have you taken your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) yet? For investors over the age 70 ½ with an...
Where Do We Go From Here Now That The Election Is Over?
Wow! What a dramatic presidential race. In a huge upset, Donald Trump was elected to become the nati...
Presidents Change, Investing Does Not
As I am sure you all know, Election Day is looming. On Tuesday November 8th we will all run to the ...
The Effect of Alternative Investments on a Portfolio
With pre-election market jitters in full swing, I would like to highlight one of the key strategies ...
How Efficient Is Your Money?
Money inefficiencies can occur in all areas of your financial plan. They erode wealth and can limit ...
What is BREXIT and Why Should We Care?
On June 23rd, Britain voted to exit (BREXIT) the European Union (EU). It is an important issue becau...
Don’t Be THE Target
Behavioral finance has become a much larger and more researched area of wealth management over the p...
Politics And Your Portfolio: Is There A Relationship?
As citizens of the state of Texas we all have strong opinions on who our next President should be; h...
Qualified Longevity Annuity Contracts: A New Breed of Annuity
When an investor turn 70 ½ years old, the Federal Government demands that they begin taking distribu...
Social Security Changes
Happy 2016! We hope you are off to a great start for the year. In this Virtus View, we would like to...
Balancing Confidence and Volatility
Please find in the link below a letter from Burt White, who is the Chief Investment Officer at LPL. ...
What to Expect from Virtus Views in 2016
There are several hot topics in the stock market and global economy as of late, and I’m sure some in...
Open Enrollment Season
‘Tis the season for family get-togethers, holiday cheer, food a plenty, and of course….open enrollme...
A Closer Look at HSAs and FSAs
We are always looking for ways to save pretax dollars that can be put to good use. A medical savings...
Maximizing Your Social Security Benefits
Social Security is one of the largest assets that retirees have today. The maximum social security b...
Is Your Trust Going To Cost You Thousands In Taxes?
As a Certified Private Wealth Advisor who has been trained in advanced estate and tax planning, I of...
Is Debt Free The Way To Be?
Is it better to make extra payments to pay off your mortgage faster or to invest that extra money an...
Permanent Life Insurance: A Tax Advantaged Savings Vehicle
Life insurance can be much more than just a death benefit, there are several key tax advantages that...
The Absolute Regarding Variable Annuities
Absolutes would work great in this business if every client had the same amount of money, the exact ...
Understanding Business Cycles and Their Impact on Stock Performance
As a big believer in sector rotation and finding leadership in a market, I closely watch which secto...
Has the Market Peaked?
If you recall in our 2015 Outlook, published on January 31, Virtus Wealth Management expects 2015 to...
Important Tax Information
I am afraid many Americans will be a bit shocked when they complete their 2013 taxes and clearly und...
Where to Invest in Rising Interest Rate Environments
This is the third part in a three part series on the impact of rising interest rates on our fixed in...
The Dangers of Huge Returns
I know it sounds counter-intuitive to state there are actually dangers to great returns. However, th...
Market Corrections are the Norm
A year like 2013 can spoil any investor, high returns with low volatility. The largest “correction”...
What Is In-Store for 2014?
Now that 2014 is in full swing, we here at Virtus Wealth Management would like to wish you a happy p...
Strategies for Bonds in a Rising Interest Rate Environment
This is the second in a three part series on the impacts of rising interest rates on fixed income in...
Interest Rates Rising, Bond Prices Falling… What Now?
Over the past several months, we have witnessed a 42% increase in the 10 year U.S. Treasury Note. F...
Safe Withdrawal Rate
Is the 4% distribution rule outdated? There are many “rules” in the investment arena but none receiv...
Federal Reserve Chairman
The stock market is a forward thinking entity. Stocks can and do move based on daily news but the lo...
Fiscal Cliff
We are fast approaching the new fiscal cliff discussions which will be a significant news item over ...
Terrific Tuesday
Terrific Tuesdays continue as the Dow Industrial Average was up this past Tuesday over 100 points. ...
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Healthcare In Retirement…For Real
For our retired and pre-retirees, I wanted to share some insights to the cost of healthcare in the r...
CUSTOMER SERVICE…REALLY?
I have always taken pride in providing customer service. I have been told I am anal and a bit of a ...
TOP FINANCIAL FIRMS IN THE CITY, STATE, USA
I recently saw in an advertisement or article on the internet with this type of headline. I am sure ...
College Costs Now Can Exceed $90k…That’s Per Year!
Below I will share some thoughts for consideration. One needs to ask if college is really going to b...
10 Year Projection
Below are some of the more alarming predictions you may be hearing from pundits or in the media: WAR...
Healthcare Costs and Heath Savings Accounts
We at Virtus Wealth Management take pride in offering multiple services through all stages of life, ...
Life Insurance At Every Stage Of Life
Life Insurance is an important part of financial planning and not something to be overlooked. Take ...
Money Is Not Math & Math Is Not Money
Yes, money has numbers on it but, money is not math. Math is an accurate science while money is a co...
Four Tax Strategies To Have In Place Before Retiring
To somewhat alleviate and help one overcome the “surprises” in retirement, let me suggest 4 tax stra...
Your Financial Review – Three Areas To Be Addressed
A financial review should not be just about the performance of one’s portfolio. I know, that is all ...
Human Understanding
As financial advisors and wealth managers, one might expect a preoccupation with money. But financia...
Reasons Not To Own Life Insurance
I Have Other Financial Priorities This is understandable, but, where do those priorities rank when t...
Disclosures Disclosures Disclosures! Who Broke The Code?
We individuals, including me, are inundated with disclosures from various financial institutions, in...
SALARIES, COMMISSIONS, FEES…WHY?
So much is written and advertised about compensation in all industries. At the bottom of all these d...
WHAT NOW? 3 Occasions When Your Income Stops
We all go about our merry ways, but I suggest we need to be cognizant that our income can stop, both...
Estate Plan for Me/Us? What Estate?
The first time I heard the term “estate plan”, I was married with a baby and living in a rental hous...
Evaluating Institutional Money Managers
I am an engineer by education, with that I have certain quirks about how I evaluate various financia...
A Potentially Big Financial Mistake
Failing to plan for long-term care, i.e., what type one might need, how long one may need it, and ho...
Medicare: What Are The Penalties For Missing Enrollment?
There are consequences of missing or delaying enrollment for Medicare. Currently, Medicare has three...
I Don’t Want All My Money In One Place
This is certainly, a reasonable comment. We are all told to diversify and not put all our “eggs in o...
Financial Noise and Confusion
We often see ads on TV or read articles in various papers and magazines. Perhaps like you, when you ...
Why Annuities May Be Worth the Cost
Annuities are often perceived to be expensive in relation to other retirement savings and investment...
There is Much More to Financial Planning Part 2
There is Much More to Financial Planning Than Investing Part Two As we mentioned in the previous art...
There Is Much More to Financial Planning Part 1
There is Much More to Financial Planning Than Investing A key to the coordination and integration of...
Questions to Ask About Your Insurance Policy: Is Your Policy Working Efficiently?
Whether you are new to life insurance or had a policy for many years, finding the right coverage fro...
How Can Doctors Overcome These Common Issues?
Surgeons, radiologists and physicians have been a significant part of my clientele over the years. ...
What to Consider Before Retiring
Retirement planning is a big aspect of financial planning. However, the job of a financial advisor e...
Giving is Good For You… Really!
Giving is powerful! When you give to others, research shows you are more likely to reduce your stres...
What is a Financial Planner Worth?
Quantifying the value of a financial planner may seem difficult to many consumers. That value will v...
There’s LIFE in LIFE INSURANCE
Many clients ask me, “So I buy life insurance, I take money out of my pocket and buy this policy and...
An Election Year…What Should I Do?
In my years of experience in the financial world, I would always get this question, and my response ...
The Client or Customer is NOT Always Right
Sales people (even most all people in business) are trained to accept the idea that the client is al...
FINANCIAL LIFE is Like a GOLF GAME
You may not like the game of golf or you might be addicted to it, but in any case, I’m sure you are ...
Credentials & Professional Designations
If you search “professional designations” on Google, you will find 42 pages of designations for 25 p...
Advice on Life Insurance is Lacking
Litigators, regulators, the media and technology are all paving the way for life insurance advice. C...
Who has the Crystal Ball?
What are the markets going to do? How will the tax laws change? When are interest rates going up? Al...
50th Anniversary, Financial Planning Profession
Unlike most professions, the Financial Planning Profession can identify a precise founding in Decemb...
Myth Busters: Insurance
Insurance… We buy it and hope we never need it. When we need it, it’s never enough, yet when we don’...
Estate Planning – Say What?
When we were first married an insurance agent came to the house to set up our auto and home insuranc...
It May Not Be What We Think
I must confess I get very frustrated with articles, promotions and advertising. Yes I am too anal an...
Health Savings Accounts Now & In Retirement… Are You Taking Advantage?
Rising health care costs have never been greater. In 2017, estimated health care expenses for retire...
Five Common Issues Business Owners Can Overcome!
Business Owners, We Can Help! Not only have business owners been a large part of my clientele throug...
Let Us Help You With Your Retirement Planning
Is retirement just around the corner or is it still years away? I have learned a lot over my career ...
Life and Disability Insurance – Really?
For over 35 years I have been licensed as an agent for Life and Health Insurance as well as a Licens...
A Choice – Paying for Long Term Care Insurance
Purchasing Long Term Care Insurance is a choice, plain and simple. I have found this to be somewhat ...
Annuities Are Like Puppy Dogs
A friend of mine was once asked if he sold annuities, to which he answered yes. The person asking wa...
What is a QCD?
It is not a new drug for your health, but it may be beneficial to your financial health. Qualified C...
Nobody Needs Life Insurance
Nobody needs life insurance, that’s right, nobody needs life insurance. You are not alone if you’ve ...
Do You Need Long Term Care Coverage?
Less than 8% of Americans actually have insurance for long term care.1 Moreover, only 10% of the eld...
Do You Need Disability Insurance?
Most Americans can’t imagine a situation where they or a loved one would ever become disabled. Almos...
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The Social Security Fairness Act
The Social Security Fairness Act was signed into law in January 2025. This Act repeals two provision...
Will Medicare Be There When I Retire (Part 2)?
There are several proposals to address the Medicare funding crisis, aiming to ensure the program rem...
Will Medicare Be There When I Retire (Part 1)?
The question of Medicare sustainability is in tandem with Social Security sustainability. Both prog...
Will Social Security be there when I retire?
The short answer is, “yes.” The long answer is, “in some form.” The sustainability of Social Secur...
The Top Five Benefits of Roth IRA Contributions for Young People
Why Having A Financial Advisor Helps
Behavioral Finance, that’s why! There are two types of investors: rational and irrational. Which ...
The Benefits of Being Proactive with Decisions On Aging
Well, life continues to move along for me, my family, my friends, my mom, my husband’s parents, my f...
Saving vs. Investing
Saving versus Investing. What’s the difference? Did you know that the typical person spends more ti...
CDs … All The Rage?
Policy tightening from the Fed pushed yields on cash-like instruments to their most attractive level...
Which Political Party is Better for Investors?
Welcome to the 2024 election year. Let the fun, drama, bob and weave begin! Game on! One of the b...
10 Reasons to Partner with Virtus Wealth Management
1. We are purposeful. We have a clear mission to serve our clients and help them pursue their go...
The Power of Social Security Planning
If you understand it, Social Security can be a powerful part of your retirement plan. At Virtus Wea...
SECURE Act 2.0 – What is it and how does it affect you!?!?
The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act is Washington policy makers d...
Retirement Income – Why The Bucket Strategy Is Important
Here at Virtus Wealth Management, we often talk to our clients about building multiple buckets in th...
Volatile Markets – What kind of investor are you?
Well, we all agree that 2023 is not off to good start. Inflation rages on, interest rates continue ...
Goal-Based Financial Planning
Tell us your goals, and we’ll tell you your number. When do you want to retire? How much do you wa...
Retirement Insights – How a financial advisor can help you prepare confidently for retirement.
I ran across the chart below while reading an article about retirement plans. It quickly summarizes ...
College Planning – Let’s Do This (Part 2)
It’s me again. Your friendly financial advisor and parent of 2 kids in college. I feel your pain and...
College Planning – Let’s do this! (Part 1)
With a recent college graduate and 2 more kids in college, I can understand why College Planning is ...
The Pandemic Effect – Retirement
Five tips to help you rework your plans in a post-COVID world. Here we are in the post-COVID world. ...
Tax Planning – It Makes a Difference!
Does your CPA do more than your taxes? Tax planning is imperative. Doing your taxes after the fact d...
Dealing With Market Volatility
There’s no question about it: markets have been volatile lately, and with ongoing inflation, rising ...
COVID and College Planning – Are you prepared?
Well, here we are in 2022 and, sadly, COVID-19 rages on. So, what’s happening out there with college...
Empty Nester Guide – Financial Tips (Part 2)
Welcome to Part 2 of our Empty Nester Guide – Financial Tips. From my experience, these Financial T...
SECURE Act – Legacy Planning
Did you know that one of the changes in the SECURE Act should be considered in your legacy planning?...
Empty Nester Guide – It’s happening … Now what???
Well, you made it! You are an empty nester. Is it time to celebrate or cry or a little bit of both...
What Happens When A Loved One Passes Away?
Having a financial advisor can help you prepare for and persevere through the passing of your loved ...
Temperature Check!
Well, we made it through 2020 and now through the first quarter of 2021! Yippee!!! We are well on ...
Watch Out for Bonds! Part 2
I wrote a recent article proclaiming my love for Warren Buffet and his practical retirement advice, ...
Watch Out for Bonds! Part 1
So, let’s get this out there … I love Warren Buffet. He’s just so inspirational, down to earth, fol...
Diversification
I’ll admit that I have a love, hate relationship with diversification. As a financial advisor, I th...
International Women’s Day – Unstoppable
In honor of International Women’s Day, I would like to highlight a couple of women that stand out to...
What I’ve learned about Assisted Living … from Experience!!!
Last year my parents decided to move from their home in Plano of 40 years to an Assisted Living Faci...
December – Focus on Relationships
We are approaching the end of 2020 (Yay!) and it’s time to prepare for 2021 by using the month of De...
November – Making a Difference
As many of you know, I grew up as an age-group swimmer and continued to swim in college at the Unive...
PMA … All the Way! PMA … All the Way!
This is a cheer that I’ll always remember from my swimming days. PMA stands for Positive Mental Att...
October is for Optimism
Well, 2020 has been a struggle to say the least. I’m sad to say that I lost my dad in July after a ...
Stand-Up to COVID-19
How did your portfolio stand-up to COVID-19 in March? Were you down 30% with the market? Were you ...
Quantifying Your Risk!
Have you ever wondered what risk tolerance means? What is the difference between a Conservative Por...
Balance 2020: Investing and Working – Leave it to the Professionals!
The final article in our Balance 2020 series focuses on the benefits of obtaining work / life balanc...
Flatten the COVID-19 SCAM curve – don’t be a victim!
Scammers are taking advantage of the fears surrounding the Coronavirus. Scammers have no shame, and ...
Balance 2020: Investing and Sleeping – Consistency Saves the Day
As we continue our “Balance 2020” series, let’s talk about consistency. Fun! Investing consistentl...
Balance 2020: Investing and Eating – Portion Control
So, let’s get it out there. I’m not the best eater in the world. I really like a good hamburger. ...
Balance 2020: Investing and Exercise – Endurance Events
As most of you may or may not know, I was a collegiate swimmer for the University of Arkansas, mostl...
2020 The Year Of Balance
Like the numbers of the actual year itself, 2020, I declare 2020 the year of balance! Balance is im...
How Your Investments Are Like Perfectly Smoked BBQ
Trust the process! Josh recently wrote an article titled “Five Financial Lessons from the Dallas Cow...
Investing for Women … Women Tend to Invest Differently
Watch Out Girls … You could subconsciously be hindering your financial success!!! When I was in coll...
Retirement Planning is Different for Women
Watch Out Girls … Retirement Triple Threat!!! Calling all women! You face a retirement triple threa...
Paying for College
Paying for College … All or Nothing!?! Talk to your advisor. Graduations are such an exciting time ...
Your Life Connected
If there’s one thing that’s constant in life, it’s change. There are “season...
Make Your Financial Health a Priority
Make Your Financial Health a Priority for 2019 2019 is off and running, and it’s already Febru...
Sequence of Returns – It Matters
Relying on averages can be dangerous. Brian’s dad had a saying, “You can drown in a rive...
For the Youngsters – Use Time to Your Advantage
You are never too young to start saving for your future. The time value of money cannot be under-est...
Retirement Income Options – Evaluate a Roth*
When you retire, it’s nice to have income options, and focusing on building those income options is ...
Plan For Longevity
In the last Virtus View (Importance of Guaranteed Income), I said, “It is critical not to under-esti...
Guaranteed Income Makes a Difference – Maximize Social Security
When you retire, it’s nice not to worry about having enough money coming in every month to pay the b...
Control the Controllable
As with all things in life, some things are in our control in retirement planning and some things ar...
Retire TO Something
It’s our belief that all of us are made to have meaning and derive purpose from something. Aside fr...
When Will I Get My Tax Documents
It’s hard to believe that tax season is here already. In an effort to help our clients be prepared, ...
Medicare Help
The holidays are upon us now and, coincidentally, so is the annual Medicare Open Enrollment period! ...
Halloween Fun
At Virtus Wealth Management, we like to celebrate the holidays! Fall is in full force, and Halloween...
It’s Graduation Time!
Here at Virtus Wealth Management we love our families, our clients, and our clients’ families. It’s ...
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2025 Tax Season: Important Dates, Deadlines & Figures
It’s hard to believe that tax season is here already. In an effort to help our clients be prepared,...
Tax Season: Important Dates, Deadlines & Figures
It’s hard to believe that tax season is here already. In an effort to help our clients be prepared,...
ABLE Accounts
Although Uncle Sam loves to collect his share of taxes on everything from income to gains on your in...
Tax Season: Important Dates, Deadlines & Figures
It’s hard to believe that tax season is here already. In an effort to help our clients be prepared,...
Financial Planning During Covid – What You Need to Know
By now, many Americans have felt the economic fallout from COVID-19 in one way or another. The pande...
Finding a Financial Advisor for Mothers Impacted by The Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic had an unprecedented impact on lives around the globe. Billions of people were...
Financial Planning Advice for Managing an Inheritance Brought on By the Pandemic
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has impacted almost everyone to some degree. For some individuals, the...
How To Choose The Right Financial Advisor in 2022
Finding a Financial Advisor Near Me
On the surface, money is a simple thing. You earn it. You spend it. Sometimes you save some to spend...
Retirement Tips from a Financial Planner
When people think about retirement, they usually have a specific goal or image in mind of what they ...
Financial Planning Tips Advisors Want You To Know
It’s not uncommon to feel somewhat helpless in trying financial times such as these. Many people wor...
10 Reasons You Should Work with A Financial Advisor
Financial success requires a plan. While most people can manage their finances just fine on their ow...
15 Reasons You Should Work with A Financial Advisor
Financial success requires a plan. While most people can manage their finances just fine on their ow...
Tax Season: Important Dates, Deadlines & Figures
It’s hard to believe that tax season is here already. In an effort to help our clients be prepared,...
How to Find a Financial Advisor Near Me
All Americans can benefit from a financial advisor in some capacity or another. In fact, not underst...
Financial Planning Tips Everyone Should Know
The best time to start planning for your financial future is when you’re just starting out. But the ...
The Biggest Mistakes People Make When Choosing a Financial Advisor
Everyone could benefit from the expertise of a well-educated and experienced financial advisor. Howe...
7 Tips to Find a Great Financial Advisor
When you’re looking for a great financial advisor, you want to choose someone who can give you sound...
How Often Should You Meet with Your Financial Advisor?
When people have a financial advisor to help them manage their money and help with financial plannin...
Urgent Tax Updates – Advance Child Tax Credit Payments
In March of this year, the American Rescue Plan expanded the Child Tax Credit for 2021. For each chi...
Tax Season: Important Dates, Deadlines & Figures
It’s hard to believe that tax season is here already. In an effort to help our clients be prepared,...
Our Top 5 Reasons to Open a Roth IRA
In this ever-changing world, finding a flexible investment retirement option can be challenging. But...
Our Top 5 Reasons To Open a SEP IRA (Simplified Employee Pension)
Do you know what I’m tired of hearing? I’m tired of hearing about how hard it is for small business ...
Setting up Company Sponsored 401(k) plan
The Complete and Simple Guide Job seekers evaluate the benefits and disadvantages of different job o...
Prevent Disaster With An Estate Planning Checklist
Did you know that if you do your estate planning incorrectly your estate could be destroyed from tax...
Our Best Tips for Saving Money When You are Older
According to Northwestern Mutual, 21% of Americans have no savings for retirement. The Government Ac...
Understanding IRA’s for Robust Retirement Planning
Individual retirement accounts, also called IRA’s, are a great retirement planning tool when you und...
What Should You do if You Inherit Money?
Saying goodbye to a loved one is a very trying time, but one we all must endure at one time or anoth...
Understanding Financial Risk Management: Are You at Risk?
We live in an unpredictable world. On a day to day, you never know when tragedy or disaster can stri...
It’s Time to Understand the Roth 401k Rollover 5-Year rule
Invest in Your Momentum with Virtus Wealth Management
COVID-19 Where We Stand (webinar) DO NOT PUBLISH
COVID-19 Where We Stand: Government Assistance/The Markets/Oil Update on the government assis...
Important Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) Update
Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) are mandated by the IRS for IRA and 401(K) owners (among other...
Federal Tax Update
The federal income tax filing and federal income tax payment due date is automatically extended from...
CARES Act Highlights for Individuals and Families
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, also known as the CARES Act was signed by Pr...
Tax Season: Important Dates, Deadlines & Figures
It’s hard to believe that tax season is here already. In an effort to help our clients be prepared,...
Planning for Retirement and Choosing a Beneficiary
Retirement planning is about more than planning the fun things you want to do when you earn your fre...
Trump Impeachment Hearings: News or Noise for the Stock Market
Go to nearly any news website, TV, or radio station and you will most likely be bombarded with updat...
401k Plan Types
Retirement. Almost everyone looks forward to retiring from their job to live out the rest of their l...
Retirement Planning
It’s the one thing that everyone should be doing, but not everyone understands. Planning for retirem...
5 Financial Lessons from the Dallas Cowboys
Fire up the grill, crack a cold one, and dig your jersey out of the back of the closet because footb...
The Family Life Guide
This month we wanted to present to you the Family Life Guide – a worksheet we designed to help you g...
What Does Financial Freedom Mean To You?
Millennials have been credited with ruining the English language. For example, in 2013 the definitio...
Aligning Your Investments and Your Beliefs
A look into socially responsible investing. A popular trend in investing is the aligning of one’s so...
7 Financial Lessons from Game of Thrones
The cultural phenomenon that is HBO’s Game of Thrones, a show of political scheming, heroic battles,...
10 Financial Travel Tips
My favorite thing about working at Virtus Wealth Management is the people; not only my great colleag...
A Retirement Lesson from a Dallas Legend
This month Dallas-Fort Worth said goodbye to a legend when Dirk Nowitzki of the Dallas Mavericks ann...
Important Tax Law Changes
In December of 2017, Congress passed the most extensive changes to the tax code since President Reag...
Perspective Is Everything
Perspective is everything; it is shaped by your past, impacts the way you see the present and ultima...
How to Balance Your Savings
There is a common misconception in personal finance that one can just max out their 401K and be read...
RMD Rule Reform
When a retiree reaches age 70 ½ the IRS requires them to withdraw a percentage of their qualified (4...
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