While many people decide to save the cost of a financial advisor and manage their money themselves, that comes with costs that are less obvious. Have you fairly assessed the costs you are causing yourself by managing your money yourself? Use this video to consider the very real trade offs of managing your own money.

Use this video to help differentiate between financial advisory offers. Contrary to common beliefs, not every financial advisory offer and relationship is the same. Learn about some of the key questions to ask as you find the relationship that is right for you and creates the most value over time.

Have you wondered how to differentiate different financial advisory offers? Have you wondered if what you pay a financial advisor is justifiable? Then this video is for you. Take a few minutes to learn more about how to differentiate different service offers and assess if you would get value from working with a financial advisor.

Have you ever wondered what amount of assets it will take to truly be financially independent? Have you wondered if what you are doing now will get you there in the timeline you desire? Watch this video to have the process explained and begin your journey to creating a roadmap to your goals. As always, if you want an ongoing partner in this work, we are here to help!

If you are maxing out your 401k savings plan options and wondering what else you can do to save for your future and reduced lifetime taxes, backdoor Roth conversions are a strategy you should be aware of. If you set yourself up correctly, it is essentially a 2 step process to still make Roth contributions each year even when you exceed the allowed income limits.

Money and financial plans do not matter unless you are able to define what you are aiming for in life. What is your purpose? What fulfills you? What do you want people to say about you one day? You would not build a house without a blueprint and you should not execute a money strategy until you have defined the purpose of it all. Take the time and do the work to make sure you don't miss out on life opportunities along the journey.

There are now new rules in affect for those inheriting money from a family member or friend. This will greatly change the taxes and distribution planning for heirs. That can be a lot to handle alone especially when grieving the loss. Make sure you know the rules and don't miss out on opportunities to minimize your taxes. This can be complex so reach out for help when clarity is needed.

Estate planning can seem like a daunting thing to start or look into. The fear of bringing in an attorney and the cost that may result. However, Just about everyone who has any type of wealth or assets can benefit from at least thinking about their assets and personal wishes to make sure if the worst should happen, things are in order and your wishes are clear. Use this to learn the basics of an estate plan and to start the process.

Have you ever wondered which type of retirement savings you should be taking advantage of only to eventually close you eyes and pick or just split between both types? Use this video as a reference for when it may be better to use pre-tax savings and when it may be better to focus on Roth savings.

Many people are hesitant to use a 529 plan for their child's college savings because they are worried about what happens if their child does not go to college or ends up getting scholarships. This video helps show ways these plans can be flexible for parents, relieving concern and improving their use-case.

Have you heard of a health savings account before? Do you know when you are eligible to use one? Do you know how you can use it as a high powered health Roth IRA? Watch this video to find out more about this tool and how you can use it when it's the right fit.

It is prudent for just about everyone to maintain some level of cash reserves to help with unexpected expenses and short-term goal funding. However, not all cash parking places are created equal and where you place your cash can potentially boost your financial progress.

This video is specifically for those that are interested in, or committed to paying down unfavorable debt balances. We look at the debt snowball vs. the debt avalanche and help viewers understand the differences as well as why you might choose one strategy over the other.

Take a minute or two to understand some key things to know about life insurance coverage and disability coverage and how to separate the difference types of coverage for different needs. This will hopefully begin the conversation and you can reach out if you want to drill down further!

In this video we go into greater depth on a recent article around financial moves you can make in you 20s, 30s, and 40s that will set you up for s solid foundation for wealth accumulation. This is the full replay and future videos will break things down into more targeted content. Whether you are thinking about debt repayment, investing, saving, or real estate purchasing there is something in this video to challenge you to fight against what society leads you towards and set yourself up for success later on.

In this week's SWFA Insights video we define what is meant when someone talks about infinite banking as a strategy. We look at the pros of the strategy but unlike many of the salespeople out there, we also take a look at the cons to help you make an informed decision as to whether pursuing this approach of "being your own bank" makes sense as a part of your financial picture.

In this week's SWFA Insights video we take a look at times when it may make sense to refinance your mortgage as well as times when it may not make sense. Before you jump at the opportunity to lower your rate or your monthly payment, you want to make sure it makes sense financially. Things are not always as they appear.

In this week's SWFA Insights video we focus on the topic of debt and how to manage debt in a financially advantageous way. For most of us, complete debt avoidance is unlikely but with a proper plan (and patience) we can use debt to improve our financial life rather than worsen it. This is not intended to be a deep dive on the subject so engage with us further using the links below if you'd like to know more.

Subscribe to our channel - https://www.youtube.com/@StillWaterFA

Share this video - https://youtu.be/bDYZKcrTwhs

Follow us on social media

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/stillwater-financial-advisors

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/stillwaterfinancialadvisors/

Our website - https://www.stillwaterfa.com

Schedule a call to discuss - go.oncehub.com/TylerJohnsonCFP

In this week's SWFA Insights video we talk about when someone is eligible to use a high deductible savings account with their health plan and a way to use this account that many people do not think about - as a high powered savings vehicle for future health expenses.

Subscribe to our channel - https://www.youtube.com/@StillWaterFA Share this video - https://youtu.be/FLIpP9OXvws

Follow us on social media

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/stillwater-financial-advisors

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/stillwaterfinancialadvisors/

Our website - https://www.stillwaterfa.com

Schedule a call to discuss - go.oncehub.com/TylerJohnsonCFP

In this week's SWFA Insights video we step away from talking about financial subject matter and focus on a topic that will help people along their financial planning journey. Time is our most precious resource and we show what we care about in life by where and how we use our time. Watch this video to hear our perspective and take away some things to think about around how you orient your life.

Subscribe to our channel - https://www.youtube.com/@StillWaterFA

Share this video - https://youtu.be/35EXk9pXQ0E

In this week's SWFA Insights video we look at the following vehicles for educations savings: 529 plans, Education Savings Accounts (ESAs), UTMAs, and personal accounts. This video highlights a few of the things to know and some of the similarities and differences depending on a person's intentions.

Subscribe to our channel - https://www.youtube.com/@StillWaterFA

Share this video - https://youtu.be/bx5YJPL5OUM

In this week's SWFA Insights, we continue the estate planning conversation with some information on basics of trusts and when/how people use trusts to fulfill their wishes for their wealth.

In this week's SWFA Insights, we help viewers better understand how probate works and what to expect when they create a will to make sure they are setting up the estate plan that is right for them

This video is based on an article we produced a month ago and focuses on providing some practical tips for early savers to help them get a head start on their financial journey.

Read the full article and more at https://www.stillwaterfa.com/research

We wrap up the insurance series videos by talking through liability insurance, the role that it plays, and how to assess your coverage. This is intended to inform viewers and have them look at their policy to make sure coverage is adequate.

In this video we start looking at the more well-known part of Property and Casualty insurance - homeowners and auto. This is intended to help viewers understand the parts of their policy and what to think about and look for.

Use this video to become familiar with key pieces around disability insurance and how to evaluate whether or not your coverage makes sense for your needs.

This video offers key terminology around health insurance and some of the things to look out for and be aware of when signing up for coverage.

We are wrapping up 2023 with a look back at what has occurred during the year and what we see as being some things to know or keep an eye on with the markets in 2024.

This video covers an article from our website regarding 6 things to be thinking about for your personal financial strategy before the end of 2023. This is part 2 where we cover three of the ideas and you can watch last week's video to catch the other three. The full article is available on our Resources section under Articles & Research

In this video, we go over 3 of the 6 financial tips for year end 2023 from our recent article found in “Articles & Research” on our website.

This video gives a very high-level overview around life insurance, when you might need coverage, and the types that are available.

This video provides an overview of how to think about insurance and begin your journey to finding the right insurance coverage.

Since it is Thanksgiving week, this video takes a pause on purely financial subject matter and focuses on our heart posture as human beings and gives us something to focus on in the year ahead.