Workers are not new to the idea of saving as much money as possible for retirement. However, there is less conversation about spending the money they’ve worked hard to save, and that shift can cause stress in any retiree's life.  Major worries among retirees include not being able to spend as much as before retirement, not being able to leave money to beneficiaries, facing unknown healthcare expenses, and outliving their money. If you don’t have a strategy in place to help pay for these expenses, you could end up making a mistake that will cost you more in the long run.  For i ..read more

If you're anything like most Americans, healthcare costs can be a big concern when you're planning for retirement. That's why it's essential to keep them in mind as you're getting ready for your golden years. One common error we notice is people assuming their healthcare expenses will be covered by Medicare in retirement. The truth is, a single 65-year-old could need approximately $157,500 saved after tax to cover health care expenses in retirement, according to a report by Fidelity. And that number jumps to $315,000 for an average retired couple age 65.1  Those figures hinge on various f ..read more

Given the upcoming presidential election in 2024, we thought it would be a great time to look at data from prior election cycles.  We think minimizing emotions and focusing on data is critical when investing.  As can be seen in the charts below, whichever party holds office has not typically had much bearing on investment performance over time. Source: BlackRock   Given this data, we encourage investors to try to tune out the political noise as best as possible in 2024 while maintaining exposure to the market.  There will no doubt be volatility throughout this election year ..read more

Navigating the financial landscape in retirement can be a daunting task. It's like trying to pass through a jungle of expenses – health care, taxes, and long-term care costs all taking a piece of the hard-earned nest egg you've been building for ages. And just when you think you've got it all figured out, here comes the rollercoaster of economic uncertainty. In the face of such high stakes, it's no wonder the prospect of spending in retirement can be overwhelming. But with our team of financial professionals behind you, you can take steps to help you reclaim control and ease the anxiety associ ..read more

In a major shift, a new IRS ruling has tightened the regulations surrounding irrevocable trusts and the step-up basis. In the past, families have been utilizing irrevocable trusts to protect their assets from spend-down to still qualify for benefits like Medicaid and VA Aid. Also during this time, it was not clear if assets passing to beneficiaries through an irrevocable trust would receive a step-up in basis, which eliminated any capital gains taxes that would otherwise be owed.  Historically, assets that individuals sold or transferred during their lifetime have been taxed as capital ga ..read more

Team members of Lineweaver Financial Group and their families headed out to a Lake County Captains Game to celebrate Christmas in July and posed with Santa during a Santa Claus costume ..read more

We have received questions recently regarding the U.S. Dollar and countries like Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) potentially developing alternative currencies and financial institutions. While we agree that the U.S. fiscal and monetary situation has deteriorated over recent years, and it is likely that China and Russia in particular are pushing to find alternatives to the U.S. Dollar and financial institutions, we do not view this as an imminent threat to the global economy or your investment portfolio.     The U.S. Dollar dominates global trade flows ..read more

We’re excited to share the arrival of our new product, the Lineweaver WealthTrac Analysis. This is a unique tool that helps us not only evaluate your current and future financial goals but to also consider emotions and behavior in a way that helps set you up for success.  This is a powerful tool that evaluates your current and future financial plan in 5 different areas: Personal Information, Financial Information, Investment Goals, Risk Tolerance, and Risk Score. It considers variables like your employment, career and income, your Social Security, what you want out of your retirement, wha ..read more

Are you frustrated with your bank savings interest rates? We have a few options to get your money working harder for you.    When it comes to building a robust and diversified investment portfolio, there's more to consider than just individual equities and real estate. CDs and bonds are often overlooked but can be invaluable assets in any investor's toolbox, especially at today’s historically high rates.    Generally speaking, the S&P 500 return is 10% annually on average since 1957, according to Seeking Alpha1. But in a year with market uncertainty, constant volatility ..read more

Key Takeaways: We are changing our allocations to slightly overweight U.S. quality stocks, seeking to capitalize on the recent market pullback and position for potential upside surprises in U.S. economic growth and corporate earnings.   We are leaning into U.S. high-quality stocks expressing a high-conviction preference for the largest cap stocks in the U.S. that appear to have attractive growth profiles.   We plan to decrease our exposure to Europe, moving underweight international Developed Market (DM) stocks due to weakening corporate earnings signals and more pronounced downside ..read more