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Planning a wedding takes quite a bit of time and effort. It involves a good deal of communication to make sure everything goes smoothly on the big day. Don’t let the organization skills you developed while planning your wedding go to waste after tying the knot. Instead, re-direct them to an important part of your […]

How Do You Stack Up Against Others? Ever wonder how your finances stack up against others? Are you accumulating assets faster than your peers? How does your income compare to people with similar backgrounds? Many of us enjoy a little financial rubbernecking – luckily the Federal Reserve collects the data for us every three years […]

Charitable Giving Tax-Saving Strategies Whether you want to support the relief and recovery efforts for the victims of the recent hurricanes or support your favorite qualified charity, two lesser-known charitable giving strategies can also serve to reduce your tax liability. Most people are well aware of giving cash or a check. But there are two […]

Social Security had its start prior to August 14, 1935 when President Roosevelt signed The Social Security Act. Although it was not called Social Security at the time, Civil War Pensions were America’s first Social Security program. Over 600,000 soldiers died in the American Civil War, leaving behind hundreds of thousands of widows, orphans, and […]

Savant has always valued organizations and programs that align with our corporate values. Philanthropy is part of our culture; we believe it is good business to support the areas in which our clients, employees, and offices are located through charitable giving, corporate sponsorships, and volunteerism. One specific organization we are proud to sponsor is Badger Honor […]

Global stocks climbed 2.1% higher during September despite anxiety over the political climate in Europe and rising tensions between the U.S. and North Korea. U.S. stocks had a steady month, with the S&P 500 Index returning 2.1%, putting the S&P 500 up 14.2% year‐to‐date as markets continue to post record highs. Economy U.S. real GDP […]

Retirement plan trigger events (death, disability, separation from service, or reaching age 59 ½) come with an opportunity. If you have company stock in an employer-qualified retirement plan, you may have an opportunity to elect net unrealized appreciation (NUA), allowing you to roll your company stock into a taxable account for potential tax savings. Potential […]

Why You Need to Wipe Your Cell Phone Before You Toss it and Other Critical Cyber Hygiene Guides Pause for a moment and recall how you disposed of your last cell phone. If you didn’t wipe it before you sold, traded-in, donated or otherwise disposed of, you were handing off a gold mine for an […]

Negotiating for a major purchase, such as a new car or home, is often a source of anxiety. We want our hard earned (and saved) money well spent and to get the most value for every dollar. It is important to be knowledgeable about what we are buying (for example, knowing the gas mileage of a new car). […]

Income tax rates in Illinois increased effective July 1, 2017. Because this decision came in the middle of 2017, it created some confusion regarding how to calculate 2017 taxes and how it affects estimated tax payments. The income tax change affects individuals as well as corporations residing in the state of Illinois. For individuals, trusts, […]

Global stocks had modest gains for the month of June, up 0.6%. The stock leader for the month was U.S. small cap, which rose 3.5%. Bonds had mostly negative returns for the month as a result of the slight increase in yields. Alternative asset classes had mixed results. Economy U.S. real GDP expanded at an […]

Global stocks climbed 2.0% in May after the release of strong economic data worldwide. U.S. stock markets trailed ever so slightly with the S&P 500 Index returning 1.4%. Following a modest month in April, the S&P 500 is up 8.7% year‐to‐date as signs of a stronger economy and low unemployment persist. Economy The estimate for […]