Money Wisdom & Musings

For many folks, early to mid-April can bring up feelings of stress or worry as the Federal tax deadline approaches. Now that we are past the April 18, 2023 deadline we thought it would be helpful to outline some next steps that individuals can take to ensure they are prepared for applicable next steps.

Why is that spring feels like such a perfect time of year to tackle messes and get organized? Cultures all over the world have practiced the tradition of spring cleaning for centuries.

Our passion here at Cornerstone is helping our clients plan their financial future. One key component to discuss is long-term care. It’s easy enough to keep putting the discussion off for “another time”, but as with so many other things, the sooner you start, the more manageable the task is.

With the holidays fast approaching, last minute gift-buying is top of mind for many! Cornerstone strives to shop locally and sustainably, when possible, and encourage you to do the same. Portland and Portsmouth offer many unique and hand-crafted gifts that would please anyone on your holiday list.

       The end of September evokes multiple reminders for many of us. It is time to get winter clothes out, make sure the leaf blower is working, trade out hiking boots for ski boots, and start preparing for the end of the year. We form many rituals when the seasons change, and I propose adding one more to the list, year-end tax planning. This is not as fun as prepping for the holidays and Winter adventures, but it should help reduce mistakes, minimize panic in the last week of the year, and avoid regrets when you file your tax return the following year.

As a proud Certified B Corporation® since 2019, Cornerstone Financial Planning is honored to be selected as one of B Lab’s 2022 Best for the World companies.

Service within our communities is something we value greatly at Cornerstone. Not only do our employees receive paid time to volunteer for the organizations of their choosing, we also participate in a company-wide group volunteer day annually.

I remember being twelve years old and hearing the dreaded announcement that a family meeting had been scheduled for Sunday night. The topic usually had to do with scheduling, summer plans, or random house rules but it always felt like a chore. Now as an adult, I can see the importance of family meetings. They can be a great way to keep lines of communication open and ensure everyone is on the same page.

An article published in Investment Advisors Spring 2022 issue peaked interest here at Cornerstone, as it focuses on the correlation of women and their increased interest in environmental, social, and governance focused investment strategies. Interest in sustainable or ESG investments has been growing over the years for many reasons such as: supporting important issues like climate change or diversity, best employee practices, and most popularly, investors just wanting to align investments with personal values.