Resource Center Archives - Page 8 of 9

Choosing a Financial Advisor: What to Know Before You Invest

jmuch2025-03-26T09:18:46-05:00June 28, 2018|Categories: Resource Center|Tags: chicago, financial planning, taxes, wealth management|

Choosing a Financial Advisor: What to Know Before You Invest

Choosing a Financial Advisor: What to Know Before You Invest

Choosing a financial advisor may be one of the most important financial decisions that you’ll ever make, and the quality of this advisor’s advice could heavily influence your long-term financial success.

Choosing the right financial advisor is crucial. The advisor you select will influence key financial decisions, from investments to estate planning. It’s important to understand your needs, whether it’s retirement planning or tax strategy. Advisors often specialize in different areas, so make sure you find one with the right expertise for your goals.

Check the qualifications and experience of potential advisors. Professional certifications, such as CFP® or ChFC, can indicate a higher level of training and commitment. Use tools like FINRA’s BrokerCheck to verify credentials and review complaint history. It’s also helpful to interview multiple advisors to compare their experience, qualifications, and …

Blockchain: An Everyday Thing?

jmuch2025-03-26T09:22:45-05:00June 14, 2018|Categories: Resource Center|Tags: investing|

Blockchain: An Everyday Thing?

Blockchain technology has the potential to transform multiple industries beyond just cryptocurrency. Its transparent, secure, and immutable online ledger offers solutions across various sectors.

Imagine a world where contracts are embedded in digital code and stored in transparent, shared databases – protected from deletion, tampering, and revision. A world where patient information is communicated between healthcare providers to save lives, rather than jeopardize privacy. A place where individuals, organizations, machines, and algorithms can freely interact with one another with little friction.

In legal services, blockchain can power smart contracts, track intellectual property, and even act as a virtual notary. In supply chains, it provides transparency, helping businesses monitor shipments and manufacturing progress. For governments, blockchain can securely store personal identity and citizenship information, while ensuring secure biometric authentication.

In healthcare, blockchain improves patient care by making medical records more accessible and transparent across providers. It also enhances insurance by …

Managing Held Away Assets

jmuch2025-03-26T09:24:28-05:00May 31, 2018|Categories: Resource Center|Tags: investing, retirement|

Managing Held Away Assets: Investment Gaps & Overlaps

Managing Held Away Assets

By the age of 50, the average person will have 11.9 jobs. Along the way, you may collect smaller retirement plan accounts at your previous employers. However, as a group, these accounts may amount to one of your largest assets. Are you allowing these assets to go unmanaged?

Managing retirement assets across multiple accounts can be a challenge. Today’s workers frequently change jobs, leaving behind retirement plan accounts that may accumulate over time. These “held-away” accounts can become a significant asset, but managing them can become overwhelming with paperwork and complex investment choices. In addition, holding multiple accounts with overlapping funds can lead to more risk than intended, making it harder to track overall asset allocation.

Consolidating retirement accounts can simplify things and improve the efficiency of your financial plan. When accounts are managed together, your advisor can provide coordinated …

Active Management: A Potential Cure for the Volatility Blues?

jmuch2025-03-26T09:39:01-05:00April 27, 2018|Categories: Resource Center|Tags: investing, wealth management|

Active Management: A Potential Cure for the Volatility Blues?

Active Management: A Potential Cure for the Volatility Blues?

Even when markets seem to be steadily climbing, investors can find it difficult to maintain the discipline required to stick with a long-term investment plan. When markets become volatile, that discipline can be even more challenging.

Market volatility can challenge even disciplined investors, especially when it triggers emotional reactions. People often value stability and predictability, and during volatile periods, fear of loss can overwhelm the desire for gains. This natural tendency, called loss aversion, makes investors more sensitive to losses than gains. Unfortunately, during times of market turbulence, the constant barrage of media warnings and expert predictions can push people to make impulsive decisions, which often undermine their long-term strategies.

Despite common fears, market volatility is not inherently bad. In fact, market corrections are vital for the health of the stock market, acting as a …

Is College Worth It?

jmuch2025-03-26T09:43:53-05:00March 29, 2018|Categories: Resource Center|Tags: college education, financial planning|

Is College Worth It?

Is College Worth it?
With college debt at an all-time high and first jobs challenging to find, you may be wondering about the ROI of a college education. The decision to attend – or not – is intensely personal. But, if college lies in your future or the future of someone you love, it is important to start the planning process as soon as possible.

Rising college tuition and mounting student loan debt have many Americans questioning if college is worth it. The decision to attend college is a major one with long-term financial and personal consequences. While a degree can lead to higher earnings and better job opportunities, it also comes with significant costs, including tuition, housing, books, and other expenses. Financial aid can help cover some of these costs, but many students still graduate with substantial debt.

The benefits of a college degree are clear. College graduates …

Tax-Time Planning

jmuch2018-03-13T11:19:21-05:00March 13, 2018|Categories: Resource Center|Tags: taxes|

Tax-Time Planning

While the word “taxes” may not be on the top of everyone’s list of favorites, April 15th will be here before we know it. With some forward-looking preparations, managing your taxes doesn’t have to be such a drag. Finish off your 2017 return and strategize for 2018 with our latest presentation, Tax Time Planning.

Chomping at the Bitcoin

jmuch2025-03-26T09:55:13-05:00February 22, 2018|Categories: Resource Center|Tags: investing|

Chomping at the Bitcoin: Cryptomania blasts ahead

Chomping at the Bitcoin

Not a day goes by – perhaps not even an hour – where the conversation does not turn to cryptocurrency. Bitcoin, Ethereum. Litecoin, Ripple, to mention a handful. As interest skyrockets in these potential investments, we thought it appropriate to take a step back and dig into cryptocurrencies a little further.

Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, like Ethereum and Ripple, have gained immense popularity in recent years. As these digital currencies gain attention as potential investments, it’s important to understand how they work and what benefits they offer compared to traditional currencies. For simplicity, we’ll focus on Bitcoin, the first and largest cryptocurrency, created in 2009.

At its core, Bitcoin was designed to enable financial transactions outside of the control of banks and governments. This idea has gained traction due to widespread public distrust of traditional financial institutions. With Bitcoin, users can …

The Best Super Bowl Commercials Ever

jmuch2018-01-31T14:08:15-06:00January 31, 2018|Categories: Resource Center|Tags: chicago|

… which awesome commercials will run during this match-up?

Sunday, February 4th. Super Bowl LII. With the Eagle’s Carson Wentz out for the season, will Nick Foles be able to take the heat from Tom Brady and the Patriots? And, an even bigger question … which awesome commercials will run during this match-up? We are looking forward to an exciting game, great food, and the best ads of the year.

Check out our new video, The Best Super Bowl Commercials Ever, a compilation of CTS Financial Group’s favorites. https://youtu.be/NqMGke-8IAQ

Chicago-Born Influencers

jmuch2025-03-26T09:59:33-05:00November 3, 2017|Categories: Resource Center|Tags: chicago|

Chicago-Born Influencers: Ready to be surprised by some of Chicago’s significant influencers?

Chicago-Born Influencers

Chicago is a city that never ceases to amaze. Known for its vibrancy, diversity, and the unique blend of big city energy with strong hometown values, Chicago stands out as a place full of life and culture. Whether you’re a resident or a visitor, it’s the people who truly make the city shine, giving it a character and heart that’s unmatched.

We’re thrilled to present our latest video, where we’ve delved into the stories of some of Chicago’s most influential figures. While researching and curating this project, we found ourselves not just learning but genuinely surprised by the impact these individuals have had. This journey has turned into one of our most fascinating and thought-provoking endeavors, filled with interesting discoveries and moments of reflection. It’s a celebration of the powerful role that people play in shaping …

Taking an Active Role in Your Family’s Wealth Management Process

jmuch2025-03-26T10:01:57-05:00October 25, 2017|Categories: Resource Center|Tags: financial planning, wealth management|

Taking an Active Role in Your Family’s Wealth Management Process: Four tangible steps to follow your family’s financial roadmap

Taking an Active Role in Your Family’s Wealth Management Process

Likely, your parents haven’t shared their financial goals, intentions and legacy wishes with you. A discussion of family financial values and wealth transfer plans is an inherently difficult, albeit necessary, conversation. While no one wants to have this conversation with their parents or loved ones, we think it’s a necessary step that can provide you with the roadmap you need to follow and thoughtfully execute your family’s financial plan.

A 2016 survey revealed that nearly half of wealthy baby boomers hadn’t discussed family financial values or wealth transfer plans with their adult children. While these conversations can be difficult, they are essential for understanding your parents’ financial goals and wishes for the future. At CTS Financial Group, we offer support to help …