Recent Posts
Changes at Hillspring Financial, Inc. - Here at Hillspring Financial, Inc. we think of our clients and staff as part of our extended family. With this in mind we ask you to join us in wishing a bittersweet farewell to Office Assistant, Sher Burckhalter. After 5 ½ years with our firm she has decided to transition into a well-earned retirement. We will miss her bubbly personality and exceptional work ethic. Thankfully, with every change comes opportunity and we are excited to welcome Ginger Szoradi as our new Office Assistant. Hailing from Michigan, Ginger is a long time Arizona resident with a strong background in office administration.… ...
Check Your Social Security Benefits Before Retiring - For all but the ultra-wealthy, Social Security benefits will play a part in your retirement cash flow planning. Under its original design, it was meant to replace about 1/3 of the average persons retirement cash flow needs. Without proper planning it may end up being a larger piece of one’s retirement income. As retirement approaches, estimating income for the retirement years is critical in planning for living and leisure expenses. It is suggested to request an updated Social Security Statement which estimates the projected benefit payments at different ages. As more people have been working longer than expected before retiring,… ...
Macro Overview September 2021 - The “firehose” of information available today can make it difficult to focus on what topics are really affecting the market. Here is a summary of the larger issues carrying over from last month in the hopes it can provide a clearer picture. As the Delta variant has spread, many companies, schools and government agencies have begun imposing vaccine requirements for employees and students. The World Health Organization has identified 20 Covid variants throughout the world, four of which are categorized as Variants of Concern (VOC). Supply chain disruptions brought about by the pandemic have fostered inflationary pressures not seen since… ...
Macro Overview August 2021 - Just when you thought this whole COVID-19 thing was on the downswing, along come a variant – the Delta variant to be exact. Given the nature of a virus and their ability to mutate, its hard not to imagine that this will be a recurring theme. We can be smarter as a country and a global leader in how to manage these challenges without shutting down entire economies or creating emotional and mental anguish that might have a more widespread negative result than the virus itself. An increase in confirmed Delta variant cases globally reignited concerns about reimplementation of quarantines… ...
Welcome Alan Cox to Hillspring Financial, Inc. - Hillspring Financial, Inc. is proud to announce that Alan Cox will be joining our firm as an Investment Advisor Representative. We are excited for the greater level of service we will be able to offer our clients with a second advisor in office and could not imagine a greater fit. Alan has been in the financial service industry since 2008 and brings a strong level of experience in portfolio management along with a great knowledge of 401k’s and retirement needs solutions. With an undergraduate degree from Washington State University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Phoenix,… ...
Macro Overview June 2021 - The market is said to always be climbing a “wall of worry.” Here are the current issues that are creating a new wall or helping to take down previous “walls of worry.” Financial global markets are drawing support from the effectiveness of ongoing vaccinations and improving economic signs. Consumer sentiment is re-evolving, resulting in rising consumer demand as pandemic anxieties wane. Repressed demand from the past year is thought to be driving the bulk of economic activity. Ransomware cyberattacks and internet crimes have been rising at a disconcerting rate according to the FBI, threatening companies, government entities and individuals. Digital… ...
Macro Overview May 2021 - Last year’s Federal Government stimulus package was credited with helping both individuals and business weather a mandated shut down. However, the continued efforts to throw money at the waning crisis appear a bit short sighted as we take a closer look at the effort of a possible fourth stimulus package and the beginning of tax increases to pay for all of them. Inflationary pressures have taken hold throughout the economy, as raw materials required for most every consumer product from bread to automobiles have increased in cost due to short supply and growing demand. Commodities such as wheat, copper, corn,… ...
Stimulus Bill and Tax Hikes - Individuals will see many benefits with the passing of the $1.9 trillion bill last month, know as the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. Economic Impact Payment (EIP) of $1,400 per individual with an Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) up to $75,000 based on their most recent tax return filing EIPs for qualifying dependents over 16 years of age based on parents’ income Up to $10,200 of unemployment compensation exempted from 2020 federal income taxes for those earning less than $150,000 AGI The IRS has relayed that automatic refunds will be issued to those who have already filed their 2020 taxes… ...