Your Guide to Inheritance Planning
One of the most important questions to ask when planning for the future is, "What will happen to my assets after I'm gone?" A thoughtful inheritance plan helps make your wishes clear, protects the people you care about, and can make the process much easier for your loved ones.
Should I Roll Over My 401(k)? Here’s What to Consider Before You Decide
Changing jobs or retiring often brings an important financial decision: What should I do with my old 401(k)? While many people assume rolling it into an IRA is the obvious choice, the reality is more nuanced. The best answer depends on your goals, costs, investment options, tax considerations, and the type of advice and services you value.
Financial Tips for Widows and Widowers:7 Financial Realities Surviving Spouse Should Know
Losing a spouse changes many parts of life—including your finances. In the days and weeks that follow, it’s common to feel overwhelmed by paperwork, unfamiliar financial decisions, and questions you seemingly never expected to face.
Financial Planning for Singles, Widows, and Those Without Children: Building a Future Designed Around Your Life
For decades, financial planning has largely been built around a familiar assumption: a married couple raises children, retires together, and eventually passes wealth to the next generation. But many people don’t fit that script. At Skyline Advisors, we believe your financial plan should be built around your life—not around someone else’s expectations.
A Comprehensive Guide to Women’s Retirement Planning
While it’s important that everyone save for retirement, women face unique challenges. On average, women tend to live longer than men, which means their retirement needs to last longer. Yet they’re more likely to take career breaks for raising children or caring for aging parents. Plus, the pain of the gender pay gap is real. It directly affects how much women can save over time.
How Does a Financial Advisor Add Value?
There is a myriad of financial professionals providing different services with different compensation structures and often with embedded conflicts of interest. How can you make sense of it all? Does a financial advisor add value? How do you select a financial advisor that fits you?
What is a Fiduciary?
The media and investor education have done a good job of promoting fiduciary financial advisors. When someone calls our office, they have often searched for “fiduciary financial advisor in Bellingham” and landed on our website.
But what is a Fiduciary? Turns out, the definition is not so clear.
Should I Change My Financial Advisor When I Move to a New State?
Relocating to a new state can be both exciting and overwhelming. Whether your move is to be closer to family, to enjoy retirement in a new climate, or simply to embrace a fresh chapter of life, one question often arises for retirees: Should I change my financial advisor when I move?
Are You on Track? A 6-Month Financial Review Guide
Midyear is the perfect time to check in on your financial goals. In this 6-month financial review guide, we walk through the key areas to assess—like spending, saving, investments, and tax strategy—to help you stay on track for the year ahead. Whether life has changed or you're simply due for a tune-up, this midyear check-in offers clarity and confidence for your financial future.
The SECURE Act 2.0
Selected Changes for Physicians SECURE Act 2.0 was signed into law on December 29, 2022 and makes numerous changes that impact retirement savers and retirees.
Updated Vanguard: Your Advisor Adds Up to, or Even Exceeds, 3% in Net Returns
The Vanguard Group has long been considered a company squarely in the investor’s corner in part because of its ground-breaking research into low-cost index funds done back in the 1970’s by its founder John C. Bogle.
Saving for Retirement in a Roth IRA
The Vanguard Group has long been considered a company squarely in the investor’s corner in part because of its ground-breaking research into low-cost index funds done back in the 1970’s by its founder John C. Bogle.
Diversification, Asset Allocation & the Role of Bonds in the Portfolio: Part 3
Bonds play a key role for many investors. Bonds are different from stocks. Stock ownership involves being a part owner of a business and participating in its successes and failures. Bond ownership involves being the lender to a business, person, or government.
Diversification, Asset Allocation & the Role of Bonds in the Portfolio: Part 2
You can own stocks, bonds, real estate, commodities and several other categories and classes of assets so that some of your holdings zig while others zag. You choose what and how much to allocate to various categories to match your strategy, tolerance, time horizon, financial profile and to achieve a level of risk and return that helps you achieve your goals.
Diversification, Asset Allocation & the Role of Bonds in the Portfolio: Part 1
You have heard over and over how important diversification and asset allocation is for a successful investment strategy. Have you wondered why they are important and what role they play in your portfolio?
‘Tis The Season For Change
Is your financial advisor or planner retiring? Are they leaving to join another firm? Are you bombarded with paperwork, phone calls and hassle? We can help. Skyline Advisors is locally owned and operated and we adhere to the fiduciary standard of care. We act in our clients’ best interest and value honesty, integrity and trust.
Graduated & Going on to College? Don’t Go Overboard on Student Loans
It’s the time of year for high school graduations and many graduates will be continuing their education at university or a college with aspirations of earning a degree. It is rewarding to see your kids grow up and graduate high school and then go on to college. Students in Bellingham don’t have far to go
529 College Savings Plans and Tax-Free Growth
College is getting tougher and tougher to pay for, but a 529 plan can be a really big help. Did you know that contributions to 529 plans are not taxable on the growth or income generated when spent on tuition or other approved expenses? Tax-free does not appear many times in the American Tax Code.
The Most Important Action You Can Take For Your Financial Well-Being
The amount of advice that can be given about getting your financial affairs in order is plentiful. So many actionable steps can leave you overwhelmed. I want to narrow it down for you to the single most important action you can take, PARTICIPATE.
Protecting Your Assets in the Digital Age
Your retirement accounts, bank accounts, and other investments need special care in the internet age. The amount stolen from Americans in the wake of recent identity breaches was a staggering Sixteen Billion1 last year. Most companies will allow you to view your balances online, a great convenience saving you time and energy.
Disclaimer
The commentary on this website reflects the personal opinions, viewpoints and analyses of the Skyline Advisors, Inc. employees providing such comments, and should not be regarded as a description of advisory services provided by Skyline Advisors, Inc. or performance returns of any Skyline Advisors, Inc. Investments client. The views reflected in the commentary are subject to change at any time without notice. Nothing on this website constitutes investment advice, performance data or any recommendation that any particular security, portfolio of securities, transaction or investment strategy is suitable for any specific person. Any mention of a particular security and related performance data is not a recommendation to buy or sell that security. Skyline Advisors, Inc. manages its clients’ accounts using a variety of investment techniques and strategies, which are not necessarily discussed in the commentary. Investments in securities involve the risk of loss. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.