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Working towards financial independence can often be a lifelong process. But for many, financial freedom may come far sooner—and include some fun along the way. What are the differences between financial independence and financial freedom?

The “Sandwich Generation” faces a lot of struggles. If you’re unfamiliar with this term, it describes a demographic where usually middle-aged individuals must support aging parents at the same time they’re raising children.

What does the term "financial freedom" mean to you? For some, it means freedom from a particular workplace or industry. For others, it means the opportunity for an early retirement or the ability to start a long-desired business.

With rising housing prices and interest rates, you may feel pressured to jump on the carousel to avoid being left behind. However, a home is one of the most expensive purchases most Americans will make.

What is luck? Most dictionaries define it more or less as something good or bad that happens to you, by chance or otherwise, that you find, or don’t find, desirable.

For generations, homeownership has been billed as the hallmark of the American Dream. However, for high earners, it can also be a way to reduce taxes, receive more favorable capital gains treatment, and invest in their family's future.

Over the past few years, the market has appeared to be on a rollercoaster, providing investors with moments of excitement followed by heart-palpitating anxiety. Staying ahead during uncertain market activity seems impossible.

As an affluent family, planning for your children's education is likely a top priority. You want to ensure that they have access to the best education possible without worrying about the high cost of tuition.

As Generation X, often referred to as the "forgotten generation," inches closer to retirement, a unique set of challenges and concerns emerges. Born between 1965 and 1980, Gen Xers find themselves facing a pivotal moment.

With the onset of higher taxes, taxpayers in the upper brackets may want to reposition their portfolios. Even those in lower tax brackets may benefit from portfolio review and reallocation of funds.

High Net-Worth executives and those that have been self-employed, can experience common problems in their financial planning journey. Often, they have missed opportunities in their financial planning because they haven’t planned adequately.

Five easy pointers to help you plan during all of your retirement years If you’re retired, there’s good news in that you’ll probably live longer and perhaps better than your parents and grandparents did. The bad news:...

In an unexpected turn of events, the IRS announced another delay in the implementation of the new reporting rule that would require third-party payment apps, for example, Zelle, PayPal, Cash App, or Venmo, to report earned income over...

Fear-of-missing-out is a very real emotion – but it can derail your portfolio Every day we’re bombarded with reports of what’s hot and what’s not – fueling a fear-of-missing-out (FOMO) on some great...

The classic definition of a correction is a decline of 10% or more in a stock index. A bear market is a downturn of 20% or more in several broad market indexes, typically over a period of several months or longer. It's generally a...

You have probably heard about financial planning and its potential benefits, but you are unsure how to apply the principles to your life. A financial plan is a collection of steps that help you to evaluate your financial condition and...

Dear Valued Investor, LPL Research recently unveiled Outlook 2024: A Turning Point, which recaps where markets have been over the last half of 2023 to help position your portfolio through midyear of 2024. It’s with pleasure that...

The average U.S. income tax rate stands at just over 13%—and if you're like many taxpayers, you're always looking for new tips and tricks to help reduce this percentage.

For many of us, a new year is an opportunity for fresh starts and discovering the best versions of ourselves, but some things—like tax contributions and retirement deadlines—don't change much, if at all.

As the year’s end approaches, High-Net-Worth Individuals (HNWIs) must prepare for one of the most critical monetary tasks: year-end tax planning.

One of the more difficult conversations for family members to have is talking about estate planning. There are several reasons for this, including the reality of our own mortality and that of our loved ones.

Managing Investment Returns with Tax-Efficient Strategies. Investing in U.S. stocks and bonds is a popular way for individuals and institutions to grow their wealth and generate income.

Trying to reconcile recent market advances with not-so-good economic data. U.S. stock markets continue to trend up as optimism returns to Wall Street while Main Street USA continues to struggle.

When it comes to financial planning, people often think of financial professionals as people who assist with strategies for retirement planning.

From 2008 to 2022, the cost of in-state tuition at public universities rose nearly 80%.1 The high price tag now associated with a college education makes it critical for families to carefully plan how to pay for higher education expenses.

Let's assume your financial planning is way ahead of your friends. You have saved, invested well and paid off your debts.

Our 2023 investing outlook started with a theme of returning to normalcy. Considering 2022’s market volatility and the aftereffects of the pandemic, the idea of finding balance was certainly a welcomed change.

Whether your estate plan is simple or complex, there are many details that can undermine your plan’s effectiveness.

There are five estate planning documents you may need, regardless of your age, health, or wealth. Learn more in our blog.

Estate planning helps disperse your assets according to your wishes. The effort may seem daunting at first, but estate planning does not have to be overly complicated. Here are some tips to help anyone get started.

In estate planning, life insurance is purchased for several reasons. In order to ensure that your beneficiaries receive the maximum benefit, you must structure the policies. Here are some tips.

To safeguard your potential for long-term growth, you need to understand the importance of staying the course through market volatility. Check out these tips.

Whether your estate plan is simple or complex, there are many details that can undermine your plan’s effectiveness. Here's six tips to avoid common estate planning mistakes.

Basic estate planning is something that everyone should do, regardless of your age, marital status, the value of your assets, and if you’re a parent or not.

Tax season can be a stressful time, especially if you're not fully prepared. With some advance planning and preparation, you can take steps to mitigate your tax bill for the upcoming year.

LPL Research remains cautiously constructive on equities, though gains for this year may be more back-end loaded.

Retirement doesn't mean you have to retire from excitement. In fact, it is the perfect time to ‘refire’ your passion and make your retirement the newest chapter in your life.

I expect investors who put money to work in the coming weeks to be rewarded with solid gains this year. Please keep reading for more insights.

Financial planning is unique for each person; no two plans look the same because everyone's life and goals are different. Regardless of your goals, financial planning can help you work towards achieving them.

The feeling we get from money, and investing, has deep roots inside our emotions, although we may not understand why. Behavioral science explains why we make our investment decisions and how we emotionally react to them.

Broadly speaking, a gift occurs when you transfer something to another party without receiving something of at least equal value in return. In estate planning, there are key techniques you may want to utilize. Learn more here.

As the calendar gets ready to turn to 2023, there are a lot of economic metrics worth paying attention to, especially as each will have an impact one way or another on our investments. Here are three to keep an eye on, and what they mean.

You may be looking for ways to get back to the financial basics- without letting anything slip. Simplifying your finances does not have to be a hassle. Here we discuss three simple ways you can streamline your financial life.

Here are seven year-end tax tips to consider as you weigh potential tax moves between now and the end of the year.

Normal retirement age used to be 65, but things are way different todayYou might be thinking about retiring, but how do you know when you are really ready for it, mentally and financially? For decades, the normal retirement age was 65....

As we approach the end of the year, you may want to review areas that may impact your wealth and estate planning next year. In this year-end planning guide, we examine four critical areas to consider that may affect your finances:...

In a perfect world, both halves of a couple share the same investment goals and agree on the best way to try to reach them. It doesn't always work that way, though; disagreements about money are often a source of friction between...

Understanding long-term capital gains taxes when you sell investmentsMarket downturns could be a good time to adjust your fund portfolio to minimize the tax bite. Here’s how to calculate the best ways to do that – now and...

A surprising two out of every three American adults do not have any kind of written estate plan.1 For adults who also serve as family caregivers, not having a plan in place can pose major risks for them and their entire...

Baby Boomers — those born between 1946 and 1964 — hold about $20 trillion in wealth.1 Over the next few decades, many Boomers may transfer this wealth to their Gen X, millennial, and Gen Z children, perhaps incurring a...

If you're living paycheck-to-paycheck or stuck in a job you don't love just to pay the bills, it can be easy to feel as though you're financially trapped. But financial freedom doesn't need to be elusive—with some focused and...

Making decisions about your retirement account can seem overwhelming, especially if you feel unsure about your knowledge of investments. However, the following basic rules can help you make smarter choices regardless of whether you...

What is Tax Loss Harvesting?When investments in taxable accounts do not perform as hoped and actually lose value, investors may be able to take advantage of tax benefits to help offset their losses. The concept of tax loss harvesting...

When you ponder saving for college, you may think your options are limited to a 529 college savings account or a regular brokerage account. However, many parents are using individual retirement accounts (IRAs) or Roth IRAs to help pay...

Market declines should inform – not drive - your asset allocation decisionsThe standard definition of a bear market is when major U.S. stock indices, such as the S&P 500, drop by 20% or more from their peak. And 5+ months...

Economists and pundits predicted that the baby boomer generation's retirement would be dramatic, and the COVID pandemic sped things along. According to the St. Louis Fed, the number of retirees in the U.S. increased by 7% between...

You can use a variety of strategies to pay off debt, many of which can cut not only the amount of time it will take to pay off the debt but also the total interest paid. But like many people, you may be torn between paying off debt and...

If you've ever wondered why so many lottery winners (an estimated 70 percent) seem to blow through all their winnings so quickly, the answer often lies in two key traits: overconfidence and trusting the wrong people.1 The same...