Business & Money Matters   

In this course, we will discuss two goals relating to estate planning. The first is managing your assets during your lifetime. Wealth management is at the heart of a sound financial program. The second goal, and one of the main focuses of this course, is helping you make arrangements for the prompt and intended distribution of our assets upon your death. We will discuss wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and other important documents.

James Salerno is offering the following classes this fall:

• Retirement Income Planning, Tuesday, 10/28, at 6 pm.
• Social Security for Boomers, Tuesday, 12/2, at 6 pm.

How do you create wealth to use now and in the future? Whether you are just starting out, getting ready to send children to college, planning for retirement, or just want to understand all investing options, this class is for you. We will cover the basics of stocks, bonds, ETFs (exchange-traded funds), and mutual funds and the principles of investing successfully. In this brief overview, we will compare and contrast the risks and rewards of each method of investing, what to take into account when deciding which is best for you, how to get started in investing, and how to best diversify your portfolio to manage risk. Over the course of the two weeks, we will discuss current market conditions and have time for questions and discussion. Learn about the basics of how investments in various asset classes work, this class will not cover details on how to select specific investments for your portfolio. This course is for educational purposes only and is not meant as individual financial advice. 

If you have not updated your estate plan to keep pace with changes to the estate tax laws, you may end up paying far more than necessary. Do you want to avoid estate taxes legally and prevent nursing home costs from depleting your family assets? Do you want to know what the current administration may do? Are you concerned about your estate being diverted to a child’s spouse? Do you want to minimize probate costs and delays for your heirs? In this workshop, attorney Neil Lubarsky will explain how to pass assets to children free of estate tax, protect your home and other assets from future nursing home costs, ensure that money intended for your children and grandchildren does not pass inadvertently to in-laws and others, and avoid problems from arising when your will is probated.

This two-session course will equip students with the essential tools needed to navigate today’s job market with clarity and confidence. From goal-setting and resume building to personal branding and LinkedIn strategy, each session is hands-on and results-oriented. The course includes group instruction, personalized workshopping, and brief 1:1 coaching.

Participants will walk away with a customized career toolkit that includes:

• A comprehensive, ready-to-use resume tailored to individual goals
• A polished cover letter and reusable personalized template
• A new or updated LinkedIn profile
• A supportive peer network of others on a similar career journey

For over 20 years, Cindy Greenstein--The Points Mom--has used credit card points to travel the world while rarely paying for airline flights and hotel rooms. Some of her five-figure family travel savings include trips to Aspen ($26,000), Greece ($23,000), and London ($15,000). Cindy, an attorney and former certified public accountant, founded The Points Mom to share her credit card rewards program expertise with family, friends, and small business owners who don’t have the time to learn how to maximize their points.

In this class, Cindy will share her knowledge with you and guide you in obtaining and using “the right cards” based on your spending habits to maximize your rewards for free travel. She will compare credit card flexible rewards programs and discuss why airline and hotel cards are not always the best option for purchases. In addition, Cindy will help you understand the various ways to redeem rewards for the most value, talk about card benefits, and share some of her favorite cards.

Retirement planning is a complex process. With so many decisions to be made and factors to consider, you want to make the right decisions to reach your retirement goals. In this informative class, you will review the best options and strategies that make up a comprehensive retirement income plan and how Social Security benefits, pension benefits, taxes, and long-term care are coordinated.

⇒This instructor will also be offering a free class at our Open House. To view and register for our Open House classes, click here.

 

When working with social media, many people often ask:

“How do I make my profile stand out?”

“How do I make posts that get engagement?”

“How do I gain followers?”

Instagram has become a powerful and affordable platform to tackle these issues faced by small businesses and individuals alike. In this class, Liz breaks down the answers to these questions in an easy-to-understand format and a friendly, welcoming atmosphere. You’ll learn practical tips and proven strategies that you can start using immediately. This class is perfect for local business owners, artists, start-ups, nonprofits, real estate agents, and anyone who wants to learn how to use Instagram more effectively.

You will learn to:

• Set up your profile
• Connect and engage with your clients by creating content they want
• Gain followers organically
• Use hashtags effectively

An executor wears many hats: administrator, custodian, investor, accountant, and a person with legal expertise. An executor administers and settles a decedent’s estate, beginning with the probate of a decedent’s will, then marshaling assets, identifying claims of creditors, exercising discretion over the management and control of assets, complying with state and Federal law, accounting, tax management and distribution of assets. We will explore the intricacies of estate administration and discuss the fiduciary duties and liability an executor assumes.

 

We hear more and more about cybersecurity and the risks of identity theft these days. Learn ways to protect yourself and your data, so you can use social media websites like Instagram, Facebook, and X without giving up your privacy. You'll learn how to minimize exposing your personal information on the Internet and how to control privacy and tracking of your smartphone. This class will also review some useful, secure, and simple password strategies and give an overview of the password managers LastPass (for PCs and Android phones) and the Keychain app (on Apple devices).

⇒This instructor will also be offering a free class at our Open House. To view and register for our Open House classes, click here.

 

Whether you're one, five or more years from retirement...single, divorced, widowed or a couple...Social Security represents a key element of your financial plan. Understanding when and how to take your benefits will affect the maximum benefit you are entitled to and have a great impact on your overall retirement income strategy. To help baby boomers better understand the Social Security system, this course will cover:

• 5 factors to consider when deciding when to apply for benefits
• When it makes sense to delay benefits -- and when it does not
• Why you should always check your earnings record for accuracy How to estimate your benefits
• How to coordinate benefits with your spouse
• How to choose and maximize your survivor benefits
• How to minimize taxes on Social Security benefits
• How to coordinate Social Security with your other sources of retirement income
• Introduction to our proprietary Social Security Planning program which provides various claiming scenarios

 

⇒This instructor will also be offering a free class at our Open House. To view and register for our Open House classes, click here.