From a return perspective, 2022 has been a challenging year for the stock market. In this edition of Buckingham Weekly Perspectives, Managing Director of Investment Strategy Kevin Grogan shares the highs and lows over the last year and his outlook for 2023.

While taxes may be the last thing on your mind during the holiday season, small steps you take now may result in big savings on your 2023 tax bill.

As the 2024 increase is set to be less than that announced for 2023, retirees may be wondering what impact the Social Security adjustment will have on their Medicare costs next year. Here are some commonly asked questions about the changes coming, as well as tips to keep your Medicare costs lower, regardless of how much your Social Security benefits rise.

Whether you're expecting a life-changing inheritance, a modest inheritance or maybe not anything, it's an important situation to think about. Although everyone's situation will be different, there are steps you can take to make sure the transfer of wealth goes smoothly.

Northwest Financial Corp. has been awarded a 2023 Top Workplaces honor by the Des Moines Register.

Depending on your medical needs and those of your family, you may have enrolled in a high-deductible health plan that allows you to pay for medical expenses using a health savings account (HSA). Because contributions go into an HSA pre-tax, grow tax-deferred and are distributed tax-free when used for qualifying costs, this option has gained popularity over the last several years.

As many committed couples are choosing to forgo marriage, it's becoming more common for wealth advisors to receive questions on the financial planning implications.

As the investment landscape has evolved, here's why alternatives could play a beneficial role in your portfolio.

Annuities are a popular way to supplement retirement income, provide tax-deferred growth and assist in legacy planning. But what are your options when an annuity no longer serves you?

The single biggest risk retirees face is using up all their resources in retirement. The good news is there are options to mitigate that risk.

Earlier this year the Social Security Administration released a completely revamped version of it's website, www.ssa.gov. This new version makes things more intuitive, easier to find, and there's a wealth of things you can do on this new version of the social security website.

Tax planning shouldn't simply focus on hindsight. Upcoming life changes and external factors deserve attention and may offer opportunities to consider. With 2023 bringing the largest inflation adjustments in nearly 40 years, this is especially true, making it a great time to see how they could affect you.

The holidays usher in a joyful time of family gatherings, holiday parties, fun with friends and the promise of a bright new year. But before you put a bow on 2022, there are a few financial housekeeping tasks that you should review.

If you are overwhelmed by the process, definitions and complexities of Medicare, you are not alone. According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), almost 64 million Americans were fully enrolled in the Medicare program in October 2021.

Several years ago, I met with a wealthy widow who had been quite a bit wealthier before meeting Mr. Bernie Madoff. After that devastating experience, she was very concerned about finding an advisor she could trust to act in her best interest. I know she is not the only person who has questions and concerns about finding a reputable, honest and skilled wealth advisor. If you are in this boat, I've created a list of five criteria that should be an absolute requirement when vetting a new advisor.

Most investors have a process for deciding which investments to buy in their portfolio—with different objectives for building wealth over time. But once you've selected your investment mix, have you considered how the account that holds your investments affects what you ultimately earn?

Like kingdoms, tides and my teenage daughter's emotions, the stock market rises and falls. Although market downturns are inevitable and expected, they are never pleasant to experience. On the bright side, these dips present an opportunity to make the proverbial lemonade out of lemons by allowing Uncle Sam to share the pain. This is accomplished through a process called tax-loss harvesting. I will break down this strategy into the three “P”s: principle, process and payoff.

Midterm elections are just a few months away. This can mean only one thing … a flurry of political ads interrupting your favorite television shows. All jokes aside, you can also expect to see plenty of platforms built around the President's handling of the pandemic, the response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine and our current economic landscape.

I feel like the surgeon who is operating on his own child. Well, not exactly. Let me explain. I'm not a surgeon. I'm a wealth advisor, specializing in the financial aspects of college planning. And fortunately, my daughter is not on the operating table. She's a high school junior, currently scouting colleges.

Alex Johnson, Wealth Advisor at Northwest Wealth Management is pleased to announce Rhonda Maassen has accepted the position as Client Service Specialist in Spencer. Rhonda joins Alex Johnson who each began at Northwest in early February.