Beyond Your Finances, Estate & Legacy, Retirement
Why the Best Financial Decision You Can Make Is to Slow Down Imagine this. One day you’re worrying about crop prices, property taxes, or whether your business can make payroll. A few weeks later, the proceeds from selling your land hit your bank account. Instead of a few hundred thousand dollars, your checking account now…
Beyond Your Finances, Investment Planning, Retirement, Taxes
Building wealth is a significant accomplishment. Managing it effectively can become increasingly complex. As wealth grows, so do the financial decisions that accompany it. Investment accounts, retirement plans, business interests, tax considerations, estate planning, charitable giving, and family legacy goals often become interconnected. A decision in one area can have consequences for several others. That…
Beyond Your Finances, Retirement
This article originally appeared as a Thought Leader feature in the Summer 2026 issue of Columbus CEO. By PDS Planning Introduction Why many people delay making a change, and what it can cost.Your advisor’s attention has slipped. Engagement is reactive. Communication has fallen off. Or life has gotten more complex than your current advisor was…
High-net-worth families have more flexibility than ever to approach wealth transfer strategically. With higher estate, gift, and GST exemptions now in place, the focus is no longer just on reducing taxes. It is on building a transfer plan that supports family goals, preserves control where needed, and creates a lasting legacy. The challenge is no…
Beyond Your Finances, Our People, Retirement
At PDS Planning, we believe some of the best financial lessons come from real life experiences. Alyssa Troyer, Director of Operations and Paraplanner at PDS, recently reflected on completing her 14th half marathon while balancing life as a working mom of two young children. Her experience serves as a thoughtful reminder that both running and…
New tax rules require certain employees age 50 and older who earned more than $150,000 in W-2 wages in the prior year to make retirement plan catch-up contributions on a Roth basis. This change eliminates the upfront tax deduction and may increase taxable income, affect Medicare Part B and D premiums, and limit other income-based…
Big Changes Are Coming to Retirement Contributions in 2026 The IRS has released updated retirement plan contribution limits for 2026, and several SECURE Act 2.0 changes take effect on January 1, 2026. For high-income earners and retirees who delegate financial complexity to advisors, these updates will influence tax strategy, plan contributions, and how much you…
Estate & Legacy, Retirement, Taxes
The end of year is nearing, and these final weeks of the year present a critical window for implementing strategies that can significantly reduce your tax liability and advance your long-term financial goals. With this timeline in mind, here are some things to consider before year-end to help ensure your financial plans remain on track. 1. Optimize…
Investment Planning, Retirement
One of the most common concerns we hear from clients nearing retirement is, “Will I have enough?” Retirement isn’t just about building a nest egg; it’s about knowing your wealth can provide the life you want without the stress of daily market swings. At PDS Planning, we’ve developed a proven strategy over many years that…
At PDS Planning, we believe true wealth isn’t just about how much money you have, but how fully you’re living. Wealth should fuel purpose, joy, and peace of mind. Yet, many families struggle to feel the freedom their financial security should bring. They’re financially sound on paper but can feel emotionally stuck. They hesitate to…
In January, we first posted (here) about The Social Security Fairness Act concerning the elimination of the Windfall Elimination Provision and Government Pension Offset. Many clients were previously impacted by these provisions which reduced, or in many cases, eliminated Social Security benefits they would have been eligible for if they (or their spouse) did not…
This original article was published in the January 6, 2025, print edition of The Wall Street Journal by Anne Tergesen. A recent Wall Street Journal article highlights a surprising trend among wealthy retirees: even those with significant savings fear running out of money. This anxiety leads many to live well below their means, even when…
Estate & Legacy, PDS Experience, Retirement, Taxes
In today’s unpredictable financial landscape, an experienced financial advisor helps to guide clients through life’s complexities, as well as market fluctuations. This goes well beyond basic investment management but rather is a comprehensive approach to financial well-being and peace of mind. If the role of a financial advisor is to guide investors through these unpredictable…
Social Security Fairness Act: Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO) update Many clients have been impacted by two Social Security provisions previously reducing, or even eliminating, Social Security benefits they might have been eligible for if they did not have a government pension. The Social Security Fairness Act, HR 82, concerning the…
Planning for an Inheritance Receiving a substantial inheritance can be a transformative event, even for high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) and families. Properly managing this infusion of wealth is crucial to ensuring long-term financial success in preserving and growing that wealth for future generations, as well as preserving the benefactor’s legacy. This requires a comprehensive approach, careful…
