BFSG Blog

Financial Resources & News

What is a Qualified Dividend and How Does it Work?

In the landscape of investments, dividends play a significant role, particularly for investors seeking steady income. Among the various types of dividends, "qualified dividends" stand out due to their favorable tax treatment.  Let's explore what qualified dividends are, how they work, and see an example to better understand their impact. What is a Dividend? As a stock shareholder, you are...

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The Essentials of Financial Literacy Webinar Series

We are proud to support the upcoming “The Essentials of Financial Literacy” webinar series presented by FPA Orange County. In this series Certified Financial Planner™ professionals will teach the building blocks you need to create greater financial stability in your life. Michael Allbee, CFP®, will be presenting on “The Importance of Saving and Investing” on September 23rd. For more information...

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What the Inflation Reduction Act Means for You

By:  Michael Allbee, CFP®, Senior Portfolio Manager Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, the Act provides near-immediate, tangible benefits American families by lowering costs for home energy, new vehicles, health coverage, and prescription drugs. We previously discussed some of the significant provisions in the Act but we wanted to elaborate on what the Inflation Reduction Act means for you...

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5 Reasons Brokers and Advisors Are Not Made Equal

Don’t be fooled if you’re told the labels “Advisor” and “Broker” are roughly synonymous. The differences between these two terms are broad and very important. Here’s why: Fiduciary Status – Brokers must act in the best interest (“best interest” standard) of the client at the time the recommendation is made (this is more of a transactional relationship), and the broker needs to take into...

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CalKids and 529 Planning

By: Henry VanBuskirk, CFP®, Wealth Manager If you are a new parent, your mind is probably swirling with a myriad of thoughts about your child’s future. Your head is likely ringing with questions that you need answers to like: Do I have enough life insurance coverage? What changes to my budget do I have to make to maintain our lifestyle? How do I save for my child’s future education needs? While...

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It’s Your Money Financial & Estate Literacy – “Investment World” Replay (2023)

BFSG’s CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professionals, Michael Allbee, CFP® and Paul Horn, CFP®, CPWA®, were invited to be guest speakers for the “It’s Your Money!” workshop series. For the “Investment World” session, Mike and Paul focused on how the investment world gets compensated. Learn the differences between brokers versus advisors, what does the word “fiduciary” mean, how to find an advisor,...

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A Better Approach to Managing Finances for Couples

By:  Paul Horn, CFP®, CPWA® Senior Financial Planner For most couples, the leading cause of fights is over finances. To best handle finances it is best to have open and honest communication and to work with a Certified Financial Planner™ professional who can be a neutral third party. In my experience, many fights over finances are over minor things that can be easily avoided. Below is a...

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Financial Misadvise: Common mistakes and assumptions made by Financial Advisors (Part 4: Annuities)

(This is the fourth article in a four-part series. Click here to read Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.) By:  Henry VanBuskirk, CFP®, Wealth Manager Everyone’s had that story of their friend or family member that said they got shafted by some seedy financial advisor. However, there is a huge difference between what is legal and what is ethical. The majority of these “seedy” financial advisors are...

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Financial Misadvise: Common mistakes and assumptions made by Financial Advisors (Part 3: Roth Conversions)

(This is the third article in a four-part series. Click here to read Part 1 and Part 2.) By:  Henry VanBuskirk, CFP®, Wealth Manager Mr. Hill arrived in Texas and is eager to talk to his parents about the Roth Conversion idea that he overheard his boss talking about at work last week. Mr. Hill does not know his parents’ finances and just believes that a Roth Conversion will be a good idea...

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It’s Your Money Financial & Estate Literacy – “Investment World” Replay

BFSG’s CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professionals, Michael Allbee, CFP® and Paul Horn, CFP®, CPWA®, were invited to be guest speakers for the “It’s Your Money!” workshop series. For the “Investment World” session, Mike and Paul focused on how the investment world gets compensated. Learn the differences between brokers versus advisors, what does the word “fiduciary” mean, how to find an advisor,...

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Avoid Making Poor Investing Decisions: Anchoring Bias

Behavioral investing has quickly become one of the most important topics for individual investors, whether talking about their retirement accounts or brokerage accounts alike. This video discusses anchoring bias, just one of the many biases and habits that lead to poor investing decisions. BFSG Shorts: Anchoring Bias Disclosure: BFSG does not make any representations or warranties as to the...

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Welcome to the Team – Henry VanBuskirk

Please join us in welcoming Henry VanBuskirk, CFP® to Benefit Financial Services Group. Henry joins BFSG as a Wealth Manager. He will be working with our clients to help them realize their short and long-term goals by delivering personalized financial plans and retirement analysis. Previously, he worked as an Investment Analyst for an advisor in Woodland Hills, CA. Henry graduated from the...

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BFSG Short: Estate Planning Basics

What are the key estate planning documents? Who should have an estate plan? What are the differences between a will and a trust? Why do you want to avoid probate? This quick 3-minute video with BFSG's Senior Financial Planner, Paul Horn, CFP®, CPWA®, breaks down the basics of estate planning. Watch here for more. Disclosure: BFSG does not make any representations or warranties as to the...

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Welcome to the Team – Crystal Kessler

Please join us in welcoming Crystal Kessler, CFP® to Benefit Financial Services Group. Crystal joins BFSG as a Wealth Manager / Financial Planner. She will be working with clients to help them realize their short and long-term goals by delivering personalized financial plans and retirement analysis. Previously, she worked as a Wealth Advisor for a Registered Investment Advisor in San Diego, CA....

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Ten Reasons to Switch Your Financial Advisor

By:  Paul Horn, CFP®, CPWA®, Senior Financial Planner We have all heard the break-up line, “It’s not you, it’s me”.  But as we all know, not all financial advisors are created equal and sometimes it is them. Breaking up is never fun, but sometimes it’s necessary. Here are ten reasons to switch your financial advisor: 1. Lack of communication Many advisors can get complacent, and over time...

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