Wealth Management

Considering taking Social Security in 2022?  Consider this first. In October, the Social Security Administration (SSA) confirmed the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) will increase by 5.9% in January.  With a 5.9% increase to their Social Security benefit, many are wondering if they should start collecting Social Security now.  Usually, the earliest you can take Social Security is age 62.  But just because you can doesn’t mean you should. We get asked about

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Tags: social security

November is National Gratitude month and what better way to show gratitude than through charitable giving. Research shows that people who practice gratitude every day are not only happier but also healthier. So, if you were looking for reasons to be thankful, then these benefits should be just the motivation you need.  In 2020, despite the pandemic and economic volatility, charitable giving reached a record $471.44 billion.    Besides all

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Tags: charitable giving

At the end of the year, it’s important to think about taxes and year-end tax planning.  We’re going to discuss a few things to consider as you weigh potential tax moves before the end of the year. if you might be in a lower tax bracket next year, defer income until then. For example, you may be able to defer a year-end bonus or delay the collection of business debts, rents, and payments to postpone payment of tax on the income until next year. Look for opportunities to

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What comes to mind when you daydream about retirement? Is it travel? Time with family? Less responsibility? While it may be easy to conjure up these images, too often the planning stops with the daydream and we fail to really think through what our vision is and how we plan to get there. Getting started as early as possible in your retirement planning is important, but for those nearing the 5-10 year countdown to retirement it starts to become

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Tags: Investment, RETIREMENT

We all lead busy lives, but women tend to place our family and work needs before our own. We are excellent at managing our daily lives, but many times fail to take the time to consider our future financial needs.    Statistics show men are more likely to seek out financial advice than women. Combine that with the fact that women often outlive men, and we have a recipe for disaster. As illustrated above:  Women control 51% of the personal wealth in the U.S. Women

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Tags: WEALTH MANAGEMENT FOR WOMEN, WOMEN AND WEALTH, WOMEN FINANCIAL SECURUTY

Our vision at First Citizens Bank is to inspire financial well-being for everyone.  We use the term “financial well-being” to refer to your comprehensive financial health.   Part of financial health includes having a strong investment strategy.  In this blog post, we will discuss how we utilize a tool call Riskalyze to capture a client’s Risk Number® and engineer a portfolio to fit into an overall investment

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Tags: investment management, risk tolerance

Our vision at First Citizens Bank is to inspire financial well-being for everyone.  We use the term “financial well-being” to refer to your comprehensive financial health.   Preparing for the future when you won't be here to care for your family is a challenge that all parents face. But as the parent of a child with special needs, your estate planning is especially complex. Our Trust Officers have experience working with families to provide peace of mind in navigating

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Tags: SPECIAL NEEDS TRUST, SUPPORT TRUSTS

For many Americans, the idea of an unanticipated expense, like a car breaking down, is cringeworthy. If you had to come up with $5000 today to pay for a car repair, how would you feel? Are your palms sweating? What if instead of your car needing a repair, you experience an unexpected job loss? Now, do we have your attention?  Although “Budgeting” is our topic this month we didn’t want to scare you with bringing up this dreaded word before grabbing your attention. Too often,

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Tags: 50/30/20 RULE, BUDGETING, DEBT MANAGEMENT, EMERGENCY FUND, EMONEY

Parents and grandparents often ask our team, “What are the best ways to save for college?” Despite escalating costs, and the debate as to whether a four-year degree is worth it, having a college education continues to open many doors to success. As college tuition and expenses continue to escalate, including college savings in your overall financial plan becomes increasingly important. How much does college cost? Before we can plan for college, we need to understand the potential

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Tags: 529 COLLEGE PLAN, COLLEGE SAVINGS, CUSTODIAL ACCOUNTS, ESA, ROTH IRA, SAVINGS BONDS

How comfortable are you with your future finances? Do you have a financial plan? It's not just about retirement. It's about budgeting, planning, and investing for your future.  When it comes to the financial planning process, we utilize a tool called eMoney to assist clients in developing a financial plan. A plan includes the collaboration of members of the wealth advisory, fiduciary, and investment teams of First Citizens Wealth Management as well as coordination with outside professionals.

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Tags: EMONEY, WEALTH MANAGEMENT FINANCIAL PLANNING