News

  Maximizing Your 2023 Retirement Contributions (1 min. read)  By Michael Franks, Vantage Senior Wealth Advisor 2023 is off with a bang, and with this year comes beneficial changes to your retirement accounts. Retirement is the top financial goal for most individuals and couples and the increased amount they can save in their retirement accounts will go a long way to hitting their long-term retirement goals as well as decreasing what they pay in today’s taxes. 401(k), 403(b) and most 457 plans as well as the Federal government’s Thrift Savings Plan saw a healthy increase from

South Dakota Team Business Spotlight Click on link to read the feature article in the September edition of Prairie Tracks. INTERESTED IN CONNECTING WITH US? Do you need a plan for your finances? Are you thinking about retirement? Do you have questions about your benefit options? Let's talk. Schedule a complimentary call with an experienced financial planner. Schedule Now

  "Lower, Lower, Lower"  By Michael McKnight, Editor of The South Dakota Bowhunter, August 2022 The title of this article has meaning to anyone that has bowfished and rings especially true to me because I simply cannot get myself to shoot low enough. I have been fortunate to chase paddlefish successfully now for three seasons and each year my friend (and financial planner extraordinaire) Adam Walter politely reminds me to “aim lower.” I try but apparently don’t try hard enough and, like when I used to play golf, get plenty of shots in before having success.

  Your Path to Financial Wellness (2 min. read)  By Michael Franks, Iraq/Afghanistan Combat Infantry Veteran, Vantage Senior Wealth Advisor Eat well, work out at least 3 times a week, go on long walks, get 7-9 hours of sleep. You may know these as the key pillars to having physical health and wellness. But there is another pillar that is not talked about enough: financial wellness. According to Purdue University, “High levels of financial stress can manifest itself through physical symptoms such as anxiety, headaches/migraines, compromised immune systems, digestive issues, high blood pressure, muscle tension, heart arrhythmia,

  3 Tips to Foster Responsible Money Habits in Kids (2 min. read) - Raising Money-Smart Kids Part 2 By Michael Franks, Iraq/Afghanistan Combat Infantry Veteran, Vantage Senior Wealth Advisor “If I had only started investing earlier…” If I had a quarter for every time I have heard that exact phrase, I’d still be doing what I’m doing but with a lot more bourbon money. So how do we start the next generation of children on a solid path and healthy relationship with money? Here are three ideas to help mentor your elementary school kids on

  Finding Your Own 4% Rule (2 min. read) By Andy Meyer, Vantage Financial Partner & Senior Wealth Advisor It’s human nature to look for short-cuts or ways to simplify a problem or question. We all do it. Whether it’s when we cook, try to lose weight, or grow our net worth. For decades, the 4% rule has been used as the way to simplify retirement and answer the question, “How much money do I need to retire?” Overall, it’s not a bad place to start. For a lot of Midwesterners, 4% should get the job

  The Value of Discipline and Patience (2 min. read) By Michael Franks, Iraq/Afghanistan Combat Infantry Veteran, Vantage Senior Wealth Advisor War is hell, and in this increasingly virtually-connected life we live in, that hell could potentially cause folks to make emotional decisions about their investments, potentially crippling their long-term plans. Hourly we are bombarded by pictures, articles, Tweets, TikToks, and videos showing details about war that would have been seen by only a handful 20 years ago. This amount of information is an assault on our senses and can cloud the truth. The truth is,

  Working With Vantage as a Fiduciary Registered Investment Advisor (3 min. read) What is a Registered Investment Advisor (RIA)? A Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) is an individual financial advisor or a company that provides its clients with financial advice. Unlike other types of financial advisors, RIAs have a fiduciary duty to act in your best interests. RIAs have a fiduciary duty to their clients. This means at Vantage, we are legally bound, and always obligated, to act in your best financial interest (putting your interests ahead of our own) and to utilize competitively priced investments

  “Take 10” – An End-Of-Year Financial Checklist (2 min. read) This is a good time to look back on the past 12 months and look ahead to a new year. Be honest as you hit these 10 key check points for managing your finances and reviewing goals and objectives. This can help get you started, and potentially show you where you have been diligent and can say, “Yes! I’ve got that handled!” and where you can say, “It only takes a minute and it’s worth doing to have peace of mind and a good feeling