Featured Content
Can You Afford That House?
The COVID-19 pandemic and resulting recession have caused a lot of people to think deeply on their financial goals as they relate to home ownership.
Pay Off Debt? Or, Save for Retirement?
Fifty-six percent of adults under the age of 44 have student debt, according to the Pew Research Center. This is the highest share in history. The increase in college...
Why Your Money Isn’t Available Immediately After Selling Securities
When you need to withdraw cash from your investment account and you’re told the funds aren’t available, it can be a little unsettling, particularly when you know you have...
What Do Stock Splits Mean for the Investor?
“Cut my pie into four pieces. I don’t think I could eat eight.” – Yogi Berra
What History Has Taught Investors About U.S. Presidential Elections
As the election news cycle reaches its climax over the next few months, investors will likely be inundated with speculative investment forecasts for an endless number of potential election...
Structuring a Trust Fund for Your Children or Grandchildren
As a former trust officer for a N.C. bank, I was fond of saying, “trusts are bounded solely by your imagination and tax law.” There is a tremendous amount...
Tax Help for Growing Families
Having a child is one of life’s special events – but the cost of a growing family can also bring challenges to your life. Here are some ways...
Five Financial To-Do’s Ahead of Welcoming a New Baby...
My wife and I are slowly turning the corner from having two babies to two full blown toddlers. Like most parents, the question “where did the time go?” seems...
Veterans Benefits: A Tool for Financial Planning
I am a veteran of the United States Marine Corps. I have volunteered with various veterans organizations since I got out of the Corps, and I love sharing my...
7 Reasons to Consider a Prenup
There is nothing that can kill the romance of upcoming nuptials more quickly than your partner asking you to sign a prenuptial agreement (aka prenup). But do you know...
How to Talk to Your Children About Your Estate
Talking with your children about disability and/or death can be a difficult task for most people. Parents spend the better part of their financial lives working, saving and planning...
Equity Portfolio Construction – The Method to the Madness
Probably since before you made your first dollar, you were told about the importance of investing in the stock market...
I Received an Inheritance, Now What?
At some point in your life, there is a chance that you will inherit money or assets left from a grandparent, parent, or other family member. When someone that...
IRA Beneficiaries: Per Stirpes vs. Per Capita
Did you know that your IRA beneficiary supersedes your will? No matter how carefully you’ve crafted your last intentions in your will, an IRA beneficiary that was never updated...
Hidden Costs of College
Congratulations! You have four years of tuition, room and board stashed away in your 529 plan and your child hasn’t even graduated from high school yet. Now you can...
Giving Away Your Cake (And Eating It, Too) AKA...
When thinking about our own personal assets we have many choices. We can hold on to them (having our cake), swap them out (trading for a different cake), or...
Getting Assistance on Existing Loans or Obtaining a New Loan in the Wake of Coronavirus
Businesses and individuals in the U.S. and worldwide are now affected by forced closures and economic slowdowns due to COVID-19. If you are a sole proprietor, contractor, or business...
How to Determine if You Need Life Insurance
With 2020 behind us, I am most thankful for my health and the good health of my loved ones.
Don’t Let Health Insurance Concerns Stop You from Retiring
Individuals who are continuing to work because they are concerned about the health insurance conundrum is a very real and common concern. However, this concern is not an accurate...
Retirement Income: A Closer Look
Earned income stops for everyone at some point, and people then need to navigate the transition from saving for retirement to how to spend from their investment portfolio.
Parsec In The News
Thought Leadership

Mindful Investing
Articles about the benefits of meditation are everywhere these days, and for good reason. 2020 was an unusually stressful year, and people are looking for non-addictive, healthy ways to manage their stress and anxiety.

Two Charitable Options to Give More Strategically in the New Year
Even though 2020 has been a challenge for everyone in very personal and different ways, I believe that one commonality we all share is that it has reminded us to cherish what we do have and review/revise our life priorities.

A CPA’s Year-End Wish List: My 4 Requests of You
Normally, we do not make these requests until we are in the throes of tax season but let’s take a proactive look at steps you can take now.

Your Financial Year-End To-Do List
It’s the end of the year and your to-do list is a mile long. The last thing on your mind is your finances. Still, they deserve a good look before the close of the year. While we cannot help you with the cooking, cleaning and gift buying, we can help with your financial to-do list.

Happy Donating!
As we approach the end of the year and the holiday season, we seem to be bombarded with opportunities for charitable giving. Happily, many of us answer this call and donate generously to our favorite charitable organizations. Your generosity may also be beneficial at tax time if you remember a few IRS guidelines for charitable contributions …

History of Education Debt
Student loan debt reached $1.6 trillion in June of 2020. This is close to 10% of the U.S. gross domestic product. How did we get here, and what options do families have for financing higher education?

Good Debt, Bad Debt
Benjamin Franklin has a famous quote: “… nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” A more modernized quote would probably include the mention of debt!
Content Archives
Featured Author

Michael Baughman
Michael is a Certified Financial Planner practitioner and a NAPFA-Registered Financial Advisor.

How to Determine if You Need Life Insurance

Don’t Let Health Insurance Concerns Stop You from Retiring

Tax-Loss Harvesting Amidst Market Turmoil
Our Long Form Thoughts
Why You Need a Digital Estate Plan and How To Create One
Digital estate planning is a relatively new phenomenon, having only begun...
Small-Business Succession Planning Guide
It is easy for a business owner to view the value...
8 Saving and Investing Principles
Here are eight fundamentals you need to learn how to save,...
Charitable Giving Tax Strategies
The 2018 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act materially changed charitable giving...
Finding the Right Financial Advisor
If navigating the complexity of investments, insurance and estate planning is...
Parsec Financial Longevity Forum
A robust library of educational content provided by local experts on various aspects of aging well such as wills and estates, long-term care, nutrition, financial advice, planning for your legacy and more.
