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I've got valuable information and resources to share. Explore away! And check back often.

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No matter your tax bracket, there are steps you can take now to help minimize the taxes you'll owe in retirement. If taxes are a topic you avoid, this event is for you. This is my favorite (free!) workshop of the year, Keeping the Tax Man Away with expert Debbie Taylor on March 11 & 13. Learn more and sign up: https://tinyurl.com/DebbieTaylorVirtual2025 No products will be sold. Speaker is not affiliated with Thrivent. Views are their own. See thrivent.com/social for more information.

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No matter your tax bracket, there are steps you can take now to help minimize the taxes you'll owe in retirement. If taxes are a topic you avoid, this event is for you. This is my favorite (free!) workshop of the year, Keeping the Tax Man Away with expert Debbie Taylor on March 11 & 13. Learn more and sign up: https://tinyurl.com/DebbieTaylorVirtual2025 No products will be sold. Speaker is not affiliated with Thrivent. Views are their own. See thrivent.com/social for more information.

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Everyone who goes to graduate school and takes on significant debt needs a clear payoff plan. Far too often, we see people making little progress even after 10+ years of payments—costing them tens of thousands in unnecessary interest. Having a plan from the start helps you: ✔️ Keep lifestyle inflation in check as your income grows ✔️ Gain financial clarity knowing exactly when your debt will be gone ✔️ Free up future cash flow to invest and build wealth If you’re not sure where to start, now is the time to put a strategy in place! See thrivent .com/social for more information.

Everyone who goes to graduate school and takes on significant debt needs a clear payoff plan. Far too often, we see people making little progress even after 10+ years of payments—costing them tens of thousands in unnecessary interest. Having a plan from the start helps you: ✔️ Keep lifestyle inflation in check as your income grows ✔️ Gain financial clarity knowing exactly when your debt will be gone ✔️ Free up future cash flow to invest and build wealth If you’re not sure where to start, now is the time to put a strategy in place! See thrivent .com/social for more information.

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As businesses grow, owners often start thinking about retirement savings—not just for themselves, but for their employees too. While a 401(k) is the most common option, it’s easy to assume it’s always the best fit. However, for many small businesses, other retirement plans might be more cost-effective, easier to manage, or better aligned with your goals. Options like SEP IRAs or SIMPLE IRAs can offer great benefits without the administrative complexity of a traditional 401(k). Choosing the right plan depends on a few key factors: - The size of your team and the mix of full-time vs. part-time employees - Your company’s available cash flow - Your long-term business and retirement goals If you’re unsure which option is right for your business, I’d be happy to help you sort through the details. See thrivent .com/social for more information.

As businesses grow, owners often start thinking about retirement savings—not just for themselves, but for their employees too. While a 401(k) is the most common option, it’s easy to assume it’s always the best fit. However, for many small businesses, other retirement plans might be more cost-effective, easier to manage, or better aligned with your goals. Options like SEP IRAs or SIMPLE IRAs can offer great benefits without the administrative complexity of a traditional 401(k). Choosing the right plan depends on a few key factors: - The size of your team and the mix of full-time vs. part-time employees - Your company’s available cash flow - Your long-term business and retirement goals If you’re unsure which option is right for your business, I’d be happy to help you sort through the details. See thrivent .com/social for more information.

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Is one of your goals this year to start saving for your child’s college education? If you’re in Illinois, opening a 529 plan is a great way to get started—and the state even offers $50 in seed money just for opening an account! Starting early not only allows for the most potential growth, but the 529 plan also offers flexibility. If the funds aren’t used for education, they can now be rolled into a Roth IRA for your child’s future. It’s a simple and effective way to invest in your child’s future. https://brightstart.com/firststeps/ See thrivent .com/social for more information

Is one of your goals this year to start saving for your child’s college education? If you’re in Illinois, opening a 529 plan is a great way to get started—and the state even offers $50 in seed money just for opening an account! Starting early not only allows for the most potential growth, but the 529 plan also offers flexibility. If the funds aren’t used for education, they can now be rolled into a Roth IRA for your child’s future. It’s a simple and effective way to invest in your child’s future. https://brightstart.com/firststeps/ See thrivent .com/social for more information

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Sometimes, people attempt good financial strategies but execute them incorrectly, which can lead to costly mistakes. Recently, I saw a case where someone unintentionally paid an extra $20,000 in taxes while trying to be more tax-efficient. They didn’t realize that converting their entire IRA to a Roth IRA in one year would trigger a large tax bill and push them into a higher tax bracket. Tax planning is complex, and it’s easy to overlook details that can have a big impact. If you're considering strategies like this, it’s always worth getting guidance beforehand to avoid surprises. A little planning can go a long way in protecting your finances. See thrivent .com/social for more information.

Sometimes, people attempt good financial strategies but execute them incorrectly, which can lead to costly mistakes. Recently, I saw a case where someone unintentionally paid an extra $20,000 in taxes while trying to be more tax-efficient. They didn’t realize that converting their entire IRA to a Roth IRA in one year would trigger a large tax bill and push them into a higher tax bracket. Tax planning is complex, and it’s easy to overlook details that can have a big impact. If you're considering strategies like this, it’s always worth getting guidance beforehand to avoid surprises. A little planning can go a long way in protecting your finances. See thrivent .com/social for more information.

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I often hear from people who try to save money by cutting small expenses each month—making coffee at home, eating out less, skipping the extra guac at Chipotle. While these little changes can add up, the real impact often comes from being intentional with the big financial decisions. Making sure your mortgage, rent, or car payment fits comfortably within your budget has a much bigger effect—and requires less daily effort—than constantly pinching pennies. Focus on aligning those major expenses, and you’ll find your financial foundation is a lot stronger.

I often hear from people who try to save money by cutting small expenses each month—making coffee at home, eating out less, skipping the extra guac at Chipotle. While these little changes can add up, the real impact often comes from being intentional with the big financial decisions. Making sure your mortgage, rent, or car payment fits comfortably within your budget has a much bigger effect—and requires less daily effort—than constantly pinching pennies. Focus on aligning those major expenses, and you’ll find your financial foundation is a lot stronger.

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If you have money sitting in a money market mutual fund or high-yield savings account, this one's for you. With interest rates expected to drop, those returns will likely decrease too. Ask yourself—Is this money for a short-term goal, or something further down the road? If it’s for a mid or long-term goal, now is the perfect time to reassess where it’s invested. See thrivent .com/social for more information.

If you have money sitting in a money market mutual fund or high-yield savings account, this one's for you. With interest rates expected to drop, those returns will likely decrease too. Ask yourself—Is this money for a short-term goal, or something further down the road? If it’s for a mid or long-term goal, now is the perfect time to reassess where it’s invested. See thrivent .com/social for more information.

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Even if you don’t see your kids attending college, a 529 plan is still worth considering. Traditionally, 529 plans have been the go-to savings tool for college due to their tax benefits. The catch for many people has been the fear of taxes and penalties if the funds weren’t used for education. But starting this year, there’s more flexibility. You can now roll up to $35,000 from a 529 plan into your child’s Roth IRA. This opens up a huge opportunity—envision 60 years of tax-free growth! It’s a game-changer for a lot of families. If you're hesitant about a 529 because of potential penalties, this new option offers an alternative path to saving and investing for your child's future. For this to happen, the 529 needs to be opened for 15 years prior to this strategy so it's good to start early. Note that all rules for Roth IRAs still exist including income limitations, maximum contributions etc. See thrivent .com/social for more information.

Even if you don’t see your kids attending college, a 529 plan is still worth considering. Traditionally, 529 plans have been the go-to savings tool for college due to their tax benefits. The catch for many people has been the fear of taxes and penalties if the funds weren’t used for education. But starting this year, there’s more flexibility. You can now roll up to $35,000 from a 529 plan into your child’s Roth IRA. This opens up a huge opportunity—envision 60 years of tax-free growth! It’s a game-changer for a lot of families. If you're hesitant about a 529 because of potential penalties, this new option offers an alternative path to saving and investing for your child's future. For this to happen, the 529 needs to be opened for 15 years prior to this strategy so it's good to start early. Note that all rules for Roth IRAs still exist including income limitations, maximum contributions etc. See thrivent .com/social for more information.

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For those nearing, or in retirement, it can feel safer to keep your money in cash or cash-like investments. The largest risk with that strategy is inflation and outliving your money. If your investments aren’t growing enough to outpace inflation, you will need more money to maintain the same lifestyle. For example, if inflation averages 3%, what costs $50,000 today will cost over $67,000 in 10 years. This is why some growth-focused assets are often beneficial in your retirement portfolio. A well-diversified retirement plan will help protect your long-term purchasing power and keep you on track to maintain your lifestyle, without unnecessary risk. Be sure that your retirement plan can handle rising costs, while still giving you financial confidence. See thrivent .com/social for more information. While diversification can help reduce market risk, it does not eliminate it. Diversification does not assure a profit or protect against loss in a declining market.

For those nearing, or in retirement, it can feel safer to keep your money in cash or cash-like investments. The largest risk with that strategy is inflation and outliving your money. If your investments aren’t growing enough to outpace inflation, you will need more money to maintain the same lifestyle. For example, if inflation averages 3%, what costs $50,000 today will cost over $67,000 in 10 years. This is why some growth-focused assets are often beneficial in your retirement portfolio. A well-diversified retirement plan will help protect your long-term purchasing power and keep you on track to maintain your lifestyle, without unnecessary risk. Be sure that your retirement plan can handle rising costs, while still giving you financial confidence. See thrivent .com/social for more information. While diversification can help reduce market risk, it does not eliminate it. Diversification does not assure a profit or protect against loss in a declining market.

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Regardless of where you are in your financial journey, one common pitfall is car payments that take up too much of your budget. While having a car is often a necessity, it’s not cheap. Here’s what we recommend: It's almost always best to pay cash when you can, but that’s not always realistic. If a car loan is necessary, you can follow these three steps: 1. Put down at least a 20% down payment in cash. 2. Pay off the car in 3 years or less. 3. Ensure the payment is less than 8% of your income. If the car doesn’t meet these parameters, it’s likely out of your budget. Consider saving more or opting for a more affordable vehicle.

Regardless of where you are in your financial journey, one common pitfall is car payments that take up too much of your budget. While having a car is often a necessity, it’s not cheap. Here’s what we recommend: It's almost always best to pay cash when you can, but that’s not always realistic. If a car loan is necessary, you can follow these three steps: 1. Put down at least a 20% down payment in cash. 2. Pay off the car in 3 years or less. 3. Ensure the payment is less than 8% of your income. If the car doesn’t meet these parameters, it’s likely out of your budget. Consider saving more or opting for a more affordable vehicle.

Licensing is available through your State Insurance Department’s website, which can be located through the National Association of Insurance Commissioners website.

Thrivent and its financial advisors and professionals do not provide legal, accounting or tax advice. Consult your attorney or tax professional.

Thrivent financial advisors and professionals have general knowledge of the Social Security tenets. For complete details on your situation, contact the Social Security Administration.

Thrivent provides advice and guidance through its Financial Planning Framework that generally includes a review and analysis of a client’s financial situation. A client may choose to further their planning engagement with Thrivent through its Dedicated Planning Services (an investment advisory service) that results in written recommendations for a fee.

Thrivent is the marketing name for Thrivent Financial for Lutherans. Insurance products issued by Thrivent. Not available in all states. Securities and investment advisory services offered through Thrivent Investment Management Inc., a registered investment adviser, member FINRA and SIPC, and a subsidiary of Thrivent. Licensed agent/producer of Thrivent. Registered representative of Thrivent Investment Management, Inc. thrivent.com/privacy-and-security/disclosures.

Insurance products, securities and investment advisory services are provided by appropriately appointed and licensed financial advisors and professionals. Only individuals who are financial advisors are credentialed to provide investment advisory services. Visit Thrivent.com or FINRA’s Broker Check for more information about our financial advisors.

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