Many of you have the benefit of contributing to a company or government sponsored retirement plan at your place of work. Company plans are different from IRAs (individual retirement plans) in many ways, including a much higher contribution limit and typically an employer match program. But what exactly is the difference between a 401(k) and a 403(b)?

There is a difference between being conscientious and conservative when it comes to personal finance. Sometimes people tend to conflate the two terms, but there is a large difference between them. Every investor needs to be conscientious at all times, but not every investor should be "conservative".

We have all had that unexpected event that happens just as we get back to square one. It’s never expected and it’s never welcome! The fact of the matter is that life continuously throws curve balls at us, and unfortunately those curves usually cost money that we did not expect. The solution? We have to plan for the unexpected.

I used to love Chipotle, and I certainly still love the food (when they have it). Rice, fajitas, NO beans, double steak, toma....sorry, I digress. But I have noticed a continual drop off in service over the last couple of years and it seems to only be getting worse.

The stock market is an interesting thing. It plays on our emotions in mysterious and illogical ways- ways that usually never make sense in hindsight. Today, while the markets continue to decline in 2022, actually marks a great day in so many ways.

This may not be a wealth tip, per se, but more of a life tip. Has the art of the "thank you note" died with technology and our fast paced environment? Do younger generations not see the merit behind such a simple, yet thoughtful task?

Last week we talked about "zooming out" to maintain perspective on your financial goals and how your underlying accounts perform. Today, we want to remind you to ZOOM IN to your underlying holdings and make sure they are both reasonable in expense and minimally traded.

Remember the importance of zooming out when reviewing your financial statements in the most recent months (and any month for that matter). We like to say at Red Oak Financial that "short term volatility is the price you pay for long term gains."

Many people wonder if they should have a trust for their assets as a tool to both avoid probate and direct the assets to beneficiaries of their choosing outside of the will….

There has been a lot going on over the past couple years, from Covid to unemployment to inflation and now to the Russian invasion of Ukraine (and the list goes on). Many investors are wondering what they should do in these turbulent times over seas…

We hope that the below commentary provides a look inside our investment process at Red Oak Financial Group and how we are thinking about the evolving economic environment….

It is important to take advantage of your retirement accounts as best you can if you want to be financially independent in the long run. Make sure you know the limits for your various accounts. Here's some high-level information for the 2022 tax year…

It's that time of year again....TAX TIME! So just how are your various distributions taxed by Uncle Sam? Here are a few quick reminders...

Here at Red Oak Financial, we invest our clients primarily in broadly diversified strategies made up of low cost investment vehicles (i.e. low expense ratios) and implement low turnover methodologies to mitigate ancillary trading costs. We focus on the long term financial goals of our clients, while making near term adjustments around relevant and current economic data to drive performance….

When you pass away after a hopefully long life of accumulating assets, your estate is reviewed in probate court. Probate is the legal process in which a will is reviewed to first determine if the will is valid, and then to distribute the deceased's assets accordingly. Read on for more information….

There have been many well known investors throughout history, including the likes of Warren Buffett and Peter Lynch. Investors have all different styles, from buy and hold strategies to daily trading to utilizing derivatives. At Red Oak Financial Group, our investing strategy revolves around our 3 pillars…

One of the best places to invest your money is in real estate. Real estate tends to appreciate over time, can produce predictable cash flows, offer certain tax advantages, and can diversify your portfolio.

One of the things we sometimes hear from individuals is "oh I don't want to invest my money in the stock market, it's too risky!" or "I don't play the markets!" The unfortunate thing about sentiment like this is that it only perpetuates the wealth gap…

The purchase of your first home is a very exciting decision, but it can also be a daunting one. Many people are not sure if they should take the dive into homeownership or if renting for the foreseeable future is the better option. The answer? It depends.

Remember, there are many different types of annuity products on the market and they can come with high fees, so you should familiarize yourself with the cost/benefit before you go jumping in head first.