Open Window's Insight Articles

For those who still need financial aid to pursue their dreams, here is how to proceed. The sooner you apply for the FAFSA®, the more likely your efforts will pay off. 

Which specific investment ideas work, and can they be relied upon going forward? Within, we review the most important academic insights that, in aggregate, offer us a clearer pathway with which to navigate the world's daily twists and turns.

A health savings account (HSA) provides a tax-smart way to confront the growing burden of healthcare costs while providing other unique tax advantages. Here's what you need to know towards making a lifetime of health & medical expenses tax-deductible (including most Medicare expenses).

Uncover your Financial Elements with a quick, powerful, and private financial health assessment available to clients and friends at www.openwindowFS.com/financialelements.

Tax savings can be significant by targeting the “Valley of Opportunity” that appears during lower-income tax years. Life tends to present these valleys as predictable opportunities, occurring at certain times and even at specific ages. Make sure you’re prepared to act by “filling up the valley” to avoid leaving your future self, or your beneficiaries, with higher effective tax rates.

Some perspectives on the US debt ceiling: Congress has acted to raise the debt ceiling 78 distinct times since 1960. As the current drama continues, let's consider the various potential outcomes and your most advisable financial strategy.

The "4% rule" is a handy rule of thumb for estimating a safe and sustainable level of spending in retirement. Does it hold up? Let's learn more about the rule, including how to personalize it for your life.

The 80/20 rule suggests 80% of an outcome is the result of 20% of the effort put into it. In that spirit, here are three financial best practices that pack a lot of value per “pound”.

It’s important to keep your personal data safe, both on and offline. Learn some important identity theft prevention tips here.

How much of your recent efforts to file this year's taxes went towards confirming last year's actions? Over the years, all that backward-looking tax reporting adds up. You can bet that the IRS is keeping track. So, if you want to come out ahead on taxes next year (and in the years to follow), make sure you're being just as forward-looking about your money as the IRS is. Here's how.

A tax-focused understanding of your finances is a crucial component of preserving and growing wealth. With tax rates set to rise in 2026, a tax-focused financial strategy is now even more crucial, regardless of your age or income-level. Here are a few tips to get around the myths we see tripping up high-earners and good savers.

An electrocardiogram (ECG/EKG) of someone experiencing heart trouble looks eerily similar to the stock market from month to month. With so much volatility - up one day, down the next - and with the average individual investor’s portfolio declining 27% last year, it's no wonder investing in the stock market is viewed as risky. However, with the right investment approach, positive results are still the expectation rather than the exception, as we show within.

Major highlights and an interactive checklist to help you to decipher the SECURE 2.0 Act, a 4,155-page bill enacted on December 29, 2022. Employers and the government play a role in your retirement, but much of the preparation ultimately falls on you. That’s America for you. The good news is, you get to call your own shots. The bad news is, you have to!

An illustrated world review of capital market results in 2022. Stocks had their worst year since 2008, and bond prices fell as inflation reached a four-decade high. Markets may have been down, but history suggests there are brighter days ahead.

As you approach retirement, one of the most complex, important, and valuable financial decisions you can make is when to claim Social Security. Here are some key points and considerations to think about as you consider your Social Security benefits.

Believe it or not, another year has rounded third base and is dashing toward home plate. That said, there’s still time to make a few good plays in 2022, while positioning yourself to score in the year ahead. Here are a few of the base hits and home runs that we're sharing with clients.

Whatever your reason for giving this year, it’s important to be intentional. With a little strategic planning, your existing charitable contributions can go further, while creating tax benefits for both you and your chosen charity. A donor-advised fund can supercharge your existing giving. Here's how.

Some investors worry about the stock market sinking after a recession is officially announced. But history shows that markets incorporate expectations ahead of economic reports. Investors who look beyond headlines may be better positioned for long-term success.

Do you have a long-lost retirement account left with a former employer? Here's how to identify lost accounts and reclaim your money! From retirement accounts to refunded utility payments, safe deposit box contents, and more, you’d be surprised at what may have disappeared over the years!

Heightened levels of market uncertainty across stock and bond markets alike may have left you once again wondering whether this time is different. Let's examine the severity of current events and consider what causes them to loom so large, while also recognizing how easy it is to rewrite memories of past challenges.