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By Thomas R. Kestler, CFP, CLU, ChFC, CMFC As we enter the holiday season, many of us consider making charitable donations to a favorite cause or institution. According to the Giving USA report, Americans gave $592 billion to charity in 2024. Many of the donations were significant gifts as opposed to a few dollars here or there. If you are considering making a significant gift, here are three strategies that could help both you and the charity. Donate Appreciated Assets We ma

By Thomas R. Kestler In this world of social media and artificial intelligence (AI), we can be overwhelmed by information – some good, some bad. The problem with financial information is that while something could be a life saver for one client, it could also be disastrous for another. The difference comes down to two things – questions and qualifications. Questions – Has your advisor asked enough questions to fully understand your situation, needs, risk tolerance, and aspira

The outpouring of compassion, support, and love that I've received since my first blog post has been beyond not just anything that I had...