Guest Blogger: Kristen Smith

Guest Blogger: Kristen Smith
Kristen is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER ™ professional at Axial Financial Group with over 15 years of experience working with individuals and their families in all facets of their financial life. For registered representatives: Kristen is a financial consultant located at The Axial Company, 5 Burlington Woods, Suite 102, Burlington, MA 01803. She offers securities as a Registered Representative of Commonwealth Financial Network, Member FINRA/SIPC. She can be reached at 781.273.1400 or ksmith@axialfg.com. CRR, LLP, Axial Financial Group, and Commonwealth Financial Network are separate and unrelated entities.
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Recent Posts

Inheriting Debt from a Family Member

Thinking about a loved one’s outstanding debt is the last thing on anyone’s mind when a family member passes away. Unfortunately, many people find themselves dealing with creditors and figuring out how to pay their loved one’s debts as they grieve. To avoid this situation, it makes good financial sense to consider these matters ahead of time.

Are You Liable for Spousal Debt?

“What’s yours is mine and what’s mine is yours” is a typical mantra of married couples. But when it comes to debt, that saying can be scary. Fortunately, the general rule is that spouses are not responsible for each other’s debts (in the legal sense, of course). Therefore, when agreeing to assume a liability, the borrower’s spouse can usually rest assured he or she will not be held responsible if the borrower is unable to meet his or her obligations.

Financial Planning for Empty Nesters

Congratulations are in order! You planned, saved money for education expenses, and now your child is off to college. But as you settle into your “empty nest,” you might be wondering, now what? It’s time to figure out how to adapt to your child’s new independence while keeping your family on a steady course financially.

Are You A Trust Beneficiary?

If you recently learned that you are a beneficiary of a deceased relative’s trust, you probably have questions about your rights and what to expect. The key is the trust document (i.e., the instructions left by the trust creator, called the grantor) and how state law interprets that document.

FAFSA: Everything You Need to Know

For many families, financial aid programs help make higher education attainable. The first step in applying for aid is to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). It is used to determine the student’s eligibility for federal aid programs, such as grants, work-study options, and loans. Schools also use the FAFSA to assess whether additional aid is available from the applicant’s state of residence and from the school itself.

Managing Taxes on Your Investments

When it comes to your money, it’s not what you earn, it’s what you keep. Here are some ideas that may help lessen your income tax burden, so you can keep more of your investment earnings.

Be a Savvy Senior: The Warning Signs of Elder Fraud

Just browse through the latest true crime documentaries on your preferred streaming network and you’ll
see that people of all ages and income levels are vulnerable to financial scammers. Unfortunately, as we
get older, certain factors put us at greater risk. Social isolation, recent loss of a spouse or close family
member, diminished cognitive abilities, and accumulated wealth can make those over age 60 especially
attractive to fraudsters.

A Fact Sheet for Medicare

Medicare is a federal health insurance program that covers certain medical services and supplies in hospitals and doctors’ offices. The insurance is provided to U.S. citizens and permanent residents who meet one or more of the following criteria:

A Guide to Benefits When Changing Jobs

If you’re changing jobs, you probably have a lot on your mind. As you wrap up work with your previous employer and prepare for your new role, it can be easy to let important benefits-related decisions fall by the wayside. If that happens, you could miss a limited opportunity to sign up for new benefits or miss out on making wise changes to your plans. To stay on track financially during a career transition, be sure to review the status of your retirement accounts and other valuable employee benefits.

529 Plans: Qualified and Nonqualified Expenses

You’ve put in the hard work of saving for college, and now it’s time to start using those 529 plan assets to help with a family member’s education-related costs. But before you begin withdrawing those funds, it’s important to understand the difference between qualified and nonqualified expenses.