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What happens if my bank fails? How can I protect my money? Should I switch banks? I’ve been fielding questions like these since the recent failures of technology-focused Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) and Signature Bank. Google has too. The search engine’s data reveal that the week the two banks buckled, there was a 43% increase […]

You’ve likely seen the “gridlock,” “polarization” and “stalemate” headlines to describe what the state of affairs will likely be in Washington, D.C., over the next two years of divided government. As an American, it can feel deflating, no matter which party you ascribe to.

After year upon year of stock market prices rising (also known as a “bull run”), 2022 was the worst year for investors since 2008. According to the New York Times, “virtually no stocks” were spared from losses last year. Although there were many factors at play in 2022 – the war in Ukraine, the Chinese […]

Should you have helped your adult child with a down payment on her first home last year? Was buying that nascent cryptocurrency with your bonus the right financial move? Should you have stayed another four years at your well- compensated corporate job or taken early retirement? As inflation continues to surge, interest rates spike and […]

As I wrapped another client meeting where we reviewed an investment plan and portfolio, I was heartened to hear the tone of my client’s voice change from apprehensive at the start to more assured at the end. Of course, as anyone who buys groceries and gas and sees news headlines knows, there are multiple reasons […]

Last Saturday night, a client texted me a variation of: “Should I really take this summer vacation?” A well-compensated corporate executive, she was ruminating on how much more everything her family getaway would cost – the hotels, the daily excursions, the wonderful meals – due to rampant inflation.

Say you are a corporate executive making an annual salary of $250,000. Every year, you maximize your contributions to your 401(k), which for 2022 is $20,500 for individuals under 50 and anyone over 50 is eligible to contribute an additional $6,500. Although that’s clearly the right move, you can see how saving this amount will […]

If you’re looking at buying or selling a home right now, what can you expect in this much-heralded hot residential real estate market? Last week, award-winning real estate expert and RE/MAX Hall of Fame realtor Smita Shah was interviewed by former TV news correspondent Diana Bishop for Van Leeuwen and Company’s client-only “Assets and Aspirations” […]

As many of us rethink certain aspects of how we want to live in a post-Covid world (e.g., more time with friends), some corporate executives have increasingly been asking us at Van Leeuwen & Company about one area in particular: retirement. This uptick in interest in retirement is not merely anecdotal.

By Kenneth Van Leeuwen, CFP Everyone knows you don’t get a second chance to make a good first impression. That’s one of thereasons why the initial meeting with a potential client is so important for financial advisors. Whenever I sit down with a prospect for the first time, I want to make sure I put […]