Blog

At Plancorp, we don’t wait for you to ask the right questions.
We take the initiative to offer insights and guidance — real enlightenment for real life.

Should You Stop Renting and Buy A House?

There are plenty of pros and cons of buying versus renting a home. For Millennials who dream of putting down roots in a place of their own, it’s crucial to weigh several factors. “Should I buy a home or keep renting?” Read more…

What Are Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) and How Do They Work

Just as a single piece in a puzzle can be difficult to decipher all by itself, a Restricted Stock Unit (RSU) can be a bit of a head-scratcher as a stand-alone asset. Read more…

Your Employer Offers You Non-Qualified Deferred Compensation (NQDC): Now What?

It’s always nice to be recognized for a job well done. Being invited to participate in your employer’s non-qualified deferred compensation (NQDC) plan, is one such vote of confidence; it’s typically offered exclusively to select executives or similar high-performing employees. Read more…

Unpacking the Mega Backdoor Roth IRA

Admittedly, the “mega backdoor Roth IRA” is a mouthful of a term. I wonder who came up with it? It’s as if they took their cue from Barnum & Bailey’s Greatest Show on Earth. Read more…

8 Financial Planning Benefits for Same-Sex Couples: The Story of Jane and Josephine

In 2015, Jane and Josephine had been together as a couple for ten years and, the U.S. Supreme Court just declared that same-sex couples have the fundamental right to marry. Like every couple, Jane and Josephine had a lot to consider before deciding to get married or not. The first thing that they Read more…

Cash Balance Plan Benefits —and Their Trade-offs

As a retirement plan advisor, I help business owners come up with the right mix of benefits to build a secure retirement for themselves and their employees. Yet there are so many options beyond the familiar 401(k) plan that busy owners can struggle to keep all the details straight. One option that Read more…

Pay Off Student Loans or Invest? Here’s How to Decide

These days, holding a college diploma is table stakes to qualify for a decent job. Because more people than ever attend a four-year college and that degree is the minimum qualification for many positions, we’ve also seen a spike in students who continue their education to pursue a graduate degree. Read more…

10 Things To Do Now If You’re A Decade Away From Retirement

For most of your life, preparing for retirement probably wasn’t a high priority. But as the years count down on your career, nerves set in and rhetorical questions start flooding your head: Have I saved enough? Did I invest too aggressively? Do I have the right kind of insurance? Read more…

What to Do If You Were Getting Ready to Retire Before the Pandemic Hit

The current impact that the global coronavirus pandemic has had on our daily lives is obvious. This event has touched every one of us in various ways, but you may feel particularly affected if you were thinking about retiring in the near future. You may wonder how the fallout and long-term Read more…

6 ESG Investment Strategies to Consider

A growing number of investors are interested in Environmental, Social and Governance investing, known as ESG. That term is becoming more common, but ESG still means different things to different people. Read more…