The Planning Center, Inc.

09/24/2026

How can retirees allow their savings and investments to provide a desirable level of income without worrying about market volatility or longevity risk? Senior Financial Planner Matthew Sivertsen explains. https://bit.ly/473RFDl

A retirement income guardrails strategy helps retirees adjust spending during market volatility while protecting long-term income sustainability.

09/23/2026

Our own Andrew Sivertsen recently joined Marcia Erikson on the Business Spotlight podcast to talk about what it takes to build a financial planning practice that lasts. A great deal of the conversation came back to people. Hiring carefully, investing in benefits, and building a culture worth staying for are not simply internal concerns. They are the reason a client can call five or ten years from now and reach someone who already knows their story. Continuity matters more in this work than it usually gets credit for, because good advice depends on context, and context takes years to accumulate. Andrew also covers technology, in-house tax planning, and what he has been reading lately, including a book on John Deere written by a friend that turned into a lesson on the history of our own community.

Watch the full conversation here: https://youtu.be/5PWZ36KvP5Y

09/22/2026

A comprehensive retirement plan involves consideration of the effects of timing, income, and healthcare costs. Medicare is a vital part of this planning. Our article has more. https://bit.ly/4iCbs3Q

Medicare planning requires coordinating enrollment timing, income levels, and long-term healthcare costs. Learn how Medicare fits your retirement plan.

09/17/2026

Fraud losses in this country hit a record last year. Consumers reported losing roughly $16 billion in 2025, an increase of about 25% over the prior year, and imposter scams accounted for nearly one in three of those reports. The tactics have grown considerably more sophisticated, and being financially savvy is no longer much of a defense. Adopt one simple rule instead: no money moves in a hurry. Legitimate institutions do not demand immediate transfers, and they do not mind if you hang up and call back on a number you looked up yourself. That pause is where nearly every one of these schemes falls apart. If something feels off, call us before you act. Serving as a second set of eyes on an unusual request is part of what we are here for, and no client has ever bothered us with a question we thought was too small.

09/15/2026

Equity compensation can build remarkable wealth over a career, but it rarely converts cleanly into retirement income. RSUs are taxed as ordinary income in the year they vest, stock options are generally taxed on the spread when exercised, and either can push a high earner into a higher bracket in a single year. Then there is concentration risk. When a large share of your net worth sits in one company's stock, your retirement is tied to that company's fortunes. Unwinding a concentrated position takes years, close coordination between your planner and your tax advisor, and attention to trading windows and compliance approval.

Matt Sivertsen explains why the planning needs to start well before you need the money: https://bit.ly/4uvXPFF

Incorporating equity compensation into your retirement planning helps align RSUs, stock options, and tax planning with retirement goals. 

09/10/2026

A concentrated stock diversification strategy helps reduce single-stock risk while managing taxes and preserving long-term investment discipline. Learn smart diversification approaches.
https://bit.ly/3Vbz9WQ

A concentrated stock diversification strategy helps reduce single-stock risk while managing taxes and preserving long-term investment discipline.

09/09/2026

Open enrollment season arrives this fall, and for many households it is one of the most consequential financial decisions of the year that receives the least attention. The forms get filled out in a hurry, and last year's elections carry forward by default. It deserves more than fifteen minutes. Are you capturing the full employer match? Would a high deductible plan paired with an HSA serve you better, given that HSA dollars can be invested and carried into retirement? Is your disability coverage enough to replace your actual income, and does your group life insurance still fit your family? At The Planning Center, we review employer benefits as part of your broader plan, because these choices compound quietly for decades.

09/08/2026

Not every major decision starts with a detailed plan.

Sometimes it starts with a simple question, followed by an honest conversation, and then a willingness to move forward together.

This moment highlights how trust, relationships, and timing came together to shape the future of an entire firm.

It’s a reminder that clarity often follows action, not the other way around.

Watch the full episode here: https://bit.ly/4iCyRSC

09/07/2026

Happy Labor Day! Today we recognize the workers whose effort powers households, communities, and the broader economy. For most people, a paycheck is the engine behind every financial goal they have, from the emergency fund to the retirement account to the education savings plan. That connection is worth pausing on. The purpose of all that work, ultimately, is to make work optional. A well-built plan turns years of labor into choices: when to step back, what to say yes to, and how to spend the time you have earned. Wishing you a restful holiday.

09/04/2026

Over decades of working with families, one pattern keeps showing up.

The people who tend to feel the most confident over time aren’t chasing perfect timing. They’re consistent. They understand their own money stories, acknowledge differences, and stay disciplined through both good and hard cycles.

This clip captures why long-term success often comes down to habits, not headlines.

Catch the full episode here: https://bit.ly/4iCyRSC