PrimeauMayer Financial

10/16/2026

People often ask me why "Catholic" sits right at the front of how we describe our firm. It started in 2010, when Mark Primeau and I met as fellow field agents at a Knights of Columbus agency in Northern Virginia. After nine years, we built an independent firm that supports clients on their own terms with comprehensive financial planning and investment services. You don't have to share our faith to work with us: you just have to want an advisor whose values you can actually see in how they work. Link in the comments.

10/13/2026

If you lost a spouse this year, the weeks before the holidays can feel especially heavy, and paperwork tends to arrive long before you're ready for it.

In many cases the large, hard-to-reverse decisions can wait. Selling a home or making broad investment changes usually doesn't need to happen this month, while insurance claims, cash needs, and estate paperwork do deserve attention now.

A few year-end items may apply. If you're eligible, you may still file a joint federal return for the year your spouse died. If your spouse was already required to take a minimum distribution from an IRA this year and hadn't finished it, the remaining amount generally has to come out; if your spouse died before those distributions were required to begin, one may not be due this year. Before you apply for Social Security survivor benefits, review your claiming options, since eligibility and amounts depend on your circumstances.

You don't have to carry this alone. We can help organize the financial questions and coordinate with your CPA and estate attorney at a pace that respects what you're going through.

For educational purposes only. Tax, legal, and benefit rules are complex and may change. Consult your tax, legal, and benefits professionals before acting.

10/12/2026

Chesterton Academy of St. Thomas Aquinas is hosting Preparing Your Family for College on Friday, October 16, and we are grateful for the invitation to participate. Tim Mayer, Co-founder and Principal of PrimeauMayer Financial, will speak on the financial side of the decision at Mercy Hall at St. John the Evangelist in Warrenton, from 6:00 to 8:00 pm.

We are looking forward to the company as much as the subject. Patrick Reilly, founder and president of The Cardinal Newman Society, and Anthony Chiappetta, who directs the Center for Academic and Career Success at The Catholic University of America, are also on the program.

Together, the three will cover financial preparation, college and trade vocations, and writing the college essay.

The event is free, and reservations are required through the school. The details are in the post below.

10/08/2026

For many executives, the election window for next year's deferred compensation arrives with fall benefits enrollment. Deadlines vary by employer, so check yours early.

A nonqualified deferred compensation plan can let you defer part of future pay and generally recognize the income when the plan pays it out, often after retirement, when your rate may be lower. Plans differ, and rules for bonuses and short-term deferrals can change the timing.

Two details call for attention. Deferred compensation is generally an unsecured obligation of your employer, so unlike assets held in a qualified plan, amounts set aside may remain available to the company's general creditors. Your distribution election can also be difficult and costly to change, since Section 409A generally requires the election before the pay is earned and limits later changes.

The decision covers more than how much to defer. Cash flow, your employer's financial strength, how much of your wealth is already tied to the company, and your retirement timing all matter.

Read your plan document before your employer's deadline, and reach out to Tim to get the full picture. Link in the comments.

For educational purposes only. Tax, legal, and benefit rules are complex and may change. Consult your tax, legal, and benefits professionals before acting.

10/05/2026

A question we hear often: "Everyone says taxes are going up. Should I start Roth conversions now?"

Tim's answer: A Roth conversion moves money from a traditional IRA into a Roth IRA. What you convert is generally taxable this year, and qualified Roth withdrawals can be tax-free later.

Converting only because the 2017 tax rules were scheduled to expire is less pressing now, since the 2025 federal tax law continued the current rate structure. Tax law can still change, so that alone is a thin reason to convert.

Other reasons can apply. Required minimum distributions (the withdrawals required from traditional retirement accounts starting at age 73 for most people) can raise taxable income later. A surviving spouse may file as a single taxpayer at higher rates, and many non-spouse beneficiaries generally must empty an inherited account within 10 years, with exceptions.

The tradeoff is the tax due now, and a conversion that lifts income above a Medicare surcharge threshold can raise premiums, based on income from two years earlier. The right amount, if any, depends on your whole tax picture.

The right planning can help you optimize the taxes paid on your retirement savings. Reach out to see how PrimeauMayer plans around taxes. Link in the comments.

For educational purposes only. Tax, legal, and benefit rules are complex and may change. Consult your tax, legal, and benefits professionals before acting.

01/15/2026

“I like the comfort of cash—yet I know it’s barely earning a thing.”

A retiree I recently met with put into words what a lot of people feel.

She had six figures sitting in checking and money-market accounts. It felt safe. It felt simple. But it also wasn’t doing much—other than slowly piling up from income she wasn’t spending.

Instead of swinging for the fences, we built a measured plan:

✔️ A healthy cash cushion for peace of mind
✔️ High-quality bonds that can be accessed quickly
✔️ A portion invested for long-term growth
✔️ Smart use of charitable giving and Roth conversions to lower lifetime taxes

Cash can still be comforting and intentional.

If you’re holding extra cash “just in case,” the real question might be: does it have a job?

Send a message to learn more

12/03/2025

Selling your company should feel like a victory lap… not a surprise tax bill. 💸🏁

I recently spoke with the owner of a small engineering firm who’s right there.

Decades of 80-hour weeks.
A solid 401(k).
A 7-year buyout to a key employee he trusts.

On paper, it’s “You did it.”

But his real question was:
“How do I turn all this deferred money into a life I actually want… without handing a huge chunk to the IRS or choking my business?”

So we’re working through the real puzzle:
➡️ How much should be taxed as capital gains vs. ordinary income
➡️ Where Roth conversions actually make sense
➡️ How he can step back while keeping the business healthy

Our first step isn’t a product pitch.
It’s a real conversation about his values, his family, and what he wants the next chapter to look like.

From there, we build a plan to:
✅ Reduce taxes for him and his heirs
✅ Protect his succession payout
✅ Put decades of hard work and saving to work for him

If you’re a business owner within sight of the finish line, don’t jump at the first offer or insurance pitch.

👉 Send me a message if you want to map out your options before you sign anything.

11/27/2025

Grateful for You This Thanksgiving - https://mailchi.mp/primeaumayer/grateful-for-you-this-thanksgiving

06/05/2025

Movie Night? PrimeauMayer’s Treat! Watch The Last Rodeo Free - https://mailchi.mp/primeaumayer/movie-night-primeaumayers-treat-watch-the-last-rodeo-free

03/10/2025

Here are 5 questions you should ask when looking for a financial planner to make sure that you find one who is truly going to meet your needs.