ABLE Financial Group

10/12/2026

Score yourself, business owners (one point for each “yes”):

→ Do you know what your business needs to sell for to fund the retirement you want?
→ Have you had a formal, professional valuation in the past two years?
→ Are your last three to five years of financials clean, consistent, and free of personal expenses?
→ Could your business run for two weeks without you and without anything important breaking?
→ Do your key employees have a plan or incentive to stay through a change in ownership?
→ Do you understand how different deal structures, including asset sales, stock sales, and installment sales, could affect your taxes?
→ Do you know what your first Monday after the sale looks like?

👉 𝗦𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 “𝘆𝗲𝘀𝗲𝘀”:

𝟳 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝟳: You’ve done a lot of the work. Now keep pressure-testing the plan.

𝟰 𝘁𝗼 𝟲: You have a foundation. Focus on the missing pieces that could affect the value or terms of a future sale.

𝟯 𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗲𝘄𝗲𝗿: You have some work ahead. That’s exactly why it’s better to start before a buyer sets the timeline for you.

At ABLE Financial Group, business transitions and succession planning are the core of what we do. Watch our recent video on business exit readiness: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZFgaUIuQ3k

10/05/2026

“Fiduciary” and “best interest” can sound like the same thing. They aren’t.

If you’re choosing a financial advisor, start by asking a simple question: What legal standard governs the advice I’m receiving?

A fiduciary has a legal duty to put the client’s interests ahead of the advisor’s, to minimize conflicts of interest, and to disclose the ones that can't be avoided. Other advisors may operate under a best-interest standard that sounds similar when it’s explained in a sales conversation.

Then, if you live in Arizona, ask a second question: Does this advisor understand Arizona?

That local knowledge can affect real planning decisions.

You want an advisor who understands both the standard they operate under and the state where you live.

We’ve been helping families plan from our Scottsdale office since 2006, and we’re happy to talk through what that looks like.

09/28/2026

Q4 is just a few days away, and the decisions you make over the next three months will shape how 2026 finishes and how 2027 begins.

If your revenue is running ahead of projections, this is the window to consider accelerating deductions, increasing retirement plan contributions, or pulling forward capital purchases to take advantage of depreciation before December 31. If revenue is running behind, adjusting expenses and cash flow now gives you time to course-correct before the year closes.

Business owners finishing the year strong have usually sat down with their financials in September, not December.

09/21/2026

Your HSA may be the most underused retirement account you own.

While typically used for current medical bills, if you can cover those out of pocket instead, the account becomes a triple tax advantage: deductible going in, tax-free while invested, and tax-free coming out for qualified medical expenses. After 65, you can withdraw for any purpose and pay only ordinary income tax. No other account combines all three.

Note: Enrolling in any part of Medicare ends your ability to contribute. That includes Part A, which most people assume is harmless because it costs nothing. Enroll after 65 and Part A can be backdated up to six months, turning contributions you already made into excess contributions with a penalty attached. Filing for Social Security does it too, since Part A comes automatically.

If you are working past 65 and still funding an HSA, stop six months before you enroll.

Approaching 65? Let's review your timeline: ablefinancialgroup.com/contact/

09/14/2026

Who would make medical and financial decisions for your loved one if they couldn't make them on their own? For families with a disabled adult child or an aging parent experiencing cognitive decline, this question needs to be answered sooner rather than later.

Depending on where you live, a court may establish guardianship, conservatorship, or both to authorize someone to make personal, medical, or financial decisions.

Without these legal arrangements in place, families often face emergency court proceedings during an already difficult time. The court appoints someone, and it may not be the person you would have chosen.

Starting the process while things are stable gives you time to select the right person, work with an attorney, and structure the arrangement properly.

At ABLE Financial Group, we work with families navigating these decisions and coordinate with legal counsel to verify the financial side is handled correctly.

09/09/2026

Medicare's Annual Enrollment Period opens October 15 and closes December 7.

During this window, you can switch between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage, change your Part D prescription drug plan, or adjust your coverage for 2027. Any changes take effect January 1.

A few things to review before the window opens:

→ Are your current medications still covered at the same tier?
→ Are your doctors still in-network?
→ Will your drug costs hit the out-of-pocket cap, and have you opted into the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan for 2027?

Don’t Miss: IRMAA (the surcharge on Part B and Part D premiums for higher-income retirees) is based on your income from two years ago. Your 2026 return determines what you pay in 2028. So a business sale, a Roth conversion, or a large capital gain this year carries a Medicare cost that shows up later.

Taking time to review before October 15 can save you money and frustration all year: http://ablefinancialgroup.com/contact/

09/07/2026

Communities are built by people who show up every day, whether they're leading businesses, serving customers, teaching students, building homes, or caring for others.

Today, we celebrate the dedication and hard work that make a difference every day.

Happy Labor Day from the ABLE Financial Group team.

09/02/2026

Social Security plays an important role in your retirement - but do you know how to make the most of it?

Join us for a complimentary educational event designed to help you better understand Social Security and plan confidently for the retirement you envision.

Breakfast will be provided, RSVP today by emailing [email protected]

09/01/2026

You signed the grant agreement, filed it away, and moved on. Now the position is one of the largest holdings you own, the expiration date is real, and no one has explained what it costs you at tax time. Here is how ISOs and NQSOs are taxed differently, and what changed in 2026. Link in the comments.

Learn how ISOs vs NQSOs are taxed differently and what changed for 2026. Larry Van Quathem is a financial advisor with ABLE Financial Group in Scottsdale, AZ.

08/31/2026

If you lost your job tomorrow, would you know what to do first?

The biggest mistake you can make during this time is signing before understanding the full picture of your severance offer.

Packages often include base pay, bonus proration, stock vesting acceleration, and healthcare continuation, each with its own tax treatment and deadlines.

Review the offer, understand what's negotiable, and know your options before you sign.