Featured Blog

Flat Fee Financial Advisors for Planning and Investment Management
Arnold & Mote Wealth Management charges one flat fee, billed monthly or quarterly, that covers both financial planning and investment management. The fee doesn’t move with your account balance or with the stock market. Current pricing is on our Services

Medicare IRMAA FAQs – Tax Deductions, Duration, and How to Pay
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Social Security Fairness Act – Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP), GPO Repeal Update
If you or your spouse have social security benefits that have in the past been affected by the WEP (Windfall Elimination Provision) or GPO (Government Pension Offset) programs, there’s big

2025 New 401(k) Super-Catch Up Contributions
One of the most significant changes to 2025 is a new, extra catch-up contribution amount available for those between ages 60 and 63 in their 401(k), 403(b), or other employer

Understanding Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) for Inherited IRAs
Rules for required distributions from inherited IRAs have changed significantly in recent years. For several years, there was uncertainty regarding how recent tax laws, such as the SECURE Act, applied

Iowa Inheritance Tax – How Much is the Inheritance Tax in Iowa?
When a loved one passes away and leaves behind property, you may be required to pay Iowa inheritance taxes. How much, or whether you pay any inheritance taxes at all,

Non Deductible IRA vs Brokerage Account – Which is Better?
Non-deductible IRA contributions are a common option for savers to get more money into retirement accounts. While saving into an IRA is certainly never a bad idea, we find that

Medicare IRMAA FAQs – Tax Deductions, Duration, and How to Pay
For higher income retirees, Medicare adds a surcharge to your Part B and Part D premiums, called IRMAA, or the Income Related Monthly Adjustment Amount. The extra charge is determined

What Types of Income is IRMAA Based On? Calculating MAGI for Medicare IRMAA Surcharge
Understanding the type of income that counts towards the IRMAA calculation is important because avoiding IRMAA can save you hundreds of dollars per month on each spouse’s monthly Medicare bill.

Dangers of Dividend Investing – Why We Use a Total Return Approach
The benefits of dividend investing are frequently hyped across financial media, by bloggers, and even by financial advisors. We get a lot of questions about the best dividend funds and

401(k) Target Date Funds with Annuities – New Hybrid Target Date Funds
The SECURE Act of 2020 opened the door for more insurance products to be offered within 401(k) plans. One trend we’ve noticed creeping into our clients’ retirement accounts —including those