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Northstar Financial Planners

Home
About
How We Help
Who We Help
Pre-retirees
Florida Retirement System Special Risk Employees
Families of Children with Special Needs
Our Process
Book
Resources
Our Blog
Newsletters
Holiday Card Archive
Contact Us
Client Login
May 1, 2025
Allen Giese, ChFC®, CLU®
One of the Best-Kept Secrets in Charitable ...

Discover how donor-advised funds offer a flexible, tax-smart way to simplify and amplify your charitable giving—without the hassle of a private foundation.

May 21, 2021
Retirement Planning
Allen Giese, ChFC®, CLU®
The 5 Biggest FRS Retirement Mistakes

Watch this video to learn about the five biggest mistakes we see FRS Special Risk participants making.

March 24, 2021
Investment Management
Northstar Financial Planners Inc.
To Bit or Not to Bit: Investing in Crypto

Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are receiving intense media coverage, prompting many investors to wonder whether these new types of electronic money deserve a place in their portfolios.

March 24, 2021
Investment Management
Northstar Financial Planners Inc.
Tales from The Crypto: Cautionary Bitcoin ...

Bitcoin and related cryptocurrencies are the subject of much debate and fascination. Given bitcoin’s dramatic price changes, it is not surprising that many are speculating about its possible role in a portfolio.

February 25, 2021
Investment Management
Steve Tepper, CFP®, MBA
Trading into Stock Frenzies: A Lesson in ...

Forget GameStop. Here’s some real-life investing lessons to learn from fictitious company LameSlop.

Northstar Financial Planners Inc.
February 13, 2023
Financial Planning

"This Time Is Different”: Why a Long-Term Perspective and a Financial Plan Matter

Northstar Financial Planners Inc.
February 13, 2023
Financial Planning

Feeling anxious about news headlines? Taking a historical perspective and building a long-term financial plan could help.

Tagged: Current Events, Recession, Layoffs, Optimism, Long-Term Plan, Retirement

Steve Tepper, CFP®, MBA
January 25, 2023

What’s New in SECURE Act 2.0?

Steve Tepper, CFP®, MBA
January 25, 2023

Here are a few highlights of SECURE 2.0 that may affect you.

Northstar Financial Planners Inc.
January 25, 2023

People Have Memories. Markets Don’t

Northstar Financial Planners Inc.
January 25, 2023

As you start 2023, take a lesson from the market. Don’t begin this new year bogged down by what happened last year.

Northstar Financial Planners Inc.
January 17, 2023
Financial Planning

5 Things to Do with Your Finances at the Beginning of the Year

Northstar Financial Planners Inc.
January 17, 2023
Financial Planning

Make 2023 the year you take charge of your finances. Here are five things you can do while the year is young.

Tagged: Financial Goals, Cash Flow, Investing, Diversification, 401(k), IRA, Retirement Planning, 2023, Fee-Only, Fiduciary

Steve Tepper, CFP®, MBA
December 19, 2022

Financial Wellness Month

Steve Tepper, CFP®, MBA
December 19, 2022

January is Financial Wellness Month! Here are 8 tips to help boost your financial health.

Steve Tepper, CFP®, MBA
December 19, 2022

Social Security and Work

Steve Tepper, CFP®, MBA
December 19, 2022

Here is the potential impact of job income on your Social Security check if you work and receive benefits.

Northstar Financial Planners Inc.
December 14, 2022
Investment Management

A Mutual Fund vs. an ETF: What’s the Difference?

Northstar Financial Planners Inc.
December 14, 2022
Investment Management

Here are the key differences between mutual funds and ETFs to help you decide the best option for your portfolio.

Tagged: ETF, Exchange-Traded Fund, Mutual Fund, Capital Gains

Steve Tepper, CFP®, MBA
November 30, 2022

The FTX Collapse for Dummies

Steve Tepper, CFP®, MBA
November 30, 2022

Everything that could go wrong went wrong last month, as one of the largest crypto exchanges went from tens of billions in assets to zero in a matter of days.

Steve Tepper, CFP®, MBA
November 30, 2022

Timing a Recession

Steve Tepper, CFP®, MBA
November 30, 2022

With constant chatter for more than a year now of a coming recession, how simple it would be to profit if we knew exactly when the recession was going to begin and when it would end. Or would it be that simple?

Northstar Financial Planners Inc.
November 14, 2022
Retirement Planning

Social Security Recipients Can Expect a Big Boost in 2023

Northstar Financial Planners Inc.
November 14, 2022
Retirement Planning

Social Security beneficiaries will see an 8.7% increase in their benefits in January 2023.

Tagged: Social Security, Cost of Living, COLA, Medicare, Inflation

Charles Thomas, MBA
October 26, 2022

Roth IRAs for Younger Generations

Charles Thomas, MBA
October 26, 2022

Roth IRAs are still a fairly new type of retirement account that have benefits that go unused by many. Roth IRAs can play an important role in long-term financial planning, especially for younger generations.

Northstar Financial Planners Inc.
October 26, 2022

Rising Rates: Short-Term Pain for Long-Term Gain?

Northstar Financial Planners Inc.
October 26, 2022

Some investors may be hesitant to take advantage of higher yields because of concerns about future increases in yields.

Northstar Financial Planners Inc.
October 17, 2022
Retirement Planning

Why a Roth Conversion Can Increase Your Medicare Premiums

Northstar Financial Planners Inc.
October 17, 2022
Retirement Planning

Roth conversions can be a great way to enjoy tax-free distributions in retirement. But be aware that they can increase your premiums for Medicare.

Tagged: Roth, IRA, IRMAA, Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount, MAGI, Medicare, Part B, Part D

Northstar Financial Planners Inc.
September 26, 2022

Midterm Elections—What Do They Mean for Markets?

Northstar Financial Planners Inc.
September 26, 2022

It’s almost Election Day in the U.S. once again. In financial circles, this will almost assuredly include any potential for perceived impact on markets. But should long-term investors focus on midterm elections?

Northstar Financial Planners Inc.
September 14, 2022
Investing

The Good and Bad of ESG Investing

Northstar Financial Planners Inc.
September 14, 2022
Investing

Here are the upsides and downsides of ESG investing to help you decide whether it’s right for you.

Tagged: ESG, Environmental, Social, Governance, Sustainable Investing

Felipe Mejia, CFP®
August 16, 2022

Selling Real Estate in This Market? Here’s How the Capital Gains Work

Felipe Mejia, CFP®
August 16, 2022

If you sold your home after the pandemic began, you may have brought in a sizable profit.

Northstar Financial Planners Inc.
August 15, 2022
Estate Planning

5 Big Mistakes Executors Make—and How to Avoid Them

Northstar Financial Planners Inc.
August 15, 2022
Estate Planning

You can be personally responsible for mistakes you make as an estate executor. Here are five of the most common mistakes you should be aware of.

Tagged: Estate Administration, Executor, Portability

Charles Thomas, MBA
July 25, 2022

Social Media Security

Charles Thomas, MBA
July 25, 2022

A hot topic of conversation has been the many threats we face in cybersecurity. If you have fallen victim to a hacker, it is important to act in a timely manner to prevent further damage to your personal information.

Allen Giese, ChFC®, CLU®
July 25, 2022

A Rough Half-Year

Allen Giese, ChFC®, CLU®
July 25, 2022

If an economic slowdown over a few calendar quarters is what it takes to tame inflation, it would be by far the lesser of two evils.

Northstar Financial Planners Inc.
July 15, 2022
Financial Planning

Does It Make Financial Sense to Buy an Electric Car?

Northstar Financial Planners Inc.
July 15, 2022
Financial Planning

With gas prices going up, you might be eyeing an electric car for your next purchase. Here are the areas where EVs cost more and less than gas cars.

Tagged: Electric Car, Electricity, Utility Costs, Gasoline Prices

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This is not a solicitation for any investment product. Always read the prospectus before you invest. Past performance is no indicator of future returns. Northstar Financial Planners is a fee-only advisor and sells no investment products.

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