Benchmark Wealth Management Old Lyme Ct

Work Through The Grief

Bridgewater Associates

Before making any decisions about the money, you need to process the loss of your loved one. Failing to deal with your grief can result in emotional spending that compromises the money youve just received. If you give yourself some time, you may become more sensitive to your loved ones wishes or have the chance to clear your head of complex emotions.

If your loved one spent their life building and protecting their wealth, they probably hoped youd do the same. Letting your inheritance sit for a minute can help you overcome the initial temptation to splurge on something like a fancy vacation or expensive new home. If its important to you to honor their legacy, dont forget to take care of your own emotions to protect the wealth theyve gifted to you.

Meet With A Financial Professional

Social Security is an intricate puzzle with many pieces, so attempting to go at it alone may not be the best course of action. To gain clarity and help maximize your benefits, its best to work with a financial professional.

Our team at Benchmark Wealth Management can help you evaluate your options and choose a claiming strategy based on your unique situation. We are here to walk with you as you navigate Social Security, and the rest of your financial journey as well. If you have questions about Social Security or you need help developing a big-picture financial plan, please call 860.434.6890 or email me at to schedule a consultation.

About Rick

Additional information, including management fees and expenses, is provided on our Form ADV Part 2, available upon request or at the SECs Investment Advisor Public Disclosure site, www.iapd.com, searching with our company name or unique identifier, CRD # 160192. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results

Securities offered by Registered Representatives through Private Client Services, Member FINRA, SIPC in the following states: AZ, CA, CT, FL, KY, MA, ME, MI, MN, NH, NJ, NY, RI, TX. Advisory services offered through Benchmark Wealth Management, LLC a Registered Investment Advisor. Benchmark Wealth Management and Private Client Services are unaffiliated entities.

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Do You Know Your Number

What is your risk tolerance? Does your portfolio really reflect your tolerance level? Contact me and have your portfolio analyzed to see if there is a match.

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Build Up Your Savings

If theres one thing the last two years have taught us, its that its crucial to prepare for the unpredictable. Whether it be a pandemic, a lost job, or rising rates of inflation, sufficient savings can mean the difference between staying afloat during uncertain times and not having enough when you need it most.

If youre not saving already, take steps to start putting a portion of your income away every month. Usually 10-15% of pre-tax income is a good guideline. Ideally, it is recommended that most people should have at least 3-6 months worth of non-discretionary expenses saved in a highly liquid, easily accessible emergency fund before saving toward other goals. Either way, consistent savings are the cornerstone of any solid financial plan.

Though risk is fundamental to investing, its also crucial that you arent overexposed to unnecessary risks. Take steps to evaluate your risk tolerance, based on your unique financial circumstances, stage of life, and personality, and be sure your investments align.

What To Do When Your Pfizer Stock Options Vest

For over 20 years, I have had the pleasure of executing financial plans for a number of Pfizer employees when their incentive stock options or nonqualified stock options became vested. It can be an exciting season, and if done correctly, can yield incredible financial opportunities.However, in order for these options to be a blessing and not a curse, they need to be treated carefully and deliberately. There are 3 paths to choose from when it comes to exercising stock options:

You can hold on to the options.

You can exercise your options and hold the stock.

You can exercise the options and then immediately sell the stock.

None of the choices listed here are inherently better than the others. Its important to take into consideration your current financial standing and your long-term strategy when deciding which path is best for you.Lets unpack the different options and why each one might make sense for you.

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Would You Like To Add Your Business Or Organization To Townplannercom

Whether you represent a business or a community organization such as a church, school, museum, city government, etc., we invite you to create an account and get a listing in our online business directory. There is no charge to create an account and it only takes a few moments of your time.

If you’d like additional exposure for your business or organization, we offer all kinds of options to fit your needs and budget. Do you want to bring more people in to your establishment? Why not consider a coupon or a promotional event? If you just need to keep yourself in the public eye you might want to think about placing an eye-catching full-color ad. You can choose your medium: the website, the mobile app, the weekly newsletter, our popular wall calendar, or any combination of the four.

Did you know that independent studies by the Verafast Corporation repeatedly show that at least 70% of all homeowners who receive our calendar keep and use it all year long? That’s a phenomenal retention rate and makes sure that your business or organization is truly being put On Display Every Day.

Remember too that we are a family friendly organization and reserve the right to reject any events that we deem inappropriate for our calendar or online media tools.

We want to bring the Town Planner to even more towns across America. If you or someone you know want to earn a good living while promoting local businesses and building hometown pride, please consider becoming a Town Planner publisher today!

How Are You Compensated

Financial planning and investment costs can be confusing, and often financial planners dont readily disclose their fees. As fee-based planners, our clients always know what theyre paying and what theyre receiving for their money. We want our clients to feel comfortable with their strategies and confident that there are no hidden fees eating away at their hard-earned savings.

At Benchmark, we are compensated by an assets under management fee, which is paid quarterly, based on the value of your assets. There are no other hidden costs from us and we do not earn money through commissions.

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Friends & Family Are Welcome

If you know someone you believe would benefit from our insight and guidance, we welcome the opportunity to meet them. In addition to arranging to meet in person, we can also have impactful conversations by video chat or phone. We know time is valuable when and how we meet can be personalized to accommodate the busiest of schedules. Please call 860.434.6890 or email me at richard.stout@bwmllc.net to schedule a consultation.

Path : Hang Tight And Plan

Neil Bahal of Negan Capital: Portfolio Strategy for 193% gains

The first option has a singular but powerful purpose, and that is to allow you time to plan. Jumping into exercising your ISOs/QOs can put a lot of strain on your liquid cash assets. On the other hand, cashing them out immediately can expose you to tremendous tax liabilities.

Because you have about 10 years to exercise your ISOs/QOs, you dont have to make a move right away. If you dont have a solid plan, appropriate resources to exercise, or if you are in a disadvantageous tax situation to cash out, then waiting may be the right move.But waiting doesnt mean that you arent taking action! Now is the time to put a plan in place, setting time frames for when and how much you will exercise. Further, you need to consider your larger financial goals and plans and optimize your ISO/QO strategy in such a way that it enhances the big picture. For example, you may have 10 years to use your options, but if you are scheduled to retire in 5 years, then its important that your plan takes this into consideration.

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How Our Emotions Affect Our Money Habits

Are you a spender or a saver? Many of us naturally lean toward one over the other. But think about these other factors: safety net, social status, helping others, supporting your family, name brand, budget. Each of these will spark emotion and play into how we handle money.

Understanding your emotional ties to money will help you pivot in some areas and learn where you need to make improvements. In the same frame of thought, it can point out strengths and areas where youre using money as a tool for the good.

Generally speaking, if we are greedy or self-centered by nature, our spending habits often reflect these characteristics. Remaining grounded, thinking about those around us, and prioritizing the future we truly want are great ways to overcome negative emotional ties to money.

Ner With A Financial Professional

When facing any challenge in life, sometimes the perspective of an objective third party can prove invaluable. Enlisting the help of an experienced financial planner is a great way to take control of your finances and get a jump-start on the future. No matter where youre at in the planning process or what goals youve set for your financial life, Benchmark Wealth Management is here to support you, guide you, and help you navigate your financial challenges.

We have the tools and expertise to help you set financial goals, build up your emergency fund, and reevaluate your risk level. In fact, by combining our skills based on education and experience with our commitment to proactive and responsive service, our ultimate goal is to deliver unsurpassed wealth management. We care about what is important to you, and strive to adhere to the highest principles, ethics, and values.

If youre ready to start planning for the new year with a team that puts you first, please call 860.434.6890 or email me at to arrange a consultation today.

About Thomas

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Seidner Announces New Fund To Help Most Vulnerable Residents In Lyme Old Lyme All Donations Up To $10k To Be Matched By Benchmark Wealth Management

March 24, 2020 by Admin

LYME-OLD LYME In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, a new charitable fund has been established to provide financial support to the most vulnerable residents of Lyme and Old Lyme. The Lyme-Old Lyme Coronavirus Relief Fund will be managed by the Lymes Youth Service Bureau , in partnership with the Social Services Departments of the two towns. Early donations have already been put to good use helping vulnerable citizens in both communities with essential needs such as groceries, fuel, diapers and assistance with rent.

Shortly after the fund was established, Benchmark Wealth Management announced it would match all donations on a one-to-one basis up to a total of $10,000. Asked by email why Benchmark had decided to make such a generous donation, Rick Stout responded, Tom and I live in Old Lyme and have raised our families in the Lyme-Old Lyme community. Doing good is a tenet of our business philosophy. Stout and Britt are the partners of the company.

Stout continued, Current events will impact everyone, so where and when we can help, Benchmark is committed to doing so, noting, Additionally, we are actively supporting area businesses and nonprofits and their employees personally. Small businesses and their employees, nonprofits, the self-employed and everyone working in the gig or tip-dependent economy is facing great uncertainty.

All donations are tax deductible and can be made online at www.lysb.org/covid19.

Not Sure Which Advisor Is Right For You Use Our Matching Tool

Our matching tool simplifies the process of finding a financial advisor. To match you with top financial advisors nearby, we ask you a series of questions about your retirement plans, life status, investment goals and advisor preferences, which are all important topics to consider when choosing a financial advisor.

The content in this profile was updated by SmartAsset on 04/01/2022 using publicly available data compiled from the SEC andFINRA. To report any data inconsistencies or errors, please contact.

The named financial professional and firm have not reviewed, approved, or endorsed this profile and are not responsible for its accuracy. Profile content is produced by SmartAsset independently of any business relationships that might exist between SmartAsset and the named financial professional and firm, and financial professionals and firms having business relationships with SmartAsset receive no special treatment or consideration in SmartAssetâs profiles.

This profile may include a firm or advisor that has a business relationship with SmartAsset, in which SmartAsset is compensated for lead referrals. SmartAsset is not a client of the aforementioned firms or advisors. SmartAsset did not receive compensation for including any of the firms or advisors in the aforementioned profile.

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Finding A Financial Advisor Through Wealthminder

Historically finding and hiring a financial advisor was hard.Wealthminder was built to make the process much easier.

The best way to use Wealthminder is to take advantage of our free proposal system.All you have to do is take a few minutes of your time to describe your situation and the assistance you are looking for.

Wealthminder then sends your request to our network ofprescreened financial advisors.If a financial advisor is interested in your business, they will submit a proposal to you.

You review the proposals you receive and decide if youd like to have a follow-up call with one or more of the financial advisors.

Throughout the process, you maintain control. We only share your contact information with a financial advisor once you ask for an introduction.

Timeout!

Annual Linen Sale On Lyme Streetthursday Through Saturday

Patricia Spratt for the Home is known for their beautiful table linens, pillows, and more. And locals know the annual sidewalk sale at her Lyme Street workshop is the time to stock up! The sale begins Thursday, July 28 and runs through Saturday’s festival from 10am-4pm each day. Stop by for great savings on beautiful home accessories, as well as preppy fashion from Love, Lilly and accessories by Ellen Raines Martin.

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Are You A Fiduciary

Theres a reason this is the first questionits importance cannot be overstated! A planner who serves as a fiduciary accepts a responsibility to put his or her clients interests first and foremost in all decisions. A fiduciary is legally required to avoid conflicts of interest and remain unbiased in their recommendations and advice.

How can you know for certain that a planner youre interviewing is a fiduciary? The firm will either be listed as a Registered Investment Advisor or the advisors on the team will hold certifications that hold them to the fiduciary standard, such as the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER, Chartered Financial Analyst®, or Certified Public Accountant professional designations. Keep in mind, if the financial planner doesnt fit those descriptions, they may still act as a fiduciary in certain situations, like sharing a recommendation, but not necessarily when selling products.

Benchmark Wealth Management is a Registered Investment Advisory firm and abides by the fiduciary standard of professional conduct. We do what we say and finish what we startall for your benefit.

What I Wish I Had Known About Money When I Was Younger

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We all have to be young before we can be wise. For many, this mantra mirrors their relationship with money. To become financially wise, we need to learn key principles, many of which we wish someone would have shared with us earlier in life.

Whether youre a parent, grandparent, or young adult, I want to share a few principles I wish I had grasped at a younger age. Whatever stage youre in, I hope they either help you directly or you take the time to share them with someone who looks to you for guidance in life.

This isnt just a blanket start saving and avoid debt messageits deeper than that. What I wish I had known about money when I was younger:

The power of compound interest and returns
How money can be a tool for both good and bad
How our emotions affect our money habits

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How Do We Meet

These days its not unusual for firms to offer both in-office and virtual appointments. If youre someone who travels a lot, you may prefer a planner who is easily accessible in a virtual environment. For those who prefer a more personal touch, make sure the planner is someone who is available to meet in their office.

At Benchmark, in-person meetings are welcome and encouraged. We enjoy the opportunity to see our clients in person and believe this is an important part of our relationship with them. We do understand, however, that time is valuable and that it can be difficult to get away. Our services and systems have been designed so that all of the information you need to understand your finances are accessible to you at any time via eMoney and Schwab Alliance. With this accessibility, we can easily have impactful conversations about your finances virtually or via telephone, without the need for you to leave your home or office, thus disrupting your routine.