Afton Advisors - Rob DeLucas

07/08/2025

Most financial plans focus on asset allocation, but few talk about asset location, it's a secret weapon for paying less in taxes and growing your retirement savings faster. Discover how to make your investments work smarter, not harder.

💡 Did you know where you hold your investments can impact how much tax you pay? Asset location is a powerful but often overlooked strategy that helps reduce taxes, boost Roth conversions, and lower capital gains. Learn how to optimize your portfolio for tax efficiency in our latest blog post!

08/18/2022

What to do with your money when a recession is imminent

The economy has been on a rollercoaster recently and investor confidence is down 6.6 points since March, which means investors are feeling a little fearful about how the markets are going to be doing in the near future. In times like these, people often second guess their investments. This is short-term thinking, and long-term investors should try not to let their emotions get the better of them. Instead, they should be wondering “what is smart money doing right now?” Here are some smart money moves that investors should keep in mind when signs of a recession are looming.

1. Stick with your plan (barring any major life changes)
2. Roth conversions and tax-loss harvesting.
3. Look for short-term yield. Keep investing in equity index funds (they’re on sale). If you’re not sure if you’re doing everything you can to secure your finances right now, speak to your financial advisor or seek out someone new who can help you navigate your financial life with confidence.

Read the full article here: https://aftonadvisors.com/blog/what-to-do-with-your-money-when-a-recession-is-imminent

08/15/2022

If you're considering working with a financial planner to help organize and plan out your finances, you may not know what to expect. One thing that is a huge factor in deciding to make a financial plan with an advisor is the overall timeline of getting the ball rolling, working with your advisor, and implementing your plan. When I work with my clients, there tends to be a timeframe that I can rely on. If you are thinking about creating a financial plan and want to get an idea of how that will fit into your schedule, here is a work flow that you can expect to see:

+Organize - 60-min meeting to organize your financial details

+Strategize - 90-minute session to analyze all areas of your financial plan

+Deliver - 60-min meeting to deliver your customized financial plan

+Implement - 6-week implementation of your financial plan

+Adjust - Update your plan as life changes: Annual reviews

+Ongoing client service - Continued control of your financial future

If you're thinking about starting to build your own financial plan, schedule a 30 minute consultation with us to take the first step!

08/11/2022

Saving for college with a 529 plan

What is a 529 Plan?

A 529 plan, or a “qualified tuition plan”, is a special tax-advantaged account designed for saving for college and future education costs. Similar to a Roth IRA, withdrawals for education costs are tax-free. Your 529 plan contributions are not tax-deductible, but these funds can grow tax-free while you save up for college.

There are two types of 529 plans: prepaid tuition plans and education savings plans. Prepaid tuition plans allow the account holder to purchase units at participating universities – which are usually public and in-state. This plan limits you spending and doesn’t allow the money to be used on expenses other than credits.

Education saving plans involve an investment account that will allow for a broader list of expenses than the prepaid tuition plan and can be used at any college or university (even some international universities). They can also be applied to tuition for elementary and secondary school of up to $10,000 per year.

There are some caveats and limitations to a 529 plan. What if your child, in the end, decides not to go to university? Well, then you would need to pay taxes on the savings.

Do you want to find other ways to maximize your savings? Check out our website for more information.

08/09/2022

7 Ways to Make Extra Money

It's never a bad idea to make some extra money if you can, and in times of high inflation like we are experiencing now, the idea is looking better and better. Here are some possible ways to Increase Your Income:

1. Monetize a skillset
If you have any specialized skillset, you could monetize it and take part in the gig economy that has been on the rise ever since 2020.

2.Cash in your credit card rewards
If you use a credit card regularly, you are accumulating points. You can cash in your points to reap the rewards as determined by the card's offers.

3. Sell creations
If you have the knack for it, you can make extra cash by selling some of your creations on Etsy, Shopify, or Amazon Handmade. If you find a demand for what you make, you could make a decent profit. It is estimated that sellers on Etsy make anywhere from $5,000 to $50,000 in their first year.

4. Sell your rental property
Many experts agree that despite the strangeness of the housing market right now, we are not in a housing bubble and home values will expect to remain high for the foreseeable future. So, if your rental property isn't producing the rental income you expected or if you simply don't want to carry a rental property anymore, now may be the right time to sell because you could get a return on your initial investment in today's housing market.

5. Rent out things of value
Did you know that you can rent out your stuff? I didn't! But apparently, it is a thing now. Renting things that you already own through online platforms could be a great way to make income with little to no startup costs.

6. Monetize your social media as an affiliate
If you happen to have an engaged and sizeable social media following, you can earn extra cash by becoming an affiliate of the products and services you support. You don't have to be an influencer for this to make you a little extra money. Companies that offer affiliate partnerships will say so on their website, and typically all you need to do is sign up to start.

7. Save MORE of your cash
Putting money into a high-yield savings account can earn you extra money with the Federal Reserve raising rates this year. An excellent source for emergency reserves, a high-yield savings account is great If you don't need to access some of your cash for 1 to 2 years because you could save it in a CD and earn as much as 2.86% APY.

Read the full article here: https://aftonadvisors.com/blog/7-ways-to-make-extra-money

08/04/2022

Teach your child good financial habits

You can teach your kids great money habits using their allowance.

Like some adults, children will spend their entire allowance on the first thing that grabs their attention. You can tell them “Don’t spend it all in one place!” but without setting good examples for them and some explanation of financial goal setting, the lesson won’t really set in. if they don’t understand what saving means for them AND they don’t get to see examples of good financial habits.
Giving your child an allowance can be an opportunity to start learning how to be financially responsible.

The first step is setting a good example. You can do this by showing your kids when you are not buying something you want. From there you can have a conversation about wants vs needs – and how you can survive without buying that $1500 grill you were eyeing when out shopping together.

Then you can teach them about dividing their money into categories, such as the “three-bucket” formula, popularized by author Ron Lieber in his book: The Opposite of Spoiled, where every time they receive money, they set aside some for “Spending,” “Saving,” and “Giving.” Being able to see their savings grow by practicing delayed gratification can teach kids early on that discipline and focus pays off.

Visit our website and schedule a 30-minute consultation!

08/02/2022

The Stock Market vs. The Economy: Do you know the difference?

I'm sure you've heard people talking about the stock market and the economy at the same time, using the words interchangeably. They aren't the same - although there is some overlap. Let me explain:

The economy can be defined as “the wealth and resources of a country or region, especially in terms of the production and consumption of goods and services.” More specifically, one way we can understand economic activity is through real GDP (gross domestic product), which measures the value of goods and services while factoring inflation into the equation. As a result, understanding the health of the economy can be thought of in terms of the growth rate of real GDP, meaning whether or not the production of goods and services is increasing or decreasing.

The stock market can be defined simply as the buying and selling of ownership shares in a corporation, or simply put, a "stock exchange". The stock market is comprised, therefore, of the buyers and sellers (with some buyers and sellers holding more “stock” than others) and is not necessarily indicative of every business, worker, and family.

So, how well the economy doing does not offer a direct reflection of the state of the stock market and vice-versa. Why? Well, it's because the stock market isn't representative of the entirety of what makes of the U.S economy. The stock market is comprised of generally larger companies whereas the U.S economy encompasses small business, workers, and cities. On top of this, the National Bureau of Economic Research found that the wealthiest 10 percent of households in the United States were in control of 84 percent of the total value of stock shares, bonds, trusts, and business equity. So, the behavior of the stock market may not be a complete or accurate reflection of the state of the U.S Economy in real-time.

Visit our website and schedule a 30-minute consultation!

07/28/2022

What’s The Difference Between an Investment Advisor and Financial Planner?

Investment Advisors and Financial Planners are both focused on improving your financial wellbeing, however the scope and overall purpose of the two specialists are not the same. The main difference between investment advisors and financial planners is that while investment advisors are usually just focused on investing assets to grow money, financial advisors are incorporating this as well as helping clients achieve financial goals and lifestyle objectives.

If you want to work with a professional who focuses on planning, remember to take note of if they have a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER(TM) designation. This means that they have gone through the high and thorough level of training for all core aspects of financial planning. Fee only registered Investment advisors as well as Financial Planners can both have the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER (TM) designation. This means that they have fulfilled the following qualifications:
- A qualified professional who assesses your financial situation and helps you create and maintain a complete financial plan
-They can work at RIAs and Broker-Dealer firms
-Are held to the highest fiduciary standard and must put its clients’ interests first
-They are trained in the art of true, comprehensive financial planning and are required to maintain training with extensive continuing education to stay abreast of changes in the industry

Read the full article here: https://aftonadvisors.com/blog/whats-the-difference-between-an-investment-advisor-and-financial-planner

07/26/2022

After filing your taxes, you may find yourself feeling fatigued from all the paperwork and numbers you’ve been crunching. But, before you put your documents away, follow these five tips that can help you save time, reduce stress, and get your taxes in order for next year.

1. Plan Ahead
Plan ahead for next year’s taxes by getting organized, going over your taxable income and also taking into consideration any upcoming major life events that could cause need for financial adjustments.

2. Track Your Investments
Keep track of the stocks, bonds, and mutual funds you may own so that you can make sure any gains or losses are properly accounted for.
You can also make IRA contributions earlier in the year in order to give your investments more time to accrue gains.

3. Adjust Your Withholdings
It's best to think about your withholdings at the beginning of the year to ensure that you won't overpay taxes by not considering all of your dependents.

4. Max out retirement accounts
If you are self-employed, you can max out your IRA or Roth accounts. If you have an employer, oftentimes they will do an employee match to your 401(k) contribution. This means you can contribute as much as possible earlier on in the year to accrue the most growth.

5. Start a Health Savings Account
If you haven't already, you should start a health savings account due to its many tax-saving benefits. If you are eligible to open an HSA, you can save tax-free money since you don't need to pay taxes on your contributions, growth or withdrawals made for qualified medical expenses.

6. Consider a Roth Conversion
Although there are some limitations to a Roth IRA, it allows you to contribute after-tax dollars and are rewarded when you withdraw the money in retirement because it’s tax-free!

Read the full article here: https://aftonadvisors.com/blog/tax-season-is-over-heres-what-to-do-now

07/21/2022

Do you have confidence in where your financial life is headed?

So many of the families I work with feel confident up until a point. But as you near and pass the age of 40, retirement isn’t so far off anymore. Your financial life is a bit more complicated with higher incomes, healthcare and education costs, possible stock options, or business considerations. There is simply more to think about and manage as you advance in your career and stage of life.

Having a financial professional on your side to guide this phase of your financial journey can be just the thing you’ve been looking for to help you continue to make smart decisions for you and your family.

And as always, if you want to talk about your financial plan or get a second opinion don’t hesitate to schedule some time to chat!

06/28/2022

Market Volatility and What We've Learned from Past Crises

Market volatility, a bumpy ride that we've grown familiar with the past couple years, is not something new. History provides many examples of times when the economy took hits that sent people for a loop worrying about their finances. But what does history actually teach us about how crises play out in the economy in the long term?

Let's take a look at some of the U.S's biggest market disturbances in the past 50 years:

1. The 1970s Oil Embargo - 1973-74
The interruptions in Middle Eastern oil imports in the 70s caused stagnant economic growth and price inflation. The recession was compounded with the 1973-74 stock market crash that saw US stocks go down by 42.6%. Within the next 12 months of the '74 crash there was a 38.1% increase.
2. Black Monday - 1987
The sever and largely unforeseen stock market crash caused fears of a second Great Depression at the time. US stocks fell 27% and in the next 12 months rose back up by 22.5%
3. Tech Bubble:
The tech bubble and its eventual burst in the early 2000s resulted in a U.S stock market decline of 47.4%. Within subsequent 12 months the market recovered by 36.2%.
4. Financial Crisis - 2007-09
The most serious economic crisis since the Great Depression, this saw the market crash by 55.3 and rise back up by 72.3% in the year afterwards.
5. Covid-19 Selloff - 2020
This one is fresh in all of our memories. In February and March of 2020, the U.S stocks fell by 33.8% and in the next 12 months rose up by 77.8%.

What we can see from these cases from history is that the market, in the long-term, inevitably regains its equilibrium.

Afton Advisors can help you sail through the choppy waters of the global economy with a sense of confidence in your financial security. Call us today for a 30 minute consultation.