Perspective Planning Partners

Perspective Planning Partners Our mission is to help clients acquire a clear perspective of their financial future. CA Life/Health Insurance License ID 0G66258

C.J.

Nathan Schmidt, Financial Consultant
Designations: CFP®
Licensed to do business in AZ, CA, CO, IA, KS, MN, MO, ND, NE, SD, TX, WI, and WY. Teply, Financial Consultant
Designations: CFP®
Licensed to do business in IA, KS, NE, and TX

Arnette Garris, Advisor
Designations: LUTCF, FIC, and CLTC
Licensed to do business in CO, KS, and NE

Dennis Werner,
Advisor
Designations: CLU®, LUTCF, and FIC

Licensed to do business in CO, KS, and NE



For Thrivent social media guidelines and important disclosure information visit Thrivent.com/social. Thrivent Financial is a financial services organization that helps Christians be wise with money and live generously. As a membership organization, it offers its members a broad range of products, services and guidance from financial representatives nationwide. For more than a century it has helped members make wise money choices that reflect their values while providing them opportunities to demonstrate their generosity where they live, work and worship. Insurance products issued or offered by Thrivent Financial, the marketing name for Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, Appleton, WI. Not all products are available in all states. Products issued by Thrivent Financial are available to applicants who meet membership, insurability, U.S. citizenship and residency requirements. Securities and investment advisory services are offered through Thrivent Investment Management Inc., 625 Fourth Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55415, a FINRA and SIPC member and a wholly owned subsidiary of Thrivent. Thrivent Financial representatives are registered representatives of Thrivent Investment Management Inc. They are also licensed insurance agents/producers of Thrivent. Fee-based investment advisory services are available through qualified investment advisor representatives only. For additional important information, visit Thrivent.com/disclosures. Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and federally registered CFP (with flame design) in the United States, which it awards to individuals who successfully complete the CFP Board's initial and ongoing certifications requirements.

According to a Fidelity article, for the ‘25-’26 school year, the average published all-in cost at a 4-year public schoo...
05/29/2026

According to a Fidelity article, for the ‘25-’26 school year, the average published all-in cost at a 4-year public school for out-of-state students is $45,780, and the average private school costs $60,920.

So, because today is 529 Day (it’s 5/29, get it? 😂), it’s a good time to revisit one of the most flexible tools for tackling those numbers.

What 529 plans actually do:

📚 Tax-free growth and tax-free withdrawals for qualified education expenses. State tax treatment will vary, and so will fees and expenses.

📚 Use them for college, trade school, K-12 tuition, and apprenticeships. A 529 can even repay up to $10,000 in student loans.

📚 Whether a 529 qualifies for a state tax deduction will depend on your state of residence, as state tax laws and treatment may vary from federal tax laws.

📚 Superfund up to $95,000 in a single year by using five years of gift tax exclusions at once. But remember if you make nonqualified distributions, earnings will be subject to income tax and a 10 percent federal penalty tax.

📚 Minimal impact on financial aid—parent-owned 529s are assessed at a maximum rate of 5.6 percent.

Grandparents, parents, aunts, or uncles can contribute.

And starting in 2026, the K-12 annual withdrawal limit doubles to $20,000.

The best time to start was years ago. The second-best time is now.

Most parents think the last tuition check means game over for college. The data says it's halftime.50 percent of parents...
05/28/2026

Most parents think the last tuition check means game over for college. The data says it's halftime.

50 percent of parents with adult children still provide regular financial support, spending $1,474 a month to do so. That's more than twice what they're putting toward their own retirement.

Here's what "just helping out a little" actually looks like:

✅ 75 percent of parents aged 45+ are financially supporting at least one adult child, even though over half of those children can meet their own basic needs, according to a 2025 AARP survey.

✅ 42 percent of supporting parents report financial stress. 9 percent have retired early because of it.

✅ 47 percent say they've sacrificed their own financial position for the sake of their kids.

✅ 18 percent say the support could continue indefinitely. They don't see an end in sight.

This isn't about being less generous. It's about being intentional.

Whether your kid just graduated, graduated five years ago, or is still in school, the question is the same: Is your support happening by design or by default?

That's worth a conversation.

Yes, Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer. But let's not forget what this day is really about.Today, we rem...
05/25/2026

Yes, Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer. But let's not forget what this day is really about.

Today, we remember those who gave everything. The men and women who served and never came home.

Some of us knew them. Some of us are here because of them.

However you spend today, take a moment to pause. Enjoy the long weekend, but hold space for what it actually means.

To the families carrying that loss: we honor them with you.

Think you have to start claiming Social Security at 62?That's a myth that could cost you.Fidelity recently broke down th...
05/15/2026

Think you have to start claiming Social Security at 62?

That's a myth that could cost you.

Fidelity recently broke down this common misconception with the facts behind Social Security:

➡️ Claiming at 62 locks in a permanent 30 percent reduction compared to waiting until full retirement age.

➡️ Waiting from 62 to 70 can increase your monthly benefit by approximately 77 percent.

➡️ If you're divorced after 10+ years of marriage and haven't remarried, you may be entitled to 50 percent of your ex-spouse's benefit, and claiming it doesn't affect theirs at all.

➡️ Benefits are based on your highest 35 earning years, not just what you made before 65. Working past 65 can still improve your calculation.

➡️ Once you claim it, that's your benefit, adjusted only for cost-of-living increases.

The decision of when to claim is one of the most consequential decisions when preparing for retirement.

For a benefit designed to last 20, 30, or more years, the math is worth getting right. 📊

CJ recently traveled to New York to meet with Morgan Stanley and discuss developments in AI, private equity, and the fix...
05/14/2026

CJ recently traveled to New York to meet with Morgan Stanley and discuss developments in AI, private equity, and the fixed income landscape.

Your retirement outlook probably covers income, investments, and Social Security.But does it answer this question: if yo...
05/14/2026

Your retirement outlook probably covers income, investments, and Social Security.

But does it answer this question: if your health changes at 82, who coordinates your care, how is it paid for, and what burden does it place on the people you love? 👇

That's the conversation most families aren't having early enough.

A few numbers that put it in perspective:

✅ 70 percent of adults who reach 65 will need some form of long-term care.

✅ A semi-private nursing home room now costs a median of $114,975 per year, and that number is climbing fast.

✅ Projected out 20 years, nursing home care could approach $186,000 annually.

✅ Continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs) offer an alternative: move in while independent, with access to assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing on one campus as needs change.

✅ A portion of CCRC entrance fees and monthly fees may have tax considerations since they can be classified as a medical expense. Most people don't know this.

The biggest mistake we see?

Waiting.

CCRCs require applicants to be healthy enough to live independently. Many have waitlists.

"I'll just stay in my house" feels like the safest option. But it's only safe if you've stress-tested what happens when care needs escalate.

Have you started this conversation with your family or your financial professional? 👇

💐 Happy Mother's Day weekend to all the moms, stepmoms, grandmothers, and mother figures who have and continue to shape ...
05/09/2026

💐 Happy Mother's Day weekend to all the moms, stepmoms, grandmothers, and mother figures who have and continue to shape us all!

Moms teach us more about money than they probably realize. The way they focus us on what matters and demonstrate the beauty of giving without expectation.

So much of how we think about generosity, responsibility, and what's worth protecting traces back to what we learn from the women in our lives.

Happy Mother's Day!

A lot of what drives outcomes is below the surface.For example, in 2022, when the S&P 500 fell more than 18 percent, two...
04/30/2026

A lot of what drives outcomes is below the surface.

For example, in 2022, when the S&P 500 fell more than 18 percent, two-thirds of mutual funds still made capital gains distributions, according to a 2025 Fidelity report.

That is not a headline most investors expect, and it is a reminder that taxable distributions from mutual funds do not always reflect market performance.

What’s really going on:
A mutual fund can distribute taxable capital gains when the manager sells underlying holdings at a profit, even if you don’t sell any shares of the fund.

It can happen in a down year; gains on individual holdings can occur while the overall fund value declines.

Buying a mutual fund late in the year can still leave you responsible for distributions tied to that full calendar year.

Fidelity cites a Morningstar study showing taxes may reduce portfolio returns by up to 2 percent annually on average when not accounted for.

There are ways to manage surprise distributions, including tax-smart account placement, tax-managed funds, and evaluating ETFs, where appropriate.

Remember, mutual funds and ETFs are sold only by prospectus. Please consider the charges, risks, expenses, and investment objectives carefully before investing. A prospectus containing this and other information about the investment company can be obtained from your financial professional. Read it carefully before you invest or send money.

This is not about avoiding mutual funds. It is about the benefits of working with a financial professional who can show you what mutual funds pay capital gains and what funds are designed to manage payouts. Your tax, legal and accounting professionals can show you how a capital gain will affect your tax situation.

Think “tax-loss harvesting” is only for bad markets or complicated portfolios?At a simple level, it is this: using certa...
04/28/2026

Think “tax-loss harvesting” is only for bad markets or complicated portfolios?

At a simple level, it is this: using certain investment losses to manage taxes while keeping focus on your long-term strategy.

How it works in plain English:

➡️ Sell an investment at a loss, then replace it with a different investment that plays a similar role in the portfolio.

➡️ Use the realized loss to offset realized investment gains.

➡️ If losses exceed gains, up to $3k per year (for married filing jointly) may offset ordinary income on federal taxes, and the rest carries forward.

➡️ Losses can be saved to offset future gains.

➡️ Watch the wash sale rule, which is buying the same or substantially identical security within a 30-day period before or after the “tax-loss harvesting” sale (61 days total).

➡️ We can show you how tax-loss harvesting works. Your tax, legal, and accounting professionals can show you how your decision will affect your tax situation.

The goal is not to chase tax savings. It’s to keep more of the portfolio working over time while staying aligned with the strategy.

April is National Stress Awareness Month, and caring for aging parents is one of the biggest stressors many families fac...
04/16/2026

April is National Stress Awareness Month, and caring for aging parents is one of the biggest stressors many families face.

In our experience, stress drops when the basics are handled before there is urgency.

Here are 5 things to consider:

➡️ Financial power of attorney, so someone can act if needed

➡️ Healthcare proxy, so medical decisions are clear and legally supported

➡️ Account access, so a trusted contact can see what is happening without scrambling

➡️ Bill pay strategy, so nothing becomes a late fee problem on top of everything else

➡️ A shared “where things live” file, documents, logins, contacts, including key professionals

These are not fun conversations, but they are often a gift to future selves and to siblings who may need to step in.

When preparations have been made, families can give more time and attention to what actually matters.

Address

5960 Vandervoort Drive Suite 100
Lincoln, NE
68516

Website

http://Finra.org/, http://Sipc.org/

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