Vintage Financial Partners

02/10/2026

Thinking about a Roth IRA conversion this year, but not sure if it makes sense?

Here are a few key points to keep in mind ✅

What a Roth conversion is:
🔹 Moving money from a pre-tax account, such as a traditional IRA, into a Roth IRA
🔹 The amount converted is typically taxable as ordinary income in the year of conversion

Why investors consider it:
🔹 May allow for tax-free growth and tax-free qualified withdrawals in retirement if certain requirements are met
🔹 Currently, there are no required minimum distributions for the original Roth owner under existing law
🔹 May provide more flexibility for heirs than a traditional IRA, depending on individual circumstances

How to potentially approach it:
🔹 Consider smaller, multi-year conversions instead of one large move
🔹 Monitor how added income may affect Adjusted Gross Income, tax brackets, and future Medicare premiums
🔹 Once converted, it generally cannot be reversed under current rules

Key considerations:
🔹 With a Roth IRA, to qualify for the tax-free and penalty-free withdrawal of earnings, Roth IRA distributions must meet a five-year holding requirement and occur after age 59½. Tax-free and penalty-free withdrawals can also be taken under certain other circumstances.
🔹 With a traditional IRA, once you turn 73, you must take the required minimum distribution. Withdrawals are taxed as ordinary income and may be subject to a 10 percent federal income tax penalty if taken before age 59½.

Roth conversions may be a useful strategy when they align with an overall, personalized tax and retirement strategy. As always, consult a tax and financial professional before making any decisions.

02/09/2026

Did you update your retirement contributions for 2026?

It’s February, but you may still have your 401(k) and IRA deferrals set to last year’s numbers, even though the limits went up for 2026.

Here are the key updates to know for 2026.

Workplace Plans - 401(k), 403(b), 457s:
● Employee limit: $24,500
● Age 50+ catch-up: extra $8,000, total $32,500
● Ages 60–63 “super” catch-up: up to $35,750

IRAs (Traditional + Roth Combined):
● Base limit: $7,500
● Age 50+ catch-up: $1,100, total $8,600

🔍 High Earners - A Big Change.
If your 2025 wages were above $150,000, your 401(k) catch-up contributions in 2026 must be made in a Roth account, not a pre-tax one.

If your plan does not offer a Roth option, catch-ups may not be available.

With most retirement accounts, once you reach age 73, you must begin taking required minimum distributions. Roth accounts are the exception. Withdrawal penalties may apply if you take the money before age 59½. Roth IRA distributions must meet a 5-year holding requirement and occur after the account holder reaches age 59½.

So, if you haven’t already:
● Confirm your current deferral rate reflects the new limits, not last year’s
● Check whether your plan offers Roth and how catch-ups are handled

01/28/2026

What’s the smallest piece of your data that could cause the biggest problem if exposed? 🔐

Why January 28?
Data Privacy Day commemorates the Council of Europe’s Convention 108, which was opened for signature on January 28, 1981, marking the first legally binding international treaty on data protection.

For Individuals:
● Review privacy settings on social platforms, apps, and devices
● Consider turning on multi-factor authentication when available
● Update software and browsers
● Replace weak or reused passwords; consider a password manager

For Businesses:
● Revisit data privacy policies and access controls (least privilege)
● Refresh employee training on phishing and social engineering
● Validate vendor/third-party data practices and breach response steps
● Log and minimize the sensitive data you collect

For Everyone:
● Talk with family about the value of personal information and the risks of oversharing—come up with a “safe word”
● Agree on household norms for passwords, app permissions, and updates

Make security a daily practice—not a once-a-year project.

01/19/2026

Dr. King didn't call for reflection; he called for action. Today, we honor his legacy by focusing on the active pursuit of justice and opportunity. 🕊️

Dignity, access, and opportunity are not abstract ideals; they’re daily work.

In our profession, this means providing insights, ensuring fair access to guidance, and helping families build financial strategies that can span generations.

We’re reflecting, listening, and recommitting to service in the communities we call home.

01/16/2026

What if you could sell your business and owe far less in taxes?

QSBS was a hot topic at the 60th Annual Heckerling Institute on Estate Planning. For some business owners, the opportunity is real, but often overlooked.

We explain it on the blog.

A key takeaway from Heckerling: many business owners may qualify for QSBS tax savings and don’t know it. Here’s what matters.

01/13/2026

If you are 50+, do you know how your catch-up contributions are changing?

1️⃣ Who Is Affected
Employees aged 50+ whose prior-year W-2 F**A wages from the same employer exceed $150,000 (indexed) must make any 2026 catch-up contributions as Roth (after-tax).

2️⃣ When It Applies 📅
The statute kicks in for 2026 contributions. Final IRS regulations took effect on November 17, 2025, and generally apply starting in 2027. For 2026, plans may operate under a reasonable and good-faith interpretation.

3️⃣ What to Verify 🔎
Your plan must offer a Roth source. If it doesn’t, affected employees can’t make catch-ups until Roth is added.

4️⃣ With a Roth IRA, to qualify for the tax-free and penalty-free withdrawal of earnings, Roth IRA distributions must meet a five-year holding requirement and occur after age 59½. Tax-free and penalty-free withdrawals can also be taken under certain other circumstances. The original Roth IRA owner is not required to take minimum annual withdrawals. With a Roth 401(k), employer matching with pre-tax dollars is not distributed tax-free during retirement.

01/08/2026

What changed for your taxes on January 1?

Several Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) items were set to roll off after 2025. In July 2025, Congress passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), which modified parts of that “sunset.”

Three 2026 watch-items to know:
● Standard Deduction & Brackets: 2026 amounts are published; the top rate remains 37 percent with updated thresholds.
● Estate & Gift: The basic exclusion is $15,000,000 per person in 2026 (indexed for inflation).
● State and Local Tax (SALT) Deduction: The long-standing $10,000 cap was revised upward beginning in 2025, with specified phase mechanics in later years.

Background:
The TCJA originally scheduled many individual provisions to expire after 2025; OBBBA adjusted several of them.

Net:
2026 tax math is different from 2024–2025, so check the published thresholds before you make assumptions. And check with your tax or accounting professional before modifying your strategy. ⚖️

01/06/2026

2025 wasn't just another year; it rewrote the rules for tax, estate, and investment strategies.

If you haven't reviewed your approaches since July, you're potentially leaving money on the table (or perhaps exposed to unnecessary risk).

Here’s What Changed: Tax Reform Got Real

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act made sweeping changes, including:

→ $15 million estate exemption per person ($30 million per couple)
→ Expanded State and Local Tax deduction to $40,000 (through 2029)
→ New $6,000 senior bonus deduction for those 65+
→ First-ever auto loan interest deduction up to $10,000

But here's the catch: Many of these provisions are temporary and set to expire in the coming years.

Markets Recovered—Then Rallied. Remember "Liberation Day" on April 2? The S&P 500 dropped following the tariff news. It then recovered within a month and continued to climb through the year. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Why 2026 Is Critical:
The elevated estate exemption is labeled "permanent," but we all know tax laws change. For families with significant wealth, this is a window, not a guarantee.

Families who act early to align their tax, estate, and investment strategies with the new landscape will be positioned for decades of advantage.

Have you reviewed your strategy since these changes took effect?

📋 Work with your tax, legal, and accounting professionals before making any changes due to the new tax law. The S&P 500 Composite Index is an unmanaged index that is considered representative of the overall U.S. stock market. Individuals cannot invest directly in an index.

01/05/2026

Who helped you learn the hard parts of this business? 🤝

National Mentoring Month is a good nudge to be intentional, not ad hoc, about how we develop people.

It’s how wisdom gets passed on, not just knowledge.

It shortens learning curves, opens doors for people who’ve been left out, and keeps our standards high by pairing accountability with encouragement.

And the best mentoring is a two-way street. Mentors sharpen their own thinking and mentees bring fresh perspectives. 🧭

This month, take a moment to thank the people who have invested in you and make space to invest in someone else.

(Pictured: Sarah Hall, Anna Squier, and Rachel Walston)

01/02/2026

A Smarter January Starts Here 📅

Most resolutions fade because they’re vague. January is Financial Wellness Month, and you don’t obtain financial wellness with vague goals.

You pursue it with measurable goals that are tied to the real-life outcomes you work towards for you and your family.

Sometimes it can be overwhelming though.

That’s when financial professionals can help. We work with clients to do the following and more:

▪️ Identify a few short-term goals that can make a difference (e.g., savings rate, debt paydown, or cash runway in months). Track them weekly.
▪️ Stress test your portfolio: What changes if x, y, or z happens? Run different scenarios so you can stress test your strategies for both the short and long term.
▪️ Review your plan now: review deferrals, evaluate retirement plans, and come up with a strategy to manage gains/losses.
▪️ Update the “people” side: beneficiaries, POA/health proxies, and key insurance coverages.

If you’d like a Financial Wellness Check-In, message us. We’ll uncover data-driven ideas tailored to your situation to help your financial wellness.

01/01/2026

Wishing you and your families a very Happy New Year! 🎉

For us, a fresh calendar doesn’t change our core principles.

We’re continuing our focus on three simple habits that serve clients well:

▪️ Clarity over complexity
▪️ Process over predictions
▪️ Proactive communication over waiting for clients to reach out to us

Wishing you and your families good health and steady progress, personally and financially, towards every goal you’ve set for yourself.

12/30/2025

❓ College vs. Retirement: Where should your extra money go?

Even when the ability to do both exists, the order matters.

🔍 Key considerations:
▪️ Consider retirement first: Compounding works best when funds are invested earlier. And, as you know, there are no loans for retirement.
▪️ Education has flexibility: Scholarships, grants, and student loans can fill gaps if needed.
▪️ Timing matters: The mix between retirement and education funding can shift as they near college age and/or retirement approaches.

💡 Pro Tip:
You may benefit from focusing on retirement needs first, then using surplus cash flow for education funding strategies.

Of course, you need to revisit this periodically to stay aligned with market conditions and family goals.

Smart preparation makes it possible to retire and support education in a way that fits your overall wealth strategy. We’re here to help.