The Signature Blog
Practical tips and resources on building your ideal life.
Choose a topic you need help with or scroll through the posts below and explore our approach to money and life.
“Retirement Rules”: Why You Shouldn’t Wait to Start Living the Life You Deserve
If you could retire from work today, what would you do with your time? Would you travel, spend more time with your families, volunteer or pursue a favorite hobby? Well, what if I told you that you could do all of…
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July 2021 Market Update
Amazingly, the year is already halfway over. It’s been full of events so far: a new President, battling COVID, vaccinating for COVID, Tom Brady winning another Super Bowl, meme “stonks,” genetically modified mosquitos (yikes!), and the gas pipeline hack and…
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Home, Sweet Home(s): Investing in Real Estate
In his celebrated 1822 song, Home, Sweet Home, playwright John Howard Payne profoundly and firmly holds his own home as a more revered spot than a royal palace (even if the said home is a “lowly thatched cottage”). While you…
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May 2021 Market Update
There has been an impressive rotation out of technology stocks and into industrial, basic materials, and financial stocks in 2021, and the first couple of weeks of May have seen that rotation continue. Basically, the stocks that outperformed in 2020…
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Inspiring Confidence: Persevering Financially After the Loss of a Loved One
Many of us don’t want to think about our own mortality, much less that of those we hold dear. But death is something we all will face eventually — and sadly, it can happen at any moment. While the topic…
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April 2021 Market Update
The first quarter has wrapped up, with the S&P 500 finishing higher by nearly 6%, making it the fourth consecutive quarter of positive returns for the index. The underlying stocks remain very strong with almost all of S&P 500 stocks…
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The Essential Checklist for Selling Your Business
Congratulations! The due diligence is done, and you and the buyer are satisfied with the deal. You’re getting ready to schedule a closing date where you and the buyer, along with your advisors and other professionals, will dot the i’s…
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March 2021 Market Update
February saw stock markets regain their footing, as optimism over vaccinations, stimulus, and loose monetary policy propelled markets higher. The S&P 500, a broad measure of the stock market, was up nearly 3%, and small-company stocks rose even more. Volatility…
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When It Comes Time To Claim Social Security, Do You Know All of Your Options?
You know Social Security and retirement go hand in hand, but do you realize just how important it is to make the right claiming decisions? One Social Security misstep could leave you missing out on hundreds of thousands of dollars…
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Signature Wealth Strategies Celebrates 5 Years of Expansion across the Southeast
Florence, South Carolina, February 5, 2021 — Signature Wealth Strategies (SWS) is marking its fifth anniversary this week by recognizing the dedicated service of its employees and branch offices and by taking time to reflect on the massive growth that…
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February 2021 Market Update
After a pretty lethargic January (the S&P 500 was down about 1%), stock indices have rocketed upward so far in February. The big news over the past few weeks has been the wild ride of some heavily-shorted stocks, although a…
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Tax Planning: Laying the Groundwork for Tax Season
Smart moves at the beginning of tax season can help get your financial house in order. Contrary to popular belief, tax planning isn’t limited to the months between year-end and April 15. In fact, smart tax planning goes beyond deductions…
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January 2021 Market Update
Happy New Year, and welcome to 2021! I hope that this year brings to all of us less upheaval than the last. We were busy at the end of 2020, trying to reduce capital gains tax exposure for our clients. …
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Navigating The Unpredictable in Your Retirement Routine
You wake up in the morning, get yourself a healthy breakfast, and sit down to check in on the daily news of our world. Even after leaving the workforce, our days and our lives still find a way to develop…
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Market Update December 2020
November stock market returns were for the record books, as the S&P 500 rose nearly 12%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average had its best month since 1987, and the Russell 2000 was up 18% for its best month ever. The…
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2020 Charitable Giving Guide
Giving builds positive change in people. It can also help lower your tax bill. Giving creates positive change in people and communities. It sustains a multitude of worthwhile organizations. It launches innovative new programs and services. Plus, it makes us…
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Post-Election Market Update November 2020
Election Day has come and gone (my house is pleasantly quiet now that the political calls have stopped coming in!) and, although the results aren’t completely in, we have a much better feel for what government will probably look like…
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Better Together: Essential Small Business Survival Tips for Right Now
The stunning beauty of a Maidenhair tree is matched only by its remarkable resilience to survive all sorts of environmental challenges that topple less hardy species. The tree agelessly defies strong winds, pollution, and drought. The secret of how a…
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