Refinancing your mortgage solely to get a lower interest rate isn’t always the smartest financial move, so here are some questions to consider before you call up a mortgage broker

Brittany Mollica and Chris Hostetler discuss Hilltop’s latest market views including COVID-19, the presidential race, the economic downturn, and how you can tend your investments through all of it.

Elections matter, but how will the polling season affect your portfolio? We want you to be prepared for short-term volatility, so David Wise brings you 4 tips for navigating your portfolio through the election (a supplement to our recent blog post on Politics and Your Portfolio).

Does the election matter? Absolutely! Does it matter to your investments? Maybe not as much as you think. It’s normal for election years to breed anxiety, division, and uncertainty, but we’d like to explore what this actually means for the investment markets and whether you should be changing your investment strategy over the next few months.

This year has changed life for everybody, and your cash flow is not immune to the disruption. While we love encouraging you to save for long-term goals, you shouldn’t feel guilty if you can’t prioritize savings right now because of COVID. Brittany Mollica reminds you: sometimes you just need to play defense.

If you’ve been offered an early-retirement package, do you know what to do with it? It’s much more complicated than a simple “yes” or “no.” While it’s a great problem to have, you do have some big decisions to make. Chris Hostetler helps you figure out where to start.

David Wise and Chris Hostetler discuss Hilltop’s latest market views including economic reopening post-coronavirus, election uncertainties, creative destruction, and what it all means for your portfolio and financial plan.

Hilltop is facing a new test, along with everybody right now. We need to figure out how to safely reopen our office following a global pandemic. Our challenge is a microcosm of a much larger social question right now, so we thought it might be helpful to share how we are thinking about reopening.

David Wise discusses the importance of understanding your tolerance for investment risk.

With mortgage rates at historically low levels, you might feel compelled to browse Zillow in search of your perfect first home. Going through the process firsthand has caused me to think about how to know when you’re ready to make the leap from renter to homeowner.

In our previous post, “Do I Need a Trust? Part 1”, we explored the benefits a trust can provide: control, probate relief, privacy, estate tax and creditor protection, among others. Now let’s walk through a few specific examples where a trust may help you accomplish your goals.

Is the extra cost and trouble of a trust really worth it? As with so many other questions, it depends on your circumstances and goals. There are a number of types of trusts designed to meet different needs, whether you’re looking to preserve wealth for future generations, protect your heirs from themselves or harmful situations, or simply avoid the legal hassles of the probate process.

Watch the replay of our webinar on two new laws that may change your retirement strategies – the CARES Act and the SECURE Act.

In today's Hilltop at Home, Brittany Mollica shows us what baking and financial planning have in common

Rusty Eriksen and Brittany Mollica discuss the impact of COVID-19 and social distancing on the markets, and what it all means for your portfolio and financial plan.

In today's Hilltop at Home, Curtis Byrd shares highlights about the CARES Act and its impact on retirement plans and IRAs.

How do you make wise and opportunistic financial decisions during such an uncertain time? For context and insights from Hilltop, watch our webinar: Personal Finance 101 – Planning in a Pandemic.

In today's Hilltop at Home, Spencer Brown shows you what to watch for and how to protect yourself from fraud.

The IRS is beginning to send out Economic Impact Payments, and there are many questions about these so-called “stimulus checks”. See the Hilltop Views post for more information and helpful links.

In today’s Hilltop at Home, David Wise and his family have some ideas on how you can help others while social distancing.