Max Novak Max Novak

I Received an Inheritance. What Should I Do First?

An inheritance almost always arrives at the worst possible time. You are grieving, you may be managing family logistics, and suddenly there are financial decisions in front of you that feel urgent even when they are not.

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Max Novak Max Novak

Should You Give Your Kids Their Inheritance Early? Pros, Cons, and Tax Considerations

Most families think of inheritance as something that gets passed down after someone dies. But a smaller gift at 35 does something a larger one at 65 never quite can. It arrives when it actually changes things. Here is how lifetime gifting works, what the tax rules allow in 2026, and why we think it is one of the most underused tools in financial planning.

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Max Novak Max Novak

Just Got Married? A Financial Checklist for Newlyweds

Getting married changes nearly every part of your financial life. Tax filing status, insurance coverage, beneficiary designations, estate documents, retirement planning, how you think about debt. All of it shifts the moment you get married.

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Max Novak Max Novak

How Much Life Insurance Do I Need? A Guide for Young Families (2026)

Most young families think they are covered because they have life insurance through work. They are not. Group coverage typically provides one to two times your salary. Most families need ten to twelve times. Here is what the gap actually looks like in dollars, four ways to calculate the right amount, and the mistake couples make by only insuring the working spouse.

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Max Novak Max Novak

Estate Planning Checklist: The 5 Documents Every Young Family Needs

Most young families put estate planning off until someday. But without the right documents, a court decides who raises your children and where your assets go. Here are the five documents every young family needs, why a trust matters more than a will alone, and the two mistakes that undermine even well-intentioned plans: an unfunded trust and a house with no beneficiary deed.

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Max Novak Max Novak

The Solo 401(k) Guide for 1099 Earners

A complete Solo 401(k) guide for 1099 earners in 2026. Why it beats a SEP IRA, how to use the mega backdoor Roth, and how to set it up correctly with the right provider.

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