What’s on our mind? You can read about it in our blog. Whether it’s ideas from the industry or getting to know the team at Varra Financial, you can read about it here. So keep checking in. We’re glad to have you reading along.
Thursday, July 29, 2021
The “Great Resignation” -what to consider as we work towards a new normal in the labor market– Cameron Dunford, CPWA ®, CIMA ®, CRPS® If you have not yet heard the term “the great resignation”,...
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Tuesday, August 25, 2020
Shifts in our daily lives both at work and at home, which perhaps may now be one and the same for many. For some, there has been loss; of a job or a business, of a loved one, of a sense of normalcy. Our national economy has been hit...
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Tuesday, June 30, 2020
Extended Tax Filing Deadline Approaching There is still time to make contributions to your IRA, Roth IRA and HSA for 2019. In response to COVID-19, the federal government has not only extended the tax filing deadline to July 15 for...
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Tuesday, June 2, 2020
Things I have learned from the last 20 (almost) years of being in business - Gina Varra Like many of us during the last two months, I have had more time to be reflective in both my personal and business life. I have examined those...
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Thursday, May 14, 2020
Getting back to the basics 5 financial basics to help you have a solid foundation.
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Monday, April 27, 2020
The latest news looks like Colorado will be ending stay-at-home orders as early as next week, however, given recent events many will not be returning to their normal routine for quite some time. While some people have been less...
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Wednesday, April 1, 2020
Information Regarding the newly approved Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) Both the Federal Reserve and the U.S. Congress have been taking a number of actions in the last few weeks to attempt to support the...
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Monday, March 30, 2020
Five Potential Opportunities in This Market So much focus in recent weeks has been skewed to negative news and headlines, but at Varra Financial we are keeping our attention on potential financial opportunities for our clients. Below...
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Tuesday, March 24, 2020
March 24th 2020, The last few weeks have had no shortage of news and information both around Covid-19 and the financial markets. While the event itself is certainly different than what have seen in the past, we have seen similar types...
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The start of 2020 has brought increased stock market volatility. The uncharacteristically calm market environment we experienced for much of the past four months was bound to end, but identifying the catalyst for a potential sell-off...
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Long-established retirement account rules change. The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act is now law. With it, comes some of the biggest changes to retirement savings law in recent years. While the new...
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Happy New Year! What a difference a year makes. One year ago the stock market was plunging and came perilously close to ending what has become the longest bull market ever recorded. In December 2018, dropping stocks were suggesting an...
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Hindsight is 20/20, but finding clarity in future uncertainty can be fuzzy. AT LPL RESEARCH, as we look forward to the year 2020 and a new decade, some key trends and market signals will be important to watch, including progress on U.S...
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Turning the calendar from October to November brought more than trick-or-treaters, pumpkins, and leaves to rake. It also brought a wave of important economic updates that delivered more treats than tricks and helped the stock markets...
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Friday, November 1, 2019
Not that I have any idea what that means! At Varra Financial Associates, we serve a variety of clientele. We tend to specialize with retirees, business owners, and those with life altering events. To better serve our clients, we are...
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In this Q3 recap: the U.S. and China intensify their trade dispute, but agree to negotiate again, the Federal Reserve cuts short-term interest rates once more, and stocks ride through some volatility to end the summer higher. THE...
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Summer has turned to fall, and there’s already a little chill in the air. Three-quarters of the year is behind us now, and both stock and bond markets have had a strong year so far, although we expect to see regular—but...
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The Dog Days of Summer were on full display this past month, as a variety of concerns pushed stocks and bond yields lower. After reaching new record highs in late July, the S&P 500 Index dropped approximately 1.8% in August as trade...
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This summer has been interesting. Thus far, temperatures have been at a maximum for much of the country, while typical summer storms have been at a minimum. A parallel can be drawn for the financial markets: Major stock indexes are...
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Thursday, July 25, 2019
In 1902, some Varra family ancestors came over from Italy to work in the coal mines. They settled on 160 acres just outside of Louisville. As a child, Wayne worked on the farm and went to Louisville High School; graduating in 1962....
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Happy Birthday, United States of America! As we celebrate our nation’s birthday, U.S. leadership on the world stage remains in focus. We received good news on the global trade front from the recent G20 Summit in Japan. President...
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We are pleased to announce the release of the LPL Research Midyear Outlook 2019: FUNDAMENTAL: How to Focus on What Really Matters in the Markets, with investment insights and market guidance through the end of 2019.LPL Research...
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One you reach age 70 ½, you must begin taking Required Minimum Distributions (RMD) from your qualified retirement account or other tax-deferred retirement savings plans. Did you know that you can use your RMD (or a portion of...
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Friday, June 7, 2019
Even in the digital age, much of our financial life is on paper, which makes many people hesitant to discard those records because they fear that they'll need them someday. There is a lot that can be done to reduce the amount of paper...
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Trade tensions have interrupted an unusually calm year in U.S. stocks. In May, the S&P 500 Index fell from an April 30 record high as the United States and China failed to reach a trade deal and escalated tariff tensions. The United...
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In this Q1 recap: the Federal Reserve alters its outlook, the truce in the trade dispute holds, the real estate market strengthens, and stocks make an impressive comeback from Q4, even as growth concerns mount. THE QUARTER IN BRIEFThe...
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The S&P 500 Index has staged an impressive rally after nearly entering a bear market December 24, with U.S. stocks notching their best start to a year since 1991. Stocks have climbed the “wall of worry” once again, but...
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Tuesday, February 26, 2019
We are still growing and we are so happy to announce the newest member of the Varra Financial Team, James Johnson. James Johnson has been serving and advising clients for over 10 years and joins the Varra Financial team with a...
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Most of the country might still be in the throes of the winter, but after extreme cold throughout many parts of the United States, thankfully the weather has warmed up. Stocks followed a similar path, warming up in January after a...
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Monday, January 14, 2019
It’s a new year and resolutions are in place, but investors in the financial markets may be struggling to find their optimism. The past several weeks have been very difficult, as the stock market sell-off resulted in the worst...
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After a mixed first half of the year and a solid third quarter, stock markets weakened considerably in the closing weeks of 2018. Turmoil in the financial markets is never a pleasant experience for investors, and that’s why we...
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Are you contemplating a venture into the real estate market? If so, can you comfortably say that you are fully equipped to succeed in such a volatile industry? It’s true that the property market is one of the biggest and most...
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Wednesday, November 7, 2018
The potential outcomes of the midterm elections have been dominating the news cycle lately, and we know from history that the markets typically do not like uncertainty. With the Democrats taking control of the House of Representatives...
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Wednesday, October 24, 2018
Some alterations to the Internal Revenue Code were less publicized than others. Late last year, federal tax laws underwent sweeping changes. Nearly a year later, you can be forgiven for not keeping up with them all. Here is a look at...
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We tracked down some answers to some of the most frequently asked questions regarding the process of obtaining a loan for your home purchase. What is the difference between working with a commercial bank or credit union and working...
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Thursday, August 23, 2018
Much to the chagrin of children, we are at that time of year when students go back to school. In the spirit of this occasion I thought I would write my own version of a book report on an industry classic The Millionaire Next Door. I...
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Sunday, August 12, 2018
Can a child inherit an IRA? The answer is yes, though they cannot legally own the IRA and its invested assets. Until the child turns 18 (or 21, in some states), the inherited IRA is a custodial account, managed by an adult on behalf of ....
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Wednesday, July 25, 2018
We do financial planning… yeah but what does that mean? Shortly after making the decision to join Varra Financial Associates I found myself having conversations with friends and family about the services we provide. I would...
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Tuesday, June 26, 2018
This vital investment account question should be answered sooner rather than later. Investment firms have a new client service requirement. You should provide the name and information of a trusted contact
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Monday, May 21, 2018
Have you ever heard of Questival? Melodie Scalf, one of our financial advisors participated in this 24 hour event that is a cross between an adventure race and a treasure hunt. The challenge? To check as many things off a list of 200...
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Wednesday, May 9, 2018
A wise man once said “A fool and his money are soon separated…. the rest of us wait until we file our taxes”. For most of us taxes make up a considerable amount of our expenses and can for many be the largest expense...
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Friday, April 27, 2018
The Saver's Credit is a special tax break for part-time, low-income, and moderate-income workers. Do you work part-time, or earn less than $65,000 a year? If so, you might be eligible to fully or partly claim the Saver’s Credit...
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Wednesday, March 21, 2018
A couple weeks ago we had a major milestone come and go without much fanfare or attention. In an article published by CNN Money on March 9th 2018 they claimed “The most devastating bear market since the Great Depression ended...
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Thursday, March 15, 2018
Announcement! We are happy to introduce the newest member of the Varra Financial Team, Cameron Dunford. Cameron has come on board as another advisor with Varra Financial. He comes to us with a comprehensive background in insurance,...
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Money. It's hard to get and easy to lose. It doesn't take long for the wealth you've accumulated to disappear if you don't manage your money well or have a plan to protect your assets from sudden calamity. Snares like the ones...
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How can you protect yourself against ransomware, phishing, and other tactics? Imagine finding out that your computer has been hacked. The hackers leave you a message: if you want your data back, you must pay them $300 in bitcoin. This...
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We are pleased to share some exciting news about the future of our business. Effective December 1, the financial professionals of Varra Financial Associates will be part of LPL Financial’s national network of independent...
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Melodie Scalf has been providing top-notch service for our clients since 2014. She is currently in the process of obtaining additional securities and insurance licensing to become a Financial Advisor. What gets you up and going every...
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Quite often, caregivers are not able to live near the loved ones who they are supporting. Most often these caregivers are adult children, but they come in many forms. Regardless, those who live a great distance from their elderly loved ....
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Have you been affected? If so, how can you try to protect yourself? On September 7, credit reporting agency Equifax dropped a consumer bombshell. It revealed that cybercriminals had gained access to the personal information of as many...
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Today’s investing landscape is making history in many ways. In the beginning of the year, the Dow Jones, S&P 500, and the NASDAQ all had record highs. In 2017, the Fed finally started to raise interest rates after going almost a...
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I get asked all the time, “Is refinancing really a good idea?” If you have been wondering this yourself, it’s time for a “Mortgage Check Up" For some this may seem overwhelming as you remember back to the loan...
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When you see online ads or TV commercials about retirement planning, do they ever show baby boomer couples arguing? No.
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Long term care planning is absolutely necessary for Americans today. Because of recent developments and challenges thrown their way, so many individuals are at a high risk of facing long term care costs without the proper resources....
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Do you really want to risk facing these potential outcomes? Saving for retirement may seem a thankless task. But you may be thanking yourself later. Putting away a percentage of one’s income, money that could be used for any...
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Sometimes when I’m at a social event, and the person I’m talking to discovers I’m an estate planning attorney, I get this question: “When my grandma (or mom, father, uncle) died my sister (or brother, cousin,...
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Tax season is in full swing… and tax scams are everywhere. How can you can tell if a crook is claiming to be the I.R.S. in an effort to steal your money or personal information? Watch for these giveaways.
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Wednesday, March 1, 2017
When Gina Varra started her career, she didn’t necessarily imagine a future in financial services. However, after transitioning into her father-in-law’s practice, she was pleasantly surprised by how much she loved working...
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In Part One of “What we do at Varra Financial”, we shared how we are comprehensive Financial Planners who look at goals, strategies, and actions to provide advice to you. Our process is personal, guided by high level...
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We at Varra Financial are part of a profession generally known as Financial Services. To distinguish us from banks, mortgage lenders, and check cashing firms, we are Financial Advisors...
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