Spring has come very late to our neck of the woods this year. It’s been cold and really not Spring-like at all for the most part. One thing that has bugged us for years is that while we should be planting many of our seeds now, it is really still too cold and many young [...]
Retirement Assets & Divorce: Podcast Interview
I was recently interviewed for the Divorce Resource Podcast by Ani Mason, local Family Law Attorney and Collaborative Divorce Attorney. Ani had lots of great questions about the sometimes confusing – but extremely important- world of retirement assets, which play a big role in many divorce settlement negotiations. During the podcast, we discussed the following [...]
Can You Afford Private School?
We all want the best for our kids. And New York City offers some pretty amazing private schools. But is private school a good financial decision for your family? What is Costs I took these prices for the 2013-2014 school years from the websites of selected private schools in Brooklyn and Manhattan (try not to [...]
March Garden Report
Spring has finally sprung! Hard to believe, but the time has come to get back in the garden, even though it’s been cold and we’ve even had a little snow this month. I love to see the progress of the garden (and I do get comments about it) so just like last year, I plan [...]
Interview: Passing the Co-op Board Interview
The process of buying a home in the city is daunting, to say the least. Beyond the financial aspects, you may need to prepare for the dreaded co-op board interview. I bought and sold a co-op years ago, but was also turned down once by a co-op board back in the day. (Me? The nerve!) [...]
What is the AMT and Who Pays It?
This is the fifth post in my “Taxes for Your Family” series. I really strive to explain complex topics in a straightforward way. But the AMT is a toughie. Our “main” tax code is complicated enough. But there is actually a second set of tax rules: the Alternative Minimum Tax rules. What is the AMT? [...]
Financial Planning Checklist for New Parents
This article appeared first at local parenting blog A Child Grows in Brooklyn. New parents are busy. When it comes to financial planning, they just want to make sure they are doing the right things for them and not missing anything important. Perfect for this situation: a checklist! There are eight items on my financial [...]
The Difference between Marginal and Average Tax Rates
This is the fourth post in my “Taxes for Your Family” series. You may have heard that the income tax rate on the highest earners is now 39.6%. Wow, does that mean if we make $500,000 we’ll pay $198,000 in federal income tax? Well, no. The rates you hear on the news are the top [...]
Should You Get Help to File Your Taxes?
This is the third post in my “Taxes for Your Family” series. Tax time is officially here. But how should you get it done? Should you do it yourself or hire outside help? I have mixed feelings on this issue. On the one hand, I believe that it is empowering to do your own taxes. [...]
The Reason to Itemize Your Taxes (Or Not)
This is the second post in my “Taxes for Your Family” series. Back when you were a young and fancy-free, your taxes were simple as pie. You probably rented a place to live (or these days, lived with your parents), had no kids, and didn’t make that much money anyway. Maybe you could figure out [...]
About Sara Stanich
Sara Stanich is a Certified Financial Planner, CFP® and Certified Divorce Financial Analyst, CDFA™. She provides financial planning advice and investment management services for her clients, who include entrepreneurs, growing families, couples going through divorce, and persons preparing for retirement.
