Blog

Partners is an important word. Whether in love or business, “partner” represents shared responsibilities; shared paths on the way to shared goals. One Financial Services partners both celebrate significant wedding anniversaries in 2023.

Did your 2022 tax return result in owing the IRS money? Or did you receive a large refund? If your answer to either of these questions is, yes, you need to adjust your federal withholding with your employer. Set yourself up for 2023!

April is Social Security Month, which serves as a reminder that we should be thinking about our retirement plan and how our Social Security benefits fit into that plan. At One Financial Services, our team can assist you.

A successful financial plan isn’t just about saving money and having a solid retirement plan, it’s also about minimizing your tax liability. Your One Financial Services team is uniquely qualified to help you do just that.

Women’s history is about more than a month, it’s a reminder to take stock of how well you’re taking care of yourself and planning for your future. At One Financial Services, our team can help you prepare for the unique financial challenges

One Financial Services thinks of our clients as family. Our team is always on the lookout for ways to help make life a little easier.

College graduation is the launching pad that sends young adults into the world. It’s an exciting time, but it brings new responsibilities. One of which is ensuring you can withstand an “income disruption.” Let us help you make a plan.

We live in a time of specialization. At One Financial Services, our team is comprised of highly qualified, certified financial professionals.

“Begin with the end in mind” has never been truer than when starting out in your career and starting to plan for your retirement. The One Financial Services team can help you lay a solid foundation for a successful financial future.

The dream of heading south for the winter can become a nightmare if you don’t put a financial and medical plan in place in advance. Your One Financial Services advisor can assist you in deciding how your legal place of residence can impact

After the Grief Come the Details: What to do Following the Death of a Spouse

Emilio "Jack" Morrone, CPA, CFP®, PFS®

Sunday, October 9, 2022

Losing one’s spouse or life partner is a traumatic experience. It requires coming to grips with a new routine and new responsibilities. The first days are a blur of arrangements and phone calls. Friends and family surround you;...

Sending your young adult child off to college is an exciting milestone moment, but before they fly the nest, you should consider how to protect and assist them in case of emergency.

The Second Time Around…Blended Families/Blended Finances

Emilio "Jack" Morrone, CPA, CFP®, PFS®

Sunday, July 24, 2022

For many who are divorced or widowed, finding love again, especially after the age of 50, is cause for celebration…a new lease on life. But second marriages come with a unique set of financial and estate planning challenges.

Strategic Options to Combat Inflation

Robert P. Pretopapa, CFP®

Sunday, July 10, 2022

No matter where you are on the retirement continuum line; years to go, almost there, or already retired, the current rise of inflation is a reason for caution…but not panic.

Wedding Planning and Financial Planning Go Hand in Hand

Robert P. Pretopapa, CFP®

Sunday, April 24, 2022

Planning for one of the most important moments of your life can leave you with little time to think of anything else. You may not realize how many questions and changes marriage can bring to your financial situation.

The Many Phases of Retirement

Emilio "Jack" Morrone, CPA, CFP®, PFS®

Sunday, April 10, 2022

Our lives have many phases, and so does our retirement. And like our lives, we acquire wisdom and discipline along the way as our perspective changes.

As the New Year gets fully underway, remembering your spouse’s birthday or when the next big work project is due are not the only items that should be entered on your 2022 calendar.

Has the Pandemic Shifted Your Retirement Plans?

Robert P. Pretopapa, CFP®

Sunday, March 27, 2022

If your company offers you a severance package or buyout, your One Financial Services advisor will help you evaluate your options including where you are on your retirement journey.

New Year, New Baby, New Plan…Preparing For Your Child’s Future

Emilio "Jack" Morrone, CPA, CFP®, PFS®

Sunday, March 20, 2022

As a parent, the arrival of a new baby should also be the beginning of planning for that child’s future. At One Financial Services, we believe it is never too early to start planning your family’s financial journey.

World Affairs Affect Us All

Emilio "Jack" Morrone, CPA, CFP®, PFS®

Wednesday, March 2, 2022

We believe that examining and understanding the market response to the current geopolitical situation through the filter of experience and historical perspective is the best approach.

Is there money left over in your 529 plan? Your One Financial Services advisor is available to analyze your family’s situation and help you to review your options.

For the first time in nearly two years, as we emerge from the shadow of a pandemic, our community, and our country, will celebrate the holiday season surrounded by friends and family. It is a time of love, joy, and giving. After the...

Financial Planning for Older Single Adults

Robert P. Pretopapa, CFP®

Sunday, October 24, 2021

Movie star Bette Davis famously said, “Old age is not for sissies”. Paraphrasing Bette, “Being single as we age is not for sissies”, either. At One Financial Services we believe that if you are widowed, divorced...

One Financial Services Volunteers for an Annual Day of Service

Emilio "Jack" Morrone, CPA, CFP®, PFS®

Wednesday, September 22, 2021

“Service” is part of our name…as one of Lehigh Valley’s leading financial firms, service is what we provide to our clients and our community. On August 24, 2021, we closed our offices to dedicate the day to...

Frank Sinatra famously sang that “Love is lovelier the second time around”. And for those who find love again after being widowed or divorced, that sentiment likely rings true. At One Financial Services, we know that what...

Educate Yourself About Saving for College with a 529 Plan

Emilio "Jack" Morrone, CPA, CFP®, PFS®

Sunday, July 11, 2021

Preparing your children to be independent adults and contributing members of society is one of life’s most challenging tasks. It goes beyond teaching good manners, personal responsibility, and respect for others. Our One...

One of life’s most important milestones is when two people join their lives together. And although we all enjoy the fairytale aspect of a love story, in between asking “Will you” and saying, “I Do”, there...

Cases of COVID-19 are finally declining as more people are being vaccinated, giving us hope that a return to life as we knew it a year ago is just around the corner. Hope for a return to “normal” where we once again can do...

Divorce is like beginning a new chapter of a book, it’s part of your overall story.Turning the page means you’ll likely encounter unexpected twists and turns in the plot. The end of a marriage is an emotional experience so...

One of the lessons many of us learn from our parents and coaches growing up is to “never brag”. We are often admonished to be humble and give credit to others. To do so is considered a mark of good manners…and good...

There’s a line in the classic movie, “Sound of Music” where, in one of her darkest moments, the heroine says she believes that whenever a door closes a window opens somewhere. This past year many doors have been...

TOD (Transfer on Death) Accounts Can Be Problematic in PA

Emilio "Jack" Morrone, CPA, CFP®, PFS®

Sunday, February 28, 2021

Talk to families who have lost loved ones close to them and you will likely hear stories about going through probate, an often slow process of distributing and/or resolving an estate. It is those stories that make Transfer on Death or...

Cyber Security Protects Your Assets and Your Information

Robert P. Pretopapa, CFP®

Thursday, February 25, 2021

It used to be that if you locked your house and your car and kept an eye on your wallet, your assets were safe and secure. The internet has changed everything. In 2019, U.S. consumers lost $1.9 billion to fraud, scams, and identity...

One of the indicators that we are doing our jobs well is through recognition by our peers…people in the same industry who are doing similar work. Based on that definition of success and outstanding effort, One Financial Services...

How the CARES Act Could Affect You…

Emilio "Jack" Morrone, CPA, CFP®, PFS®

Monday, February 8, 2021

The CAREs Act and IRA RMD holiday was a 2020 event, therefore making a mention of that and the rules governing 2021 will be different. As we begin to prepare our 2020 tax returns, it’s reassuring to know our government...

It’s Never Too Early to Start Planning for Retirement

Robert P. Pretopapa, CFP®

Sunday, January 10, 2021

At One Financial Services, we believe it is never too early to start planning for retirement. The longer your money can grow and accumulate, the easier it is to weather the ups and downs of the economy and take advantage of compound...

As the holiday season of 2020 brings this unprecedented year to a close, we at One Financial Services are grateful to be able to make the world a little brighter for others. In keeping with our tradition of giving back to the community...

When it comes to important decisions in your life, “shoot from the hip” and “gut instinct” may work in the movies, but for the rest of us, strategy, planning, and consistency are usually the best and safest ways...

Giving Tuesday is More Than a Day, It’s a Philosophy…

Emilio "Jack" Morrone, CPA, CFP®, PFS®

Monday, November 30, 2020

On this Day of National Giving, known as “Giving Tuesday”, it would be hard to think of a year, in recent history, where the spirit of kindness, generosity, and concern for others was more evident or important than this...

Keeping your Estate Records Accessible and Safe…

Emilio "Jack" Morrone, CPA, CFP®, PFS®

Sunday, November 15, 2020

When we ask our clients, “Where do you keep your original will and estate planning documents?”, much of the time we hear, “I think our attorney has the original”. Where your original will is kept is a very...

November: Time for deciding…about your taxes

Emilio "Jack" Morrone, CPA, CFP®, PFS®

Tuesday, November 3, 2020

When asked how he was running the country, a U.S. President famously answered, “I’m the decider”. When it comes to how you’re handling your federal tax obligation, you are the decider, and November is the time...

WE EXPECT INTEREST rates to remain at historically low levels, but the direction may be higher over the rest of 2020. Our year-end base-case forecast for the 10-year US Treaury yield is 1–1.5%, which would be the lowest level to...

Trying Times

Emilio "Jack" Morrone, CPA, CFP®, PFS®

Thursday, June 4, 2020

During these trying times, it is important for each of us to let others know that what they are feeling is not unique. The reality is that we truly are "all in this together". Just as we were seeing a light at the end of the COVID-19...

Life as we know it has changed dramatically during 2020. As the coronavirus spread across the United States, cities and states issued shelter-in-place orders to slow the spread of the coronavirus and prevent healthcare facilities from...

We’ve Walked This Path Before…2008 vs. 2020

Emilio "Jack" Morrone, CPA, CFP®, PFS®

Friday, April 24, 2020

Most of our clients are old enough and/or have been with us long enough to have experienced at least one previous crisis, the most recent until now being the financial collapse of 2008. During those difficult times we were able to...

Understanding family attitudes towards money may improve financial decisions and reduce financial stress. Understanding family attitudes towards money may improve financial decisions and reduce financial stress. People inherit more...

If you have ever been flattened by a rogue wave while fishing or sunbathing on the shore, you probably recognize the emotional responses that have accompanied the pandemic wave crashing across the United States – shock, anxiety, and...

In late February, concern that efforts to contain Coronavirus Disease 2019 (a.k.a. COVID-19) might result in slower global economic growth disrupted global markets. Share prices fell as economists and financial analysts revised growth...

There was a little something for everyone in the ‘Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement’ (SECURE) Act, a piece of bipartisan legislation that was attached to the United States federal spending bill and signed into law...

The best place to retire in the United States is in dispute. There’s no formal debate, but a review of reliable publications showed surveys have named different states and cities as the “best” place to retire. For instance: • Iowa was...

Not everyone is financially prepared for retirement. Earlier this year, the Employee Benefit Research Institute estimated almost 41 percent of American households will run short of money in retirement. That’s an improvement over 2014...

Every Day is Giving Tuesday at One Financial Services

Emilio "Jack" Morrone, CPA, CFP®, PFS®

Friday, December 6, 2019

After the Thanksgiving turkey has been eaten, the Black Friday bargains have been found, and the Cyber Monday gadgets are wrapped and under the tree, it’s time for Giving Tuesday…a day set aside for charitable thoughts...

You’ve probably never asked your adult children and younger relatives whether they have security software on their computers and devices. Why would you? They’re digital natives, born with keyboards under their fingertips.It may be time...

One of the most discussed topics in the United States is retirement security. Few Americans have set aside enough savings to live comfortably throughout retirement. In fact, the most recent National Retirement Risk Index (NRRI)*...

Will There Be A Recession?

Emilio "Jack" Morrone, CPA, CFP®, PFS®

Monday, September 30, 2019

The simple answer is probably.Historically, the American economy has grown in fits and starts, otherwise known as recessions and expansions. As a result, it is likely there will be another recession in the United States.What are...

Would you give up a share of $62 billion?Would you give up a share of $62 billion?If your answer is no, then you may be a member of the relatively small group of Americans (36 percent) that takes all of the vacation days available to...

The world is becoming smarter and more connected all the time – and that has serious implications for people who want to protect their personal data and their privacy. If you’ve been enjoying the convenience of smart utilities and...

Life, Liberty, and Tax-Advantaged Investing Americans are passionate about taxes. We have reason to be. In recent years, Americans have spent more on taxes than on food, clothing, and housing combined.1 The Tax Foundation estimates...

Throughout history people have made inheritance choices that are inexplicable to others. In 1926, Harry Houdini left his magical equipment to his brother, his pulled-from-the-hat rabbits to the children of friends, and a series of...

Where do you set aside the money you’re saving for retirement? If you’re like many Americans, you save for retirement primarily through an employer’s retirement plan, according to Pew Research.1Unfortunately, less than one-half of...

It’s no secret healthcare costs are going up. Medical expenses have been steadily increasing for years. In 2007, costs were up almost 12 percent. However, the rate of increase slowed to 6 percent during the past five years and that...

How many password-protected accounts do you have?If you keep mental inventory, use a password manager, or have a written record of your passwords (which is not recommended by anyone), take a quick count. You’re likely to find you may...

Whether you own a house or rent an apartment, building a smart home is easier than it has ever been. Homeowners and renters can purchase kits that integrate specific smart items or they can select smart home products, such as light...

It’s only January, but you may want to jumpstart your 2018 taxes since there are a slew of new regulations that may affect you. The Tax Cut and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017 goes into effect this year so make sure you understand how tax...

When the ups and downs of stock markets leave you stressed and wondering whether stocks really will help you pursue your long-term financial goals, there are two things to remember:1. Historically, over long periods, stocks have tended...

Entrusting Your Financial Health to a CFP®

Emilio "Jack" Morrone, CPA, CFP®, PFS®

Monday, November 5, 2018

You wouldn’t trust your health to someone who isn’t an MD, so why would you trust your financial future to someone who isn’t a CFP®? The designation Medical Doctor assures you that person is qualified to diagnose,...

How long will you live? How long will you live? It’s not a question anyone can answer with any certainty, and that creates a significant risk when planning for retirement. Your retirement may last for a long time, and you will need to...

To the relief of many South Africans, Day Zero has been pushed back to 2019. Day Zero is the date on which Cape Town will run out of water, and its four million residents will begin to collect daily water rations of about seven gallons...

Cone of Uncertainty

Emilio "Jack" Morrone, CPA, CFP®, PFS®

Sunday, June 24, 2018

Summer is the time of sun, fun, and relaxation that is unless you live in a hurricane zone. If you do, you likely know about the dreaded “cone of uncertainty used by weather forecasters to predict the likely path of a storm. The...

Historical Perspective on Risk Tolerance

Emilio "Jack" Morrone, CPA, CFP®, PFS®

Tuesday, June 12, 2018

If your chosen career were test pilot or high-wire performer you would be someone who is not adverse to risk. However when it comes to your retirement, “risk” requires a new perspective, where success means balancing your...

The words ‘bear market’ have been bandied about a lot lately. When you read or hear them, remember to respond the same way you would if you saw an actual bear in the woods – by staying calm and keeping your wits about you. A changing...

Reminding Us of Who We Are…

Emilio "Jack" Morrone, CPA, CFP®, PFS®

Tuesday, June 5, 2018

Memorial Day reminds us of the sacrifices that have been made to keep us safe and provide the freedom we all enjoy. It is a time to honor our military and thank them for their service. It is also the traditional start to summer: School...

“There’s no place like home.”1Conjuring an image of ‘home’ was a lot easier for Dorothy than it is for people who are on the cusp of retirement. After all, isn’t retirement supposed to be a new start? Aren’t retirees supposed to wave...

Here’s a number most people would like to see on an annual statement: 21.6 percent. That was the annual return for the Standard & Poor (S&P) 500 Index during 2017. In general, U.S. stock indices did quite well last year – and the year...

Here’s a riddle for you: Some people are reluctant to start me, unless I’m automatic. I’m frequently exhausted when I don’t roll over. I’m sometimes left behind. Retirees devour me. What am I? Answer: A retirement savings plan.New jobs...

The last bear market in bonds began in the middle of the last century and lasted for about 31 years. Some investors who bought bonds in 1950 locked in relatively low rates of return for a very long time. On January 1, 1950, 10-year U.S...

You wouldn’t get your eyes examined by a foot doctor or your car repaired by the pizza delivery person, so why would you trust your last Will and Testament to anyone other than financial professionals and an estate planning...

As the end of the year approaches our calendars fill up with shopping, parties and generally making merry. But you may not feel merry on April 15 of next year. Why? Because you need to find time in that busy schedule to evaluate your...

There is a simple and unsettling reality in the United States. Most Americans are not financially prepared for retirement. There is a simple and unsettling reality in the United States. Most Americans are not financially prepared for...

It’s no secret that women are the primary US consumers, making most purchasing decisions for themselves and their families, from grocery stores to doctor’s offices to auto dealerships, women choose where and with whom to...

There’s an old expression often used by parents to make a point to children, but it’s applicable at any age, “Show me who your friends are and I’ll show you who you are”. We tend to choose our friends...

Retirement and Social Security are inextricably linked. Not only did Social Security help establish the official U.S. retirement age at 65, it also provides a significant portion of today’s retirees’ incomes. Retirement and Social...

When it comes time to prepare for retirement, veterans and their families have many resources available to them. Those resources include pensions, a civilian income, Social Security (or possible disability income), VA healthcare and...

Although you may be cautious with how you share your personal information online, you are still vulnerable to hackers. It is estimated that over 25 million Gmail and Yahoo accounts are being sold online. Many of these accounts were...

You buy your dream house in a great neighborhood. You work hard; you raise kids you’re proud of. You get them through college and start thinking about retirement. You know you should have been thinking about it sooner, but there...

If you’ve ever been to a self-improvement class or leadership training seminar you may have heard the story about the oxygen mask that drops down from the ceiling when an airplane is having a problem. The speaker will tell you...

Being a single woman, whether widowed, divorced, or never married, makes planning for retirement not only a reason for good money management, it makes retirement planning important for your health and happiness. How far will your...

In a 2002 interview with Mike Wallace, former First Lady Nancy Reagan said she often reread the love letters written by her husband, former President Ronald Reagan. The letters, which had sustained and enriched their relationship,...

While some may be concerned about the iconic American meat that arrives in a rectangular 12-ounce tin (and is inexplicably popular in certain island states and American territories), more should be wary of its namesake – the spam that...

On July 13th, One Financial Services, gave back to the community by donating both their time, much needed baby items and money to Mary’s Shelter Cay Gallon located in Bethlehem, PA. Per their website, May’s Shelter provides...

The bull market in U.S. stocks has been charging ahead for more than eight years.1 While that’s young in people years, it’s ancient in bull market terms. Since World War II, the longest bull market in U.S. stocks lasted for almost...

Emilio “Jack” Morrone lives with his wife and two of his kids in a house on a little hill in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley. A shiny scale model of an antique locomotive sits on the gently sloping lawn, a salute to the...

Wouldn’t it be something if you could plump up your retirement savings as easily as you can put on a few pounds eating fast food? Here’s one way to do it: Open a health savings account (HSA). It offers a triple tax advantage and you...

We are all, inexorably, marching toward old age. By 2030, 72 million Americans will be age 65 or older.1 The good news is longevity has been improving, and people are remaining healthy and vibrant at older ages. The bad news is...

It’s tax season! Every year, around this time, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) publishes its dirty dozen – a list of scams criminals use to try and ferret out personal information and/or steal money.1 For example, if you received an...

More than one-half of working Americans know little or nothing about Medicare costs.1 Not knowing can be expensive. On average, people who haven’t yet retired estimate they’ll spend approximately $50,000 on health care after retirement...

How many times did you login to a digital account today? It probably was more than once. Some people access digital sites via computer or tablet, but many others rely on their phones. Deloitte recently reported the essentials of life...

Retirement IncomeHere’s a million dollar question: How will you transform your savings into income that will last throughout your retirement?1There are probably as many answers to that question as there are retirees. However, all...

For about 35 years, investors have enjoyed a bull market in bonds. At the start of 1982, the interest rate on 10-year U.S. Treasury bonds was 14.2 percent. By November 1, 2016, interest rates had fallen to 1.8 percent.1 Since bond...

In the 1970s, a TV episode of The Odd Couple taught viewers never to assume.1 It’s a lesson we appear to have forgotten. Many Americans assume Medicare will provide financial assistance to help with long-term care costs in retirement....

If you ask people what creates stress in their lives, money is often at the top of the list. Stress in America: Paying With Our Health found money was a somewhat or a very significant source of stress in the lives of 64 percent of...

You may not have heard of the Longevity Market but, if you’re older than 50, you’re one of its 74.9 million members.1 It may be easiest to think of the Longevity Market as another way of describing the Baby Boom and preceding...

Most investors are familiar with the maxim ‘buy low and sell high.’ The unfortunate reality is that it’s a difficult principle to follow. Buying low often means investing in a company when its shares are priced below full value.Of...

You may be asking yourself whether that’s a trick question. After all, almost one-third of 18- to 34-year-olds are still living at home with their parents. It is, in fact, the most common living arrangement for this age group and a...

In medieval times, alchemists sought methods for transforming ordinary metals into gold. Today, just about every adult searches for a means of transforming savings into a retirement’s worth of income. Recently, they received help from...

Don’t You Forget About Me Part III

Emilio "Jack" Morrone, CPA, CFP®, PFS®

Friday, May 13, 2016

This is Part 3 of a three-part installment from a talk given by Jack Morrone, Principal and Co-Founder of One Financial Services, promoting two of several non-profits prominent in his life. This is a story in three parts… First...

College students have steep learning curves. In high school, they were tasked with doing well academically, participating in extracurricular activities, complying with the rules of their parents’ homes and, possibly, having a job...

Charity, Community Support One Financial Services held a clothing drive collecting gently used women’s business clothing and accessories in their office on Tuesday, March 8th in honor of International Women’s Day. The...

25,000 of them (Not counting the Santa, the eight tiny reindeer, and the “Merry Christmas” sign)

Robert P. Pretopapa, CFP®

Monday, March 7, 2016

Fundraising Those of us who can enjoy watching the same movie time after time, (I’m talking to the point that we can recite the actor’s lines and delivery in tandem with the movie itself) should enjoy the following. One of...

It’s almost tax time. During April, many people take advantage of the opportunity to reduce taxes by funding a Traditional IRA. While that makes sense for some Americans, others may benefit by contributing to a Roth IRA that...

The world’s first central bank offered unprecedented convenience. It gave 17th century Swedes the option to pay with paper notes rather than 40-pound copper plates, which were the currency units of the Swedish empire at the time....

Technology, Money Management, Apps From your bank, to trendy restaurants, and even Major League Baseball parks, everybody has a handy smartphone loaded with apps that provide useful information and services. The latest statistics show...

The beginning of a New Year presents the perfect opportunity to start fresh and get organized! Although it may seem like an intimidating task, clearing out the clutter will actually help reduce stress. Disorganization puts on an...

You may have heard of tax loss harvesting. Some people harvest losses every year, while others do so only when they have taken significant capital gains or have received more income than expected during a given year (perhaps they sold...

You may have heard of tax loss harvesting. Some people harvest losses every year, while others do so only when they have taken significant capital gains or have received more income than expected during a given year (perhaps they sold...

Twenty-five years ago, the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law, guaranteeing disabled Americans – people with mental, physical, or emotional disabilities – equal opportunity in employment, transportation, government...

Healthcare. Retirement. Those may be two of the most stressful words in the English language today. Especially when you include them both in the same sentence. For instance, a married couple that saves $326,000 has a 90 percent chance...

How Do You Make Money in Stocks?Have you ever watched Family Feud? Perhaps you were a child when Richard Dawson hosted the game show or maybe you enjoy the current version. No matter, take a moment and:• Name a three-letter word that...

While your high school student is taking standardized tests, parsing college choices, and raring for graduation, you’ll probably find yourself spending some time with net income calculators on college websites. Whether your family’s...

This is Part 2 of a three-part installment from a talk given by Jack Morrone, Principal and Co-Founder of One Financial Services, promoting two of several non-profits prominent in his life. This is a story in three parts… First...

Don't You Forget About Me

Emilio "Jack" Morrone, CPA, CFP®, PFS®

Thursday, May 14, 2015

This is Part I of a three-part installment from a talk given by Jack Morrone, Principal and Co-Founder of One Financial Services, promoting two of several non-profits prominent in his life. I’m going to tell you a story in three...

It all depends on you. Thanks to the Baby Boom generation, pre-retirees and retirees have a lot more options than did previous generations of Americans. There is a lot to consider before you decide where to live during retirement: your...