“Hi-Tech Investing. Human Advice.”
Welcome, I’m Jeff Ackler, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Practitioner, Wealth Management Advisor with Merit Financial Group and SmartVestor Pro. We understand that individuals face unique challenges as they build wealth, plan for the future, and enjoy retirement. We can help take the mystery out of preparing for tomorrow and living for today. Whether your goals include preparing for or managing wealth in retirement, saving for college, or preparing your estate plan, our personalized service focuses on your needs, wants, and financial goals and objectives. Contact us now for your Complimentary Consultation!
The SmartVestor Program is a directory of investment professionals. Dave Ramsey, SmartVestor and Ramsey Solutions are not affiliates of Merit Financial Advisors, Merit Financial Group, LLC or LPL Financial.
Helpful Content
Four Great, Unexpected Places to Raise a Family
Here are 4 great, and sometimes unexpected, places to raise a family.
The Five Basics of Financial Literacy
How literate are you when it comes to your finances? Brush up with these five basics.
How Does Your Credit Score Compare?
Have you ever wondered how your credit score compares to the rest of the country? Take a look and see.
Personal Finance Tips for Military Families
Military families face unique challenges, making personal finance even more critical.
How Will Working Affect Social Security Benefits?
Knowing the rules may help you decide when to start benefits.
Insurance Needs Assessment: When You're Young and Single
Even if you’re young and single, you should still consider protecting yourself.
Estimating the Cost of College
This worksheet can help you estimate the costs of a four-year college program.
Test Your Life Insurance Knowledge
How much do you know about one of the most important tools you have to help protect your and your family’s financial future?
Trends in Charitable Giving
Some people may want a more advanced gifting strategy that can maximize their gift and generate potential tax benefits.
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Tax Freedom Day
Assess how many days you'll work to pay your federal tax liability.
Historical Inflation
This calculator shows how inflation over the years has impacted purchasing power.
Comparing Investments
This calculator compares the net gain of a taxable investment versus a tax-favored one.
Home Mortgage Deduction
Use this calculator to assess the potential benefits of a home mortgage deduction.
Contributing to an IRA?
Determine if you are eligible to contribute to a traditional or Roth IRA.
My Retirement Savings
Estimate how long your retirement savings may last using various monthly cash flow rates.
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Your Cash Flow Statement
A presentation about managing money: using it, saving it, and even getting credit.
Protecting Those Who Matter Most
The importance of life insurance, how it works, and how much coverage you need.
Principles of Preserving Wealth
How federal estate taxes work, plus estate management documents and tactics.
5 Smart Investing Principles
Principles that can help create a portfolio designed to pursue investment goals.
Tax Management Strategies
Learn more about taxes, tax-favored investing, and tax strategies.
Managing Your Lifestyle
Using smart management to get more of what you want and free up assets to invest.
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Keeping Up with the Joneses
Lifestyle inflation can be the enemy of wealth building. What could happen if you invested instead of buying more stuff?
Emerging Market Opportunities
What are your options for investing in emerging markets?
The Cost of Procrastination
Procrastination can be costly. When you get a late start, it may be difficult to make up for lost time.
The Latte Lie and Other Myths
Do you know these three personal finance sayings?
Are Alternative Investments Right for You?
With alternative investments, it’s critical to sort through the complexity.
Perception vs. Reality
There’s an alarming difference between perception and reality for current and future retirees.