The Meritage Blog

Helpful Reads For Women Thinking About What's Next

Retirement, taxes, Social Security, life transitions—we write about the things our clients ask us about.

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What Is a Fiduciary Financial Advisor and How Do They Get Paid?

Insights
August 11, 2025

Only about 12% of advisors act as fiduciaries 100% of the time. Learn what fee-only, fee-based & commission pay mean, plus how to ask an advisor about fees.

Smiling mother touching noses with her young son

Women, Wealth, and Legacy Planning

Planning
October 27, 2020

Legacy planning means passing on your values along with your assets. Learn how women can build confidence, choose the right advisors & plan charitable giving.

Woman sitting by a window writing a retirement planning checklist in a notebook

A Checklist for Retirement Planning

Retirement
October 20, 2020

It's never too early to plan for retirement. Use this step-by-step checklist to review your finances, max out savings, pay down debt & map your future income.

Meritage Wealth Management guide titled Countdown to Retirement with a woman sitting outdoors.

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All Of Our Articles

Explore all of our articles covering everything from financial planning to hiring a financial advisor, and other decisions that help shape your life.

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Older couple at home reviewing finances on a tablet
Insights

What Is a Fiduciary Financial Advisor and How Do They Get Paid?

Only about 12% of advisors act as fiduciaries 100% of the time. Learn what fee-only, fee-based & commission pay mean, plus how to ask an advisor about fees.

Life planner notebook on a wooden desk beside a keyboard & green plant
Insights

How and When to Hire a Financial Advisor

A major life event is often the moment people start looking for an advisor. Learn how advisors differ, what to ask & why couples should choose one together.

Smiling mother touching noses with her young son
Planning

Women, Wealth, and Legacy Planning

Legacy planning means passing on your values along with your assets. Learn how women can build confidence, choose the right advisors & plan charitable giving.

Woman sitting by a window writing a retirement planning checklist in a notebook
Retirement

A Checklist for Retirement Planning

It's never too early to plan for retirement. Use this step-by-step checklist to review your finances, max out savings, pay down debt & map your future income.

Older couple at a table, the man smiling at a tablet as the woman holds a mug
Retirement

Ready to Retire? How to Know for Sure

Retiring takes more than hitting a certain age. Work through key questions on healthcare, debt, savings & income to see if you're ready to step away from work.

Two blue Adirondack chairs on a sandy beach facing the ocean
Retirement

Identify Your Personal Retirement Goals

What do you want retirement to look like? Learn how to price out your goals, map your income sources & build an investment plan that supports the life you want.

Smiling older couple embracing outdoors on a hillside
Retirement

Social Security and Your Retirement Plan

Social Security will likely be a big piece of your retirement income, though rarely enough on its own. Learn how benefits work & how to plan for the gap.

Red Wrong Way road sign beside a highway
Finances

Six Common Financial Traps It's Important to Avoid

From undisciplined spending to a retirement shortfall, these 6 financial traps can drain the wealth you've built. Learn to spot each one before it costs you.

Two people shaking hands over a desk with reports & a laptop after a business sale
Planning

5 Pieces of Advice to Consider When Selling Your Business

Selling your business affects your finances & your sense of identity. Use these 5 tips to time your exit, protect your profits & build a solid succession plan.

Hand checking off items on a handwritten bucket list in a notebook
Insights

3 Simple Ways to Help Make and Complete Your Bucket List

A bucket list only works if you follow through. Learn 3 simple ways to dream big but realistically, stay accountable & turn your list into lived experiences.

Hands drawing a large dollar sign in an open notebook
Planning

The Pros and Cons of Giving Your Children Their Inheritance Early

Giving your kids part of their inheritance now can help when they need it most. Weigh gift taxes, your retirement & family dynamics before you decide.

Grandparents sitting outdoors with their two young grandchildren
Planning

How to Manage Care for Your Aging Parents

When your parents start needing care, it's hard to know where to begin. Compare 4 options, from independent living to a nursing home, & how to plan for each.

Desk covered with open books, papers & a laptop during an estate plan review
Planning

Is Your Estate Plan in Good Order? Here’s How to Check

Is your estate plan still doing what you want? Use this checklist to review your wishes, protect your family, lower your tax burden & safeguard your business.

Person walking a stone labyrinth on a bluff above the ocean
Finances

How to Care for Yourself and Your Finances During a Divorce

Divorce brings big money decisions fast. Learn how assets, debt, retirement accounts & taxes get divided, plus how to protect your financial future as you go.

Open hands holding a few acorns, a symbol of passing values to the next generation
Planning

How to Pass Your Financial Values Down to Your Heirs

Your legacy can be about more than money. Learn practical ways to teach kids & grandkids about wealth, from early money talks to charitable giving as a family.

Woman's hands with silver bracelets typing on a laptop at a wooden table
Retirement

4 Options for Managing Your Retirement Plan When Changing Jobs

Switching employers means deciding what to do with your old retirement plan. Compare 4 options, from rolling it into an IRA to cashing out, & what each costs.

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