Grant Heddinger - Central Financial Group

04/07/2026

The new Trump accounts start to roll out this year. Kids born in 2025 through 2028 get a $1,000 contribution from the federal government.

But there are other planning opportunities that parents have that they didn’t before. These accounts can be funded up to $5,000 per year. Once the child turns 18, the accounts are essentially treated like IRAs.

One major tax-advantaged opportunity is to then look at converting the account to a Roth IRA, allowing the funds to continue to grow tax-free for the child’s future.

This effectively allows parents to start funding “Roth IRAs” for their kids now, without needing the child to have earned income like they do to make actual Roth IRA contributions. The Wall Street Journal breaks down how this could work.

New Trump accounts, available this summer, allow parents to jump-start tax-advantaged retirement savings for children at birth. The real power play is to stuff these accounts and then convert them into Roth IRAs for long-term tax savings.

03/03/2026

Tax estimate payments are a pain. If you have income that doesn’t take out tax withholding automatically, you know what I am talking about. Although the underpayment interest penalty is dropping from 7% to 6% on April 1st, it’s still much higher than the 3% that was charged in 2021. There are simple ways to avoid this complex calculation.

An interesting concept is to use IRA withholding. Withholding amounts are treated as if they are paid throughout the year. If you withhold from an IRA distribution late in the year, this could satisfy the tax bill on income earned earlier in the year, without an underpayment penalty. This strategy may work well for retirees or those over age 59.5.

It’s important, but not easy, to get the timing right for tax payments on income that doesn’t have withholding

12/10/2025

Jason Zweig, who happens to be one of my favorite writers at WSJ, continues the debate on whether or not to take Social Security earlier or later. He also speaks to the concern of people wanting to take it early because they fear it may not be around later.

Don’t let social media’s latest investing hot take lead you astray on timing your retirement benefits.

12/02/2025

Economist say wait until 70 to take social security in almost every case. “Finfluencers” say take it as early as possible and invest it to make up the difference.

I’ve seen the case for both, and the only thing I am certain of is that neither one is always right.

Don’t take blanket advice from economists. And certainly don’t take blanket advice from TikTokers.

Looking at your specific situation and social security benefit is the only way to know which option is best. That is where a good financial planner comes in. This is just one step of the retirement planning process to make sure you get the most out of your money.

Tap your Social Security at 62 and invest it in the stock market is the buzzy advice blowing up on TikTok and YouTube. Here's what's wrong with that thinking.

11/25/2025

When do you plan on retiring? How do you know if you saved enough? When should you start Social Security? So many questions, and so many decisions.
Our retirement planning approach and software can help you feel better about every decision, every step of the way.

Retirement should be about finding solutions to fit your hopes and dreams, not making sacrifices. With our Co-Planning® approach, you won’t need to wait for an analyst to run numbers between meetings. Or schedule multiple follow-ups to review new options. Together, we'll create and adjust your re...

11/18/2025

401(k) and IRA contribution limits are increasing next year. In short - the 401(k) contribution limit will increase to $24,500 and the IRA limit will be $7,500. Higher limits apply to those 50 and over.

Retirement investors can sock away more next year, as the Internal Revenue Service has boosted the limits on contributions to 401(k) and individual retirement accounts to factor in inflation.

11/12/2025

Married couples often split money duties. That is, one handles it all, while the other checks out.
But what happens if the “money spouse” is suddenly gone or unable?
The other is left lost.
Talk about it now. A trusted advisor makes the transition smoother.

When only one partner manages the investments, death can bring even greater stress.

10/28/2025

Last week I had the chance to fly a rescue flight for Pilots N Paws. I flew down to Kansas City Downtown airport with another local pilot, and we picked up seven puppies and one Great Pyrenees. The pups started out in Amarillo, TX. We picked them up in KC and brought them to Ankeny, where they caught another flight to their final stop in Burlington, WI. Such a cool experience! Can't wait to help out on another flight again soon.

10/16/2025

Take a look at the updated tax brackets and standard deductions for 2026. Increased thresholds may leave more room for certain planning strategies, such as Roth conversions.

Inflation adjustments and the new tax law will combine to give taxpayers more relief.

09/28/2025

Happy National Sons Day! In honor of the holiday, we have some exciting news at the Heddinger household. Last week my wife and I welcomed a baby boy into the world. Lucas Alexander Heddinger was born on September 20th, both mama and baby are doing great!

09/16/2025

There's a new financial guideline floating around called the 0.01% rule. This says that when it comes to making purchases, you shouldn't stress about spending 0.01% of your net worth. How does this number compare to your own spending habits? Does this seem too low, or too high?

Nick Maggiulli, author of a new personal-finance book, proposes a way to calculate the amount of money you can spend worry-free.