https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/ Educational articles and videos on financial planning, investing, retirement, and taxes from ClearMind Capital, a fee-only fiduciary RIA in Columbus, Ohio. en-us Mon, 21 Sep 2026 18:02:46 +0000 © 2026 ClearMind Capital LLC https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/who-is-responsible-for-your-companys-401k/ https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/who-is-responsible-for-your-companys-401k/ Mon, 21 Sep 2026 09:00:00 -0400 ClearMind Capital Workplace Retirement Article Four or five parties work on your 401(k), and each one has a narrow job. By default, nobody is assigned the whole plan, and under ERISA that responsibility falls back on your business. https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/the-cost-of-being-a-stay-at-home-parent/ https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/the-cost-of-being-a-stay-at-home-parent/ Fri, 18 Sep 2026 09:00:00 -0400 Nick George Video Thinking about becoming a stay at home parent? What childcare costs, what a career break costs, and the questions worth answering before you decide. https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/ohio-flat-tax-2026-what-it-means-for-you/ https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/ohio-flat-tax-2026-what-it-means-for-you/ Sun, 06 Sep 2026 09:00:00 -0400 Nick George Video Ohio's flat 2.75% income tax takes effect in 2026. The savings land mainly on income above $100,000. Here's what it means for Ohio taxpayers. https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/planning-your-finances-as-a-content-creator/ https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/planning-your-finances-as-a-content-creator/ Wed, 26 Aug 2026 09:00:00 -0400 ClearMind Capital Private Wealth Article Creator income runs on a different set of rules, and nobody hands you the manual on day one. So here is ours. https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/understanding-your-central-ohio-property-taxes/ https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/understanding-your-central-ohio-property-taxes/ Wed, 19 Aug 2026 09:00:00 -0400 Nick George Article Franklin County is rolling out its 2026 property value updates, but a spike in your home's paper worth does not mean an equal spike in your tax bill. We break down exactly how Ohio property taxes are calculated, the major tax credit overhaul coming this year, and what the local tech boom means for your monthly payments. https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/ohios-collegeadvantage-529-plan-and-how-the-dollar4000-deduction-works/ https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/ohios-collegeadvantage-529-plan-and-how-the-dollar4000-deduction-works/ Mon, 10 Aug 2026 09:00:00 -0400 ClearMind Capital Private Wealth Article Ohio's CollegeAdvantage 529 gives every contributor a $4,000-per-child state tax deduction with unlimited carryforward. Here is how it works, who can claim it (grandparents included), and how to make sure you are getting the most out of it. https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-ohios-new-flat-275percent-income-tax/ https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-ohios-new-flat-275percent-income-tax/ Sat, 08 Aug 2026 09:00:00 -0400 Nick George Article Ohio moved to a flat state income tax rate in 2026, down from a graduated system that topped out at 3.125%. Here's what you need to know. https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/when-should-you-hire-a-financial-advisor-sooner-than-you-think-and-here-is-why/ https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/when-should-you-hire-a-financial-advisor-sooner-than-you-think-and-here-is-why/ Thu, 06 Aug 2026 09:00:00 -0400 Nick George Article You do not need a large portfolio to work with an advisor. Starter engagements exist. Here are six life moments where planning done early changes the outcome, plus the ages that carry rules. https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/picking-your-price/ https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/picking-your-price/ Tue, 04 Aug 2026 09:00:00 -0400 Nick George Article Every outcome you envy has a price tag. A look at the five-year tax on ignorance, why sudden wealth so often unravels, and choosing the price you'll pay. https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/what-the-fairness-act-changed-for-columbus-public-employees-opers-strs-sers/ https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/what-the-fairness-act-changed-for-columbus-public-employees-opers-strs-sers/ Sat, 01 Aug 2026 09:00:00 -0400 Nick George Article OPERS members don't pay into Social Security, which used to mean two federal rules cut their check. Not anymore. Here's what the 2025 Social Security Fairness Act changed for Ohio public employees. https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/should-your-ohio-business-start-a-401k-here-is-the-2026-math-in-plain-english/ https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/should-your-ohio-business-start-a-401k-here-is-the-2026-math-in-plain-english/ Mon, 27 Jul 2026 09:00:00 -0400 ClearMind Capital Workplace Retirement Article What it costs an Ohio small business to start a 401(k) in 2026, the three federal tax credits that can cover most of it, and what the owner personally gets out of it. https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/financial-advisor-near-me-in-columbus-how-to-compare-your-local-options/ https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/financial-advisor-near-me-in-columbus-how-to-compare-your-local-options/ Thu, 23 Jul 2026 09:00:00 -0400 ClearMind Capital Private Wealth Article A search for a financial advisor near you returns three very different kinds of firms wearing the same label. Here is how to tell them apart and get a long list down to the two or three worth contacting. https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/it-started-with-a-water-heater/ https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/it-started-with-a-water-heater/ Tue, 21 Jul 2026 09:00:00 -0400 Nick George Video Mike and Jess make over $500,000 a year and have no financial system. This is about the foundation: what it looks like, what it costs you to not have it, and how to build it. https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/what-a-401k-really-costs-a-small-business-and-who-pays-for-what/ https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/what-a-401k-really-costs-a-small-business-and-who-pays-for-what/ Thu, 16 Jul 2026 09:00:00 -0400 ClearMind Capital Workplace Retirement Article There are two bills inside every 401(k). One comes to the business. The other comes out of employee accounts. Here is what each costs and how to find your real number. https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/is-your-company-401k-any-good-seven-things-you-can-check-this-week/ https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/is-your-company-401k-any-good-seven-things-you-can-check-this-week/ Fri, 03 Jul 2026 09:00:00 -0400 ClearMind Capital Workplace Retirement Article Seven checks a small business owner can run on their own 401(k), what document to pull for each one, and what the answers tell you about what your employees are paying. https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/collecting-dividends-25-feels-responsible-but-is-it-the-right-move/ https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/collecting-dividends-25-feels-responsible-but-is-it-the-right-move/ Thu, 25 Jun 2026 09:00:00 -0400 Nick George Short Buying dividend stocks in your twenties feels grown up. Whether it is the right move is a different question. https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/what-you-need-to-know-about-dividends/ https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/what-you-need-to-know-about-dividends/ Tue, 23 Jun 2026 09:00:00 -0400 Nick George Video Dividends are one of the most misunderstood concepts in investing. https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/what-does-fiduciary-and-fee-only-mean/ https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/what-does-fiduciary-and-fee-only-mean/ Thu, 18 Jun 2026 09:00:00 -0400 Nick George Article Fiduciary is a legal duty. Fee-only is a business structure. Here is what each one actually protects you from, what neither one fixes, and the standard of care worth holding out for. https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/would-you-want-this-from-your-financial-advisor/ https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/would-you-want-this-from-your-financial-advisor/ Sun, 07 Jun 2026 09:00:00 -0400 Nick George Video I walk through the Planning Roadmap we use with every new client at ClearMind Capital, a document that lays out the full planning experience so clients always know where they are, where we're going, and why. https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/how-to-choose-a-financial-advisor-in-columbus-9-questions-worth-asking/ https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/how-to-choose-a-financial-advisor-in-columbus-9-questions-worth-asking/ Mon, 01 Jun 2026 09:00:00 -0400 ClearMind Capital Private Wealth Article Nine questions to ask before hiring a financial advisor in Columbus, what a good answer sounds like, and how to verify any of it yourself in about ten minutes. https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/markets-at-an-all-time-high-our-mood-is-at-an-all-time-low-what-gives/ https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/markets-at-an-all-time-high-our-mood-is-at-an-all-time-low-what-gives/ Mon, 01 Jun 2026 09:00:00 -0400 Nick George Short Markets keep hitting records while the mood stays sour. The gap between the two is worth understanding. https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/what-happens-to-your-401k-when-you-leave-a-job-and-the-mistake-that-costs-the-most/ https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/what-happens-to-your-401k-when-you-leave-a-job-and-the-mistake-that-costs-the-most/ Fri, 29 May 2026 09:00:00 -0400 Nick George Article Four options for an old 401(k), what cashing out really costs an Ohio resident after tax and penalty, and the rules that can move your money if you do nothing. https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/why-do-people-who-can-already-afford-to-retire-keep-working/ https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/why-do-people-who-can-already-afford-to-retire-keep-working/ Thu, 28 May 2026 09:00:00 -0400 Nick George Short Some people could retire tomorrow and keep working anyway. The reason is rarely the money. https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/are-you-working-longer-than-you-need-to/ https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/are-you-working-longer-than-you-need-to/ Fri, 22 May 2026 09:00:00 -0400 Nick George Video A lot of people delay retirement because of fear, not money. They've just never had someone walk them through what's possible. https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/fee-only-fee-based-or-commission-how-to-follow-the-money/ https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/fee-only-fee-based-or-commission-how-to-follow-the-money/ Tue, 12 May 2026 09:00:00 -0400 ClearMind Capital Private Wealth Article Three ways financial advisors get paid, who writes the check in each one, what each model is genuinely good at, and the one question that tells you which you are dealing with. https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/how-much-does-a-financial-advisor-cost-in-columbus-ohio-2026-fee-breakdown/ https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/how-much-does-a-financial-advisor-cost-in-columbus-ohio-2026-fee-breakdown/ Fri, 08 May 2026 09:00:00 -0400 ClearMind Capital Private Wealth Article What financial advisors charge in 2026, the four ways they get paid, and the second fee almost nobody notices. Written in plain English, with the questions to ask. https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/appreciated-stock-dafs-and-qcds-explained/ https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/appreciated-stock-dafs-and-qcds-explained/ Wed, 22 Apr 2026 09:00:00 -0400 Nick George Video Most people give to charity the same way their parents did: write a check, send it off, move on. If you've been investing for a while, there's often a smarter way to give the same amount and keep more out of Uncle Sam's hands. https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/donating-cash-vs-appreciated-stock/ https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/donating-cash-vs-appreciated-stock/ Wed, 22 Apr 2026 09:00:00 -0400 Nick George Short Giving the same amount two ways can leave very different sums on the table. Cash is rarely the efficient one. https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/do-you-make-too-much-money-for-a-roth-ira/ https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/do-you-make-too-much-money-for-a-roth-ira/ Thu, 16 Apr 2026 09:00:00 -0400 ClearMind Capital Short There is an income limit on contributing straight to a Roth IRA. There is also a legal way around it. https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/how-much-cash-should-you-keep-in-retirement/ https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/how-much-cash-should-you-keep-in-retirement/ Thu, 26 Mar 2026 09:00:00 -0400 Nick George Video A simple framework for thinking about cash in retirement, and how an income reserve can fit into the plan. https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/how-past-money-experiences-can-shape-decisions-today/ https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/how-past-money-experiences-can-shape-decisions-today/ Wed, 25 Mar 2026 09:00:00 -0400 Nick George Short The way you handle money now was largely written by what you saw growing up. Seeing that gives you a choice. https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/how-other-people-shape-your-financial-life/ https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/how-other-people-shape-your-financial-life/ Thu, 19 Mar 2026 09:00:00 -0400 Nick George Short A lot of what we buy and want is set by the people around us. Naming that makes it easier to choose for yourself. https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/what-does-financial-independence-mean/ https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/what-does-financial-independence-mean/ Thu, 19 Mar 2026 09:00:00 -0400 Nick George Article Financial independence has a clear definition. But the definition doesn’t tell you what life is supposed to look like once you get there. https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/3-medicare-decisions-that-can-cost-you-thousands-explained-simply/ https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/3-medicare-decisions-that-can-cost-you-thousands-explained-simply/ Wed, 18 Mar 2026 09:00:00 -0400 Nick George Video Medicare can get confusing fast, and if you're getting close to 65, this stuff matters. Here are three Medicare decisions to understand early. https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/why-you-always-feel-behind-even-when-youre-doing-fine/ https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/why-you-always-feel-behind-even-when-youre-doing-fine/ Thu, 12 Mar 2026 09:00:00 -0400 Nick George Video Over time, our expectations shift based on the environment around us. A home, career, or lifestyle that once felt like stability can start to feel insufficient, simply because the reference point has moved. https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/we-forgot-markets-rotate/ https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/we-forgot-markets-rotate/ Thu, 05 Mar 2026 09:00:00 -0400 Nick George Article For the first time in years, owning the world beat owning just the S&P 500, and that shouldn’t surprise anyone. https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/what-a-trust-actually-is-and-what-one-looks-like/ https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/what-a-trust-actually-is-and-what-one-looks-like/ Thu, 05 Mar 2026 09:00:00 -0400 Nick George Video When people hear the word trust, they often assume it's about complicated tax strategies or something only the ultra-wealthy need. In reality, most revocable living trusts are much simpler than that. https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/trump-accounts-explained-what-parents-need-to-know/ https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/trump-accounts-explained-what-parents-need-to-know/ Wed, 25 Feb 2026 09:00:00 -0400 Shane Duckworth Video You may have heard people talking about “Trump Accounts,” but there's a lot of confusion around what they actually are and how they could relate to families and long-term saving. https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/the-feeling-behind-every-financial-decision/ https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/the-feeling-behind-every-financial-decision/ Wed, 18 Feb 2026 09:00:00 -0400 ClearMind Capital Video Most financial advice focuses on numbers: returns, accounts, and strategies. But real financial decisions rarely happen in a spreadsheet. https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/when-an-uncontacted-tribe-walked-out-of-the-amazon/ https://clearmind-capital.com/clarity-corner/when-an-uncontacted-tribe-walked-out-of-the-amazon/ Wed, 18 Feb 2026 09:00:00 -0400 Nick George Article When an uncontacted tribe emerged from the forest, two worlds briefly met.