First Responders Group

Market Week: September 21, 2026 The latest issue of Market Week is available.

Our Shred Event will now be taking place on Saturday, October 3rd at 9am. See you then!

Estate planning is about more than having a will.
It can involve organizing how your assets and financial affairs are handled during your lifetime and how they are distributed after your death.
Depending on individual circumstances, an estate plan may include:
• A will
• Powers of attorney
• Health care directives
• Trusts
• Beneficiary designations
• How certain assets are owned or titled
Each of these can serve a different purpose, and not every estate plan looks the same. Understanding the basics can make conversations about estate planning a little easier to navigate.

Earlier than you might think. There's no minimum age to contribute to a Roth IRA. A teenager with eligible earned income may be able to contribute, even from a part-time or summer job. For a minor, the account is generally established as a custodial Roth IRA, with an adult serving as custodian until the applicable age. Contribution limits and other rules apply, including limits based on earned income. It's never too early to start learning how retirement accounts work.

Market Week: September 14, 2026 The latest issue of Market Week is available.

If you're a Massachusetts public employee, you may hear both of these terms when talking about retirement. But they aren't the same thing. A pension generally provides retirement income based on the provisions of your retirement system, which can include factors such as your years of service, age and compensation.
The Massachusetts SMART Plan is a 457(b) deferred compensation plan available to eligible state and municipal employees. It allows participants to contribute a portion of their pay toward retirement.
Simply put, a pension and SMART Plan are two different types of retirement benefits, each with its own features and rules.
Understanding how they differ can make retirement terminology a little easier to navigate.

A brokerage account may sound intimidating, like something reserved for people who already understand Wall Street. But the basic concept is actually pretty simple.
Think of it as an account designed for a different purpose. Instead of primarily holding money for everyday spending, a brokerage account allows you to buy and hold investments such as stocks, bonds, mutual funds and ETFs.
The account itself is only one piece of the picture. The investments held within it can vary widely and have different features, risks, costs and tax considerations.
Understanding the terminology is a great place to start.
Have questions? We're here to help make investing easier to understand.

Market Week: August 31, 2026 The latest issue of Market Week is available.