For parents, having a child become financially independent has traditionally meant losing the ability to claim them as a tax dependent. While that might lead to fewer deductions for the parents, there may be a silver lining to ease that loss.

You may recall that when the Affordable Care Act was passed in 2010, it allowed young adults to remain on their parents’ health insurance until age 26. This created an interesting window for many young adults where they may no longer qualify as a parent’s tax dependent but remain covered by the parent’s health plan until age 26. The key is that health insurance coverage and tax dependency are two separate rules.

Clients don't stop having financial questions the moment they leave an appointment. A headline about the markets, a new baby, a job change, a college acceptance letter: Life keeps generating questions long after the meeting ends. StraightLine's advisors noticed the same handful of questions kept coming up, over and over, in conversations across the team. So, the firm asked itself a simple question: what if those everyday questions were treated as the start of an ongoing conversation, instead of letting the answers live and die in a single meeting?

As advisors are recognized by InvestmentNews on its 2026 5-Star Wealth Management Teams list, the award is more than just an industry distinction for StraightLine. As a team, it reflects a collaborative, client-first culture that has existed at the firm from the very beginning.

“This award is a recognition of what has always been true, which is that we work exceptionally well as a team,” said President and CEO Mike Bisaro, AIF®. “In many cases, our collaboration has opened doors to conversations and opportunities we didn’t even realize were there. It’s rewarding to see those relationships continue to grow through true teamwork.”

Scam and fraud attempts are increasing, and bad actors are becoming more sophisticated. We are notified almost daily of attempts to access accounts, impersonate trusted institutions, or pressure individuals into sending money.

Money is one of the most practical parts of daily life and, conveniently, one of the most emotionally charged topics in family households. While many families struggle to communicate about finances in a way that feels constructive, collaborative, and stress-reducing, others are finding that discussing finances isn't as intimidating as they seem. Openly talking about finances, from goals to habits to struggles, can transform relationships and long- and short-term financial outcomes.

​In today’s uncertain economic environment, many clients are worried about protecting their hard-earned savings against bank failures. While we generally do not recommend holding significant assets in banks because of the low rate of return, it is still important to understand how to protect the cash you do keep there, especially if your balances exceed the FDIC insurance limit of $250,000.