The Aurora Blog
Welcome to our blog. Explore some of our recent articles, or venture on over to our archive for bonus content from the past.
Are You Getting the Most From Your Financial Advisor?
When you meet with your financial advisor, what do you spend most of your time talking about?
Your portfolio plays an important role in your financial plan, and understanding how your investments are performing is worthwhile. But your financial life is much bigger than your investment account.
Here are some of the conversations you may want to be having with your advisor.
When Should You Update Your Beneficiaries? A Guide to Beneficiary Designations.
Here’s what to know about beneficiary designations, when you should review them, and which accounts deserve a closer look.
The Power of Planning: Risk Management
Reed continues his series on the power of planning by exploring risk management and navigating the unexpected in life.
What Does It Take to Become a Millionaire?
Brian Iles shares his thoughts on reaching millionaire status.
Reflections on My First Month at Aurora Financial Strategies
Karson Parrott shares reflections on his summer internship at Aurora.
Announcing Community First Wealth Management, Powered by Aurora Financial Strategies
The Aurora Financial Strategies team is excited to announce our official partnership with Community First Bank.
The Power of Planning: Saving for Retirement
Saving for retirement is essential—but knowing how to save is just as important. From brokerage accounts to IRAs and employer-sponsored plans, understanding where your money goes can make a significant difference in your long-term financial success.
Trump Accounts Explained: What Parents Need to Know
Trump Accounts are gaining attention as a new way to save for your child’s future. Learn how they work, the tax rules involved, and whether they make sense for your family before deciding to open one.
The Power of Planning: Tax Planning
Learn how strategic tax planning can reduce your tax bill, manage tax brackets, and avoid common tax traps in retirement. Discover key tax strategies used in financial planning.
Life after Debt: The Steps to Take After Reaching the Light at the End of the Tunnel
Paying off debt is more than a math problem—it’s an emotional journey that can impact every part of your financial plan. Whether it’s student loans, credit card balances, business expenses, or major purchases, managing debt strategically is key to freeing up cash flow and reaching long-term goals. Learn smart debt payoff strategies and discover the next financial steps to take once you’re debt-free, from boosting retirement savings to building wealth for the future.
Reflections After One Year – and Why I’m Committed for the Long Run
After one year at Aurora, Chad reflects on why he joined, the value Aurora provides clients through financial planning and investment management, and the teamwork and culture that make the firm stand out.
The Power of Planning
Discover why comprehensive financial planning goes far beyond investment management. Learn how tax strategy, insurance reviews, retirement income projections, college savings, and estate planning work together to strengthen your financial future—at no additional cost. Find out why working with a fiduciary advisor who offers full-scope planning can be one of the most valuable financial decisions you make.
2026: 3 Resolutions for the New Year at Aurora Financial Strategies
Aurora Financial Strategies reflects on a record breaking 2025 and shares three key resolutions for the year ahead. Learn how the firm plans to enhance the client experience, grow its team, and expand its new CIO program in 2026.
From Mattresses to Money Markets: Rethinking Cash in Uncertain Times
Explore how holding excess cash may affect long term financial planning. Learn how inflation, missed market growth, and reduced compounding potential can impact outcomes, and review ways investors may manage risk while staying aligned with their goals.
Diamond Hill (DHIL): There’s Diamonds in Them Thar Hills
In the 1800’s as the California gold rush gained steam, Matthew Fleming Stephenson coined the phrase, “There’s gold in them thar hills” to remind people that California was not the only game in town. Today, it may be worth reminding folks that, as the masses flock to mega cap AI stocks, attractive opportunities exist to invest in highly profitable and overlooked businesses.
2025 Holiday Gifting Guide: Gifts They'll Love (And You'll Love to Write Off)
As the holiday season comes upon us, giving gifts is now top of mind for many across the nation. While preparing for Black Friday deals and telling your kids stories about Santa Claus, putting presents under your Christmas tree is only one of the gift-giving methods to ponder at the end of the year.
Dating and Money: How to Talk About Finances Without Making It Awkward
When you’re dating, compatibility is deeper than just liking the same music or sharing a sense of humor.
It’s also about how you handle stress, make decisions, and ultimately, handle money.
Getting Smart About Your Educational Finances
School is back in session! Now that the school year is back in full swing, it's time to think about the financial stresses that come with it. Here is how we can get through it together.
Fantasy Land
Austin Crites warns that today’s markets have become a fantasyland, where investors chase hype—meme coins, bloated tech stocks, and accounting smoke screens—while ignoring risk and reality. When the illusion shatters, he says, many will learn too late that a bird in the hand really was worth two in the bush.