Finance + Legal Services

Powering Small Business with Transparency

Katie Weber is Rewriting the Rules of Payroll in Connecticut Article by Brian Boyer | Photography by John Helmke When Katie Weber, Connecticut Agent for Lumina Payments, talks about merchant services, she doesn’t start with rates or terminals. She starts with relationships. “Small business owners don’t need another vendor. They need a partner who will pick up the phone when they need help .” As the local Connecticut representative for Lumina Payments, a fast-growing payments company focused...

Finance + Legal Services

Retirement Without Fear

Independent Fiduciary Advisor James Beyer Helps Investors Plan For Life’s Biggest Financial Transition Article by Eileen M. McNamara For many Americans, the final three to five years before retirement can feel like standing at the edge of a cliff — close enough to see what’s next, but uncertain about the landing. For Connecticut-based financial planner James T. Beyer, that stretch isn’t a danger zone. It’s a specialty. An independent fiduciary financial advisor with more than 14 years of...

Finance + Legal Services

Protecting What Matters Most

Independent Agent Coe Bancroft on the Value of Thoughtful Insurance Planning Article by Eileen M. McNamara | Photography by EB Taylor Photography Homes, cars, jewelry, health, even the ability to earn a living—modern life is filled with things worth protecting. Yet deciding what coverage is truly necessary can feel overwhelming. Coe Bancroft of State Farm Insurance in Glastonbury says the starting point is simpler than many people think: focus on the assets and income you couldn’t afford to...

Finance + Legal Services

Experts Espresso Corner

Cummings & Lockwood: Estate Planning for Executives, Justin Wolf, Update Your Landscape By Restoring Walkways and Patios Article by Justin Wolf, Cummings & Lockwood Cummings & Lockwood’s private clients attorneys understand that corporate executives have complex estate planning needs which change and evolve over the course of their careers and into retirement, requiring in-depth review and analysis and sophisticated solutions.   Corporate executives often structure their financial planning...

Finance + Legal Services

The Federal Tax Landscape For 2026

Tax Expert Jaye Subramanian of Consult Vera: The Top Marginal Rate Remains At 37 Percent Article by Jaye  Subramanian | Photography by Kaitlyn Casso This year the major federal tax rules in effect reflect extensions and modifications of policies originally enacted under President Trump, along with legislation passed afterward to prevent many provisions from expiring at the end of 2025. For individuals, lower income tax brackets that were scheduled to sunset remain. The top marginal rate is...

Finance + Legal Services

Investing With Intention

Brendan Wood Helps Clients Turn Uncertainty Into Opportunity Article by Brian Boyer | Photography by Kaitlyn Casso Money has always been emotional. It represents confidence, freedom and the future we imagine for ourselves and our families. Yet in today’s economy—marked by volatility, rising costs and nonstop financial headlines—many people feel overwhelmed instead of empowered. The question isn’t just how to invest anymore. It’s why, for what and with whom. That’s where intentional financial...

Finance + Legal Services

Free Community Shred Day – Safely Dispose of Sensitive Documents

Unwanted papers cluttering up your filing cabinet? You’re invited to bring your documents to our onsite shredding event. Food and drinks provided. Consider bringing a non-perishable food item(s) for our food drive to benefit the West Hartford Food Pantry!Please limit to 3 boxes or bags per vehicle so we can accommodate all attendees. If you have more than 3 boxes, please contact us in advance to discuss availability.Hosted by: Stepping Stone Wealth, a private wealth advisory practice...

Finance + Legal Services

Camille Gagliardi Honored As One of the Best-in-State Women Wealth Advisors by Forbes

Camille Gagliardi, MBA, CFP®, BFA™, CIMA®, CPWA®, a Private Wealth Advisor with Ameriprise Financial, Inc. in West Hartford, was named to the list of “Forbes Best-in-State Women Wealth Advisors” published by Forbes. The list recognizes financial advisors who have demonstrated high levels of ethical standards, professionalism, and success in the business.The rankings are based on data provided by thousands of the nation’s most productive advisors. Gagliardi was chosen based on assets under...

Home + Design

New England Renovations

How construction management brings clarity, coordination, and confidence to home renovation projects Article by Xavier Amos When you invite friends and family into your newly renovated home, they experience your project through the details. Smooth walls, thoughtful layouts, beautiful finishes, and integrated technology tend to draw the most attention. Guests may ask about your painter, your interior designer, or your electrician. What they rarely ask about is what made all of those elements...

Life + Culture

House of Bread

The Nonprofit's Volunteers Have Powered A Legacy of Giving Decades Article by Brian Boyer For 46 years, the House of Bread has stood as a quiet force of compassion in Hartford—feeding the hungry, educating immigrants and refugees, providing housing to the underserved, and building community where it’s needed most.  Founded in 1980 by Sister Maureen Faenza, CSJ, and Sister Theresa Fonti, CSJ, the House of Bread started by serving coffee and day-old doughnuts to homeless men in the North End of...