Yesterday marked the 18th anniversary since the September 11 attacks. While none of us will ever forget the horror we felt that day, I think there’s another emotion that’s even stronger: inspiration. If you were to collect every instance of heroism and bravery displayed that day, and read just one per year, you’d still be…
DetailsThere are certain habits and behaviors that, while not directly related to finance, can spell the difference between reaching your goals or not. Applying certain lessons makes working towards your goals both easier and more rewarding. There is a lesson to be learned from the farmer’s story below. Once there was a farmer who woke…
DetailsRecession Worries Are Overblown At This Point If you ask an economist what makes them toss and turn at night, chances are they’ll tell you, “Fear of missing the warning signs of a recession.” After all, for anyone who studies the economy for a living, few things could be worse than a sudden economic slump…
DetailsBack To School It’s back to school season! All around the country, parents are buying or have bought new backpacks and school supplies, anxious to get their children ready for the school year. Kids have squeezed in that last bit of summer fun as their days are given over to geology and geography, music and…
DetailsChina has introduced a new weapon to use in the trade war with the United States. That weapon? Its own currency. On Thursday, August 1, President Trump proposed a new slate of tariffs on Chinese goods. In response, the Chinese central bank devalued its currency – the yuan – to more than seven to the…
DetailsIt may sound strange to hear a financial advisor say this but achieving the things you care about most requires more than just money. There are certain habits and behaviors that, while not directly related to finance, can spell the difference between reaching your goals or not. For many of you, your goals have become…
DetailsJuly 20th is Neil’s 50th anniversary. “Who is Neil?” you ask. “Why should his anniversary matter to me?” As a boy, Neil moved around a lot, living in 16 towns. He was only the second person in his family to attend college. He attended Purdue University and received average grades. He served in the Navy…
DetailsThe US women’s national soccer team has just won their second consecutive World Cup championship, the American League edged out the National League in the MLB All-Star game, and Tour de France is now under way, three sure signs that we are in the prime days of summer. While most of us generally think of summer…
DetailsThree Steps To Take Now Something that caught my eye recently was an article from the New York Times titled “Social Security Is Staring at Its First Real Shortfall in Decades.” In short, the article says that in 2020, Social Security expenses will exceed income and the program will be forced to begin drawing down…
DetailsAlmost two-and-a-half centuries ago, fifty-six great Americans signed the Declaration of Independence. It was a document that would change the world, but after the Revolutionary War ended, it languished in relative obscurity for many years. In fact, to many, the Declaration was merely a simple letter that had served its purpose. A historical artifact and nothing…
DetailsThe team at Wealth Advisors would like to wish you a Happy 4th of July! Whether you are celebrating America’s birthday at the pool, a park or in the backyard, we hope that you enjoy your time with your loved ones. Just a reminder, our office will be closed on Thursday, July 4th; we will…
DetailsAs you know, many people invest in the stock market as a way to save for retirement, secure additional income, or create financial security for themselves and their families. They strive to “put their money to work” as the saying goes. This may be a healthy mindset, and for some people, it’s the whole point…
DetailsWhen it comes to helping people pursue their goals, most financial advisors tend to focus on areas like investing, tax planning, and other money-related topics. I am no exception. After all, these things are critically important if you want to save for retirement, start a business, travel the world, or simply leave a legacy for…
DetailsIt’s June, and that means Father’s Day! As you know, Father’s Day is a chance to tell our dads how much we love and appreciate them. A chance to say “thanks” for providing for us, protecting us, and teaching us – this last above all. The older I get, the more I realize how important…
DetailsAs a financial advisor, I get the chance to meet new people every day. Some want help with creating a financial strategy; others just want a second opinion of their investment portfolio. But regardless of who they are or what they want, pretty much everyone asks me the same question: “How can I grow AND…
DetailsNormandy. D-Day. Operation Overlord. The events of June 6, 1944 are known by many names, and have been commemorated in countless books, dramas, and documentaries. You’ve seen the pictures of GIs wading through rough, freezing water onto a murderous, mine-strewn beach. You’ve heard the stories of those who braved smoke and shell to scale the…
DetailsNew Tariffs 2019 After months of relative quiet, the trade war between the U.S. and China has erupted again in a big way. The markets are the most immediate casualty, with the Dow plunging over 600 points on Monday alone.1 In all likelihood, you’re probably more focused on things like spring cleaning and your upcoming…
DetailsThe Origin of Mother’s Day Did you know that there are more calls made on Mother’s Day than any other day of the year? It’s true! Across the US, phone companies deal with the highest volume of calls on Mother’s Day.1 It makes sense. After all, Mother’s Day is a celebration of our most important…
DetailsIt is all too often that I have a conversation about how to handle a Will or Power of Attorney and send people off with good intentions to get their estate documents in order. Too many times I have a follow-up conversation a year later and find nothing has been accomplished. Don’t become one of…
Details“We are now in a bear market – here’s what that means.” – CNBC headline on December 24, 20181 “The stock market rally to start 2019 is one for the history books.” – CNBC headline on February 22, 20192 If you’re like most people, it’s probably not uncommon for you to plan your day or…
DetailsThe Major League Baseball season is underway, the NCAA Men’s Basketball Division I Tournament has just reached its exciting conclusion, and the Masters Tournament is underway, which means spring is officially here and we’ve closed the books on the first quarter of 2019. Much like the University of Virginia men’s basketball team, which shook off…
DetailsChristmas presents. Valentine cards. It’s interesting how many of the holiday traditions we hold most dear center around children. Most are primarily for children, of course, but a few were actually started by children. For example, take the annual Easter Egg Roll held on the grounds of the White House every year. Be it enacted…
DetailsDon’t Assume This Will Be Easy – Start Now A new study by Bankers Life for a Secure Retirement, A Growing Urgency, Retirement Care Realities for Middle-Income Boomers, has found what I pretty much knew to be true: Baby Boomers are not prepared for the possibility of needing chronic care in retirement. Even though two-thirds…
DetailsMake Your Money Work For You Have you ever played the game Monopoly? If so, you’re probably familiar with the image of “Rich Uncle Pennybags,” the game’s unofficial mascot. Sporting a bushy white mustache, a black top hat, and a cane, Mr. Monopoly (as he is sometimes known) has become a cliché. Created as a…
DetailsWatch For The Income Tax Torpedo The possibly lurking Social Security tax torpedo is a situation where an extra dollar of income not only gets taxed at your highest marginal tax rate, it also may cause previously untaxed Social Security benefits to be taxed. So instead of adding $1 to taxable income, you must add…
DetailsMarch Madness and Investing Although I don’t watch much basketball during the season, I enjoy the playoffs and championships. It’s always a pleasure to see great competition. I was reading about the bracket process and was struck with how similar it is to the investment process we use. Seeding Madness, specifically “March Madness,” has begun.…
DetailsMany of you are concerned that Social Security won’t remain a viable option in the future. Here’s the latest update. Although the journalists won’t be writing about the 2018 Social Security (OASDI) trust fund results until the annual trustees’ report comes out in the spring, we have them for you now. The Social Security Administration…
DetailsHot Dogs Saved the Community When it comes to changing your community, most people probably think you need a lot of money, fame, or power. But when a colleague shared the following story1 with me, I learned something important: Sometimes, all it takes to change your community is a glass of water and some hot…
DetailsThe Tax Law – One Year Later Tax season – the period between January and April 15, when most people file their taxes – is often a hectic time. But this year’s tax season is special. It’s been a little over a year since the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act went into effect. As the…
DetailsYou & Me. Be Mine. True Love. Only You. For over 100 years, people have been exchanging candy hearts with little messages on them for Valentine’s Day. But not this year. You may have heard in 2018, a new company purchased the rights to the sweets but announced they wouldn’t have enough time to make…
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