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From The Nest

N E W S L E T T E R

Holiday Edition 2018

Be More Grateful

Gratitude helps to create a positive mindset and allows you to focus on what is important in life.

 

Gratitude helps you let the daily insignificant obstacles not throw you off track and ruin your day.

 

Gratitude helps you handle life’s major obstacles that WILL cross your path.

 

Be More Grateful and you will be happier!


Gratitude shifts your focus from what your life lacks to the abundance that is already present.  

While facing challenges in your daily life, it's important to remind yourself of all the wonderful things you do have



Grateful For Coaches

AUTHOR: Dennis Grinestaff, JR., AWMA®

Have you had a coach that has impacted your life?

Being involved in youth athletics is your first exposure to goal setting, strategizing, and pushing yourself physically and mentally. It is the first realization that your capabilities are greater than your mind’s limitations and that winning can only happen through teamwork, chemistry, and a mutually desired outcome.

I am grateful to have had several inspiring coaches during my (short!) athletic career.

My coaches demanded high standards and accountability while pushing me out of my comfort zone, forcing my growth as a student, athlete, and citizen.

In his book No Limits, National Championship Calvert Hall Coach Mark Amatucci shares how his aggressive, relentless and passionate style helped players create athletic, social and cultural success on and beyond the court.

Today we acknowledge the coaches who have dedicated their time, molding minds and teaching the value of hard work and consistency to both youths and adults.

As the great Jimmy V said, “There are 86,400 seconds in your day. It is up to you to decide what to do with them.”

It only takes 2 seconds out of your day to show your gratitude. Reach out to your coaches, past or present, to say thanks!

I want to personally thank Mark Amatucci, Joe Baker, Bill Mackley, and Lou Eckerl. I am grateful for your relationship on and off the basketball court and football field. Go Hall!

We believe coaching can change lives. This is why the last C of The EPPIC Method™ stands for COACH.


What is a Coach?

What is a Coach?

A coach is a professional confidant.
A coach has your best interest in mind.
A coach identifies and believes in your potential.
A coach helps you expand your thinking.
A coach helps you tackle obstacles.
A coach helps strengthen your weaknesses.
A coach leads by example.
A coach is always there for you.
A coach provides Wisdom.Trust.Guidance

Through each stage of life and financial obstacle we Evaluate, Plan, Protect, Invest and Coach. 

The most important and rewarding aspect of The EPPIC Method™ is coaching you to help you achieve financial success!


Pictured: Coach Joe Baker Calvert Hall Yearbook Circa 1991

Grateful for Mentors

AUTHOR: Sharon Grinestaff, AIF®, CRPC®

Take a few seconds to think about the people that have positively shaped who you are today.

I’m sure many faces pop into your head along with their wisdom and guidance.
They are family members, teachers, coaches, co-workers, and friends. Each person has been a mentor during different times in your life. 

No amount of education can substitute the wisdom gained through life experiences. Mentors are able to help you deal with your struggles and work towards your goals faster. They show you shortcuts on your road to success.

One of my first business mentors was my aunt, Bobbie Wyatt. She was co-owner of Wyatt Wholesale, a beer and beverage distributor. During the two summers when I was 16 and 17, I worked for her and was lucky enough to sit next to her every day. I watched her manage and lead a mostly male team in a male-dominated industry. I listened to how she spoke to customers, to distributors, to vendors, and to her employees. She always demanded the best and was never shy with her opinions.

Even though she was direct and strong-willed, she had a heart of gold and would do anything for her family and employees, whom she considered family. Looking back, those two summers prepared me for life in so many ways. She demonstrated mental strength, perseverance and showed me what a woman business owner looked like. For this, I am grateful to you Aunt Bobbie. I am not alone when saying I wish you were still here guiding our lives today. 

Do you still have mentors in your life today?

As we age, our mentors typically don’t come to us, we need to seek them out. So how do you find a mentor?

Sometimes you are lucky to cross paths with a caring person wanting to share their wisdom. But most of the time, you have to make an effort.

If you are needing guidance in a difficult situation, such as the death of a loved one, going through a divorce, or becoming a new parent, look for someone who has had similar life experiences or struggles. Most of the time, they are very willing to help you gain perspective to avoid additional heartache.

If you are looking to improve yourself, find someone you admire who you see achieving success. Watch them, ask for their help, listen and learn.

Not everyone will have the desire to create a relationship with you, but you will gain wisdom with each interaction.

If you are serious about your goals consider hiring a professional coach, personal trainer, business coach, life coach or counselor to improve your results.
Gratitude is most powerful when it is shared. It only takes 2 seconds to recognize a mentor in your life.

I am grateful for the professional mentors I am lucky enough to have in my life today. Bob Dickey, Sarah Carlson, Erin Botsford, and Deirdre Van Nest, your wisdom and support has increased the value we bring to our clients.

Client Centered

 We are your Money Mentors. We walk beside you through every life stage, helping you to see your capabilities, to imagine the possibilities and to show you the shortcuts.

Over the last 20 years we have gained wisdom that comes with our experience and the experiences of our own wise mentors.

Monthly Market Update

Computer Based Algorithms

Author: Dennis W. Grinestaff, Jr., AWMA®


There have been, and always will be, disruptors, new threats and market trends that change the face of investing.

The speed at which information is now transferred around the world, and the accessibility and velocity of trading, have played a role in increased volatility.

The introduction of computer-based algorithm models has added to wider market swings. Economic indicators are driving computer trading activity and built-in buy and sell triggers create exponential highs and lows. A current example is this week's inverted yield curve.

Computer models only take into account Hard Data, which is data in the form of numbers or graphs that can be measured, traced, and validated.

On the other hand, Soft Data is comprised of human intelligence, intuition, and the interpretation of factors that cannot be measured by computers. Soft Data includes political climate, corporate branding, innovation, personnel changes, pending legislation and legal actions, none of which can be captured by algorithms.

For these reasons, we always come back to investing with institutional funds that are actively managed by humans interpreting the impact of both Hard and Soft Data rather than by technology alone.

Increased downside volatility offers portfolio managers opportunities to purchase underpriced stocks with solid fundamentals that are unrecognizable by computer models.

Patience, poise, time, and aligning with seasoned money managers help you remain focused during volatile times.

Fatal mistakes typically arise when outside influences make you deviate from your original plan, or if you never had a plan.

We are here to remind you that you do have a plan and that increased volatility should not change your long-term investment strategy.

Coaching you through up and down markets is the most important aspect of our relationship. If market conditions are giving you anxiety, schedule your coaching call easily and instantly on our virtual scheduler. 


Click here to schedule a coaching call.

Investing involves risk including loss of principal. No strategy assures success or protects against loss.

Keep Calm and Keep Investing

AUTHOR: Sharon Grinestaff, AIF®, CRPC®

As Warren Buffet says, “the stock market is a device for transferring money from the impatient to the patient”.

During times of market volatility, pullbacks, rallies, bear markets, bull markets, it is essential to remember that Time in the Market always beats Timing the Market.

The simple truth is markets go up and markets go down. Sectors come in and out of favor. Every aspect of our economy is cyclical.

Talking heads make predictions of booms and crashes daily. We listen to our favorite TV market commentators flip-flop from recession to bull market and correction to rally quicker than the blink of an eye. Entire news networks have been built on "experts" giving varying market movement opinions and predictions, cycling 24 hours a day. This leaves viewers confused and creates a feeling of fear or missing out.

Why do financial pundits not tell you that time in the Market versus timing the Market historically wins out? Because tried and true systematic investing and withdrawing, asset allocation, and rebalancing is not sexy or exciting, does not sell ad space…and what would the networks and commentators do with all that dead air?

Just remember, You must Keep Calm and Keep Investing in every market cycle.

Whether you are building your wealth or living off of it, the fact is your contributions and withdrawals will be made during both good and bad markets.

If you are in the accumulation phase, down markets can be your friend. Every time a contribution is made to your retirement plan you are buying shares regardless of price. When the market is down, you are buying shares for less, so consider your retirement on sale!

On the other hand, when markets are down and you are withdrawing your living expenses from your investments, you are having to sell more shares at lower prices and then have fewer shares working for you. Your strategy should have a combination of income-producing vehicles distributing dividends and interest to fulfill your needs and an element of growth to keep up with inflation.

If history is an indicator, sunny days and calmer seas are ahead.

We are here to coach you, helping you navigate and ride out this storm and many more to come.



Market Signals Podcast by LPL Financial

Market Signals Podcast by LPL Financial

LPL Financial Research Chief Investment Strategist, John Lynch, and Senior Market Strategist, Ryan Detrick, discuss current market trends and look ahead, sharing insightful projections on a weekly basis.

catch up on last month's podcasts.
LPL Research Weekly Market Commentary

LPL Research Weekly Market Commentary

With about one-fifth of third quarter earnings results in, the numbers have been solid thus far despite tariffs and increasing wage pressures.

Read LPL's Weekly Market Commentary
Grateful For The 401K!

Grateful For The 401K!

40 years ago, the 401k was brought into the world.  Today, it’s the most common retirement plan in the country with millions of people contributing trillions of dollars.  Your 401k is your best tool to create the essential habit of Paying Yourself First!

For 2019, the contribution limits for 401k’s and 403b’s have increased by $500 to $19,000 plus another $6,000 if you are age 50 or older.  For Traditional and Roth IRA’s the limits also increased by $500 to $6,000 plus $1,000 for age 50 or older.

Pay Yourself First

Please Join Us In Welcoming

Heather Collins

Social Media and Community Outreach Coordinator

 

Heather is responsible for managing and coordinating public relations inquiries and activities. By developing and executing effective communication and media relations programs she engages audience across traditional and social media platforms. Building relationships with thought leaders allows her to evaluate opportunities for partnerships, sponsorships and advertising to grow financial planning awareness and education.   She maintains a keen understanding of industry trends affecting clients and makes appropriate recommendations regarding a communication strategy surrounding them.

 

Heather Collins and Sharon met while working together at Lincoln Financial Advisors in 1999 and they have been friends ever since.  We are thrilled to be working together again.  Heather is looking forward to sharing her passion for financial literacy and the importance of financial planning.

 

She values family, loves to cook and travel, actively participates in her children's school activities and enjoys watching them play sports.


Stay Connected! Make sure to follow us!

                                         


Fraud Evasion

Place a Freeze at ChexSystems

AUTHOR: Sharon Grinestaff, AIF®, CRPC®


Have you had your credit card compromised with fraudulent charges?

If you are like most Americans, the answer is yes and probably more than once.

Just last week someone tried to charge an Airbnb (vacation house) to a credit card we had not used in years. Luckily the card had never been activated, but they tried to put the charge through 3 times!

In the future, you will likely answer yes to questions about other types of fraud related experiences. One being criminals opening liability accounts in your name.

This happened to me in 2015 and it was a nightmare to fix. Since that day, I have been strongly advising you to freeze your credit at all FOUR credit bureaus. This action stops criminals from opening liability accounts in your name, leaving you with a mess to straighten out.

My prediction is we will see a wave of this type of fraud in the coming years, as criminals have been waiting for the expiration of the 1 year “Free Credit Monitoring” Equifax offered after their September 2017 breach. If you value your time and mental health you must take the time to Freeze all FOUR Credit Bureaus (Experian, Equifax, TransUnion and Innovis).

Do you want to know the type of fraud that is NOW keeping me up at night? It is not a criminal charging something to your credit card or opening a loan or utility in your name. The only thing stolen in those scenarios is your time, not your money.

My biggest fear is the theft of your real money from your bank accounts, investment accounts, and retirement accounts or stealing your income by redirecting your paycheck or social security check. Recovering the loss of YOUR MONEY is more difficult and may sometimes be impossible.

Just like placing a credit freeze at the credit bureaus, there is a way for you to fight back by 

placing a Freeze at ChexSystems. Although I have been advising this action along with the credit freeze over the last 3 years,  I am now STRONGLY recommending you take this very important step. 

This quick and easy measure prevents criminals from opening bank accounts in your name.  It lessens the probability of a criminal transferring your hard-earned money out of your bank and investment accounts or redirecting your paycheck or social security payments. There are measures in place at financial institutions to only accept an electronic transfer of like registrations, meaning the bank account where the money is sent must match your name.  Thus, if a criminal opens a fraudulent bank account in your name, the transaction may go through.  If a criminal cannot open a fraudulent bank account in your name it is less likely they can take your money. Click here to take this quick action now!


While fraud will happen to anyone, I am more concerned for my retired clients, friends and family. If you are retired, you are under attack at a higher rate.  When fraud happens to you, it is more stressful, confusing and takes longer to go through the process of phone calls and paperwork.

With each breach, criminals on the dark web are compiling and sorting more and more information about you.  This allows crooks to make more targeted fraudulent attacks, yielding greater levels of success.

The second “P” in The EPPIC Method™ stands for PROTECT. You must protect your financial house in many ways. Protecting your identity and protecting your money is imperative.

The “C” stands for COACH.  We are here to coach you through the steps you must take.  Just like a coach cannot play the game for his players, I cannot freeze your credit (although many clients, friends and family have asked!). What I can do as your coach, is design the game plan, share knowledge and experience while training you.

I have created several resources for you to feel confident on game day.

First listen to our “Protect Your Identity in a Virtual World” Podcast.  Next watch our On-Demand Video where we will walk you through each action to “Take your Identity Off the Grid”.

After listening to our Podcast you will:

 1.  Know the names of all 4 credit bureaus and the role they play in your financial life.
 2.  Understand how to use a credit freeze as a tool to proactively protect yourself.
 3.  Know what Synthetic Identity theft is and how to protect your family.
 4.  Understand Identity Verification Software.
 5.  Learn how to protect yourself from Bank Account Opening Fraud using a ChexSystems Freeze.
Click here to listen and learn.

By taking our On-Demand Financial Bootcamp, we will hold your hand and guide you through the completion of each of the tasks below to “Take your Identity Off the Grid”

 1.  Take our recommended steps prior to freezing your credit.
 2.  Place a Credit Freeze at all 4 Bureaus.
 3.  How to Unfreeze your Credit Report when you need to use it.
 4.  Freeze the credit reports of the children, elderly and vulnerable adults in your family.
 5.  Place a freeze at ChexSystems.
 6.  If you have been the victim of identity theft, we will show you how to Put a Fraud Alert on your Federal Tax Return.
 7.  Download a tool to be able to analyze your debts and credit score and also receive free credit monitoring and ID Monitoring.
 8.  Request your free annual credit report.
 9.  Give your mailbox a makeover by Opting Out of all that junk mail.
Click here to take our guided Financial Bootcamp.

If you have questions, as always, we are here to help you Be More Healthy, Wealthy and Wise™!

Without Your Health, Your Wealth Means Nothing

Movember

Did you know...

The average life expectancy for men in the United States is almost 5 years less than women.

In the U.S., 1 in 9 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime.

Testicular cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in young men.

Globally every minute a man dies by suicide. 6 out of 10 suicides are men.

”Movember” is an awareness campaign to bring men’s health issues to the forefront to change the face of men’s health literally and figuratively.

By growing facial hair during the month of November, men are starting the conversation about the importance of taking proactive measures to protect their health.

Why bring attention to men’s health?

Men do not openly discuss their health and how they’re feeling.

Men are 24% less likely than women to have visited a doctor in the past year.

There is a lack of awareness and understanding of the health issues men face.

The stigma surrounding mental health makes men reluctant to take action when they don’t feel physically or mentally well.

We want ALL the Men in our lives to have EPPIC™ Health. Be More Healthy Wealthy and Wise™ by scheduling your doctor appointments and discussing the importance of men’s physical and mental health with your male friends and family members today!

Long Term Care Awareness Month

Author: Sharon Grinestaff, AIF®, CRPC®   


Life is not all fairy tales and happy endings. Quite frankly, the end of your life can be the most difficult for you, your caregivers and loved ones.

Taking care of our elderly is taxing emotionally and physically. So many decisions need to be made causing stress that can negatively affect a caregiver's relationships. Many caregivers will experience a loss of income due to taking off work to coordinate care, doctor’s appointments and other needs demanding their time.

Having an action plan in place is a blessing for you and everyone involved.

November is Long-Term Care Awareness Month, giving us the opportunity to start thus difficult but necessary conversation. We are here not only to guide you as you take on a caregiving role, but also as you age and eventually transition your financial responsibilities. Our final role is to continue your financial legacy upon the distribution of your estate.

This is a picture of my great grandmothers who both spent time in a nursing home. My Nana on the left required care from age 89-98.

I have seen and felt the stress of taking care of a loved one first hand with my own family members and while helping our clients and their loved ones through the final stages and end of life.

I can tell you that when there is a plan in place, all parties feel more in control and less stressed.

With 20 years of experience, we are seeing Long-Term Care Policies we positioned many years ago pay out their promised benefits. In these instances, Long-Term Care Insurance has shown its value.

When you become dependent on others for your daily care, Long-Term Care Insurance provides cash flow for nursing-home care, home health care, and adult day care.

Long-Term Care Insurance is not attainable for everyone, and some choose to self-insure for this risk. We assist clients that do not have Long-Term Care Coverage in designing an action plan to cover the cost of their care.

We apply The EPPIC Method™ when finding the solution for your Long-Term Care plan.

The prime time to explore the purchasing Long-Term Care Insurance is between your 50’s and early 60’s. For our new and existing clients in this age group, we EVALUATE your current insurance coverages, costs, and needs. We explore and educate you on the different types of traditional and hybrid policies applicable to your specific asset and income level. In some instances, if you have a cash value life insurance policy, we are able to reposition your current life insurance assets to include long-term care coverage.

If insurance coverage is not an option due to age, health or you decide to self-insure, we design an income and liquidation plan.

A well thought out PLAN can help to ensure you are well taken care, and help to PROTECT your wealth from being depleted, leaving your spouse destitute and your heirs with no estate.

It is essential you INVEST your time in exploring your options and creating a plan for this important time of life.

We are here to COACH you as you age and enter each stage of life.

A Little Holiday Joke

Featuring: Reed Grinestaff


When you hear the word SAVE, do you think of holiday sales, Black Friday discounts and Cyber Monday deals?

If you are like most people, saving involves getting a discount on the money you are spending.

Next time you hear the word save or are about to make an impulse buy, think of Reed’s Will Roger’s joke “What is the quickest way to double your money? Double it over and put it in your pocket” and think twice before you spend.

Retrain your brain to start associating the word save with depositing money in a financial pocket such as your emergency fund or retirement savings.

Your wealth is not determined by how much you make, it’s your saving and spending habits, and not spending more than you make.


We hope you had a wonderful Holiday Season filled with

family, friends and love.  


Wishing you an EPPIC™ New Year!