Blog
Blogging for life's seasons.
We take the security of your accounts and information seriously.
I recently attended a webinar, hosted by LastPass, pertaining to cybersecurity. LastPass is one of the popular options people are using to keep passwords safe. With all of the criminals lurking out there, trying to steal...
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What is the best way to help a panhandler?
My husband and I recently attended a San Antonio District 8 townhall meeting where we discussed panhandling, the homeless, and encampments. Having volunteered in various capacities to help with the homeless situation in the past,...
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Do the professionals in your life use too much jargon?
I was working with a client last week and had to do a little bit of research to remind myself of some IRS rules. I Googled, "Can an RMD from a 403b be used for a QCD?"Financial advisors, attorneys, and CPAs are all bad about...
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2023 investment strategy
A client recently asked me about my investment strategy for 2023. Obviously, the markets are constantly moving by the second, creating opportunities and concerns. It's no secret that a financial advisor needs to stay on top...
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Do you know if your beneficiary designations are per stirpes or per capita? It's important!
Per stirpes and per capita are two legal terms that are used to describe the distribution of an inheritance among multiple heirs, and not understanding these terms can lead to unintended consequences, including disinheriting a child.If...
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Is it possible to make money by giving it away?
Making money by giving it to charity may seem counterintuitive, but it is actually possible through a practice known as philanthropic investing. Philanthropic investing involves using your financial resources to support causes and...
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What does it mean to be a qualified investor?
A qualified investor is a person or entity that meets certain criteria set by financial regulators and is eligible to participate in investment opportunities that are not available to the general public. These investment opportunities...
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Behind the scenes
To keep up with the markets, trends, regulations, and more, there's a lot that goes on behind the scenes at Seasons Wealth. For example, earlier this week, I was at my broker/dealer's annual conference where I attended sessions...
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Client Spotlight - Former City Councilwoman and nature advocate
For my second Client Spotlight article, I'd like to tell you about a client we have enjoyed working with for about eight years now, a former City Councilwoman, Bonnie Conner. When I first met Bonnie, I also had the pleasure...
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Excited to share a video of our completed office space
There were some challenges building out an office during the delays created by the COVID supply chain problems, but we did it and we're proud of what we created. Click here to watch a short video of our space and be sure to have...
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non-compete contracts
I just read an interesting article about non-compete contracts. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) became concerned about non-compete contracts in the glass industry. The glass industry as in, glass container manufacturers...
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Tax season is right around the corner
Tax season is not here but it's right around the corner. I mention that it's not here yet because we do have some clients that are so organized and on top of things that they call for tax forms in January before they're even...
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Expenses to expect when a loved one has passed
Here's a partial list of expenses to expect when someone has passed away:honorariam for pastor, clergy, speaker - approximately $250hotel room for musicians and/or anyone from out-of-town who participates in the service - approximately...
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To do list when a loved one has passed
Luckily, most of us don't have to plan very many funerals. We find ourselves in unfamiliar territory for sure when planning the first one. Here's a partial checklist of things to do to make the process go a little more...
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Get your flu shot!
Due to an unwarranted fear of shots, I used to say that I'd rather have the flu than get a flu shot. That is, until, I got the actual flu. The bad one! I was in bed for ten days and it took a full three weeks to...
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When a loved one has passed
Planning a funeral can be a daunting experience because there's usually some sort of a deadline, or multiple deadlines, and emotions are often running high. In addition, you'll often have family members working together who don't...
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Did you know?
According to Bloomberg, since 1942, the Dow Jones Industrial Average has declined by 5% or more, three times per year, lasting 41 days, on average. It has dropped by 20% or more about every six years with the dip lasting...
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Beware if you've ever used a life insurance policy for collateral!
A collateral assignment is the practice of pledging a life insurance policy as collateral for a loan. The practice is not necessarily a bad thing, but it can become a nightmare if you forget to notify the life insurance company...
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Does your financial advisor review your auto and homeowners insurance?
I am very thankful that I ended up with a well-rounded background. It wasn't a well thought out plan. Rather, it just happened. But it helps us serve clients well and holistically. For example, when I was finishing my...
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Client Spotlight - Teachers continue to give back, even after retiring
In this first Client Spotlight post, I'm going to tell you about some clients I've been working with longer than just about anyone else - my first cousin, Rhonda and her husband Charlie - two of the nicest people you could ever know...
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When was the last time you reviewed your life insurance plan?
I know, I know. Life insurance is something a lot of people don't like to think about. That doesn't change the fact that it's a very important part of a good financial plan. One might think that a financial advisor is...
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How long should you keep records?
The IRS has pretty clear information about how long records should be stored at the following URL: How long should I keep records? | Internal Revenue Service (irs.gov). I'd always heard that the longest we should store...
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Medicare open enrollment
Medicare open enrollment is October 15th - December 7th. It's very important to make wise decisions on healthcare as it's a large expense for most households. Please call if we can help.
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Does your team work together?
I'll first answer the question you might be asking - who IS my team? A good financial planning team consists of your financial advisor, an attorney, and a CPA at a minimum. I've seen a lot of people over the years who've...
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Don't fear the bear
We are now nine months into a bear market. It's important to keep perspective. Bear markets are a normal part of investment cycles. They should not cause alarm if you have a good financial plan. Instead, they...
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Everybody's talking about commodities
Why is everyone talking about commodities? Because it's one of very few asset classes performing this year.I recently attended a conference at the Fidelity campus in Dallas where he heard from analysts and others. I learned...
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How well do you understand probate?
I'm not an attorney so this is, by no means, a legal dissertation about probate. Instead, my goal, is to educate you about some things you can handle now that will save your executor, and/or whoever's going to wrap up your...
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Markets through the decades
A brief summation of the economy and markets through the decades:1950s: post war industrialization, strong economic growth, stock market return of 486%1960s: a lengthy expansion due to rising income, household consumption,...
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Did you know?
After the mortgage crisis of 2008 - 2009, regulators have gotten serious about making changes so that nothing like it ever happens ago. As always, regulations don't solve everything, but they can do some good.I recently received...
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I'm impressed!
I have been serving on the board of Morningside Ministries for almost two years now. At our board meeting last week, ladies from Oasis spoke to us about the programs and classes they oversee. Wow! I was impressed...
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Variable Annuity anyone?
Michelle and I just finished reviewing a client's variable annuity. If you own one, it is imperative that you have your financial advisor review all of the costs and benefits. I'm not suggesting that they aren't useful in...
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Do you own a safety deposit box?
Like rotary phones, phone books, pagers, and so many other things that have become obsolete, safety deposit boxes seem to be headed in the same direction. We never hear about the younger generations using them. I suppose...
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one of my favorite Benjamin Franklin quotes - worth reading
There are two ways of being happy: We must either diminish our wants or augment our means - either may do - the result is the same and it is for each man (woman) to decide for himself (herself) and to do that which happens to be...
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Can you name the four countries with the largest number of central bank assets?
They are the Federal Reserve System of the United States, Japan, China, and Germany, with the United States' assets being about 3 trillion more than second place - Japan.Investopedia defines a central bank as follows: A...
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Looking for an easy way to save on prescriptions?
Healthcare costs can be a significant expense in any of life's seasons, but more so as we age. GoodRx is a very easy way to shop for prescription prices. Simply go to GoodRx.com and type in your prescription name. Hit...
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What has Kris been up to?
On Wednesday, August 17th and Thursday, August 18th I attended a Retirement Plan Summit in Austin hosted by my broker/dealer, Kestra Financial. I must say that it was very good to be able to attend an event in person again.In...
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How much will I need to retire?
Yogi Berra, one of the greatest baseball legends to ever live, was once quoted as saying, "The future ain't what it used to be." The financial services industry loves the quote because it helps illustrate the fact that most...
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types of investment risk
Most often, when the investing public talks about risk, they're referring to the risk that you can lose money or experience price fluctuation. However, there are many different types of risk, and every investment is susceptible...
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the case for quality bonds
I just read an article in which the author suggested that it's important to own high quality bonds right now. To some degree, I disagree! I think it's always a good time to own high quality bonds - especially if we're...
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the case for diversification
Over the decades, I've entered into many, many conversations in which people have expressed concerns about the value of the dollar. One might not realize that these concerns are just one of the reasons that the number one rule of...
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Bear markets are opportunities
Since the 50s, the S&P 500 Index has declined by at least twenty percent 11 times. The average return from the peak to the trough was -34.18%. Just one year later, the average return from the bottom of the market, was...
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Inflation and the good old days
I had an aunt who passed away about five years ago and I helped the family pack up her belongings. If you haven't done that yet, it's much more emotional than one might think. I was amazed at the things I learned about my aunt...
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Good news!
Afterall, we can all use good news.According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, and New Hampshire have all reported their lowest state unemployment rates IN...
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the many roles and services of financial advisors
Here's a partial list of things you should expect from a good financial advisor:budgetinglife insurance review and planningdebt managementcash flow and net worth statementsretirement planningeducation fundingbeneficiary...
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Does my portfolio need precious metals?
Over the years, many clients have asked if they need to own precious metals such as gold and silver. My answer depends on the reason for the question. Gold and silver don't have a high correlation with the stock market...
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Are you trying to decide if you need a financial advisor?
In my opinion, almost anyone could benefit from the services of a good financial advisor. And I do mean, almost anyone - not everyone. Who wouldn't benefit? A true do-it-yourselfer. I define a...
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another Benjamin Franklin quote
Beware of little expenses; a small leak will sink a great ship.
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Why do advisors ask for referrals?
The reason financial advisors ask for referrals might seem obvious, but I'd like to do a little explaining - some reasons you might never come up with on your own. While it's obvious that most advisors want to grow their...
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BEWARE! Scams are on the rise. Please read
We all hear about people getting taken by various scams these days. Well, scams are on the rise. There have been several instances recently in which some of our friends and family, who have all been previously warned, have...
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Interesting fact about bonds
Bonds have been around much longer than one might think. Many historians believe that the government of Venice, Italy might have issued some of the first bonds to fund war efforts in the 1100s. Instead of taxing citizens,...
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10 reasons you shouldn't hire a financial advisor
1) You feel secure about investing your hard-earned life savings with total strangers.2) You prefer service from faceless representatives at 800 numbers to an investment professional.3) You have plenty of time to read...
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How to prevent loss aversion from harming long term returns
1) Work with your advisor to establish a long-term plan - then stick to it.2) Consult your advisor before making any changes to your plan or portfolio.3) Do not check your portfolio balances too frequently, especially...
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Unclaimed Property
There is a process called escheatment that is used when an investment firm has a balance in an inactive account and loses touch with the account owner over a long period of time and is, therefore, unable to distribute funds. Laws...
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Disability Insurance
Disability insurance pays a portion of income when a worker becomes disabled. There are many employers who allow workers to pay for a group policy via automatic deductions from paychecks. If your employer doesn't offer this...
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Good news!
I recently heard someone say that good news doesn't sound smart. This really resonated with me. People seem to sound intelligent when quoting unsettling statistics, which is probably one of the reasons for the prevalence of...
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If you have long term care insurance - read this!
A large percentage of people will need some type of assistance with daily living activities before passing away. Long term care insurance can be an asset to assist with the associated costs. However, it is not something...
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Independence Day
Today we are celebrating two independence days - our country's independence from Great Britain on July 4th, 1776 and my transition to an independent financial advisor on December 4th, 2021.One of my favorite books is a historical...
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Is now a good time to invest?
If only we had a crystal ball that worked. But we don't. In the financial services industry, we use a term called dollar-cost averaging to help take away some of the fear that we're investing at the wrong time - when prices...
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Mid year update
It will be interesting to see how the year ends up. As of 6/24/22, of the 51 indices and sectors tracked by First Trust in their weekly market update, only four have positive year-to-date (YTD) numbers - two of those being...
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Does your life insurance plan make sense?
Life insurance is something a lot of people don't like to think about, but we've all heard stories about families that were ruined because there weren't enough assets when a breadwinner passed away prematurely and, alternatively,...
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technical problems with AT&T cell service
Michelle is working on a telephone issue we are experiencing. Several callers have mentioned that calls are not going through and we have identified that everyone who has experienced the problem uses AT&T cell service. ...
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Prescription costs
Prescription costs can be significant and it's not always easy to compare prices. I have found GoodRX.com to be helpful. Give it a try and let us know what you think.
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Current market volatility
We are starting to get questions about the recent market volatility. Here are some facts:On March 6, 2009, the DOW closed at 6,626 and this was the beginning of a very good, very long (11 year) bull market.On January 17, 2020,...
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Morningside Ministries
As mentioned in my bio, I serve on the board of Morningside Ministries which was founded in 1961 as one of the first church-founded homes for the elderly in San Antonio. In what I call the "slowing down" season of life, a lot of...
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Albert Einstein quote
"If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough." ...
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Investing in the next generation
Through our church, I've met a precious eleven-year-old little girl who's interested in learning about business and money. We've scheduled a Career Day this month in which we're going to bring her into the office for a mock...
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No call center at Seasons Wealth
For awhile now, my greatest pet peeve has been sitting on hold after calling an 800 number, being passed around from employee to employee, and getting incorrect information - which can sometimes be an all day experience. At...
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Looking for feedback
At Seasons Wealth, it's always all about the client. We appreciate your feedback. If you find a typo (God forbid), if we aren't communicating effectively, if you have questions or concerns, if you have any feedback at all,...
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Our customer service goal
At Seasons Wealth, our goal is to answer every call, text, and email within 24 hours. Of course, during especially busy times, that might not happen. However, if you've contacted the office and have not heard from us within...
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Dave Ramsey's 5 life insurance mistakes (and I agree)
1) Buying too little to replace your income. 2) Waiting too long to get coverage. 3) Buying for too short of a term. 4) Buying too many riders. 5) Failing to...
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Season - summer!
At Seasons Wealth, we plan for all of life's seasons.As evidenced by our temperature gauges, the summer season is here. I know that a lot of us have schedules that are disrupted during the summer. Teachers get to enjoy...
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Dave Ramsey quote
"Live like no one else so, tomorrow, you can live like no one else." Dave Ramsey
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A good medical analogy
What should one do if she goes to her doctor and the doc says, "Based on my experience and training, this is exactly what I recommend"?
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Umbrella policies
To adequately protect yourself in a lawsuit, a general rule of thumb is that your liability insurance limits should match your net worth. The rule applies to all of your property and casualty insurance policies: automobile,...
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Benjamin Franklin quote
"Having been poor is no shame, but being ashamed of it is." ...
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Market update
Today I watched a market update by Kara Murphy, the Chief Investment Officer of my broker-dealer, Kestra Financial. As always, there was plenty of good news and plenty of bad. Unemployment is low. Inflation is high....
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35th wedding anniversary
One of the reasons that I'm excited about this blog is that we always have so much to talk about in client appointments that there isn't a lot of time for clients to get to know our team. Studies have shown that, when partnering...
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What is money?
"Great leaders see money as fuel, not a destination." Simon Sinek ...
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Decision making
When investors are panicked or euphoric, they're going to made a bad decision. Talking through decisions with a seasoned financial advisor helps prevent mistakes driven by panic or euphoria.
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How does an elevator ride compare to investing in the markets?
If every time you got on an elevator, the button said soar or plunge, you'd get off. That's what people do with investments if they don't keep the media in check.
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Save the date
We're excited to announce the date for our Grand Opening/ Open House/ One Year Anniversary/ Christmas Celebration. Please save the date - Friday, December 9th from 2:00 - 6:00. We decided to forgo the open house when we...
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Should I consolidate accounts?
Though the years, I've observed that it's common for investors to confuse the consolidation of accounts with the diversification of accounts. The first rule of investing is diversification and it's a rule we shouldn't ignore...
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Background checks on financial advisors
Did you know that it's very easy to do a background check on your financial advisor? Our regulatory body, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), has a database consisting of all financial advisors who are currently...
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Health Savings Accounts (HSAs)
Are you contributing to a Health Savings Account (HSA)? This is one of the best, most tax-advantaged ways to pay for medical expenses. As always, there are rules and qualifications but, if you aren't already contributing to...
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Phone problems
Wanted to let everyone know that we seem to be experiencing phone problems at the branch. We have a super fancy new phone system and it is internet-based. We've had a few people call to say that they weren't able to get...
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Looking for a speaker?
If you're a member of an organization in need of speakers, I am able to speak on quite a few topics in either a relaxed or formal setting. For example, maybe you have a friend group that often talks about financial topics. ...
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Information sources
If we get all of our information from our phones, all of the info we get is spun. Be particular about sources and resources. Info that is accompanied with legalese is more often based on data and facts, rather than opinions...
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Do you have physical stock certificates?
Years ago, I was helping a fairly new client whose husband's health was declining. He'd previously been handling their finances. While sitting at her kitchen table, she brought me a box she'd found under her bed which held a lot...
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A sounding board for those who are important to you
As part of our efforts to deliver additional value, our team makes itself available to be a sounding board for a colleague, friend, or family member of a client. Bottom line is this, if they are important to you, they...
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Tax planning
Attending a web today on tax planning for 2022 and beyond. Just one of many of the behind-the-scenes activities at Seasons Wealth that help us serve our clients better.
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Seasons of Life
What seasons of life do our clients find themselves in?We help a small number of clients who have just completed college and are now in the "newly adulting" season of life. At this point, most are not yet thinking about working...
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Michelle's grandkids
You might or might not know that Michelle, the office has five grandkids under the age of five. I'm sure all mothers and grandmothers can empathize when I tell you that Michelle and her two daughters took a trip to Dallas...
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Check up on your charity
Guidestar,org is a great resource if you'd like to check up on your charity of choice. They do charge a fee for some of the services that they provide but there's plenty of info that's available for free.
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Black Monday
On October 19, 1987, the DOW famously lost 22.6% of its value, earning it the name "Black Monday". What's often forgotten is that the DOW closed 1987 up 2%, wiping out the entire loss. Lesson: don't panic!
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Backdoor ROTH IRAs
We get a lot of questions about backdoor ROTH IRAs and several of our clients use this strategy. Essentially, it's a strategy used to get money into a tax-advantaged account for people who normally wouldn't qualify. I've...
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member of the Financial Services Institute
Today I'm announcing that I've become a member of the Financial Services Institute (FSI) in Washington, D.C. FSI advocates for Main Street Americans’ access to objective, affordable financial advice.I am proud to become a member...
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We sell Equity Indexed Annuities (EIAs)
But is this an appropriate strategy for you? During times of market volatility, there's an increased number of infomercials about Equity Indexed Annuities, an investment that can sound too good to be true. At Seasons Wealth...
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Come see the office
Great news! It's been a bit of a challenge furnishing a branch with all of the COVID supply chain problems. I'm happy to announce that next Friday, June 3rd, we'll finally get our last large delivery - our comfy couch...
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