What Christmas Means for Us
For our kids Christmas is a time to eat lots of sweets, decorate the tree and eagerly await the day when they can receive the presents they most dearly desire. Each year brings new joys and different experiences. Last year, Sydney developed a crisis of confidence with regard to her belief in Santa Claus. We […]
How to Avoid the Mutual Fund Tax Trap
It seems that every year in December we get a multitude of calls from clients regarding a pretty common occurrence for mutual funds, but nonetheless an often misunderstood one. December is the time of year when most mutual funds pay out their capital gains to shareholders. While generally speaking, a capital gain means an investor […]
Do you have a loved one with a disability?
Sometimes the government gets things right. Recently, federal legislation has created a new investment vehicle called ‘ABLE Accounts’ (Achieving a Better Life Experience) to help families save for future expenses related the needs of a loved one with a long-term disability. For the first time, eligible individuals will be allowed to establish savings accounts that do not affect […]
Turning Death, Divorce, and Multiple Lawsuits … Into a Positive Experience
Eight years ago this weekend my father passed away in a horrible car crash. My brother Tim and I worked diligently to settle items in the estate, closing down a plastic surgery practice, dealing with fallout from various business interests, winding up the domestic relations order from his recent divorce and working through the probate […]
Proud to be an American
Then join hand in hand, brave Americans all, By uniting we stand, by dividing we fall; In so righteous a cause let us hope to succeed, For heaven approves of each generous deed. John Dickenson This past weekend, Jennifer and I made the pilgrimage to Bristol to see the Volunteers play against the Hokies in […]
How To Get The Best Answers
The Key is Starting with Great Questions When you read something particularly good, it’s hard not to want to share with everyone. Many ideas are original but sometimes other ideas are just too good not to share. Ben Carlson wrote a particularly good blog last month that I felt I should share with everyone and […]
How My Father’s Death Transformed Our Practice
“We believe it is important to stay fit physically and financially. Our Wealthfit™ process is at the core of everything we work with clients to accomplish over their lifetimes.” – Joe D. Franklin – CFP® I still remember how everything was turned upside down in September of 2008. Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae were placed […]
The Do’s and Don’ts of Owning Employer Stock
Owning stock in the company you work for, can give you a feeling of ownership and “skin in the game” when it comes to delivering results to the bottom line. For some, it has also been an effective way to accumulate personal wealth and a larger retirement nest egg. While there are some pluses to […]
Freedom and Faith Revisited
The Franklin Family at the base of the Statue of Liberty, Facing the Freedom Tower. Last month, Jennifer and I took the family to New York and Philadelphia, the birthplace of our nation’s independence. We always like to take the kids places to see first-hand what they have been studying in school. Being a part of […]
Is Warren Buffett Giving Contradictory Advice?
A Discussion of Passive vs. Active Warren Buffett is widely acknowledged as the greatest investor alive today. Last year he was ranked the third wealthiest person in the world, down from number one a few years back. Despite his roots as a value investor whose favorite holding period is forever, in recent years he has been […]
