MONTH-2-MONTH is intended to provide you with updates on AFP and timely financial planning and investment information on a variety of topics.
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Temperatures are rising and there’s no doubt that summer has arrived. The weather and ever increasing number of email auto-replies let us know that vacation season is in full swing. Maybe you’re planning a quick weekend getaway or are dusting off your luggage for an extended trip; but now is a great time to get out and do some summer traveling! | | |
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AFP Office Move – We have moved! Our new offices are located at 3600 Olentangy River Rd, Suite C2, Columbus, OH 43214, just North of North Broadway and across the street from Riverside Hospital. We will be officially moved in to the new office on Monday, June 19th. We ask for your patience and understanding as we settle in over the next couple of weeks
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AFP Website Updates – We will be rolling out some updates to our website in the near future. Some of these are cosmetic, as we plan on updating many of the pictures, and some will be functional. Stay tuned for these starting in July.
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AFP June Financial Friday Webinar – Due to time constraints, we will not be hosting a webinar in June. Stay tuned for information on July's webinar.
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Initially, my focus this month was managing the transition of the office and knowing we were working virtually for a few weeks. Little time for much else. My house and garage became a depository of the old office, except for the large furniture. I was expecting it to be a bit bumpy and I have not been disappointed! In the midst of all this, my attention shifted to family matters as my son was in a serious bicycle accident on a Tuesday evening. Luckily there were people on the bike path that called the squad and then me. He may still need surgery to repair a broken bone and has a concussion, but he is recovering physically. The next morning we learned that my former husband, John, and my children’s dad had suffered a heart attack and died the night before. Strangely, at about the same time as my son’s accident. It’s the unexpected things in life that can take your breath away. I also know it's how one handles them that matters more. Given the fact that it has been years since there had been any contact with him (his decision, not mine nor my kids), it is as if a scabbed wound has been opened again and we are experiencing a second death. I take comfort in knowing my children and I are stronger emotionally for what we have already been through and processing the impact of this moment. | | | |
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I think this past month has been a pretty typical summer month. We’ve grilled out a number of times, the girls spend time in backyard with their friends, and I tried to make time to just relax on the patio (sometimes that works out). Lisa and I did take a Saturday afternoon to walk around Worthington for a while. We didn’t do anything spectacular, but the weather was perfect and it was nice to spend time together. She grew up in New Hampshire, so Worthington and Granville are her favorite towns in Ohio because they remind her the most of New England. We’re looking forward to the next few weeks – big plans for Red, White, & Boom, and then off to Tennessee for a vacation. | | | |
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Tracey told us she was going out to lunch, and didn't come back. That was 2 weeks ago, so we can only assume this means she's on vacation. We're hopeful that she returns soon, as she's the only one that knows how to fix the paper shredder. | | | |
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Everything around me seems to be breaking right now. To start the month, we had our annual service appointment for the A/C unit and found out it had a leak. The next day the heating element on our dryer broke. It’s fortunate that it happened in the summer, as we’ll be line drying things until the replacement parts arrive. Around the same time, our front door knob also broke off. The lock still works fine; we just don’t have any way to use the front door until it’s replaced. Not looking forward to the expense of dealing with that. They say bad things come in threes, so hopefully that’s the last of our misfortunes for a while. | | |
Current Economic and Investment Information | |
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HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS – A 2023 Charles Schwab survey of American investors found that more than 75% of parents plan to leave a home to their children. Though due to the rising costs of maintaining and insuring a home, nearly 70% of those who expect to inherit a home from their parents plan to sell it. (source: Mansion Global)
IT’S ALL ABOUT THE INVENTORIES – Despite a 1.75% increase in the average 30-year mortgage rate, the median listing price of a home in the US is down 2.2% from its peak last June. One big reason is that the number of active listings has declined 35% from a post-pandemic peak of over 501,000 to the lowest level since April 2020. (source: Realtor.com)
MILLENNIALS CATCHING UP – In 2016, millennials had a median net worth that was 34% less than that of prior generations at the same age. By 2019, that gap had narrowed to 11%, and in 2022, the St. Louis Fed found that “young Americans” with an average age of 33 to 34 had around the same average wealth as their peers from Gen X did at the same age. (source: Insider)
LOWER PRICES AT THE PUMP – While the price of crude oil was down roughly 40% year-over-year at the end of May 2023, prices at the pump for US consumers were down 23% over the same period. On the last day of May 2022, the national average was $4.67/gallon compared to $3.57/gallon to end this May. (source: AAA)
APP STORE TURNS 15 – After growing between 27% and 29% annually since 2019, Apple’s App Store now generates $1.1 trillion globally in billings and sales. Fifteen years after its launch in 2008, total sales in the App Store are larger than the annual GDP of all but 16 countries. (source: Apple & Wikipedia)
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Disinflation & Financing
The macroeconomic environment is shifting. Since the second half
of 2022, the pace of U.S. inflation has been dropping. This chart explores
how this disinflation may affect company financing.
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Click here to view the source. | |
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That Vacation Home You've Dreamed Of?
Here's How to Keep It From Becoming a Nightmare
There are some important things to consider before signing on the dotted line, like how much time you'll spend there and whether you'll rent it out.
By Robyn A. Friedman
Source: The Wall Street Journal
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In the market for a vacation home? That beachfront estate in the Hamptons or ski-in, ski-out chalet in Aspen might seem like a dream come true. But plans change, so thinking of your vacation home as an investment can help ensure your dream doesn’t turn into a nightmare.
Consider John Foreman, a tech-company executive who unexpectedly became a landlord after building a five-bedroom, mountain-modern home in Black Mountain, N.C., about 20 minutes from Asheville. Foreman, 39, originally planned the residence for his wife and three sons, but a job offer took the family from Atlanta, a three-hour drive, to Utah, a fourhour flight, while it was under construction. So, after it was completed in 2020, he listed the property with Airbnb, renting it for $1,000 a night. The property brought in $250,000 in revenue in 2022, netting Foreman $80,000 after expenses. Still, despite the property’s success as a vacation rental, it is now listed for sale for $3.75 million.
Click here to continue reading this article.
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What Happens if You Die Without a Will?
It Depends.
Most Americans don't have wills, leaving estate planning to a confusing range of state laws.
By Ashlea Ebeling
Source: The Wall Street Journal
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Despite potentially devastating consequences for their heirs, millions of Americans still haven’t written a will.
While the total real wealth of households has tripled over the last three decades according to the Congressional Budget Office, 54% of Americans told Gallup they didn’t have a will in 2021. Even the wealthy put off estate planning—one in five Americans with investible assets of $1 million or more don’t have a will, according to a recent Charles Schwab survey.
If you die without a will, a range of state laws dictate who gets your assets, and your loved ones may get nothing. They might get kicked out of the family house and could face hefty surprise tax bills.
Click here to continue reading this article.
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How to Plan a Fun Summer Trip with Your Grandchild
Here are some tips to help prepare for a seamless - and entertaining -
travel experience for both generations.
By Carol Morgan Milberger
Source: Next Avenue
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I always thought a special bonding trip with each grandchild was a wonderful idea. Age ten is perfect, the ideal time while they still adore me, can endure travel delays but don't miss their friends too much.
Then COVID extended the timeline, and all of a sudden, I realized my oldest grandchild had turned eleven. She'll attend middle school soon, so if I'm to cement our bond while the magic of childhood is relatively intact, I needed to get moving. I developed a tentative trip, then asked for her parents' blessing.
Mandy (not her real name) was thrilled at the idea of visiting Washington, D.C. We'll tour the nation's capital, then spend time with my family in Maryland. Her eyes widened when I mentioned the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial. Mandy leaned forward and squeaked, "We studied the national monuments at school!"
Click here to continue reading this article.
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“The summer night is like a perfection of thought.”
- Wallace Stevens
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Alexander Financial Planning | |
1621 W. First Avenue
Grandview Heights, OH 43212
614-538-1600
Office Hours: Monday - Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Registered Investment Advisor
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This material is distributed by Alexander Financial Planning, Inc., (AFPI) and is for information purposes only. Although information has been obtained from sources we believe to be reliable, we do not guarantee its accuracy. It is provided with the understanding that no fiduciary relationship exists because of this report. Opinions expressed in this report are not necessarily the opinions of AFPI and are subject to change without notice. AFPI assumes no liability for the interpretation or use of this report. Financial planning, investment conclusions, and strategies suggested in this report may not be suitable for all investors and consultation with a qualified advisor is recommended prior to executing any investment strategy. No portion of this writing should be construed as legal or accounting advice. All rights reserved. | | |
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