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Memorial Day is just around the corner. It’s a time to reflect, pay our respects, and honor those that have fought for our freedom. The extra day off gives time to see a parade, go swimming, or maybe even read our newsletter! We’ve added an additional article this month since you may have some extra reading time. | | |
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AFP Office Move – We are officially moving! 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 closed for our move beginning May 25th and resume operation after Memorial Day, May 30th. Due to construction, we will not be at our new offices until June 16th. We ask for your patience and understanding during this time period, as we may not be able to respond to requests promptly.
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AFP Summer Hours – We will begin our summer hours on May 30th, which means we will close at 3 pm on Fridays instead of 5 pm. Our summer hours will last through Labor Day (September 4th). Any calls or emails received after 3 pm on Fridays during this period will be answered the following Monday.
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AFP May Financial Friday Webinar – Due to time constraints, we will not be hosting a webinar in May. Stay tuned for information on June's webinar.
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Click below to read our May 2023 Blog edition.
How Well Do You Know Your Money?
We would enjoy receiving your feedback on our Blog. Please share any comments or suggestions for future topics with us via email.
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It’s been a busy month at home and at work. We had a birthday celebration for 2 of my 3 kids at my house. The community garden is planted and now the task of keeping the critters and bugs at bay begins. I took my son to the Chadwick garden sale last Thursday and we had an enjoyable time checking out all the different varieties of plants. I’m glad to see he has caught the gardening bug! Gene and I took in a Chicago concert at the Rose Center in Dayton. Another amazing concert with 3 of the original members. Mother’s Day did not disappoint. It is nice to be appreciated by those that love you. | | |
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We’ve had some fantastic weather over the past few weeks, and we’ve tried to make the most of it by spending time outdoors. We visited Ohio Village a couple weeks ago, and we really enjoyed our time there. The village wasn’t crowded at all, so we were able to have some good conversations with the village “residents” about their lives in the 1890’s. I especially enjoyed talking with the newspaper editor and learning about their “old” (1850’s) printing press compared to their “new” (1890’s) printing press, and also how they would set the type and arrange each page.
One of the things I really enjoy about the warmer weather is the ability to sit outside and read. This past Sunday I was able to spend a couple of hours finishing the Lord of the Rings trilogy. For some reason I never read them when I was younger, but I definitely have enjoyed them now. I started The Hobbit last August, and I have to say, I felt a little bit of sadness at the end of Return of the King as Frodo, Bilbo, and Gandalf left Grey Havens on their ship. (Sorry for the spoiler). I think next weekend I’ll start Sherlock Holmes and a biography of Frederick Douglass – both have been sitting on my shelf for at least a couple of years.
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The office move, wrap-up of the school year, and our upcoming vacation have kept me busy in the office and at home. Scheduled deadlines will arrive all the same so I’m working toward efficiency to get everything completed.
Mother’s Day was quiet but we had a family celebration on Saturday evening. Carlin and Erin had purchased advance tickets for Star Wars, Return of the Jedi with the Columbus Symphony Orchestra at the Ohio Theater for Christmas. They treated us to dinner before the show. We did enjoy the movie and the rare opportunity to be all-together.
I was tasked with the cocktail menu for the recent AFP 25th Anniversary Party. As an amateur mixologist, I decided I should acquire some actual skills. I attended a program at the Columbus Bartending School Tuesday evening. The program was themed and I learned different ways to make Mimosas. It was a lot of fun and I will attend other themed events during the summer with a friend.
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May has been a somewhat disappointing month so far. Due to a combination of vacations, birthdays, and scheduling conflicts, I’ve been unable to spend much time with friends or engage in my usual hobbies for the last few weeks. As a result, I’ve been mostly resigned to putz around the house on weekends trying to find ways to pass the time. The disappointment has extended to sports as well, with the Blue Jackets dropping to third in the NHL Draft Lottery. Normally this would just be somewhat annoying, however the top prospect in this year’s draft is considered to be light-years better than the rest of the field. Baseball hasn’t proved much better, as the Reds’ woes continue due to ownership’s stubborn refusal to invest in the team’s bullpen.
Things are starting to look up though, as I got word that my truck should arrive sometime in July.
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Current Economic and Investment Information
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SUPPLY CHAINS EASE FURTHER – The New York Fed’s Global Supply Chain Pressure Index (GSCPI) measures global supply chain issues. In April, the index fell to 1.32 standard deviations below historical average, the lowest reading since November 2008, showing global supply chain disruptions have been mostly resolved. (source: NY Fed)
INEQUALITY IN RETIREMENT SAVING – The April employment report showed record-low unemployment among black Americans (4.7%). Employment among black Americans is also at record levels, but only 36.8% have a retirement account compared with more than half of white Americans (53.6%). (source: US Census)
CLAIMS RISING – Barely a week after the US unemployment rate fell to a generational low of 3.4%, initial jobless claims in the US surged to the highest level since October 2021 (264K). Since their low of 182K last September, initial claims have increased by 82K. (source: Bespoke)
LOAN DEMAND SLIDING – The latest Senior Loan Officer Opinion Survey (SLOOS) on Bank Lending Practices found that while lending standards tightened due to the regional banking crisis, the decline in demand for loans was more noteworthy; falling to its lowest levels since 2009 for both small and medium to large firms. (source: Federal Reserve)
RETIREMENT BUDGET DEFICIT – Nearly half of all Americans don't have a retirement account, and relying on Social Security isn't going to cut it. While the average monthly Social Security check for a retiree is $1,800, the average household with an American age 65+ spends over $4,000 per month. (source: TheHill.com)
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An Intermediate-Term Bond Opportunity?
Immediate-term bonds have outperformed short-term bonds after
the end of past rate-hike cycles.
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Click here to view the source. | |
The New Retirement:
Considerations for a Fulfilling Post-Career Life
By Virginia Macali
Source: High Point Transitions
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If you’ve been hard at work for 30 or 40 years, retirement may come as quite a shock to you. This is especially true if you have a “hard stop” retirement date and have become identified with your work, profession, skills, or impact. While some people make the transition to the next stage of life seamlessly, others find it challenging. The struggle is understandable. The Holmes and Rahe Stress Scale rates retirement in the top ten of life stressors. Retirement can be a tricky time of uncertainty and uncharted territory. Because the experience of retirement is shifting and is no longer defined by Working vs Not Working, retirement is viewed in new ways.
Click here to continue reading this article.
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Why Can't We Just Relax More in Retirement?
The need to be productive has been drilled into us throughout our lives. It's hard to let go.
By Karen Kreider Yoder & Stephen Kreider Yoder
Source: The Wall Street Journal
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For my first two years of retirement, I managed to maintain a good balance of getting stuff done and relaxing.
Then Steve retired.
On our first Monday morning at home following our return from a three-month cross-country bicycle adventure, I heard banging downstairs, and the garage door was opening and closing. When Steve emerged hours later, I asked what he was doing.
His accomplishments: He cleaned off his workbench, reorganized boxes in storage, fixed the bike, consolidated the camping gear, vacuumed the garage, “and I weeded around the front and the street trees.”
Click here to continue reading this article.
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HSA Contribution Increases | |
Couples Can Soon Put Over $10,000 a Year
Into Health Savings Accounts
IRS announces higher HSA contribution limits for 2024
By Ashlea Ebeling
Source: The Wall Street Journal
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The Internal Revenue Service on Tuesday announced the largest ever increase to the amount Americans can set aside in health-savings accounts each year.
For 2024, the maximum HSA contribution will be $8,300 for a family and $4,150 for an individual. That is up from $7,750 for a family and $3,850 for an individual for 2023.
Participants age 55 and older can contribute an extra $1,000, which means an older married couple could sock away $10,300 a year, up from $9,750 this year. In the last 10 years leading up to retirement, a couple could accumulate more than $100,000 in these accounts.
HSAs are both misunderstood and underused by many Americans, according to the nonprofit Employee Benefit Research Institute. To be eligible to contribute, a participant must have an HSA-qualified high-deductible health plan and not be enrolled in Medicare.
Click here to continue reading this article.
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“May then is the month, if not of fulfillment,
at least of promise.”
- John Henry Newman
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Alexander Financial Planning
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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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© Alexander Financial Planning, Inc.
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