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MONTH-2-MONTH
NOVEMBER 2025
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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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| | Frost-kissed mornings and muted afternoons mark November's gentle descent. Gardens sleep and scarves appear, while twilight arrives uninvited in the late afternoon. With each bare branch against the dusk, we're reminded to gather close, count our blessings, and embrace the season's grateful calm. | | |
COMMUNITY FOOD DRIVE- Our team will be volunteering at the Mid-Ohio Food Bank on December 8th, and we'd love your help in supporting this great cause!
We're collecting non-perishable food donations at our office during business hours. If you're able to contribute, every item helps families in our community.
Thank you for considering a donation!
THE WOMEN'S $ CIRCLE- Thank you to everyone who joined us for our well-attended Women's $ Circle on Wednesday, November 6th! We had a fantastic turnout and great engagement as we explored credit card rewards and how to maximize your everyday spending.
Due to the wonderful response and rich discussion, we're excited to announce Part 2 focused on redeeming points strategically for travel, cashback, and more!
Save the Date: Thursday, January 22nd at 6:30 PM
| RLP® DESIGNATION- After 11 months of training, Teri has earned the Registered Life Planner designation. This moves her skills beyond the traditional – and too often merely transactional – model of financial advising. It is a methodology that puts our clients’ unique lives at the center of their financial planning. Alexander Financial Planning is the only firm in central Ohio with a CFP® who holds this designation and works with the general population. | WEBSITE UPDATE COMING SOON- We're refreshing our website as we head into the new year! Stay tuned for an updated look and enhanced features. | |
HAPPY THANKSGIVING
As we approach the holiday season, we want to take a moment to express our gratitude. Thank you for your trust and support throughout the year.
Please note that our office will be closed at noon on Wednesday, November 27th and will remain closed through the end of the week.
We'll return with regular business hours on Monday, December 1st.
Wishing you and your loved ones a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with warmth and joy!
| | | | I always start the month of November by taking the day off to celebrate my birthday and ride my bike. It was a beautiful day, even if it was a bit nippy. My day was also marked by the loss of my mother-in-law and my children/grandchildren’s last living grandparent, great-grandparent. She was 91 years old, and she will forever live in my heart. The gratitude for how I feel regarding the impact she had on my life, even though the journey was tumultuous at times, has been immense. She just had this way of knowing and then expressing it in a frank but loving way. What a treasure it has been to have felt her love over these many years. | | | | | I think this month has been pretty slow overall. While there has been a little hiking and a lot of leaf raking, we haven’t been up to anything particularly exciting. Unfortunately, a couple of events with family and friends had to be cancelled due to illness – nothing serious, just what’s been going around. Thankfully, we’ve been able to avoid sickness thus far. We’re looking forward to a quick trip to Virginia next week for Thanksgiving with Lisa’s mom. Right after that, basketball begins for both Ellie and Ainsley. I’m looking forward to coaching Ainsley’s team again. It’s always a lot of fun to see how far the girls progress over a short season. | | | | | |
November means we must pack up our outdoor porch furniture. We spend most of the warm weather months on the back porch and giving it up feels like a sacrifice, even though temporary.
We always host Thanksgiving dinner and in recent years, have set out a Thankful Jar. Everyone is invited to write what they are thankful for anonymously. After dinner, we read the notes and try to guess who wrote them. Some messages are heartfelt and genuine while others are humorous. Love, laughter, and pie are never in short supply! I’m wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving observing the traditions that are yours.
| | | | | November has flown by for me. Between attempting to unpack and decorate my apartment, planning our menu for Thanksgiving and recovering from the fall illnesses, the month disappeared in a blink. It is my first year planning and cooking Thanksgiving so many a moment has gone into the menu decisions for that. For me, mashed potatoes are non-negotiable. They're my favorite part of the meal and I take them seriously (the creamier, the better). As we head into December, I'm looking forward to finally settling into my new space and enjoying the holiday season at a slightly slower pace. Hope your holiday is spent enjoying delicious food and even better company! | | |
Current Economic and Investment Information | | |
TRIPLE PLAYS UP- 11.5% of companies reported "triple plays" during Q3 earnings season (through 11/5) versus a 10-year average of just 7%. A "triple play" means beating EPS expectations, beating sales expectations, and raising guidance. (Source: Bespoke)
40 IS THE NEW 30- First-time home buyers hit a record low of 21% in the 12 months ending June 2025, with their average age reaching an all-time high of 40. Delaying homeownership from 30 to 40 can mean losing $150,000 in built-up equity on an average starter home. (Source: National Association of Realtors)
K-SHAPED CONSUMER- Consumer sentiment data showed sharp divergence in October by income level. Confidence among those earning over $125K hit its highest level since January, while those making under $75K were the least confident since April. (Source: Financial Times)
CAR LOAN CONCERNS- As of October, 6.65% of subprime borrowers were at least 60 days past due on their auto loans, marking a record dating back to at least 1994. (Source: Bloomberg)
LABOR SHORTAGES- In October, 27% of small businesses cited labor quality as their top problem—the highest since the record 29% in November 2021. Unfilled job openings also reached their highest level since December 2020. (Source: NFIB)
| | Charitable Giving Diversifies | | The landscape of American charitable giving has transformed dramatically over the past four decades. In 1984, religious organizations dominated philanthropic dollars at 62%, while foundations received just 6%. By 2024, the distribution had diversified considerably: religion's share dropped to 23%, while human services and education each grew to 14% of charitable dollars. Notably, giving to individuals—primarily in-kind pharmaceutical donations to patients—reached 4%, surpassing environment/animal causes at 3%. This shift reflects evolving donor priorities and new models of corporate philanthropy reshaping American charitable giving. | | Source: Giving USA, Researched by Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. “Perspectives on Philanthropy, Giving USA” Giving USA | |
Gift Tax:
How It Works, 2025 and 2026 Exclusions and Limits
By Tina Orem
Source: NerdWallet
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For most families, the 2025 limit of $19,000 per person means you can give freely without triggering IRS paperwork. But make larger transfers, and you enter a different world: gift-tax returns, lifetime exemption tracking, and multimillion-dollar estate caps that only wealthier households ever reach. With two very different experiences depending on your giving level, understanding which side you're on could save you from unexpected tax surprises down the road. Before you write that big check, find out how the rules really affect you (and your future estate).
Click here to read this article.
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Four Financial Topics You Can Safely Discuss at Thanksgiving Dinner
By Donna Levalley
Source: Kiplinger
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Should money be on the menu this Thanksgiving? Most Americans grew up avoiding financial conversations, yet many now believe openness is key to building wealth and stability. That creates a holiday split: families who keep money talk taboo, and those using the gathering to share wins, teach money lessons, and set goals together. Advisors say even simple conversations — discussing budgets, naming dreams, or passing down wisdom — can reshape habits for generations. Find out how starting one honest dialogue at your table could build more than just gratitude this year (it might build your family's financial future).
Click here to read this article.
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Do you know someone who can benefit from FINANCIAL PLANNING?
At Alexander Financial Planning, we are passionate about financial life planning. We also know that it is not just about the numbers. While numbers are important, they are there to support your hopes, dreams, and desires. When we can put all the components of financial planning together, (cash flow, insurance, investing, taxation, and estate planning) your unique picture of a path forward comes into view. For 28+ years, we have been helping individuals and families develop their plan and navigate the twists and turns each year.
Whether you’re planning for retirement, becoming an empty nester, or navigating how to take retirement distributions, we are your thinking partner. We are here to make sense of it all, one step at a time. If now is the time for you or someone you know to get serious about your financial future, contact us. We’d love to be of service.
WHAT SETS US APART
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"Gratitude lifts our eyes off the things we lack so we might see the blessing we possess."
- Max Lucado
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Alexander Financial Planning | |
3600 Olentangy River Rd, Ste. C2
Columbus, OH 43214
614-538-1600
Office Hours:
Monday–Thursday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Friday: 9:00 AM – 3:00 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. | | |
© Alexander Financial Planning, Inc. | |
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