Blog Posts

Why I Volunteer: Kansas State University

Why I Volunteer: Kansas State University

by | Apr 27, 2020 |

By Marc C. Shaffer

Kansas State University was the place I found my calling as a financial planner, and I have tried to stay as active as I can with the university in order to give back. And of course, I love cheering on the Cats any chance I can get!

I am the past president of the Human Ecology Alumni Advisory Board for K-State and am nearing the end of my term as president for the Kansas State University Personal Financial Planning Advisory Board. I also serve on the Kansas City K-State Alumni Planning Committee. Meeting the next generation of financial planners is very rewarding, and our program is continually growing and reaching new goals to produce thoughtful, educated financial professionals.

Pullbacks, Corrections and Bear Markets

Pullbacks, Corrections and Bear Markets

by | Apr 21, 2020 |

The COVID-19 outbreak has put tremendous pressure on stock prices, prompting some investors to blindly and indiscriminately sell positions at a time when the entire market is trending lower. Worried investors believe “this time it’s different.” When the market drops, some investors lose perspective that downtrends, and uptrends, are part of the investing cycle. When stock prices break lower, it’s a good time to review common terms that are used to describe the market’s downward momentum.

CARES Act: What to Know About the COVID-19 Stimulus Bill

CARES Act: What to Know About the COVID-19 Stimulus Bill

by | Apr 9, 2020 |

The $2 trillion “Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security” (“CARES”) Act was recently signed into law. The CARES Act is designed to help those most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, while also providing key provisions that may benefit retirees.

To put this monumental legislation in perspective, Congress earmarked $800 billion for the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008 during the financial crisis.

The CARES Act has far-reaching implications for many. Here are some important provisions to keep in mind:

When Goals are Forced to Change

When Goals are Forced to Change

by | Apr 2, 2020 |

By Jessica Searcy Kmetty

Financial planning is not a one and done process. While we have many discussions with clients about their goals during the development of their plan, we know that things will pop up along the way that can cause goals to change. In some cases, these are decisions that are made after personal reflection warrants a change. But sometimes, we are forced to change our goals.

Goal planning isn’t just present in financial planning. I’m sure many of you have personal goals that you’re hoping to achieve this year. We’re in a brand new decade, which means some personal goals you set may have been even BIGGER than normal as you looked toward a chance to start fresh and new, or were ready to make things happen that you’ve been pondering for some time.

What a Market Correction Means for You

What a Market Correction Means for You

by | Mar 29, 2020 |

A correction is defined as a decline of 10% or greater from a recent high in the financial markets. Corrections can last anywhere from days to months, but few have lasted longer. Recently, we’ve seen a bumpy ride, and many people are looking for context as to what this might mean for their financial future.

Stock prices have bounced in-and-out of correction territory, as investors attempt to measure the economic impact of the COVID-19 virus. During periods of volatility, it’s important to remember that stock market corrections are not unusual and represent a normal part of the investing cycle. While the performance of any single year can deviate significantly from historical norms, on average, we see bear market corrections of 20% or more about every 3-4 years. The current situation of the market reacting to COVID-19 is impactful, but markets adjust all the time.

Student Loan Co-Signer: On the Hook After a Death?

Student Loan Co-Signer: On the Hook After a Death?

by | Mar 29, 2020 |

By Ryan W. Brooke

There are many instances where someone might offer to co-sign a loan. A parent may be helping a child with a loan for a vehicle or home, perhaps because the child lacks the credit history to secure a loan on their own. Someone might co-sign a home or vehicle loan for a friend who has poor credit history. In these instances, there is an actual item being considered that could be collected in the event of a death. But what about student loans? How “on the hook” are co-signers in the event of a death?

90-Day Tax Deadline Delay

90-Day Tax Deadline Delay

by | Mar 29, 2020 |

In light of current events and potential financial difficulties caused by the COVID-19 outbreak, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has postponed the 2019 federal income tax filing and payment deadline until July 15, 2020.

Book Review: Refire! Don’t Retire, Part V, Refiring Spiritually

Book Review: Refire! Don’t Retire, Part V, Refiring Spiritually

by | Mar 2, 2020 |

By Brenda Carrico

What does spiritual well-being mean to you? According to an article from HRZone, “Spiritual well-being means the ability to experience and integrate meaning and purpose in life through a person’s connectedness with self, others art, music, literature, nature, or a power greater than oneself.”

If you are already attending services, meditating, spending time in nature or participating in an activity that gives you a sense of peace, well-being and purpose, then you likely understand the importance of incorporating these things into your daily living.

Book Review: Braiding Sweetgrass – Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants

Book Review: Braiding Sweetgrass – Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants

by | Feb 27, 2020 |

By Jessica Searcy Kmetty

Drawing on her life as an indigenous scientist, and as a woman, Kimmerer shows how other living beings―asters and goldenrod, strawberries and squash, salamanders, algae, and sweetgrass―offer us gifts and lessons, even if we’ve forgotten how to hear their voices. In reflections that range from the creation of Turtle Island to the forces that threaten its flourishing today, she circles toward a central argument: that the awakening of ecological consciousness requires the acknowledgment and celebration of our reciprocal relationship with the rest of the living world. For only when we can hear the languages of other beings will we be capable of understanding the generosity of the earth and learn to give our own gifts in return. – Book Description from Amazon.com

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