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The Griswold Family Vacation
Most people aim to relax when they go on vacation. Insane people, like my family, choose to rent one big house and invite every person who even remotely resembles a family member. Some have a blast,...
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The Lottery Portfolio
How many times have you heard someone say “if I won the powerball lottery, I would do <insert here>?” Well, here is your chance. What would you like to do with the money? More importantly,...
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Money Makes The World Go Round
How Rock Hill, SC can affect the price of oil in the Middle East Have you ever really thought about how your financial decisions affect others? Every decision involving dollars, no matter how big or...
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The Socialite
How I, as an LPL financial advisor, use social media to build my practice. During our long term strategic planning meeting last August, I was asked “what is your mission for Family Trust Investment...
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California Dreaming (not the restaurant!)
Hello everyone!! To those of you who don’t know me, I am Matt’s assistant. I answer the phone, schedule appointments, and do paperwork, all that fun stuff. Recently, our department, along with...
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Marketing vs. Branding
Over the past 2 years, I have done plenty of branding. This is in stark contrast to my first 15 years in the investment business, when marketing was my flavor. Honestly, I never knew the difference...
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Prime, Choke, Start: Saturday adventures of a spoilt yuppie.
Fair warning: this blog will take some time to read, but if you are willing, I think it will make you laugh at my expense. <some background> I grew up as part of a family of 5. My father was a...
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Retirement Repentance
What should I do if I am behind on my retirement savings plan? One of the least rewarding parts of my job is meeting with someone who is behind schedule when it comes to saving money for...
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The 12 Days of Christmas
“On the first day of Christmas, my true love sent to meeeee….” Your true love may be sending you a partridge in a pear tree this holiday season, but this financial advisor is instead writing you a list...
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Case Study: Stay Classy
Just to refresh your memory, if I write a “case study” blog, it is an event that actually happened. I do not make these up, although I might embellish a bit to make the stories more interesting. That...
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Patience Is A Virtue
I have been incredibly busy over the past year, and it is both a blessing, and a curse. Don’t get me wrong, I am not complaining. After all, if my goal is to build the elite investment program in all...
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Chase Perfection
The great Vince Lombardi once said “Gentlemen, we are going to relentlessly chase perfection, knowing full well we will not catch it, because nothing is perfect. But we are going to relentlessly chase...
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Case Study: Hire A CPA
It was just another Tuesday, until my assistant called me and said “Mrs. Rice is on the phone, and she said she needs you to help them with an issue. It sounds bad. Normally, they let me assist them,...
View ArticleThe Twin Ceiling Conundrum
Chief Investment Officer of LPL Financial Burt White talks about the twin ceiling conundrum and the possible strategies needed to navigate this market.
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If It Is To Be, It Is Up To Me
Earlier this evening, my 7 year old daughter, Ava, was upset that she did not achieve her goal of reading at least 22 books this month. Her 1st grade teacher, Ms. O’Connor, has a game that motivates...
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Opinions Are Like, Well…You Know
You’ve undoubtedly heard the phrase “opinions are like @$$**%&$, everybody has one.” This could not be truer than in the financial planning profession. Most advisors have a process that they...
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The Financial Flower
I often get heckled for using too many analogies when communicating with people, but I have found that the most effective way for me to make a complex topic simple is to find a story, paint a...
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Dow 14,000: Here To Stay?
Jeffrey Kleintop talks about the Dow crossing over 14,000 and where it may be heading.
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Weekly Market Commentary: Searching for Inspiration
Searching for Inspiration The S&P 500 Index closed at 1553 on Friday, April 5, the level the current rally first reached a month ago. The stock market’s stalling momentum and increasing...
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Leverage: The Eighth Wonder of the World
I know that financial experts say it’s best to be debt free, but when it comes to paying off a mortgage, that may not be the best move. Here’s why: RECOVERING REAL ESTATE MARKET Whether or not you...
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