Articles

Crisis

A Crisis is a Terrible Thing to Waste

This is a quote by Paul Romer, co-recipient of the Nobel Prize in Economics in 2018. In other words, you can either go through it or grow through it. If you have never heard the story of Admiral Jim Stockdale, it needs to be at the top of your quarantine pastime list. This Medal of…
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March 30, 2020 0
Down Market

A Down Market Opportunity

These past couple of weeks have been treacherous for the markets. Between the media, coronavirus, the media, the primaries, the media, Saudi and Russia’s oil feud, and the media…market volatility came back with a vengeance. We don’t believe the markets are headed for doom and gloom. Two weeks ago, we wrote a piece on why…
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March 13, 2020 0
Lessons

6 Lessons from an Estate Litigator

Will your family have good Christmases and Thanksgivings after you are gone? Most of us would like to think so. We never want to believe our kids would fight over money or possessions. We ask this very question as we go through our Legacy Planning Process. The answer is almost always the same. Yes. Our…
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March 9, 2020 0
Markets

Are the Markets Headed for Doom and Gloom?

There is a tiny amount of volatility back in the markets—well, maybe not so tiny. What does it mean? Is it just a pull-back that we will rebound from shortly? Will it just be another volatile year where nothing really happens? Or…are we headed for a recession? If you are familiar with the 24 Hours…
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March 2, 2020 0
Election

Election Year

Talking to people, there is already a general consensus of how the 2020 election is going to turn out. Whether from optimism or cynicism, most people currently believe Trump will be re-elected. Most likely this is true as most presidents, no matter which side of the aisle, get re-elected when Americans are reaping the rewards…
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February 24, 2020 0
Guarantee

Which Guarantee Do You Want?

Suppose you have always dreamed of climbing Mount Everest…and one day you come across an advertisement that stated, “Summit Everest – Guaranteed.” As you scroll through the page there is another advertisement that reads, “Return Alive – Guaranteed.” Recently, I learned a little fact about climbing Mount Everest. Are you aware that 80% of deaths…
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February 17, 2020 0
Insurance

Understanding Life Insurance

Life insurance may be the most complex financial product in existence – but why should this matter to you? Less than a year ago, we received a call that a good friend had just suffered a massive heart attack and was in open-heart surgery. By God’s grace this man is fully recovered and thriving. However,…
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February 11, 2020 0
Vitals

Have You Checked Your Financial Vitals?

Have you ever wondered why the doctor has your “Vitals” checked at the beginning of every visit?  Well, let’s look at the definition of “Vitals.” Vital Signs are a group of four to six most important signs that indicate the status of the body’s vital (life-sustaining) functions.1. I want to highlight the phrase “life-sustaining.” If…
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February 3, 2020 0
Risk

The 5 Biggest Risks of 2020

Bruce Schneier wrote an article in March of 2007 titled Why the Human Brain is a Poor Judge of Risk. Looking back, the timing is fine irony. Had more investors read his article, perhaps they would have lowered their overall risk in the markets prior to the Financial Crisis – which began in August of…
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January 20, 2020 0
Sold

Were You Sold Something or Do You Need it?

There is a good chance you can think back to a time in your life when you felt like you were “sold something.” Perhaps you were a little confused – and still are – as to why you bought it. Perhaps you had buyer’s remorse. Or, just plain and simple, you bought something purely out…
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January 13, 2020 0

Securities offered through Calton & Associates, Inc. member FINRA and SIPC, a Registered Investment Adviser. Investment advisory services offered through Smart Money Group, LLC, a Registered Investment Adviser. Smart Money Group, LLC and Kennedy Financial Services, Inc. are not owned or controlled by Calton & Associates, Inc.