Report: Making a Difference – Surprise Video Message
Making A Difference Surprise Video Message Dear Friends, We hope you are all well and safe. During this troubling time, it’s nice to know the little things are appreciated and do make a difference. We received this surprise video message from Make-A-Wish and we wanted to share it with you. So many of you have donated time and or money …
Forecasting the Weather and Pending Economic Collapse
Imagine for a moment that you’re tasked with instructing others how to select a wardrobe. Given the regularity of the seasons, you could do pretty well suggesting a mix of warm clothes for winter and cool clothes for summer. However, naming the exact day when a 70-degree day interrupts the 40-degree days of early spring would prove very difficult. If …
Breakthrough in a Box
When an Amazon box arrives at the front door, it’s an exciting moment. Is it…for me? Boy, I sure hope so (having forgotten what I may have ordered in the first place). Generally, the thing in that box is the result of a decision process that was either minutes long or one that took months of research. Either way, taking …
Employee Spotlight: Brook Chavers
Brook Chavers, Client Services Associate Brooke moved to Kansas City to study music and literature at the University of Missouri – Kansas City. She is a St. Louis native and visits home often to attend baseball games with her family, at Busch Stadium. Her favorite thing about Kansas City is its rich artistic culture. She enjoys going to the symphony …
Back to the Basics: The Great Decluttering
For everything there is a season. For many of you, it’s time to declutter. Nobody is forcing you to declutter, but you’re probably feeling that desire on some level. Sitting in your home due to quarantine, there’s never been a better time! Looking back, we spent an entire childhood wishing for more things like bikes, games, our own room. Then …
Briefcase Study: What Is Your First Memory Of Money?
What Is Your First Memory Of Money? A few years ago, I was talking with a man who was contemplating retirement. He and his wife had worked very hard for a long time and had accumulated considerable assets and carried no debt. As we ran and re-ran the numbers, tweaking and questioning all assumptions and variables, he continued to struggle …
2020 Spring Newsletter: Kansas City
ELEVATED INSIDER What can I say about COVID-19, the Coronavirus, that hasn’t already been said? The economy has nearly grinded to a halt, markets have declined steeply, and people are left to wonder how this all plays out. Meanwhile, we’re sitting in our homes trying to be patient, while quietly battling anxiety and loneliness. The only solace, it seems, is …
Building Your Money Machine
I’m admittedly not much of an inventor. If there’s a need to create something from nothing, there are brighter minds out there than mine. On the other hand, when I can see an idea or an object that already exists, I can usually appreciate its greatness and often even improve upon it. So when I came across this one idea, …
If Taxes Rise In The Future, Are You Prepared?
Much has been written and said about taxes. Nobody likes paying them, but pay them we must. Few people would volunteer to have a detailed discussion about taxes, but here we are, deciding whether to keep reading or just hit delete and hope the next Weekly is of a kinder and gentler nature. In light of the un-exciting nature of …
The Home Improvement Dilemma
There must be something in the air. Maybe it’s just the home improvement stores’ relentless advertising. Or could it be that we’re getting excited for spring to arrive? Whatever it is, quite a few of you are gearing-up for big home improvement projects. But before the roofers start swinging hammers and the bathroom contractors begin ordering cabinets, a number of …
