WE ARE HERE

We are here! We are heeeere! We are Heeeeeeeeere!!!

(Read the last paragraph FIRST)

Cancer is not the only dreaded C word. Now Coronovirus has joined that infamous list. But I’d like to take this time to focus on some other C words. Challenge. Creativity. Compassion. Courage.

CHALLENGE. Couples and families are going to be spending a lot of time together in close proximity for extended periods of time. It may not be easy, but it is possible. Take it from me. Since she works with me, my wife and I spend approximately 95% of our time together. We work great together, but we each have our moments. We’re only human. Be patient. Be forgiving.

CREATIVITY. Let’s make the most of this situation. Our plans include calling clients to see how they are doing; AND I’ve been told we will be cleaning offices, top to bottom; throwing away any unnecessary items and organizing that which is necessary. (I’d rather talk with clients so if you call please feel free to talk as long as you want!!) What is your game plan for the next few weeks?

“Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.”

— John Wooden

COMPASSION. We want to be prayerful and mindful of others.. A friend posted of a hospital’s need for hand sanitizer. I knew of an office who had large bottles, made a call and will deliver a large bottle today. Do what you can. When some one comes to mind I hope you will take time to call or send words of encouragement. Proverbs 17:22 says, “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine.. . .” Just think! Your words could be medicinal.

COURAGE. The next few weeks will be something that none of us have experienced, but hopefully a few months down the road it will be just a memory. I recently read that none of us know how strong we are until that is our only choice! One. Day. At. A. Time.

In conclusion, we want to assure you WE ARE HERE to provide immediate attention for any of your financial service needs. We live in an era of virtual meetings and online applications. Face to face contact is no longer necessary.

You can reach us by phone or email if we can answer any questions or offer support.. Feel free to call even if you just want a friendly voice to talk with.

Just for fun, we will give a gift card (to be used when we celebrate the end of the stay-at-home order) to the first 5 people who call or email with the correct count of C words used in this message. Ready. Set. Go!

Schlappi Financial Group . 816.228.1050 . bruce@schlappi-fg.com

I am thankful for __________

“We must find time to stop and thank the people who make a difference in our lives.”

— John F. Kennedy

Teacher, pastor, friend, neighbor, spouse. So many great people to thank. I am thankful for G. Santero, the man who mentored me. I am thankful for my grandfather, who in the absence of my father, provided fatherly advice and guidance.

I am also thankful for — adversities! We all face obstacles and adversities. We work to avoid them, but adversities have a way of shaping us as much as successes, . . if we allow them to.

Plans are wonderful, but things often don’t go according to plans. What about financial plans? There is a key to protecting your financial stability. One product + combined benefits can help prepare for life’s best and worst case scenarios.

Have you thought about it? I’d love to share more with you.

Schlappi Financial Group . bruce@schlappi-fg.com . 816-228-1050

"The key is in not spending time, but in investing it."

Stephen R. Covey

What will you do with that extra hour of sleep??

Turning clocks back one hour is mostly welcomed by all. (Except parents of small children, who in their child-like minds, don’t yet have the concept of time and will awake after sleeping 8-10 hours, regardless of the time on the clock.)

We INVEST our time accumulating assets over our working years to insure a comfortable lifestyle in retirement, But have you invested time in planning now for the transfer of wealth to loved ones without the needless loss of assets to taxes and other wealth transfer costs?

Don’t fall asleep on something this important.

Schlappi Financial Group . bruce@schlappi-fg.com . 818-228-1050

Super Size Retirement

How many pumpkin pies can be made with this prize winner?

Check out one of this year’s champion pumpkins here! Now that’s one healthy pumpkin. A nearly 1 ton pumpkin!

What does it take to grow giant pumpkins? More than just a wave of a fairy godmother’s wand! You guessed it — a lot of effort and attention to detail. It begins with the right seeds and continues with the right temperature. Don’t forget the right amounts of sun, moisture and fertilizer. In addition, the massive pumpkins require the right kind of pruning.

Up to the task? Most of us don’t have a green (or orange) thumb.

We might be amateurs when growing pumpkins, but we can grow a nice size retirement; possibly a super size retirement.

A great retirement may begin with a seed you plant today. It starts with a small seed, but with the right amount of attention to details can grow into a nice retirement. The real work begins months before the retirement harvest.

What are the options? available products and plans? tax considerations? We can help find solutions for you based on your individual retirement needs.

Play an active role in growing your retirement. Few companies hand out gold watches at retirement anymore. But Cinderella’s pumpkin-turned-chariot awaits.

Burnt marshmallows! It's that time of year.

OK!  So the marshmallow is not one of the basic food groups.  And honestly, I only like marshmallows on sweet potato casserole or roasted over an open fire for a S'more treat.

Are you familiar with the MARSHMALLOW TEST?

The Stanford experiment tests the significance of delayed gratification by measuring self control when faced with temptation. 

Pre-schoolers were given one marshmallow and promised a second marshmallow if they would wait to eat the first marshmallow when the teacher returned. The kids touch the marshmallow, sniff it, stare at it while waiting for the teacher to return.. What a hoot!

This experiment draws attention to the gap between intentions and actions.

Are we willing to delay instant gratification in order to secure something better in the future? 

Be persistent and intentional when setting retirement goals! In the same way mindful eating can control weight gain, mindful spending can help you control your money rather than letting your money control you.

““It’s easy to say ‘’no!’’ when there’s a deeper ‘’yes!’’ burning inside.””

— Stephen R. Covey

It starts with a single step, a simple change, a small tweaking of savings habits and a clear (crystal clear) vision of what you want your financial future to look like.

Exercising self control with your spending and savings habits is easier than you think but it is not child's play.

Financial peace of mind results from taking one solid step at a time.  Focus on a secure future.  Organize and customize your plan. Know the direction you want to take in 5 years, 10 years, 20 years.  Review your plan often and stay on course.

After all, two marshmallows are better than one.

Get started on the right foot!

Is there anything cuter than tiny baby feet? Most parents and grandparents can be mesmerized for hours by babies. Listening to babies coo. Counting their little toes and little fingers. “Wait, I think he smiled at me. Pew! What’s that smell? Oh, that’s why he is smiling!”

True. Raising children can be challenging, both financially and emotionally. True. Children do not contribute to the average household income. True or false? A permanent life insurance plan on a child can offer financial advantages for them later in life. TRUE!

Before you run from their tiny bassinet to buy their first pony, think long term for just a moment. Here are some advantages to insuring young children or grandchildren.

• Affordability. Young children are generally issued at the lowest available rates.

• Insurability. The ability to actually be insured, insurability, is key when starting a life insurance plan. Health issues are minimal or non-existent for most young children. Health concerns later make it hard to insure children or grandchildren.

• Reliability. Policy cash value grows over time, tax-deferred. Policies are often seen as a reliable savings tool.

These two young fellows were insured as infants. I’m proud of the my grandsons, ages 7 and 5. We talk about money and finances, their future plans and goals. .. .their thoughts on starting a lawn mowing business, graduating from college and building their own homes. When the time is right, they will have finance options through their life insurance cash value to accomplish these things.

Investing resources and TIME with the next generation pays great dividends!

“Grandpa, when I grow up I want to built my own house for my family.”

Life is better with ice cream!

Not a “vanilla kinda” flavor!

..nothing against vanilla

Would you agree? This was a VERY - LONG - WINTER!! As we joyfully kiss winter 2018-19 goodbye we look ahead with anticipation at the glorious Spring season. Such is life in the Midwest. We soak in the changing of each season as we anticipate seasonal events.

Spring highlights include college basketball’s March Madness and MLB home openers if you’re a sports enthusiast. Tending to gardens, flowers, lawn and landscape if you have a green thumb. College graduations hopefully followed by new career adventures if you are a student or parent.

Oh, the sights and sounds of warmer weather await.

And, ICE CREAM!! Lots of Ice Cream (or frozen yogurt for the health conscious.) I am baffled by certain individuals, when presented with various scrumptious flavors and toppings, choose vanilla! Plain, old vanilla.

Well imagine an ice cream cone with scoops of delectable ice cream. A base of vanilla, with heaping scoops of chocolate, mint, strawberry or ________ (insert YOUR favorite flavor.) Today, I’d like to use ice cream to illustrate the sweetness, the power of life insurance benefits.

Whole life insurance, a type of permanent life insurance, is the foundation of a solid financial plan. But it is more than a plain vanilla product. Yes, it offers lifelong coverage with premiums that never change and a guaranteed death benefit. It can also be designed with benefits and riders that make it not “a vanilla kind of flavor!”

With a Waiver of Premium Disability Benefit Rider premium payments are waived if the insured becomes totally disabled while the policy is in force. Nearly 1 in 5 people have a physical or mental disability. My wife is 1 of the 5, diagnosed with MS. We are reaping the benefit of the Waiver of Premium Disability Benefit Rider.

The Level Premium Paid-Up Additions Rider allows for the purchase of paid-up additional insurance increasing both the Death Benefit and the Cash Value of the base policy. The Rider Cash Value is also available for partial surrender.

These are just two examples of how Permanent Whole Life Insurance is not just a “vanilla kinda” tool in a personal financial plan.

As the saying goes, “Life is better with ice cream”(and the peace of mind that life insurance provides.)

HE.conomy + SHE.conomy = WE.conomy

He.conomy + She.conomy = We.conomy. Or does it? Beyond the quibbling about squeezing the toothpaste incorrectly or determining if the toilet paper roll should be over or under is the looming question of finances. And there are many variables lingering in the shadows waiting to pounce and snarl.

Money is ofttimes the guilty culprit for sour relationships,

Numerous books and articles on the subject of money and marriage are clamoring for attention.. Through 35+ years in the finance industry I have seen both successful and not-so-successful tales of money and marriage.

Although, a steady flow of money is helpful (and the absence of it wreaks havoc) it is not the glue that holds a marriage together, Can we agree that marrying for money is not a good idea? On the flip side, “living on love” alone is easy when young, but precarious as couples mature.

If retirees have been able to save why are they risking their savings in the stock market?. You can plan for a guaranteed lifetime income in retirement.

Why roll the dice? Buy the retirement you want.