Category: Financial Planning

Pigskins and Procrastinations

October 19, 2022
Finances, Financial Lessons, Financial Planning, Guidance

So, I have two sons who have flirted with college football. One, a quarterback, opted to forego several college football opportunities turning instead toward a career in medicine. Fine, whatever. Maybe I’d have better luck with number two? Sure enough, despite numerous run ins with the law – me – he managed to graduate near the top of his class and was presented with numerous opportunities to play football at the next level – only to delay the decision until the absolute last moment. For us parents, this was, as you might imagine…unpleasant…and ripe with anxiety, frustration, regret and maybe a few four-letter words from his mother. (Or maybe that was me. Heck, I don’t recall.) And we’re just talking about football here! How might a belabored, or in some cases, a broken decision-making process affect your family when it comes to your finances? And why is it so difficult at times to make financial decisions?

Large Financial Decisions are Ripe with Emotion:

Decisions involving money can take on a life of their own. For most of us, or unless you’re the Fed, there’s not an endless supply of money. We just can’t print more when we need more (the aforementioned once again excluded). Money is inextricably linked to provision, and provision is tied to those we care for most. And therefore, large financial decisions can be ripe with emotion. As objective as we may believe we are, when we make large financial decisions, we invariably do so with emotions having a seat at the table. And understandably so, right? Emotions are involved because we recognize the weight of the decision and how it may impact those around us. Can we afford this home? Can I afford to remain in this career? Can we make it with one income? Will we have enough to live off during retirement? Now, with those questions, you may have some control over the outcomes. But what about those you have zero control over? Are we about to enter a global recession? What happens if Europe and Asia become further unstable? Will inflation continue to rise?

All of these concerns have the potential to lead to emotionally based decisions. And equally concerning, they can also lead to paralysis or making no decision at all. It’s a well-known question for a reason: Why do today, what you can put off until tomorrow? When you’re stressed and tensions are high, emotions go from having a seat at the decision-making table to holding the pen in their hand. And that doesn’t often end well.

In Light of the Above, Now What?

Well, that’s the first step – acknowledging that emotion can play an important role in making financial decisions. Not that emotions are bad, mind you, they may just need to be tempered. You may need only to think back a day, a week, or five years ago when your emotions led to a decision, which then led to an outcome, which may have then led to regret. (If not, then you’ve not made many decisions up to this point, have you?) Instead of rushing into a decision or putting it off altogether, let’s pause, take a step back, and insert a little objectivity. Can’t find it, you say? Then allow me to offer the following:

Are you able to recognize when your emotions are making the decisions?
What are the possible consequences of the decision that you’re contemplating currently?
What emotion typically drives your decisions? Fear? Happiness? Empathy?
And if you have a spouse, do you have an agreed upon process with which to make large financial decisions?
And finally, what is it that you value most out of life?

Here’s what I know about you, if I may be so bold. If you’re willing to honestly address the five questions above, you’re on your way to living your one best financial life. At the time this article was written, there’s quite a bit of uncertainty and volatility in the financial markets. And I’m going to presume that such times may create a little stress? If I’m speaking to you, as I’m speaking to myself, there’s little value in delaying a decision based on fear alone. Just as there’s little value in rushing into large financial decisions based on want alone. If you’re in need of some objectivity within your financial decision-making process, that doesn’t make you unique, it makes you human. I happen to work with some pretty special humans who are quite gifted in helping with financial decisions. You don’t have to go it alone. In CapSouth, you have a team to rely on. We can help.

So back to football. The second son did – finally – choose a school. In full disclosure, the emotional wear and tear was on that of his mother and me. He was dead set on what he wanted from a college experience, and he made a plan to get there. He contacted over 50 division1 football programs in search of a home, and he turned down nearly as many – some of which were financial no brainers. But that wasn’t his sole motivation. He was set on certain parameters and was willing to forgo others. He made a series of tradeoffs based on the realities of his recruiting process and chose – albeit 8 days before he was to report to camp – the opportunity that satisfied his ultimate goal – to be a part of a winning program and have an opportunity to play a role in the coming years. He didn’t do it alone, I must admit. He sought counsel from those he trusted and who could help him sort through the emotions that so often accompany large decisions.

If we can help you sort through your own emotionally charged decisions, please allow us. You don’t have to go it alone. We were made to live in community, and we’d be honored to serve our role in yours. You don’t have to go through it alone. We can help.

Happy fall and *Go Eastern Kentucky Colonels!*

To discuss this article further or to learn more about CapSouth Wealth Management, visit our website at www.capsouthwm.com or call 800.929.1001 to schedule an appointment to speak with an advisor.

by: Billy McCarthy, Wealth Manager

Investment advisory services are offered through CapSouth Partners, Inc, dba CapSouth Wealth Management, an independent registered Investment Advisory firm. Information provided by sources deemed to be reliable. CapSouth does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information. CapSouth does not offer tax, accounting, or legal advice. Consult your tax or legal advisors for all issues that may have tax or legal consequences. This information has been prepared solely for informational purposes, is general in nature and is not intended as specific advice.

Big Hat and No Cattle – 5 Financial Lessons from Cowboys

August 11, 2022
Finances, Financial Lessons, Financial Planning, Wisdom

Those that know me, know that I love horses…I might have always been a bit obsessed with them. Life in western times seems idyllic to me in many ways. There were hard times, but there are financial lessons we can learn from the ponderosa. Here are five financial lessons:

Don’t be afraid to fall

Few things in life are accomplished without taking some risk. If we sit back and coast easy through life, we will miss those moments of thrill with achievement. “Courage is being scared to death and saddling up anyway.” – John Wayne

In investing, I believe this risk should be considered within the context of a solid financial plan. I often refer to the terms “risk capacity” and “risk appetite”.

Risk capacity refers to the range between the minimum amount of risk you must take to have a reasonable chance of meeting your goals and objectives, and the maximum amount of risk you should take to still have that reasonable likelihood of success. Some clients would love to take all of their money and stuff it under their mattress, and others would love to take it all to the casino and bet on black; neither of those is likely a good option, nor is either of those likely to help them accomplish their goals.

Within that range of risk capacity falls a client’s risk appetite. Once the financial plan has been established, it should be stress tested at varying risk levels to evaluate the risk/reward trade-off of varying allocations. How much potential growth are we giving up if we maintain a lower equity allocation? How much sleep are we going to lose if we go after that extra return? There is a place on that spectrum for each individual, and it is part of the advisor’s job to help guide you to finding yours.

Get back on the horse

Unfortunately in life, things do not always go as we plan. We set off in the morning with hopeful expectations of the ride ahead of us…the glow of the sunrise, the breeze in the air, the sounds of the birds. However, as we gallop around the next corner of the trail, we (and our horse) might’ve forgotten about that rain shower from yesterday…and the resulting water puddle showing our reflection back to us. Your noble steed balks…does he run through it, jump it, go around it? As he fast approaches the puddle, he decides to jump around it in a quick maneuver fashion that you were not prepared for…and off you go into the mud. Yes, I’m writing that one from experience. My horse, Apache, actually loves water and would’ve done just fine. However, that day I decided to ride a different horse with a bit more “spunk”. I can say, though, that I did get back on.

In our financial lives, some endeavors will not play out in the manner we intended. That business venture, that career position, or even that stock purchase – not every idea is a winner. However, the important thing is to dust off your boots, learn from your mistakes, and go again…in maybe a more prudent fashion the next time.

Don’t squat with spurs on

Sometimes we can be our own worst enemy. We know our vices and weaknesses, and yet we put ourselves in the same positions. It could be as simple as going to the grocery store while hungry and ending up with loads of junk food and nothing of substance. Or maybe we think we will just go test drive that new truck to see the new features, but not buy one. Or maybe we have had a bad day, and it’s too easy to escape to the shopping mall or Amazon for some retail therapy. In either case, we know better; we just get careless and set ourselves up for failure.

A little self-discipline can go a long way. Take time to know yourself and to create a budget and calendar to help set some guardrails. You will be glad you did.

Big hat and no cattle

Ever seen that “cowboy” that is dressed to impressed…he has the Stetson hat, the pearl snap shirt, the boots, the Wranglers…he is styling. But have you ever seen him even ride a horse? Or is it all just show?

I would liken this to the family with the designer clothes, the newest of luxury cars, that new house on the corner…are they really doing well? Or are their banks and credit card companies doing well off them and their debt? Don’t be so quick to judge the book by its cover and be too easily impressed. That neighbor down the street with the classic chevy may be debt free, have substantial savings for retirement, and fewer concerns. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate nice things. We just need to make sure we aren’t sacrificing our long-term success for short-term luxuries.

Always drink upstream from the herd

Everyone seems to have ideas about everything. Turn on any news channel, ask any friend, and they likely have at least a few suggestions for you on any given topic. Change the topic, and all the sudden they go from an engineer to a chef to an investment expert to an estate planner. And of course, they have all taken time to consider your values, your goals, your particular assets, and how they all fit into your financial plan, right?

Seek wise, qualified, and appropriate guidance. I wouldn’t want my financial advisor diagnosing my medical needs, and I wouldn’t look to my physician for financial lessons and direction on my investments.

Most of us don’t wear spurs on a daily basis, or maybe ever. However, these are timeless financial lessons that apply to everyone. If these premises generate any thoughts for you about your personal situation and you would like to discuss further, please reach out to a CapSouth advisor.

By: Scott McDowall, CFP®/Wealth Advisor

To learn more about CapSouth Wealth Management, visit our website at www.capsouthwm.com or https://capsouthwm.com/what-we-do/financial-planning/ or call 800.929.1001 Click to Schedule a Discovery Call.

Women and Money: Taking Control of Finances

August 11, 2022
Finances, Financial Planning, Wealth Management, Wisdom

As a woman, you have financial needs that are unique to your situation in life. Perhaps you would like to buy your first home. Maybe you need to start saving for your child’s college education. Or you might be concerned about planning for retirement. Whatever your circumstances may be, it’s important to have a clear understanding of your overall financial position.

That means constructing and implementing a plan. With a financial plan in place, you’ll be better able to focus on your financial goals and understand what it will take to reach them. The three main steps in creating and implementing an effective financial plan involve:

Developing a clear picture of your current financial situation
Setting and prioritizing financial goals and time frames
Implementing appropriate saving and investment strategies

Developing a clear picture of your current financial situation

The first step to creating and implementing a financial plan is to develop a clear picture of your current financial situation. If you don’t already have one, consider establishing a budget or a spending plan. Creating a budget requires you to:

Identify your current monthly income and expenses
Evaluate your spending habits
Monitor your overall spending

To develop a budget, you’ll need to identify your current monthly income and expenses. Start out by adding up all of your income. In addition to your regular salary and wages, be sure to include other types of income, such as dividends, interest, and child support.

Next, add up all of your expenses. If it makes it easier, you can divide your expenses into two categories: fixed and discretionary. Fixed expenses include things that are necessities, such as housing, food, transportation, and clothing. Discretionary expenses include things like entertainment, vacations, and hobbies. You’ll want to be sure to include out-of-pattern expenses (e.g., holiday gifts, car maintenance) in your budget as well.

To help you stay on track with your budget:

Get in the habit of saving–try to make budgeting a part of your daily routine
Build occasional rewards into your budget
Examine your budget regularly and adjust/make changes as needed

Setting and prioritizing financial goals

The second step to creating and implementing a financial plan is to set and prioritize financial goals. Start out by making a list of things that you would like to achieve. It may help to separate the list into two parts: short-term financial goals and long-term financial goals.

Short-term goals may include making sure that your cash reserve is adequately funded or paying off outstanding credit card debt. As for long-term goals, you can ask yourself: Would you like to purchase a new home? Do you want to retire early? Would you like to start saving for your child’s college education?

Once you have established your financial goals, you’ll want to prioritize them. Setting priorities is important, since it may not be possible for you to pursue all of your goals at once. You will have to decide which of your financial goals are most important to you (e.g., sending your child to college) and which goals you may have to place on the back burner (e.g., the beachfront vacation home you’ve always wanted).

Implementing saving and investment strategies

After you have determined your financial goals, you’ll want to know how much it will take to fund each goal. And if you’ve already started saving towards a goal, you’ll want to know how much further you’ll need to go.

Next, you can focus on implementing appropriate investment strategies. To help determine which investments are suitable for your financial goals, you should ask yourself the following questions:

What is my time horizon?
What is my emotional and financial tolerance for investment risk?
What are my liquidity needs?

Once you’ve answered these questions, you’ll be able to tailor your investments to help you target specific financial goals, such as retirement, education, a large purchase (e.g., home or car), starting a business, or increasing your net worth.

Managing your debt and credit

Whether it is debt from student loans, a mortgage, or credit cards, it is important to avoid the financial pitfalls that can sometimes go hand in hand with borrowing. Any sound financial plan should effectively manage both debt and credit. The following are some tips to help you manage your debt/credit:

Make sure that you know exactly how much you owe by keeping track of balances and interest rates
Develop a short-term plan to manage your payments and avoid late fees
Optimize your repayments by paying off high-interest debt first or take advantage of debt consolidation/refinancing

Understanding what’s on your credit report

An important part of managing debt and credit is to understand the information contained in your credit report. Not only does a credit report contain information about past and present credit transactions, but it is also used by potential lenders to evaluate your creditworthiness.

What information are lenders typically looking for in a credit report? For the most part, a lender will assume that you can be trusted to make timely monthly payments against your debts in the future if you have always done so in the past. As a result, a history of late payments or bad debts will hurt your credit. Based on your track record, if your credit report indicates that you are a poor risk, a new lender is likely to turn you down for credit or extend it to you at a higher interest rate. In addition, too many inquiries on your credit report in a short time period can make lenders suspicious.

Today, good credit is even sometimes viewed by potential employers as a prerequisite for employment–something to think about if you’re in the market for a new job or plan on changing jobs in the near future.

Because a credit report affects so many different aspects of one’s financial situation, it’s important to establish and maintain a good credit history in your own name. You should review your credit report regularly and be sure to correct any errors on it. You’re entitled to a free copy of your credit report from each of the three major credit reporting agencies once every 12 months. You can go to www.annualcreditreport.com for more information.

Working with a financial professional

Although you can certainly do it alone, you may find it helpful to work with a financial professional to assist you in creating and implementing a financial plan.

A financial professional can help you accomplish the following:

Determine the state of your current affairs by reviewing income, assets, and liabilities
Develop a plan and help you identify your financial goals
Make recommendations about specific products/services
Monitor your plan
Adjust your plan as needed

Keep in mind that unless you authorize a financial professional to make investment choices for you, a financial professional is solely there to make financial recommendations to you. Ultimately, you have responsibility for your finances and the decisions surrounding them. There is no assurance that working with a financial professional will improve investment results.

To discuss this article further or to learn more about CapSouth Wealth Management, visit our website at www.capsouthwm.com or call 800.929.1001 or click to Schedule a Discovery Call

CapSouth Partners, Inc, dba CapSouth Wealth Management, is an independent registered Investment Advisory firm. This material is from an unaffiliated, third-party and is used by permission. Any opinions expressed in the material are those of the author and/or contributors to the material; they are not necessarily the opinions of CapSouth. Information provided by sources deemed to be reliable. CapSouth does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information. CapSouth does not offer tax, accounting or legal advice. Consult your tax or legal advisors for all issues that may have tax or legal consequences. This information has been prepared solely for informational purposes, is general in nature and is not intended as specific advice. Any performance data quoted represents past performance; past performance is no guarantee of future results.