the WealthWATCH SM SM A Quar terly Publication 1 Vo l . 7 Issu e 2 / Ap r il 2015 Involving Family Members in Your Personal Finances by Mark Niederhelman A recent conversation with a client about the threat of identity theft made me think about when it is appropriate to share our personal information with others. The threat of identity theft is real, it should be a concern for all of us, but it might be teaching us to limit sharing information when that could be beneficial. You have come to Lineweaver Financial because you wanted our assistance in managing your financial affairs, and we are ever grateful for that. There may come a time where you want, or may need, to have someone else step into your shoes and provide assistance, and that someone could be a trusted family member, or a very trusted friend. Mark Niederhelman Navigating the financial world and making financial decisions is complicated, and getting more complicated all the time. As we age, many of us will have greater difficulty in handling our personal lives, including our financial lives. With that in mind, think about when you will bring someone else into the picture, and who that person could be. We are always here for you, and that includes meeting with family members at and only at your request. We will share information with your family members, but only after you have asked us to do so. Prior to your approval, we will share your personal information with no one. Sharing information doesn’t mean you need to hand others the keys to the kingdom. Frequently, the initial information shared is rather broad, simply to let them know who to turn to in case of emergency. As time progresses, and the need increases, you can divulge as much information as is necessary at the time. For someone to truly step into your shoes and help you manage your financial affairs a power of attorney is a necessary AND powerful tool. While you may not need help now, having a power of attorney in your financial tool box is something every family should consider. When you need help it could be too late to create that tool; think and plan ahead. If and when you decide to share your personal information with family, here are some of the things you might want to include. • The location of important documents and how to access them. • Names and contact information for all professionals: Lineweaver Financial Group, doctors, attorneys, maybe even the lawn service company. • List of accounts, including account numbers and contact information. • Sources of income, and accounts where direct deposit are made. continued on page 3 LFG ON T V Watch NewsNet 5 every Wednesday between 6:00am and 7:00am to see Jim featured on a new segment called “Wealth Watch”! These segments will help keep you up-to-date on hot button financial topics and news. INSIDE THIS ISSUE Involving Family Members in Your Personal Finances page 1 Letter From The President page 2 LFG News page 2 Economic Commentary page 3 2 LE T TER FROM THE PRESIDENT by Jim Lineweaver, CFP®, President and Founder I would like to thank you for your patience during our transition to Lineweaver Wealth Advisors, LLC, (LWA) and to our new broker dealer, Triad Advisors, Inc. Much paperwork was required to help facilitate this new venture, and the Wealth-Trac Consolidated Reporting System has been temporarily interrupted until all your accounts are re-registered properly. Although transitions like this are inevitably going to have some bumps along the way, the process went relatively smoothly; and I have to express my appreciation to our great staff, who put in countless hours of overtime in the evenings and on weekends to help get this task completed. As I previously expressed, this was an important step in enhancing the quality and scope of our services as Lineweaver Financial Group continues to grow. We will be bringing on more money managers to our LWA platform and also offering a wider variety of investmentbanking related services along with Initial Public Offerings, Secondary Offerings, and Alternative Investments. This new platform also provides Lineweaver Wealth Advisors, LLC, the ability to bring on new advisors to expand our footprint across the country. I am happy to announce that Jimmy Nelson, CFP® and his organization, Nelson Financial Strategies, joined LWA on March 5. Jimmy brings over 13 years of experience in the financial services industry and expands our presence in the central Florida region. Triad Advisors, Inc., has a robust social media platform, and we are in the process of creating some informative educational pieces that we will be able to disseminate through these social media channels by the end of the year. I am also encouraging you to visit our website on your mobile device. We redesigned the layout recently to make it more user-friendly and to enhance your experience. Thanks again for your patience with our transition, and I want you to know that we appreciate your business. “Happiness is not in the mere possession of money; it lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of creative effort.” - Franklin D. Roosevelt LFG NE WS In Case You Missed It…. At our March Education Series, Jim Toth, from the Legacy Group, presented a Healthcare Marketplace Update, and went into great detail on the Affordable Care Act, healthcare subsidies and Medicare. Below is an informative chart on Medicare Part B Premiums for 2015. MEDICARE PART B PREMIUM BY INCOME If your yearly income in 2013 was File individual tax return File joint tax return You pay (in 2015) $85,000 or less $170,000 or less $104.90 above $85,000 up to $107,000 above $170,000 up to $214,000 $146.90 above $107,000 up to $160,000 above $214,000 up to $320,000 $209.80 above $160,000 up to $214,000 above $320,000 up to $428,000 $272.70 above $214,000 Source: Medicare.gov above $428,000 $335.70 We offer complimentary monthly education programs on a variety of topics to our valued clients, their guests, and anyone who is looking to learn! Upcoming topics include Making a Financial Plan (April 7 at 6:00pm and April 9 at 1:00pm), Risk in Your Financial World (May 12 at 1:00pm and May 14 at 6:00pm) and Estate Planning (June 9 at 6:00pm and June 11 at 1:00pm). All of these programs are held at our WealthWATCH Center in Valley View. To find out more or to register for these programs, visit Lineweaver.net/continuing-education or simply call our office! Fidelity Performance Reporting is now online! As part of the new Registered Investment Advisory services of Lineweaver Wealth Advisors, we are pleased to announce our new online access for Fidelity account performance reporting. Be sure to watch for your email from Black Diamond Support with all the instructions to get you started. If you do not have an email address on file with us and would like to use this service, please contact [email protected] with your email address and we will get you signed up! Securities offered through Triad Advisors, member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory services offered through Lineweaver Wealth Advisors, LLC. Lineweaver Wealth Advisors is not affiliated with Triad Advisors. This is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as tax or legal advice. Consult your tax or legal advisor in regard to your specific situation. 3 continued from page 1 • Your plans, financial concerns and what actions you may have taken. ECONOMIC COMMENTARY • If you have already compiled this information but have not shared it with others it may serve no purpose. • Keep in mind the tools we have created for you our client to use, our online access and client consolidated reporting. That could be a great starting point for a family discussion. by Stephen Yarmesch, AIF ® Riverview Research, LLC • Have you shared your wishes about your money and how you want it distributed and cared for after your death? Doing so can minimize misunderstandings and conflicts among your children later on. The last thing you want is for your hard earned money to create problems after you are gone. As always, we are here to help you in any way possible. If you would like to start a discussion about this important topic, give us a call. MONE Y WATCH DJIA: 17776.12 YTD: -.002% 10 Year Treasury Note Yield: 1.89% 3/31/14: 2.72% 12/31/14: 2.17% 30 Year Mortgage Rate: 3.69% 3/31/14: 4.38% 12/31/14: 3.93% Source: Yahoo Finance Past market performance is no guarantee of future investment performance or success. It is not possible to invest directly in an index. Close of Market 3/31/15 GOLDEN OPPORTUNITIES SHOW Tune in to WKYC Channel 3 at 11:30 am every other Sunday to see Jim Lineweaver on the Golden Opportunities show with Laurie Steiner. Jim and Laurie discuss current financial topics in an easy to understand format. Upcoming shows and topics: Sunday, April 5, 2015 What is a Financial Plan, and Why do You Need One? Sunday, April 19, 2015 Rollover of After-Tax 401(k) Sunday, May 3, 2015 Risk in Your Financial World Sunday, May 17, 2015 Estate Planning As with previous quarters, equity markets ebbed and flowed, beginning the period in “fits-and-starts,” hitting the apex for the quarter, declining and then finally rebounding, approaching earlier highs. The DJIA set an earlier record in Q1, touching 18,288.63 while the NASDAQ returned to the 5000 level for the first time since March 10, 2000. Oil remains well under 2014 summer prices though a severe winter has hampered consumers’ ability to transfer energy savings into additional spending. The Federal Reserve has yet to provide strong indication of any boost to interest rates while many international central banks continue to embrace monetary easing policies. The US dollar’s rally during 2014 continues during Q1. Relative to the Euro, the dollar has reached a point of near parity that has not been seen since January 2003: 0.96 Euro or approximately $1.04 for 1 Euro (Google Finance). This previous week, dollar proponents became less enthralled due to the Fed’s hesitation to lift banking rates, boosting the Euro to nearly $1.08 (WSJ). Given the nature of the diverging economies, many believe dollar/Euro parity is achievable as the US is in the forefront of tightening compared to the ECB’s accommodative stance (WSJ). For comparison, the dollar remains valued at approximately 120 Yen, nearly 1.25 CAD and 0.51 GBP. Regarding Europe, the Euro zone experienced a slightly better than expected rise in GDP growth for the final quarter of 2014 though the final figure settled at 0.3% with annualized growth increasing 1.4%. Even with such slight expansion, European equity markets responded favorably if not enduringly, the German DAX notably surpassing 11,000. Much of this GDP improvement is attributable to Germany and Spain. However, many nations, such as France, mustered flat expansion while Italy, Greece, Cyprus and Finland suffered quarterly contraction. Again, Greece is causing alarm as the newly elected Syriza Party is looking to forgo further EU assistance and ease if not reverse past austerity measures (WSJ). Russia remains mired in a stalled economy with government officials forecasting a 3% contraction in 2015 GDP. January marks the first time in five years that both year-over-year food and non-food item purchases declined in the same month. Lastly, January fixed capital spending fell 6.3% YoY, further highlighting Russia’s economic stress (WSJ). We remain confident in the US economy and defensive toward Europe as the recent GDP figure proved insignificant. As always, review your portfolio to ensure investment allocations match long-term objectives. Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, CFP® (with plaque design) and CFP® (with flame design) in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements. 4 9035 Sweet Valley Drive Valley View, Ohio 44125 1-888-313-4009 TRIVIA EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT How the origins of April Fools’ Day are uncertain, but many agree that it may have started in 1582, when France switched to the Gregorian calendar and moved New Year’s Day from March 25 back to January 1. Prior to this change, the New Year’s celebration had begun on March 25 and ended on April 1. Those who were unaware of the change were called April fools. Kr ystal Baez, Receptionist Krystal is the office Receptionist. She welcomes clients and guests to the office. Telephone calls are received, directed and messages relayed through Krystal to the appropriate person. She provides office support in order to ensure efficiency and effectiveness within the office. Krystal graduated from Bowling Green State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Development and Family Studies. In her spare time, she enjoys golfing and cooking delicious meals for her boyfriend, friends and family. Carly Hershberger, Client Relations Carly is a member of the Client Relations team. She coordinates the preparation work for client appointments, including Portfolio Reports, Summary Spreadsheets and Investment Downloads. She manages the financial consultants’ calendars. This includes scheduling appointments for annual reviews as well as new account packet appointments. Carly graduated from the University of Akron and majored in Marketing Management. She studied abroad in Italy and Greece. She recently moved back to the area after living in New York City. Carly enjoys spending time with her many nieces and nephews, traveling and trying new restaurants.
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