practical prosperity

You've Waited All Your Life for This: Avoiding the Non-Financial Pitfalls of Retirement

You've Waited All Your Life for This: Avoiding the Non-Financial Pitfalls of Retirement

Starting off 2019 here at Mackey Advisors™, we have already had numerous discussions with folks planning to retire at a date in the not too distant future.  Would it surprise you to hear that every day, 10,000 boomers turn 65 in this country?  Many of those folks have worked and saved for years in order to enjoy a whole new life called “retirement” after that 65th birthday.  Unfortunately, all too often the ride into the sunset becomes a drive off a cliff even if they have prepared themselves to have a financially successful retirement.

Matt's Monthly Money Must Do's | February 2019

Matt's Monthly Money Must Do's | February 2019

Don’t get me started on the pronunciation of this month.  Feb-BRuary and Feb-Uary are two very different pronunciations.  One sounds like a frat-bro joke about a month-long binder, which is also the correct pronunciation, while the other sounds like gibberish.  Regardless of your particular persuasion, why is this the only month with multiple pronunciations?  No one skips the p in September.  Let’s discuss something productive about the month of February.

  • Finalize your taxes

  • Take a new worth snapshot

  • Buy items on deep discount

A Holiday Reminder from the Classics

A Holiday Reminder from the Classics

“If I could work my will, every idiot that goes about with “Merry Christmas” on his lips, should be boiled with his own pudding, and buried with a stake of holly through his heart!”…Ebenezer Scrooge

Does this sound like anyone you know?  While it is from the original Charles Dickens’s, “A Christmas Carol,” I like to attribute it to my favorite Scrooge, Mr. Magoo.  If you haven’t seen this hilarious animated classic, try You Tube or find the DVD.  It is one of my favorite Christmas lines, but not so much because I am cranky, but because it tells a great story.

Depending on how you look at it, Scrooge either had it all or had nothing.  He lived in a huge house, had a successful business, and spent his time counting his “crowns and coppers”.  Of course he had time for all of this because that was all he had.  His friends and loved ones had abandoned him and the townsfolk had trouble knowing whether to hate him or pity him.

Scrooge needed balance between success and happiness.  At Mackey Advisors we work with clients to establish this balance every day.

Matt's Monthly Money Must Do's | January 2019

Matt's Monthly Money Must Do's | January 2019

People don’t realize it, but the Latin root for January (Ianua) means door.  So, depending on your perspective you are either opening the door to the new year, or shutting the door on the prior year.  If you are like me, it is more of a slamming the door shut and creating shock waves in the space-time continuum.  Now onto the important things for the new year.

  • Find deep discounted items

  • Use a new finance app

  • Set a non-financial goal

Matt's Monthly Money Must Do's | November 2018

Matt's Monthly Money Must Do's | November 2018

November is popular for the Movember movement.  The whole month is dedicated to foolish men (myself included) growing facial hair for men’s health issues such as prostate/testicular cancer and suicide.  Wade Boggs, Borat, and our own Tom Ferkinhoff all immediately become my mustache idols for November.  Their mustaches could be described just like excellent Scotches are: full-bodied, dignified and balanced.  They are sooooo manly, they appear to have peat in them.  I look more like Larry Bird or Justin Bieber.

On to the Movember related must do’s…

Matt's Monthly Money Must Do's | October 2018

Matt's Monthly Money Must Do's | October 2018

October is scary!  Mainly because it means another year is almost done.  This is also a good time to reflect on your spending over the past year.  With Halloween just around the corner…let’s find some scary financial things to do. BOO!!

  • Review your credit report

  • Review your spending for the last year

  • Review your homeowner’s insurance

A Recipe for Financial Freedom

A Recipe for Financial Freedom

It is not every day that I come across a financial article that I feel is worthy of sharing with others.  These days they are often steeped in fear tactics meant to confuse one about their investments or litter someone’s political agenda.  Sometimes the meat of an article is pretty good but let’s just say they are a bit over seasoned.

Thankfully today is not like every day, and when I was checking some financial news on Marketwatch this morning I found something that I thought you all might like.

Matt's Monthly Money Must Do's | September 2018

Matt's Monthly Money Must Do's | September 2018

I was reviewing one of my favorite sites that lists when things are on deepest discount.  They showed their September deals and a funny item appeared on the list: Blu-Ray Player.  Those are still a thing?Anyway, going to keep it simple for September.

  • Pay quarterly taxes

  • Review your benefits

  • Find a financial book to read

Matt's Monthly Money Must Do's | August 2018

Matt's Monthly Money Must Do's | August 2018

August 4th is Coast Guard Day.  Alexander Hamilton, along with the help of US congress, authorized the building of a fleet of Revenue Service Cutters.  The August to do’s all relate to keeping yourself safe and limiting your exposure to harm much like the Coast Guard does with boaters every day.

  • Protect your home

  • Protect your kids

  • Protect your financial accounts