Client Axiom | Vol 255
CPI Climbs – What Does The Fed Think? | Employers Have Open Jobs. Why Aren’t They Being Filled? | New Home Prices Increase Due To Lumber Shortage
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Meet The Axiom®’s Guest Editor: Mark Pent
I’m Mark Pent, Branch Director for Annex Wealth Management’s Madison office.
I love the fact that as a fee only fiduciary, we, as a team, sit on the same side of the table as our clients. We are on this journey together.
My wife Mary and I have 3 grown daughters, one of whom is married. We still enjoy traveling together, especially Europe where we devour the art, architecture, history and customs. We relish the excitement of waking up in a strange city. One day soon, the skies over the Atlantic will be open again.
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CPI Climbs – What Does The Fed Think?
Followed by a miserable jobs report, the markets reacted to a climb in CPI. Will the Fed need to consider taking action? Annex Wealth Management’s Derek Felske and Deanne Phillips discuss.
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Poll: Employers Have Open Jobs. Why Aren’t They Being Filled?
According to the Labor Department, US employers added 777,000 new jobs in March – but April’s jobs report saw a huge drop off with only 266,000 new jobs added.(1)
1. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-job-growth-far-below-expectations-april-amid-labor-shortages-2021-05-07/
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Organize Your Estate & Financial Details
During this time of year, spring cleaning is a chance to re-fresh, re-organize and declutter. Whether it’s your closet, garage, or that back flower bed, there’s always something to do. This week’s MoneyDo is to do a spring cleaning of your estate plan and finances. Not only is it a great opportunity to use the shredder for those bank statements from 10 years ago, but it’s critical to ensure organization and ease of access in the event family members need to step in to help in the future.
Here’s how to start your “spring cleaning:”
Locate all your estate planning documents. You should have all the originals of your documents kept in a secure, but accessible location.
- You will also want to make sure you’ve gotten rid of older versions and only keep the current documents on hand.
- Be sure to provide copies to key family members that have been named in the documents and that they know where the originals are located.
Inventory ALL your assets and debts. The written inventory should include:
- Type and titling on the account
- Full account number
- Any beneficiaries listed on the account
- Where the account is located and the contact information of the company or person
- If you log in to the account electronically, provide website, username and password
Inventory employer benefits, insurance information (health, homeowners, etc.), governmental benefits, or veterans’ benefits.
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- List your bills and financial obligations, such as monthly or annual bills, subscriptions or memberships.
- List other important individuals, such as attorney, accountant, insurance rep, and advisors.
- List usernames and passwords for social media, e-mail or other online services.
The format for your lists is up to you. Some people do it by hand; others use a spreadsheet or electronic document. Annex has a Financial Organizer that our clients find useful to help with the organization.
Once you’ve completed your spring cleaning, be sure to share it! If one spouse has been the primary person to organize and track finances, please share this information with the other. It’s important to provide this information to others so if something happens to you, it is easy for things to carry on. As with all things, your lists must be kept up to date if things change.
You may have noticed that we didn’t include listing account values or balances. Include that information only if you’re ready to share that with your trusted family members.
We often find that through this process, people realize they have accounts in numerous places. Consolidating assets and accounts may be an important next step to streamline and simplify your finances.
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This week’s Ask Annex comes from Dan, who asks:
“Is $15,000 enough to open an account with Annex and what are your fees?“
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We asked Annex Wealth Management’s Michael J. Mihm, CHFC®, CLU®:
Yes, $15,000 is enough to open account! At Annex we’re committed to helping whoever wants our help. We don’t have a set fee schedule or minimum fees like a lot of other firms do. We quote a fee that we believe is fair and competitive based on the amount of assets we’d be managing on behalf of a client along with the scope and complexity of the advice we anticipate providing.
Our average fee is 1%, and it could be a little bit higher or lower depending on the amount of assets. We also think it’s important to understand what you’re getting for the fee you’re paying. Is the fee only for investment management or does it also include other services like financial planning, tax planning and reviewing your estate plan? At Annex, our goal is to provide comprehensive help and we believe we’re able to provide a great overall value for people who’ve decided they would like some help.
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KNOW THE DIFFERENCE MINUTE:
A Mixed Bag For Manufacturing
KNOW THE DIFFERENCE MINUTE:
New Home Price Increases $35,000 Due To Lumber Shortage
ANNEX RADIO
Why Musicians Are Selling Their Catalogs & What It Means For YOUR Financial Plan
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Annex Wealth Management has always been committed to client growth and education. Planning and saving can be demanding. We’ve found that when our clients master key concepts, it often enhances working together to reach their goals. Because these are not sales presentations, our clients benefit from a truly informative experience.
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