
Axiom | Vol 276
Inflation And The Global Supply Chain

Meet The Axiom®’s Guest Editor: Jackie Sklenar
Hello! I’m Jackie Sklenar. I have worked in the financial industry for over 30 years and thoroughly enjoy working with families and business owners as both a Wealth Manager and the Director of Client Engagement.
As Annex Wealth Management’s Director of Client Engagement, I’m responsible for developing and strengthening client relationships in partnership with Annex Wealth Managers, helping ensure clients and prospective clients are engaged with us and experience the Annex Difference.
My husband, Jeff, and I are raising our three children in the Lake Country area where I had the pleasure of growing up. Our oldest is getting her Master’s degree and our two sons are studying Mechanical Engineering all at the University of Wisconsin – Platteville. In my free time, I enjoy spending with friends and family, golfing, gardening, and taking hikes with our yellow lab.
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“The Axiom is a great way for Annex to provide additional financial literacy to our clients and people who want to know more. The Week in Review is a valuable resource for those who’d like to stay up–to–date, since things are ever–changing in the financial markets. I also find the variety of featured topics and polls engaging and thought–provoking.“
– Guest Editor: Jackie Sklenar | Director of Client Engagement
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Inflation And The Global Supply Chain
Inflation is up over 5.3%, and supply chain issues will affect more than your Christmas gift orders this year. Annex Wealth Management’s Dave Spano, CFP® discusses.
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To help alleviate supply chain issues, California ports and a number of retail and logistic companies will operate 24/7.
Poll | Opinion: What Are Your Thoughts On This?
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Understand Your Options For Medicare Open Enrollment
This week’s MoneyDo: Understand your options for Medicare open enrollment.
What you need to know:
- Medicare open enrollment season is upon us.
Every year, open enrollment takes place, from October 15th to December 7th. If you’re over the age of 65, or caring for someone over age 65, now is the time to give your current plan a review and determine if a change is needed.
- Plans Change.Make sure you’ve got what works for you.
Medicare Advantage Plans can change their cost, coverage, or network each year. Since the plans are allowed to change the rules, open enrollment is your opportunity to change plans. It’s your responsibility to look at other options and make sure you still have the best plan available for your situation.
Researchers have found that even those content with their current plan can sometimes find a plan with options that are more comprehensive or cost- effective.
If you’ve vetted a plan that appears to be better, make sure to call the plan itself and confirm what you have researched. Confirm which medications are covered, co-pay amounts, and which doctors and hospitals are in the network.
- You can’t use open enrollment to enroll in Medicare for the first time.
Open enrollment is only for making changes to your current coverage. Beginning in October, information about next year’s plan options will become available for you to research. Any changes you make become effective the first day of the next year. If you do not want to make any changes, no action is required and your current plan will remain in place.
Below is a list of common terms and coverages to consider when you’re researching your Medicare plan options.
- Original Medicare – Managed by the federal government and includes Part A (hospitalization coverage), Part B (outpatient services) and Part D (prescription drug coverage)
- Medigap – Extra health Insurance that you can purchase to help cover costs not covered by Original Medicare. These plans are offered from private insurance companies and benefits are mandated by the state.
- Medicare Advantage – Bundles Parts A, B and D into a managed healthcare program similar to an HMO or PPO health insurance plan.
What can I change during open enrollment?
If you have Original Medicare with a supplemental policy (Medigap), you can switch to a Medicare Advantage plan and vice versa during this time. It’s worth noting that this switch will require you to answer certain health questions. Depending on the state you live in, there are rules governing a switch between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage, so consult with a professional prior to making a change.
If you find that you need assistance with your options, Annex Wealth Management will help you determine your Medicare needs and which plan best suits your life over the coming year.
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This week’s Ask Annex comes from Camille, who asks:
“My wife and I have high income earning jobs, so our kids don’t want for much, how can I teach them the value of the dollar and good financial/spending habits?”
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We asked Annex Wealth Management’s Randy Winkler, CFP®:
This is a great question, and it comes up often. Money skills are not always taught to young people, so more often than not, kids end up learning through painful mistakes. A few tips:
Give an allowance/create opportunities to make money. For even the very young, this can help to teach financial responsibility. A good approach is to have them divide their ‘income’ into 3 buckets:
- Spend: This is the money they can spend at their discretion. This teaches simple budgeting (you can’t spend what you don’t have) and about opportunity cost (if they buy the skateboard they won’t have funds to buy the video game).
- Save: This is the money they’re putting aside for future spending. This teaches the power of delayed gratification.
- Share: This is the money they give to charity. This teaches them about helping others.
Set a good example. Children (especially young ones) will copy your behavior. Model the behaviors you’d like them to learn.
Get them involved. Discuss financial matters with your kids. You’ll have to gear the conversation to their comprehension level. Discuss why you’re considering refinancing your mortgage, how you’re saving for that big vacation, why you’re not purchasing everything the neighbors do, why you support that charity or your church, etc.
Educate them on the basics. Explain how compound interest can be your friend (through saving and investing) or their enemy (through the improper use of credit cards). Teach basic budgeting. Explain dollar cost averaging (investing the same dollar amount at regular intervals regardless of what is going on in the market). Look for educational opportunities.
Offer incentives. Some parents and grandparents offer a dollar-for-dollar match for any money saved or invested.
Developing good money habits at an early age will pay huge dividends over a lifetime.
Randy Winkler, CFP®
Wealth Manager
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As a true fee-only fiduciary, we’re required to act in your best interest all the time. Sadly, not every financial professional who uses the term “fiduciary” can say that.
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KNOW THE DIFFERENCE MINUTE:
Most-Stolen Vehicles, Ranked
KNOW THE DIFFERENCE MINUTE:
Record High Job Openings, Where Are The Workers?
ANNEX RADIO
Elder Orphans and Solo Agers
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Annex Wealth Management provides free workshops, open to the public, on key wealth management topics.
Each week, we provide links to register for upcoming events.
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