The deadline for getting your 2017 IRA contributions to us is Wednesday, April 11th. Tax season is an extremely busy time so the sooner you get these in the better. Feel free to stop by the office anytime from 8am-4pm to drop them off.
Have a great weekend!
Melani
Amy Florian from Corgenius released some information regarding new tests to alert you to the early signs of dementia and Alzheimer's disease. The first study was about sense of smell and the second one was about personality changes.
Here are some highlights taken directly from her research on the studies that we thought were important.
Regarding smell, scientists studied several factors in reasonably healthy people and then followed them for five years to see who developed dementia. They found that when combined with baseline cognitive function at the start, the most important factor was sense of smell. They specifically studied five scents – orange, leather, peppermint, rose, and fish. The greater number of scents that created difficulty and the more poorly a person could discern these smells, the more likely they were to exhibit dementia five years later. Researchers noted that this can’t be relied on as a singular test, but rather as a realization that sensory function is closely related to brain function, and may be among the first areas to exhibit deficiencies.
Another study focused on the long-recognized fact that personality changes are an early sign of Alzheimer’s disease, especially becoming uncharacteristically angry, aggressive, paranoid, or inappropriate. Now researchers have developed a 34-question quiz that can help determine the breadth and depth of behavioral changes, and they are proposing an intermediate diagnosis of mild behavioral impairment. You can take the quiz here. Note that these changes should persist for 6 months and be fundamental changes in behavior in order to indicate problems.
We are always looking for ways to keep you informed on the latest news with issues we come accross and cognitive decline is an important one.
There's been a lot of recent reports on how much information Facebook really has on you and it is scary. When is the last time you looked to see how many of your apps are connected to your Facebook profile? Even if youre not using the app anymore, once you grant them permission to your Facebook profile they will continue to collect your data, including your friends list, pictures, browsing history etc, until you revoke their access.
We found a really good article on CNBC that gives you a step-by-step guide on how to check your privacy settings, see who has access to your information and how to remove them. Follow the link below to check it out.
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/03/20/how-to-see-which-facebook-apps-have-access-to-your-data.html
Check out our new Ebook! In it you will find some valuable tips and guidance for retirement planning from our CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERS®.
We would like to thank everyone who donated pet supplies and medications to our cause! Animals are near and dear to our hearts and it means a lot to have so many clients show support with their generous donations. We are so happy that these donations will go to pets in need, especially those affected in Puerto Rico and the disaster areas.
Samantha and Melani dropping off the pet supplies to the SPCALA
The API girls out celebrating API's 20th anniversary. We couldn't do it without our wonderful clients!
From left to right: Carol, Joanne, Sandy (Top), Erin, Samantha and Melani
Asset Planning is proud to announce that we are celebrating our 20 year anniversary this week. API continues to expand and now has clients in 16 states and manages over 260 million dollars. This is an exciting milestone for our company and we know that we would not be here today if it wasn’t for the commitment and support that we receive from our clients; some who have been with us from the very beginning. Our clients mean the world to us and we thank you for your continued loyalty and referrals that allow us to keep growing.
The Dow Jones and S&P 500 posted a loss of 7.92% and 7.17%, respectively, in the last 5 days, however this is not a reason to panic. The market has been steadily increasing without a significant market move or correction and we have enjoyed 15 consecutive months with positive returns. The headlines can be misleading, but this is just volatility returning to markets. Some of the loss today was likely due to computerized algorithms that were triggered to start selling as the market reached certain levels. This increased selling intensifies the loss, but will normalize when those same algorithms buy back in to the market.
We have been anticipating this correction and will take advantage of this opportunity.
Many people are interested in their ancestry and genetic testing and the popularity of DNA test kits shows this new trend. The most popular tests are AncestryDNA, National Geographic genetics and 23andme. 23andMe has over 2 million customers that have given consent to have their data used for research. Yes, the data is sold. The premise is that the data is sold for research and the buyers are institutions and nonprofits. You do have to consent to your data being used and 80% of their customers do give consent. So, what are the dangers? For a young person who may be applying for health insurance or life insurance in their future, I would advise that their data not be shared and their sample not be kept for future testing. Despite genetic privacy laws, life insurers can request genetic testing information and thus deny coverage based on your disease risk profile. Law enforcement also has the right to your data.
For people living to age 85, there is a 34% chance of having Alzheimers. Age is also a big risk factor for Parkinson’s disease. If you find you have the APOE gene, your risk of Alzheimer’s is increased. How the research can help is that the right patients could be put in specific clinical trials. Carol and her kids have been tested. I spit in the tube and sent my sample off to 23andMe to be tested for ancestry results just because I am curious even though all my maternal side came from Sweden. I have not given consent for learning my genetic risk for diseases yet. If you have an interest in this topic, email us for our links to the articles and research.
Sandy
After the hustle and bustle of the holidays and the start of a new year, most people start to look ahead and like the idea of a fresh start. Take advantage of this motivation by applying it to your finances as well and giving yourself a financial checkup. Yes, I know that taking a good hard look at your finances is not always something that you look forward to. But being realistic about your current financial situation, making some goals and putting an action plan together will put you on the right track to having a successful retirement with less to worry about and more time to enjoy yourself.
I found an article in the December 2017/January 2018 edition of AARP magazine written by Michelle V. Rafter, that outlines some steps to get you started on your financial check up journey. Check it out by clicking the link below.
https://www.aarp.org/money/credit-loans-debt/info-2017/financial-checkup.html
May 2018 be your most financially fit year ever!
Samantha
