Rays of Wisdom: Common traits of the wealthy
Money doesn’t lead to happiness, but feeling happy and optimistic makes you better able to solve problems, face adversity and build healthy relationships.
Ray and Dana Brandon
Columnists
Ray Brandon, CEO of Brandon Financial Planning, and his wife, Dana, a licensed clinical social worker, can be reached at brandonplanning.com.
There are 28 articles by Ray and Dana Brandon :
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March 2019
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Business Rays of Wisdom: Cryptocurrency
There are some important things to know about cryptocurrency. After you make a transaction, it’s irreversible. If you make a mistake and pay someone you didn’t mean to, too bad. If you lose your password, adios money.
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Business Rays of Wisdom: Allocating investment funds
Asset allocation is an important part of making sure you maximize your current income for your future needs.
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Business Rays of Wisdom: Psychological marketing
Many of us don't know that we are being bombarded by marketing and advertising campaigns because of the new channels used to deliver the messages, such as blogs, messaging apps and search engines.
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Business Rays of Wisdom: Passive mutual funds
An advantage of index investing is expense control. If you don’t want to do the screening work to select active managers, these funds can be useful.
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February 2019
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Business Rays of Wisdom: How active mutual funds work
When it comes to mutual funds, there are two different investment choices: active and passive. Both investing styles can be beneficial in your overall financial portfolio.
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Business Rays of Wisdom: Your finances in 2019
Make sure your financial goals for 2019 include setting long-term goals, paying off debt and building an emergency fund. The time to fix the roof is while the sun is shining.
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Business Rays of Wisdom: Teens and finances
It’s parents' job to teach teens what they need to know to survive on their own. This is especially true when it comes to good financial habits.
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Business Rays of Wisdom: Best financial apps
“There’s an app for that.” That’s all you hear these days. There are apps for just about anything you could ever imagine. There are even apps that are hilariously ridiculous, like the “Send Me To Heaven” app that challenges you to toss your phone into the air as high as possible and watch it splat. I think we can live without that one.
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January 2019
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Business Rays of Wisdom: College-age children and finances
Teaching teens about credit cards, budgets and student loans could prevent them from making financial mistakes during college that negatively impact them for years to come.
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Business Rays of Wisdom: Top investing strategies
Ray’s Take: According to an article in Millennial Money, Americans spend over $70 billion each year on lottery tickets. The average U.S. household spends over $800 a year on these tickets to fantasyland. The article explained that if these people had invested their $800 into the Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund for a 10-year period, they would have over $13,000 to call their own. But instead, they find themselves poorer. -
Business Rays of Wisdom: Special needs children and your finances
Ray’s Take: A report released by the U.S. Census Bureau found that 2.8 million American families are raising two or more children with a disability. It can cost up to $250,000 to raise a typical child, but for a family with a special needs child the costs can be overwhelming. -
Business Rays of Wisdom: Social Security Basics
Ray’s Take: The first recipient of a Social Security check was to a woman named Miss Ida May Fuller. It was issued in 1939 in the amount of $22.54.
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December 2018
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Business Rays of Wisdom: Get control over debt before it controls you
Ray’s Take: Day in and day out, we are bombarded with commercials, ads and billboards from companies promising to help us consolidate our debt and save us lots of money in the process. The fact that so many debt consolidation companies even exist shows the desperate financial situations many Americans find themselves in. -
Business Rays of Wisdom: When is the right time to retire?
Ray’s Take: When can (or should) I retire? This is probably one of the most frequently asked questions I get from my clients. And the short answer is … it depends. Deciding when to retire is a very personal decision. There is no magic number or one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to retiring. -
Business Rays of Wisdom: Estate planning mistakes to avoid
Ray’s Take: The biggest mistake you can make when it comes to your estate is not having a plan at all. Some people think estate planning is only for the retired or affluent, but everyone can benefit from an estate plan. -
Business Rays of Wisdom: Preparing financially for divorce
Ray’s Take: Divorce rates peaked in the 1980s, with over 50 percent of American couples splitting up. Since that time, divorce rates have been steadily declining. In 2015, the divorce rate in America reached an all-time low.
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November 2018
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Business Rays of Wisdom: Choosing the right life insurance
Ray’s Take: When choosing a life insurance plan that’s right for you, the most important question you need to ask yourself is whether you need the insurance to be temporary or permanent. -
Business Rays of Wisdom: Choosing an executor
Ray’s Take: The longest known will filed in probate court was in 1925. It was 1,066 pages long and belonged to Frederica Evelyn Stilwell Cook. Her will was bound into four leather books and detailed what should happen to every single item she possessed. It also included specific requests such as not putting her age on her tombstone. Can you imagine being the executor of her will? -
Business Rays of Wisdom: Cultivate an attitude of gratitude
Ray’s Take: This is the time of year when we are all thinking about how blessed and thankful we are for all good things in our lives. But in reality, we should be making gratitude a part of our daily lives all year-round. -
Business Rays of Wisdom: Unusual investing
RAY’S TAKE: Back in the 1990s a Pennsylvania man spent $4 at a flea market for a painting that he didn’t even like. He bought the painting because he liked the frame. When he tossed out the painting, he found an envelope with one of the first printings of the Declaration of Independence. Documents like the one he found have sold for up to $8.14 million. -
Business Rays of Wisdom: Combining finances
Ray’s Take: When you enter into marriage or a serious relationship, the decision on whether you should combine your finances is an important one and should be thought through carefully and planned out appropriately.
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October 2018
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Rays of Wisdom: Recharge yourself and your business
Ray’s Take: Owning and operating your own business can be one of life’s greatest accomplishments. But after a certain amount of time, the excitement can wear off and the real world can start to sink in. What once was fun is now mundane. All business owners can feel stagnant at some point, whether it comes from the day-to-day operations, a slow sales cycle or unfortunate situations with employees. -
Business Rays of Wisdom: Financial goals you can achieve
Ray’s Take: Everyone loves to set big goals. I’m going to lose 30 pounds and get in shape in a month. I’m going to travel around the world. I’m going to retire at 50. And the list could go on and on. While goal setting is important and helps shape our dreams, goals like these are virtually unattainable and when they aren’t met can leave us feeling like a failure. -
Business Rays of Wisdom: Financial Blunders
Ray’s Take: Here’s the bottom line. We all make mistakes. And when you find yourself in the midst of a huge financial blunder, stay calm and don’t panic.
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