Memphis Local, Sports, Business & Food News | Daily Memphian | Ray and Dana Brandon

Rays of Wisdom: Common traits of the wealthy

raybrandon@brandonplanning.com (Ray and Dana Brandon) — Fri, 29 Mar 2019 06:57:13 -0500

Money doesn’t lead to happiness, but feeling happy and optimistic makes you better able to solve problems, face adversity and build healthy relationships.

Rays of Wisdom: Cryptocurrency

raybrandon@brandonplanning.com (Ray and Dana Brandon) — Fri, 22 Mar 2019 14:52:48 -0500

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.

Rays of Wisdom: Allocating investment funds

raybrandon@brandonplanning.com (Ray and Dana Brandon) — Sat, 16 Mar 2019 12:50:27 -0500

Asset allocation is an important part of making sure you maximize your current income for your future needs.

Rays of Wisdom: Psychological marketing

raybrandon@brandonplanning.com (Ray and Dana Brandon) — Fri, 8 Mar 2019 10:00:09 -0600

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.

Rays of Wisdom: Passive mutual funds

raybrandon@brandonplanning.com (Ray and Dana Brandon) — Fri, 1 Mar 2019 21:54:08 -0600

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.

Rays of Wisdom: How active mutual funds work

raybrandon@brandonplanning.com (Ray and Dana Brandon) — Fri, 22 Feb 2019 04:00:00 -0600

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.

Rays of Wisdom: Your finances in 2019

raybrandon@brandonplanning.com (Ray and Dana Brandon) — Fri, 15 Feb 2019 04:00:00 -0600

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.

Rays of Wisdom: Teens and finances

raybrandon@brandonplanning.com (Ray and Dana Brandon) — Fri, 8 Feb 2019 04:00:01 -0600

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.

Rays of Wisdom: Best financial apps

raybrandon@brandonplanning.com (Ray and Dana Brandon) — Fri, 1 Feb 2019 14:41:04 -0600

“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.

Rays of Wisdom: College-age children and finances

raybrandon@brandonplanning.com (Ray and Dana Brandon) — Fri, 25 Jan 2019 04:00:04 -0600

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.

Rays of Wisdom: Top investing strategies

raybrandon@brandonplanning.com (Ray and Dana Brandon) — Thu, 17 Jan 2019 22:52:53 -0600

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.

Rays of Wisdom: Special needs children and your finances

raybrandon@brandonplanning.com (Ray and Dana Brandon) — Fri, 11 Jan 2019 04:00:06 -0600

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.

Rays of Wisdom: Social Security Basics

raybrandon@brandonplanning.com (Ray and Dana Brandon) — Fri, 4 Jan 2019 04:00:03 -0600

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.

Rays of Wisdom: Get control over debt before it controls you

raybrandon@brandonplanning.com (Ray and Dana Brandon) — Fri, 28 Dec 2018 04:00:00 -0600

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.

Rays of Wisdom: When is the right time to retire?

raybrandon@brandonplanning.com (Ray and Dana Brandon) — Fri, 21 Dec 2018 04:00:01 -0600

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.

Rays of Wisdom: Estate planning mistakes to avoid

raybrandon@brandonplanning.com (Ray and Dana Brandon) — Fri, 14 Dec 2018 04:00:00 -0600

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.

Rays of Wisdom: Preparing financially for divorce

raybrandon@brandonplanning.com (Ray and Dana Brandon) — Fri, 7 Dec 2018 04:00:10 -0600

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.

Rays of Wisdom: Choosing the right life insurance

raybrandon@brandonplanning.com (Ray and Dana Brandon) — Fri, 30 Nov 2018 04:00:14 -0600

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.

Rays of Wisdom: Choosing an executor

raybrandon@brandonplanning.com (Ray and Dana Brandon) — Wed, 21 Nov 2018 14:58:26 -0600

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?

Rays of Wisdom: Cultivate an attitude of gratitude

raybrandon@brandonplanning.com (Ray and Dana Brandon) — Fri, 16 Nov 2018 04:00:04 -0600

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.