Memphis Local, Sports, Business & Food News | Daily Memphian | Ray and Dana Brandon https://dailymemphian.com/feed/authors/83 The Daily Memphian is the must-read, daily online newspaper for in-depth, local journalism in Memphis and the Mid-South. Sign up for morning and evening editions, plus breaking news. (c) 2024 Rays of Wisdom: Common traits of the wealthy https://dailymemphian.com/article/4082 <p>Money doesn&rsquo;t lead to happiness, but feeling happy and optimistic makes you better able to solve problems, face adversity and build healthy relationships.</p> raybrandon@brandonplanning.com (Ray and Dana Brandon) Business https://dailymemphian.com/article/4082 Fri, 29 Mar 2019 06:57:13 -0500 Rays of Wisdom: Cryptocurrency https://dailymemphian.com/article/3968 <p>There are some important things to know about cryptocurrency. After you make a transaction, it&rsquo;s irreversible. If you make a mistake and pay someone you didn&rsquo;t mean to, too bad. If you lose your password, adios money.</p> raybrandon@brandonplanning.com (Ray and Dana Brandon) Business https://dailymemphian.com/article/3968 Fri, 22 Mar 2019 14:52:48 -0500 Rays of Wisdom: Allocating investment funds https://dailymemphian.com/article/3737 <p>Asset allocation is an important part of making sure you maximize your current income for your future needs.</p> raybrandon@brandonplanning.com (Ray and Dana Brandon) Business https://dailymemphian.com/article/3737 Sat, 16 Mar 2019 12:50:27 -0500 Rays of Wisdom: Psychological marketing https://dailymemphian.com/article/3592 <p>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.</p> raybrandon@brandonplanning.com (Ray and Dana Brandon) Business https://dailymemphian.com/article/3592 Fri, 8 Mar 2019 10:00:09 -0600 Rays of Wisdom: Passive mutual funds https://dailymemphian.com/article/3434 <p>An advantage of index investing is expense control. If you don&rsquo;t want to do the screening work to select active managers, these funds can be useful.&nbsp;</p> raybrandon@brandonplanning.com (Ray and Dana Brandon) Business https://dailymemphian.com/article/3434 Fri, 1 Mar 2019 21:54:08 -0600 Rays of Wisdom: How active mutual funds work https://dailymemphian.com/article/3253 <p>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.</p> raybrandon@brandonplanning.com (Ray and Dana Brandon) Business https://dailymemphian.com/article/3253 Fri, 22 Feb 2019 04:00:00 -0600 Rays of Wisdom: Your finances in 2019 https://dailymemphian.com/article/3109 <p>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.</p> raybrandon@brandonplanning.com (Ray and Dana Brandon) Business https://dailymemphian.com/article/3109 Fri, 15 Feb 2019 04:00:00 -0600 Rays of Wisdom: Teens and finances https://dailymemphian.com/article/2956 <p>It&rsquo;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.</p> raybrandon@brandonplanning.com (Ray and Dana Brandon) Business https://dailymemphian.com/article/2956 Fri, 8 Feb 2019 04:00:01 -0600 Rays of Wisdom: Best financial apps https://dailymemphian.com/article/2809 &ldquo;There&rsquo;s an app for that.&rdquo; That&rsquo;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 &ldquo;Send Me To Heaven&rdquo; 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. raybrandon@brandonplanning.com (Ray and Dana Brandon) Business https://dailymemphian.com/article/2809 Fri, 1 Feb 2019 14:41:04 -0600 Rays of Wisdom: College-age children and finances https://dailymemphian.com/article/2647 <p>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.</p> raybrandon@brandonplanning.com (Ray and Dana Brandon) Business https://dailymemphian.com/article/2647 Fri, 25 Jan 2019 04:00:04 -0600 Rays of Wisdom: Top investing strategies https://dailymemphian.com/article/2503 <strong>Ray&rsquo;s Take: </strong>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. raybrandon@brandonplanning.com (Ray and Dana Brandon) Business https://dailymemphian.com/article/2503 Thu, 17 Jan 2019 22:52:53 -0600 Rays of Wisdom: Special needs children and your finances https://dailymemphian.com/article/2361 <strong>Ray&rsquo;s Take:</strong> 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. raybrandon@brandonplanning.com (Ray and Dana Brandon) Business https://dailymemphian.com/article/2361 Fri, 11 Jan 2019 04:00:06 -0600 Rays of Wisdom: Social Security Basics https://dailymemphian.com/article/2226 <strong>Ray&rsquo;s Take: </strong>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. raybrandon@brandonplanning.com (Ray and Dana Brandon) Business https://dailymemphian.com/article/2226 Fri, 4 Jan 2019 04:00:03 -0600 Rays of Wisdom: Get control over debt before it controls you https://dailymemphian.com/article/2140 <strong>Ray&rsquo;s Take: </strong>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. raybrandon@brandonplanning.com (Ray and Dana Brandon) Business https://dailymemphian.com/article/2140 Fri, 28 Dec 2018 04:00:00 -0600 Rays of Wisdom: When is the right time to retire? https://dailymemphian.com/article/2053 <strong>Ray&rsquo;s Take: </strong>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 &hellip; 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. raybrandon@brandonplanning.com (Ray and Dana Brandon) Business https://dailymemphian.com/article/2053 Fri, 21 Dec 2018 04:00:01 -0600 Rays of Wisdom: Estate planning mistakes to avoid https://dailymemphian.com/article/1720 <strong>Ray&rsquo;s Take: </strong>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. raybrandon@brandonplanning.com (Ray and Dana Brandon) Business https://dailymemphian.com/article/1720 Fri, 14 Dec 2018 04:00:00 -0600 Rays of Wisdom: Preparing financially for divorce https://dailymemphian.com/article/1722 <strong>Ray&rsquo;s Take: </strong>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. raybrandon@brandonplanning.com (Ray and Dana Brandon) Business https://dailymemphian.com/article/1722 Fri, 7 Dec 2018 04:00:10 -0600 Rays of Wisdom: Choosing the right life insurance https://dailymemphian.com/article/1573 <strong>Ray&rsquo;s Take: </strong>When choosing a life insurance plan that&rsquo;s right for you, the most important question you need to ask yourself is whether you need the insurance to be temporary or permanent. raybrandon@brandonplanning.com (Ray and Dana Brandon) Business https://dailymemphian.com/article/1573 Fri, 30 Nov 2018 04:00:14 -0600 Rays of Wisdom: Choosing an executor https://dailymemphian.com/article/1428 <strong>Ray&rsquo;s Take: </strong>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? raybrandon@brandonplanning.com (Ray and Dana Brandon) Business https://dailymemphian.com/article/1428 Wed, 21 Nov 2018 14:58:26 -0600 Rays of Wisdom: Cultivate an attitude of gratitude https://dailymemphian.com/article/1316 <strong>Ray&rsquo;s Take</strong>: 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.&nbsp; raybrandon@brandonplanning.com (Ray and Dana Brandon) Business https://dailymemphian.com/article/1316 Fri, 16 Nov 2018 04:00:04 -0600