Investing in Your Family: Creating a Family Business Succession Plan

Rick Scheeler, MSFS, CFP®, CLU®, ChFC®, CLTC®, CASL®, RICP®, ChSNC®, AEP®, CAP®

Thursday, September 1, 2022

No matter how successful your family business is today, at some point in the future, its ownership may need to change hands. Without a business succession plan, this transition can be fraught with hurt feelings, internal strife and...

Options for Financing Your Business

Rick Scheeler, MSFS, CFP®, CLU®, ChFC®, CLTC®, CASL®, RICP®, ChSNC®, AEP®, CAP®

Thursday, September 1, 2022

Using many years of experience and industry know-how to establish a business is a goal held by many would-be entrepreneurs. In fact, finding a location, formulating a business plan, and hanging the “Open” sign might be one...

Talking to Angels—How to Attract Private Investors

Rick Scheeler, MSFS, CFP®, CLU®, ChFC®, CLTC®, CASL®, RICP®, ChSNC®, AEP®, CAP®

Thursday, September 1, 2022

Raising money to start or build a business is one of the toughest challenges you are likely to face as an entrepreneur. Having a great concept is not enough: you also have to persuade banks and other investors that your business has a...

The Principles of Financial Literacy

Rick Scheeler, MSFS, CFP®, CLU®, ChFC®, CLTC®, CASL®, RICP®, ChSNC®, AEP®, CAP®

Friday, August 26, 2022

Financial literacy refers to the skills and knowledge that allow an individual to make informed and effective decisions through their understanding of finances. Financial literacy starts by building a basic understanding of 'money...

Charting Your Future: Small Business Lessons from Good to Great

Rick Scheeler, MSFS, CFP®, CLU®, ChFC®, CLTC®, CASL®, RICP®, ChSNC®, AEP®, CAP®

Wednesday, August 24, 2022

The best-selling book, Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap. . .and Others Don’t, offers surprising insights into the success of “great” companies that consistently and significantly beat average market...

Staying on Track with Your Retirement Investments

Rick Scheeler, MSFS, CFP®, CLU®, ChFC®, CLTC®, CASL®, RICP®, ChSNC®, AEP®, CAP®

Wednesday, August 17, 2022

Investing for your retirement isn't about getting rich quick. More often, it's about having a game plan that you can live with over a long time. You wouldn't expect to be able to play the piano without learning the basics and...

8 Reasons Small Businesses Should Hire Veterans

Rick Scheeler, MSFS, CFP®, CLU®, ChFC®, CLTC®, CASL®, RICP®, ChSNC®, AEP®, CAP®

Wednesday, August 10, 2022

Hiring employees is sometimes a difficult task. You may need to find employees who fit the business culture and have the skills to get the job done. The good news for small businesses looking for employees with various skills and a...

Back to Basics - Diversification and Asset Allocation

Rick Scheeler, MSFS, CFP®, CLU®, ChFC®, CLTC®, CASL®, RICP®, ChSNC®, AEP®, CAP®

Wednesday, August 3, 2022

When investing, particularly for long-term goals, there are two concepts you will likely hear about over and over again — diversification and asset allocation.Diversification helps limit exposure to loss in any one investment or...

Some Things Investors Need to Know About Booms and Busts

Rick Scheeler, MSFS, CFP®, CLU®, ChFC®, CLTC®, CASL®, RICP®, ChSNC®, AEP®, CAP®

Thursday, July 28, 2022

Economies and markets are cyclical. They may include periods of wealth creation and times of bursting bubbles that bankrupt companies in a major downturn."Boom and bust" cycles may last anywhere from a few months to a few years or...

If you’re retired, there’s good news in that you’ll probably live longer and perhaps better than your parents and grandparents did. The bad news: You’ll live a longer and perhaps more expensive life, too.You...

After the Great Recession from 2007 to 2009 hit, far too many Americans found themselves without any savings to get through the hardships of unemployment, falling house prices, dwindling 401(k)s and increased financial anxieties....

When market volatility takes investors on a wild ride, fear and panic are common responses to this stock market roller coaster. Acknowledging these emotions may be a good first step, but acting upon them could result in impulsive,...

Working towards financial independence can often be a lifelong process. But for many, financial freedom may come far sooner—and include some fun along the way. What are the differences between financial independence and financial...

The market skyrockets one day, plunges the next. Is this the wobbling before the crash? Should you invest now? If so, how? Everything at once? That’s tempting, but not always wise.A common question investors ask their financial...

Adults caring for aging parents and children simultaneously have now become known as the "sandwich generation."  While each generation comes with its own array of financial challenges, the sandwich generation often feels...

When it comes to investing, having fewer investments might help streamline your portfolio to manage stress better. Here are some benefits of a simple portfolio and some ways to help you create one.The Benefits of SimplicityUnless you...

In March 2022, the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), the most common measure of inflation, rose at an annual rate of 8.5%, the highest level since December 1981.1 It's not surprising that a Gallup poll at the...

The bull market that began in March of 2020 came dangerously close to an end. From March 23, 2020 through January 3, 2022, the S&P 500 Index gained 114% (excluding dividends). From that January 3 closing high through the recent low on...

The real value of a bear market may be that it gives investors, who are temporarily frozen within its grip, the opportunity to learn or relearn important lessons regarding risk and diversification.For savvy investors, a bear market...

Preparing for retirement just got a little more financial wiggle room. This week, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced new contribution limits for 2022.Staying put for 2022 are traditional Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs)...

The Impact of a Life: "What’s Your Legacy?"

Rick Scheeler, MSFS, CFP®, CLU®, ChFC®, CLTC®, CASL®, RICP®, ChSNC®, AEP®, CAP®

Thursday, June 24, 2021

Many people think of “their legacy” as what happens after they die. I prefer to think of legacy as the summation of all the good you do in your life, and that you don't necessarily need to be remembered to have an amazing...

Wealth Management's Conflicted Question…

Rick Scheeler, MSFS, CFP®, CLU®, ChFC®, CLTC®, CASL®, RICP®, ChSNC®, AEP®, CAP®

Wednesday, May 19, 2021

What is fiduciary advice? The Financial Planner Profession is one of relationship building, first and foremost. To serve and deeply care about the client and their family is our top priority. Our congrats to Tobias Salinger and the...

Non-fungible tokens, or NFTs, have been the recipient of the latest buzz. NFTs are digital files attached to blockchain codes. If you know anything about digital currencies, you’re probably aware that these blockchain codes are...

How to Choose a New Firm and Why it is Critical to a Fiduciary Duty

Rick L Scheeler, CFP®, CLU®, ChFC®, CASL®, RICP®, ChSNC®, AEP®, CAP®, MSFS®

Tuesday, December 8, 2020

A little over a year ago I made a change in firms. It was one of the most difficult professional decisions of my life and one that had become unmistakably necessary. As I grew increasingly aware that I was running a business and that...

On Working (and not working) with Friends & Family

Rick L Scheeler, CFP®, CLU®, ChFC®, CASL®, RICP®, ChSNC®, AEP®, CAP®, MSFS®

Sunday, November 1, 2020

In my professional dealings I often come across people who are working with friends and family as their advisor. They may have taken them on as to help them launch their career, or because of the closeness of their relationship. These...