It is not my job to make you a better saver. Only you can do that. I have read many books on budgets, economizing, and the like. In summary, they all state the same concept. Spend less than you make! Watch the dimes and the dollars will take care of themselves. I feel all this [...]

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So many of today’s top performing corporations have a well thought out mission statement. The effect of this mission statement on the corporation and its employees is enormous. Consider the alternative? Imagine expecting your employees to do a good job when they are unsure of what their job is. That is the purpose of a [...]

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In our June newsletter (Heads or Tails) I mentioned that I was nervous about the Federal Reserve not dropping interest rates. Well, they have. At first it seemed that the new Fed Chairman was going to play a game of chicken between his views and the U.S. Economy. Well, that scenario never did fully play [...]

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The question lately is which way is the stock market moving? Well, first off, we need to determine which way the economy is moving. Usually, I am not at such a loss for sensing which way the economy is going. However, on one hand there are many positive indicators and on the other hand there [...]

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Great news! The hot weather is upon us. My wife says it is hotter here in the summer than in her home country in South America which sits on the equator. How is that possible? The hours of sunshine we have here in the summer really heats us up!
Here in Michigan we go from cold [...]

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The words “lifetime guarantee” or money-back guarantee” are on many products we buy. But when was the last time you based your decision to buy on the type of guarantee a product offered?
In recent years, many variable annuity contracts have begun to offer certain “living benefit” guarantees. In fact, more than 85 percent of variable [...]

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Getting people to make a decision is the number-one problem financial professionals face when working with their clients, according to a recent poll.
Of the three main barriers that most people face when trying to reach their financial goals - taxes, inflation, and procrastination- the first two are practically guaranteed to occur, but the latter has [...]

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Mark your calendars for our fourth Annual Open House and Wine Tasting Event. It will be held on May 3, 2007 at our Livonia Office. We will start off with healthy appetizers and such then some decadent desserts from my favorite bakery Elite Sweets at 4:30 and then start our wine tasting in earnest at [...]

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In May 2006, a new tax law passed that has the potential to affect investors of all stripes. Because the Tax Increase Prevention and Reconciliation Act of 2005 (TIPRA) received only brief attention from the news media, you may have overlooked some of the changes. It’s important to understand how this new tax law applies [...]

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Identity theft continues to be a major source of fraud in this country. In 2005, 8.9 million Americans were victims of identity theft, with a total cost of $56.6 billion. When it comes to your identity, knowledge is power. Take this short quiz to see how much you know.

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