Regardless of your political perspective, one question many people are asking is, “Since I am paying taxes for all this government stimulus activity, how do I take advantage of the benefits?”  Generally speaking, if you are not behind on your mortgage payments and/or in financial trouble on a personal or business level there isn’t much to take advantage of.  However, the Federal Tax Credits for Energy Efficiency are available to anyone regardless of income.  Usually tax credits are phased out with higher income, but not in this case.  Also, a tax credit offsets your tax liability dollar for dollar, so it is much better than a simple deduction.

These credits go toward things like windows, doors, insulation, etc.  Before making any purchase be sure the product in question qualifies for the credit.  However,  to get the credit, you still have to spend money. Consumers should consider the real value of the energy related products in their individual situation. If replacing windows or an old repair-prone heating and air conditioning system was something that you had already planned to do in a few years, then the available credits may be good reason for you to accelerate your purchase.  You can learn more about the program and the products that qualify here.

The term “layoff” has become all too familiar in this economic season but it is actually a good reminder to us of things we may want to layoff ourselves - namely some of our bills.  Regardless of your personal situation, it is a good idea to sit down once a year and examine your bills (fixed or regularly recurring expenses) such as insurance, utilities, etc.  With a few phone calls or web inquires, you will likely find opportunity for savings and in some cases it may be significant.  Start with your largest bill first and ask yourself, “Is there a way to reduce this?”  With utilities there may be other providers you have not considered, or other options such as phone service now being offered by many of the cable companies.  By going through this exercise, some people have realized they don’t even need a home phone and have chosen to use cell phones exclusively.  However, there are some considerations with that decision as 911 service in an emergency could be delayed while they pinpoint your location, and the pizza company may not deliver.

In going through this exercise you might even have some fun as you begin to add up the savings.

Our CEO, Russ Crosson, recently penned this letter to our clients.  In the midst of the economic uncertainy he wanted to share his thoughts and encouragment to them regarding our company and also the larger perspective.

It would be an understatement to say that this has been an historical Presidential election, and you can’t find a blog worth its salt that doesn’t have some commentary on how to vote.  Of course, our business is financial planning, and we have to tread lightly when it comes to politics because well-meaning individuals can come to differing conclusions as to what election outcome is best.  That being said, we all want a guide that will help us gain perspective.  

We look for insight and wisdom that penetrates the rhetoric of promises, positions, and policies.  

We fight the tension between principle and reality. 

We struggle with our personal needs, and the impact on generations of citizens that follow. 

For some of us, political issues even carry the weight of life and death. 

These tensions create passion and in some cases an emotional burden.  In this post from his blog, John Piper highlights how we can vote in such a way so as to remind ourselves of what ultimately matters.

Our goal in public communication has always been to provide our unique perspective coupled with practical financial information that leads to sound financial decision making.  The Internet is full of generic and often conflicting financial information, and our objective in starting a blog is to provided useful, accessible, and balanced content.

As we considered alternatives, including sending a newsletter, we realized that the way people communicate over the internet has changed.  Most of us would say that we receive too many e-mails, some of which we would really like to read, but most we delete.  We want to avoid being “just another email” and our new blog seems to fit the bill.

A blog is great for a number of reasons.  For one, a blog does not clog up anyone’s inbox.  Fewer people seem to want information sent directly to them like newspapers or e-mail newsletters.  Instead, they prefer to go out and get it themselves by visiting online news, blogs, or other sites.

However, for our blog, the most important advantage is the accountability our audience will provide.  Often, organizations simply “blast” people with e-mails giving little thought to whether what they send is practical or effective.  Our blog will hold us accountable by measuring the traffic it generates, and in a few months we can track exactly how many people find it valuable.  If certain articles or sections of our blog only get a few hits per month, we are probably missing the mark.  On the flip side if we are seeing growing activity, we may be on to something.

Thanks for visiting, and we hope what you find is of value so that you are encouraged to make wise stewardship decisions.