The Master’s Minute

Earlier this year my father-in-law had agreed to pick up some individuals from an airport and transport them about 80 miles to their homes. Some snow was expected during the trip, but he quickly found himself in a much heavier snowfall than what was forecasted. His passengers were kindly adamant about their goal to get home that evening despite the snow. Even though my father-in-law felt somewhat apprehensive about continuing… Read More

The shortest distance between two points is a straight line. I remember being taught this basic concept in geometry class. This is an accurate statement from a mathematical standpoint when you have a flat surface. As we all know, life is not a mathematical equation or a flat surface. So, when we create expectations about reaching our financial goals in a linear fashion, we set ourselves up for disappointment. In… Read More

I am currently in the midst of studying for the CFP® exam and am scheduled to sit for it in the middle of July. This exam is a 170-question, six-hour exam that carries a historical average fail rate of roughly 40%. Obviously, my goal is to pass this exam. As a result, I began preparing roughly a year and a half ago by enrolling in various courses, making a study… Read More

When we put together an investment model, the primary factor we consider is risk. The amount of potential investment decline one can withstand will determine the mix of investments we use to build the diversified portfolio. When we build a financial plan, we match the risk of the portfolio to the goal it is intended to achieve and, typically, the further out the goal is the more risk you can… Read More

Clients of Master’s tend to have a similar mind-set when it comes to finances and the future. Many of our clients believe they have accumulated and stewarded assets wisely so they could use God-given resources for God-given goals. As the next generation of investors enters the market, I can only hope that these values are being taught and carried forward. After experiencing many years of various mistakes and victories, parents… Read More

This year’s Tax Day, April 18, 2022, is now in the rearview mirror. Rare is the person who enjoys prepping for the filing of their tax return, much less, writing the checks! I am thankful it only occurs once per year. Sometimes the best way to counteract an unpleasant situation is to add a bit of levity. Here is some tax-time humor for your reading enjoyment. Q – Why didn’t… Read More

You are probably aware that interest rates have increased substantially over the last several months. Since the beginning of the year, the 10-year treasury bond yield has increased from 1.52% to 2.85% as of this writing. That’s an 87.5% increase in less than four months. Similarly, 30-year mortgage rates have increased since the beginning of the year from 3.11% to 5.0% as of this writing. That is a 60.7% increase…. Read More

We are fortunate to experience the change of seasons in Lancaster County, and the one that is my favorite is the change from winter to spring. The longer, warmer days are a welcomed reprieve, and it is always fun to see the trees and flowers begin to bloom once again. For many of us, spring is also the time of year when we clean up around the house, engaging in… Read More