The Master’s Minute

Helpful Tools and Tips

The Master’s Minute – Let Your Goals Dictate Your Risk (Part 1)

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You probably do not think consciously about risk most days, but you make risk-based decisions on a consistent, daily basis, as we all do. For example: When you drive, you decide when to pull out, how fast to go and when to change lanes. When you are doing a home project, you decide what tools you do and do not need, how closely you should follow the directions and how… Read More

The Master’s Minute – Behavioral Changes

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Are you getting tired of change? With what we have endured recently, it would be hard to not be. According to psychologist James O. Prochaska, there are five stages that a person goes through when faced with a potential behavioral change. Pre-Contemplation – At this stage, a person has no intention of altering their day-to-day life. They often are only vaguely aware that a change is necessary. Contemplation – The… Read More

The Master’s Minute – Master’s Advisors Celebrates our 27th Anniversary!

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May 2nd marked the 27th anniversary of Master’s! Our team gathered on the following day, Monday, May 3rd, to celebrate. We started the day by hiking to a beautiful scenic lookout high above the Susquehanna River. There we had our usual Monday morning team devotions and prayer time. Afterwards, we spent the day enjoying the wonderful accommodations at the Long Level Marina Events Center, right along the river’s edge. Various… Read More

The Master’s Minute – Pergola Swing Project

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Last fall my family decided to get rid of our kids’ outdoor play set, as they are currently ages 15 and 18. Our youngest was very reluctant to give up her swing and only agreed after we promised to replace it with a “grown-up” swing. This negotiation and compromise yielded an extensive project; we decided to build a pergola in our backyard and attach a porch swing to it. We… Read More

The Master’s Minute – What Are Your Benchmarks?

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In the investing world, it is typical for an investment manager to have their performance compared to a benchmark. A benchmark serves as a neutral measuring stick for potential investors to compare the success or failure of that investment manager. If the manager has worse returns than the benchmark, a conclusion is drawn that they have ‘underperformed”, while if they have better returns, the conclusion is that they have ‘outperformed’…. Read More

The Master’s Minute – Retirement Income (Part 4)

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Running out of money is a common fear among retirees. It seems like the root of the fear is less about a concern for the individual’s personal well-being and more about not wanting to be a burden on their family or others. As Jon discussed in part 2 of this retirement income series, there are potential risks of running short on retirement income by either over or under allocating your… Read More

The Master’s Minute – Retirement Income (Part 3)

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Several years ago, there was a frequently aired TV infomercial for a cooking or baking device. Throughout those 30 mind-numbing minutes they would repeat the saying; “Set it and forget it!”, over, and over again. Perhaps you recall seeing the infomercial I am referring to. Unfortunately, many financial professionals in our industry approach retirement income planning with a similar approach; set it and forget it. At Master’s, we take the… Read More

The Master’s Minute – Retirement Income (Part 2)

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Today the retirement income landscape looks significantly different than it did in past generations. Previously, it was commonplace for large corporations to fund pension plans that would provide a fixed monthly income for their employees throughout retirement. As you are probably aware, today the typical employer provides a retirement savings plan, most commonly a 401k, where usually both the employee and the employer jointly contribute to that savings plan. This… Read More