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Should You Pay Off Your Mortgage Before Retirement?

Five takeaways:

  1. This article explores both sides of this argument. It is always better to reduce expenses, McKenna notes, but there are times where it may not make as much sense to rush paying it off.
  2. While paying off the mortgage early may reduce costs in retirement, it also reduces liquidity. In extreme examples, this can be referred to as being “house poor” as your home has eaten away at your liquidity and burdened your financial situation.
  3. However, not having a mortgage in retirement can be beneficial if it reduces overall lifestyle costs and lowers the amount you’ll need to draw from your portfolio in retirement.
  4. Don’t be afraid of leverage: Leverage is when your expected rate of return on an investment exceeds financing costs. If you can borrow money for less than an amount you can reasonably expect to earn by investing the funds instead, then it makes sense to keep the loan.
  5. There is no shortage of factors that would affect this decision, and it varies from portfolio to portfolio. it is best to work with a financial professional to make the best choice!

From Kristin McKenna at Forbes:
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Note: At the time of this posting Forbes offers 4 free article views per month.

This site may contain links to articles or other information that may be contained on a third-party website. Advisory Services Network, LLC and MAP Strategic Wealth Advisors are not responsible for and do not control, adopt, or endorse any content contained on any third party website. The information and material contained in linked articles is of a general nature and is intended for educational purposes only. Links to articles do not constitute a recommendation or a solicitation or offer of the purchase or sale of securities.

The Unexpected Power of Random Acts of Kindness

Five takeaways:

  1. New findings published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology in August 2022 show that random acts of kindness have an underestimated positive effect on both those who commit them and those who receive them.
  2. Experiments referenced in the study each set out two groups that were to give out goodies (hot chocolate in one, a cupcake in the other) to strangers– both showed that the people giving the goodies out were surprised by both the joyful reactions of the recipients, and the level of positivity the act gave them.
  3. Unfortunately, “kindness can be a really hard sell,” says a clinical psychologist in the piece. “People desire kindness yet often feel inconvenienced by the thought of being kind.”
  4. Random Acts of Kindness can be infectious– a random act of kindness challenge on the campus of a small Arizona college in July has led to 200+ acts of kindness in the months since!
  5. Acts of kindness go well beyond baking cookies for someone. They can become more meaningful when we think about our developed skills and talents, and begin using them to help others. This can lead to more useful, meaningful, and cherished actions– for both the giver and the recipient.

From Catherine Pearson at The New York Times:
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Note: You will need a free account with The New York Times to view this article. At the time of this posting The Times offers 10 free free article views per month.

This site may contain links to articles or other information that may be contained on a third-party website. Advisory Services Network, LLC and MAP Strategic Wealth Advisors are not responsible for and do not control, adopt, or endorse any content contained on any third party website. The information and material contained in linked articles is of a general nature and is intended for educational purposes only. Links to articles do not constitute a recommendation or a solicitation or offer of the purchase or sale of securities.

Champagne, Explained: A Snobbery-Free Guide to the Best of Bubbly

Five takeaways:

  1. Let’s start with the basics: champagne is a sparkling wine that bears the name of the region it comes from- the Champagne region of northeastern France.
  2. Champagnes are generally known for their bright acidity and light, lively body, often with a brioche-y and/or nutty quality thanks to required minimum aging on the lees, or dead yeast cells
  3. Champagne differs from other sparkling wines in its fermentation process. It’s second fermentation happens naturally, inside the bottle– a natural carbonic gas that cannot escape the sealed bottle naturally makes the wine sparkling.
  4. Champagne producers fall into two categories: Récoltant-Manipulant and Négociant-Manipulant.
    • A Récoltant-Manipulant grower, independently makes his or her wines onsite under his or her own label using grapes grown on the house’s vineyards exclusively.
    • A Négociant-Manipulant — such as Veuve Clicquot, Moët Chandon, and other big, well-known brand names — is defined as a group that buys outside grapes then produces the champagne on their premises. These make up most of the international market.
  5. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Meunier are the most commonly used grapes in the production of champagne.

From Céline Bossart for Food & Wine
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This site may contain links to articles or other information that may be contained on a third-party website. Advisory Services Network, LLC and MAP Strategic Wealth Advisors are not responsible for and do not control, adopt, or endorse any content contained on any third party website. The information and material contained in linked articles is of a general nature and is intended for educational purposes only. Links to articles do not constitute a recommendation or a solicitation or offer of the purchase or sale of securities.

Choose Enjoyment Over Pleasure

Five takeaways:

  1. This article draws a clear and pivotal distinction between pleasure, which Brooks views as a potentially harmful, short-term salve– and enjoyment, which can be far more productive and fulfilling.
  2. Brooks notes: “Pleasure happens to you; enjoyment is something that you create through your own effort. Pleasure is the lightheadedness you get from a bit of grain alcohol; enjoyment is the satisfaction of a good wine, properly understood.”
  3. Enjoyment can give you sense of effort, foreword movement, and accomplishment. Enjoyment is a commitment to engaging with and savoring a situation.
  4. The examples are everywhere, and as simple as exercise: We enjoy being fit, but exercise itself may not bring us pleasure, as it is strenuous and time-consuming.
  5. Pursuing enjoyment over pleasure makes you intentionally independent from base impulses and pushes you towards more insight and personal growth.

From Arthur C. Brooks at The Atlantic:
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Note: At the time of this posting The Atlantic offers five free article views per month.

This site may contain links to articles or other information that may be contained on a third-party website. Advisory Services Network, LLC and MAP Strategic Wealth Advisors are not responsible for and do not control, adopt, or endorse any content contained on any third party website. The information and material contained in linked articles is of a general nature and is intended for educational purposes only. Links to articles do not constitute a recommendation or a solicitation or offer of the purchase or sale of securities.
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