Welcome to the Weekly SUMmary - 02/26/2021
Life moves fast.
Bear with me on this post, because although it's a family update, I am first and foremost an educator and want to attempt to impart some wisdom with this blog.
As you see below, we welcomed our third, final and unexpected boy into our family this week. Everyone is doing quite well and the family couldn't be happier.
Through this time, I've been told and have been thinking about how quickly life moves (look at how big these other two boys are...). The biggest boy in these pictures is the reason we finally chose to make my career move when we did, and we couldn't be happier with that decision... BUT that comes with a lot of planning. Something else some have mentioned in the last few days (product providers I work with, including one of our nurses) is the market volatility or specific reasons for activity the last month or two. I, surprisingly to some, have not received a call from clients regarding this. I attribute this to the conversations we've had in the past. Markets will fluctuate. A statistic common in our industry discussing the topic of volatility is that approximately 75% of the time, the market is positive. It's weathering the other 25% that has to be planned for. Having that plan should give one solace that the plan will work.
To spin this to a topic that our family has had conversations about... I mentioned our family was not expecting this baby (we're thrilled he's here). With me being self-employed, I have my own health insurance separate from the family's currently. My wife, being in education, chose her health insurance plan through her employer during open enrollment in the March/April timeframe last year before we learned about the baby (and all the bills that would come with that). Luckily we have been able to "weather the storm" of added expenses due to the selection of a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP), fulfilling the deductible, and approaching out of pocket maximums. We chose the HDHP plan for the benefit of using a Health Savings Account (HSA). The benefits are numerous and one of the reasons we were able to "weather the storm." The point is, we have discussed over the last few days how confusing it may be to understand all of the options, features and benefits of the various providers out there, AND how it will ultimately affect your finances in the short and long term, based on those decisions.
As with everything these days, The Speed of Life is increasing exponentially (or so it feels). Having a Financial Plan helps us deal with the changes that come and feel more confident that we're headed in the right direction. The most important thing is being able to enjoy life, especially in times like these, for me.
Our new life is Noah Vic (born 2/24, 7lbs 8oz), to go with Oliver and Charles.
Thanks for bearing with me and I'd enjoy catching up or a new conversation any time.
This is meant for educational purposes only. It should not be considered investment advice, nor does it constitute a recommendation to take a particular course of action. Please consult with a financial professional regarding your personal situation prior to making any financial related decisions. (03/21)
