JUNE 2010
Spring has been a time of rejuvenation and renewal at Northstar with much time dedicated to learning.
Robin's travels took her to the annual Financial Planning Association Retreat in San Antonio, TX where over 300 advisors gathered to learn about the latest trends in financial planning and wealth management. This extremely high level gathering helps us incorporate the latest tools to improve our communications and service to you.
She also traveled to Moline, IL for her Aegis study group meeting. The group includes ten seasoned fee-only business owners from across the country. They meet to share business ideas and to provide support on business challenges and opportunities. Robin also had the pleasure to tour a colleague's office for the day, meet the staff and sit in on two client meetings. It was a wonderful experience to view the planning process from the client's perspective!
We have purchased a powerful new Social Security analysis software to assist us in evaluating how and when these benefits should be taken. We have been addressing this critical issue in our annual client renewal meetings. We are also encouraging our clients in transition to contact us before making a decision regarding any survivor benefit they might be eligible for.
We truly appreciate your business and are thankful for your trust.
Enjoy your Summer!
Robin and your Northstar team
| Market Sentiment vs Economic Reality |
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Market Sentiment vs Economic Reality
If you pay close attention to daily media headlines about the global financial markets, you could be excused for thinking the world is coming to an end. But there's a flipside to this story.
To be sure, current concerns about sovereign debt and the damage to public sector balance sheets wrought by the financial crisis of 2008 are very real but markets have a way of working through these risks, as we are seeing now.
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| Travel Whitepaper |
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Passport to Safe Travels: Practical Advice for Affluent Travelers
By HUB International
Charles and Nancy stepped off the airplane and onto the tarmac at the small airport in Central America-again. Their favorite vacation getaway, they ended up buying a cottage there and spending extended long weekends once every two to three months. They were well-known as the rich American couple who lived near the beach about 15 miles from the small air strip. The more often they visited, the more like home it felt. As a result, they became less cautious on their last few trips- "we are as safe here as we are in the United States," they recently told their friends. On a recent arrival, just as they were about to step into the back seat of their car, Charles noticed it was not their usual car or driver. Luckily, they had worked with their advisor to put a plan in place in case anything seemed out of the ordinary.
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| Family Mission Statement |
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A Family Mission Statement Can Help Any Family Manage Assets, Philanthropy and Direction
A family doesn't need a surname like Vanderbilt to benefit from a family mission statement. A mission statement is a collaborative document created by one or more generations of family so standards and goals can be set for the handling of all family assets, including businesses and philanthropy in particular.
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| Shale Gas |
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Chicken Little Was Wrong!
By Samuel P. Hull
In the recent blockbuster movie "Avatar", the bad guys -the military and corporate miners from Earth - were ruthlessly mining a mineral called "Unobtainium" that was only found on the fictional planet Pandora. This miracle resource was needed to meet the Earth's energy needs in that far-off future time.
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