About Buckhead reporter. (Sandy Springs, GA) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 2, 2020)
DECEMBER 2020 ■ www.ReporterNewspapers.net Commentary | 13 BH A resolution kept, and a seasonal farewell While negotiating this surreal sea son of masked Santas and mugs of egg nog clinked 6 feet apart and stockings stuffed with hand sani tizer, I’m looking ahead to 2021 and the reso lutions that may come with it. Most of us proba bly figure that the trials of 2020 granted us a 10- year pass to forget res olutions and indulge in whatever vices we might possess, just to even the score. But as it is typical at the end of a year or the beginning of a new one to revolt against our bad habits, we might still find ourselves entertain ing the idea of resolutions. And what are resolutions, after all, but our own personal battles? We have constant little skirmishes with ourselves: “Don’t eat the cake!” “But I want the cake!” “Go run three miles.” “But it’s cold outside.” “Time to write the col umn!” “Be quiet. I’m texting.” Simply put, resolutions are commitments to a goal. Here I come to the real pur pose for focusing on this top ic: writing this column has been the realization of a goal that I have held for years, one that I am ever grateful to have had the opportunity to meet. But as this year ends, so will this column. I’ve decided to embark on other goals. Maybe I’ll finally learn to stand up straight. Maybe I’ll be a nicer person. Maybe I’ll learn to belly dance (and pick up with the les sons I started 20 years ago). It occurred to me that it has been seven years since I was taken on by the Reporter. So perhaps there’s a seven- year itch response built in here. But it’s not them, it’s me. To them, to my edi tors, my publisher, to all the staff and board of the Reporter, I offer my ut most respect and gratitude. Truly, writing this column has been a privilege, as has been working with all of you. For my part, even though I didn’t make it a full decade, this seems like the right time for me to close the laptop. And since I’ve got about 150 words to go, I’m going to leave with a few mus- ings that might have once been fleshed- out into fully formed columns, but for now will be bones on the page: ■ People say that your true person ality shows when you’re drunk. I dis agree. I think it shows when you’re driving in traffic. ■ Do you ever wonder why you’ll spend 15 minutes rearranging the plates in the dishwasher rather than stopping and washing the dish? ■ During a trip to Disney World, my 8-year-old son ordered alligator, which blew my mind because I couldn’t get him to eat broccoli. ■ Have you ever watched a movie and then had to go to Wikipedia to fig ure out what happened? ■ I waited all day for my kids to get home to change the TV channel. And then I didn’t know whether to be disap pointed or relieved when they couldn’t do it, either. ■ Someone called me “precious” once, which I believe she meant as a compliment. I didn’t take it that way, though. “Precious” is an adjective re served for cats and old people. And I’m not a cat. And here I will deftly transition from “old” to “auld” to “auld lang syne,” and use that phrase to offer my farewell and best wishes to all of you who have read and enjoyed (or not!), for the sake of seven years gone by. And most of all, thank you. Robin’s Nest Robin Conte lives with her husband in an empty nest in Dunwoody. To contact her or to buy her column collection, “The Best of the Nest,”see robinconte.com. WORTHWHILE CONVERSATIONS THREE KEYS FOR A STRANGE WORLD EVERYONE AGREES - 2020 MAKES THIS WORLD LOOK “STRANGE”. WHAT’S THE IMPLICATION FOR WEALTH PLANNING? The three things we hear from our families are these. Interest rates are virtually zero meaning that traditional "safe" investments are offering no meaningful return. Our retired clients are mostly in a "higher risk" age category from a pandemic context. Now more home-bound, they see changing spending patterns. They need to re-evatuate budgets and capital sustainability. Also, living through a bitterly partisan election cycle this year leads to a tot of uncertainty about the future economic and investing environment. SO, MOST COULD BENEFIT FROM SOME SOUND ADVICE TO ADDRESS THESE QUESTIONS. WHAT SHOULD ONE LOOK FOR IN WEALTH ADVICE? There are three keys. The first key is to find an advisor legally obligated to look out for your best interest in 100% of your interactions, throughout the relationship. Despite what most people believe, that is stilt not a legal requirement for the vast majority of the 300,000+ people in the United States who call themselves "financial advisors". Get that assurance in writing. YOU SAID THERE WERE THREE... Seek an advisor with deep experience and solid credentials. Phillip Hamman, CFP®, CFA, who heads our Wealth Planning Committee has often said, "After our firm's nearly 50 years of working with families, we like saying, 'This is not our first rodeo!"'. In a complicated world that finds intersections between taxes, investments, risk management and the like, look for an experienced Bill Kring, CFP®, and MaryJane LeCroy, CFP®, discuss the benefits of sound advice for wealth planning in this new "strange 1 ' world with Sam Tortorici, CEO & Director, Cadence Bank, N.A., and President, Cadence Bancorporation. fiduciary advisor who is part of a well-credentialled team that includes CPAs, attorneys, and other similarly designated professionals to collaborate on your advice. WITH THE RIGHT ADVISOR, ARE PEOPLE LIKELY TO HEAR NEW AND DIFFERENT ADVICE THAN WHAT WAS SAID BEFORE WE ENTERED THIS STRANGE WORLD? Probably not as different as one might imagine. Good disciplined financial decision-making is a long-term exercise and should not be unduly reactive. That said, we are finding that our advice has to be somewhat adaptable to these newer challenges. Our team is ready right now to meet, either in- person, or virtually, to discuss the challenges you see in your current world. LINSC0MB ^ WILLIAMS WEALTH MANAGEMENT SINCE 1971 2727 Paces Ferry Road SE Building Two, Suite 1475 Atlanta, Georgia 30339 770 333 0113 www.linscomb-williams.com CADENCE„„ Atlanta Wealth & Pension Team Linscomb & Williams is not an accounting firm. Subsidiary of Cadence Bank. Investment Products: Not insured by FDIC. Not bank guaranteed. May lose value. Not insured by any Federal Government Agency. Not a bank deposit.
