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DECEMBER 2020 ■ www.ReporterNewspapers.net
Commentary | 13
DUN
A resolution kept, and a seasonal farewell
While negotiating this surreal season
of masked Santas and mugs of eggnog
clinked 6 feet apart and
stockings stuffed with
hand sanitizer, I’m look
ing ahead to 2021 and
the resolutions that may
come with it.
Most of us probably
figure that the trials of
2020 granted us a 10-year
pass to forget resolutions
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 our
selves entertaining the
idea of resolutions. And what are reso
lutions, 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 purpose for
focusing on this topic: writing
this column has been the re
alization 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 col
umn. 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 lessons I started
20 years ago).
It occurred to me that it has been sev
en years since I was taken on by the Re
porter. So perhaps there’s a seven-year
itch response built in here. But it’s not
them, it’s me. To them, to my editors, my
publisher, to all the staff and board of
the Reporter, I offer my utmost 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 driv
ing 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 sev
en 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
virtuatty 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. Atso, 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 tegatty obligated
to look out for your best interest in 100% of your interactions, throughout
the relationship. Despite what most people betieve, that is stiff not a tegat
requirement for the vast majority of the 300,000+ people in the United States
who catt themselves "financial advisors". Get that assurance in writing.
YOU SAID THERE WERE THREE...
Seek an advisor with deep experience and solid credentials. Phittip 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" 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
Atlanta Wealth & Pension Team
2727 Paces Ferry Road SE Building Two, Suite 1475
Atlanta, Georgia 30339
770 333 0113 www.linscomb-williams.com
CADENCE bank
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.