1 Asset Exchange’s Post

Forget the presents and the wrapping paper. This is my real Christmas wishlist for my clients. As a financial adviser, I spend most of my time helping people get their finances sorted. But today, I want to share what I’d love to see from my clients next year: 1️⃣ Call me before making big financial moves (not after!) Trust me, we can save so much stress that way. 2️⃣ No more “I saw this on YouTube” tips. Social media advice is… well, let’s just say hit or miss. 3️⃣ Please set up your Estate Planning this year! 4️⃣ Realistic goals. (this is mostly for prospects) “Retire at 40 on $50K”? Let’s be real here. 5️⃣ Celebrate the wins. Whether it’s paying off debt or saving more, the little wins matter just as much as the big ones. And for myself? Maybe an extended holiday 😉 In all seriousness, I’m incredibly grateful. To my clients, friends, and family: thank you. Thank you for trusting me with your goals, your dreams, and your worries. It’s an honor I don’t take lightly. 2025 is a fresh start. Let’s make it a year of smart moves and big wins. Merry Christmas from our family to yours! 🎄PS: What’s on your wishlist this year?

What if I told you that money conversations with your partner could be grounds for connection, confidence, and joy? 😌 You can take a behind-the-scenes peek at how my husband and I organize our monthly family money meeting - which is a standing appointment, complete with a formal agenda - to give us the time and space to talk about our finances. (I’m still trying to make up for the fact that one of our family money meetings was scheduled on Valentine’s Day). 🙈💕 But really, what could be more romantic than making plans to build an extraordinary life together? 🪴 Ready to start having nourishing (and maybe even FUN) money chats with your partner? I’m sharing an exact copy of the agenda Travis and I used at our very first family money meeting. ↓ https://lnkd.in/g9t69YiP Disclosure:  Abacus Wealth Partners, LLC is an SEC registered investment adviser. SEC registration does not constitute an endorsement of Abacus Wealth Partners, LLC by the SEC nor does it indicate that Abacus Wealth Partners, LLC has attained a particular level of skill or ability. This material is not intended to serve as personalized tax, legal, and/or investment advice.

Why do we usually only take pictures of things that make us happy? Like the people we love in happy moments, celebrations, beautiful scenes, our favorite places? Someone raised this question yesterday, and I've been thinking about it ever since. One reason: we're psychologically primed to look for things that make us happy. One of the things that make (most) people the most happy is connection to our loved ones - close family, good friends. One of the ways we feel happy is to think about happy moments in the past, especially when those times involve the people we love. So when we look at photographs of those people we love, we remember those happy moments. What happens when we have photographs and portraits of our family on our walls and shelves in our homes? We see those images around us, and subconsciously we absorb the way they make us feel. They make us feel good, and this boosts our mood. Not only ours - but other family members' moods. My client had three grandsons at the time. They were her pride and joy, and while she had had portraits done of her husband with the oldest grandson, and the whole family, she didn't have anything yet of these three precious boys. When I suggested it, she resisted and said she just wanted something of the grandsons. We had the kind of relationship where I felt like I could persist and ask her about it again. She finally decided to go ahead and be in some of the images. This turned out to be her favorite, and we created a wall portrait that still hangs in the house, many years later. Why did she love this particular image so much? Because it was a happy moment. It wasn't even momentous or earth-shattering. It was the kind of simple moment she wanted to remember, and see herself in, with her little grandsons. It makes her happy, and who doesn't need more of that in their life? To sign up for my newsletter, see below in the comments.

This Halloween, let’s talk about the scariest thing of all—uncertainty. Life is full of unexpected twists, and while we can’t predict the future, we can certainly prepare for it. Without a proper estate plan, you’re leaving your family to face uncertain terrors that can be far scarier than any haunted house. Will your assets be distributed according to your wishes? Who will make decisions on your behalf if you can’t? What happens if you don’t name guardians for your children? These questions are like shadowy figures creeping in the dark, waiting to cause confusion and stress. A carefully crafted estate plan shines a light on these uncertainties. By setting up a will, trust, and advanced healthcare directives, you take the mystery out of what happens to your estate, your care, and your family’s future. Instead of leaving your loved ones to navigate the dark unknown, you give them a clear path forward—one that provides guidance, security, and peace of mind. Imagine your loved ones in a crisis: do you want them trying to guess what you would have wanted, or do you want them to have a detailed roadmap? An estate plan is your protective charm against the unknown—it stops uncertainty from creeping in and haunting your family’s future. This Halloween season, take a moment to think about how you can protect your legacy from the spooky unknown. Reach out today, and let’s make sure your estate plan brings clarity and peace, not fear and confusion.

Day 9 of 12 On the ninth day of Christmas, my true friend Brian gave to me…endless Holiday Stock Footage Stupidity. Oh, make it stop!!! Did you know that humans posses X-ray like vision? That’s right, you have an incredible super power to see right through the bupkis. Call it intuition / BS filter / cynicism or whatever else you want, but fully developed humans have a legit super power when it comes to sniffing out the fake, fraudulent or bombastic. Good news for all of us, our brains are wicked smart (add Boston accent here). Way more than we realize, our brains are sorting, sifting, storing and ditching a myriad of never-ending inputs. And because efficiency matters (our brains don’t like wasting energy on actively analyzing a problem rationally) it uses shortcuts. Unconsciously, your brain reviews and determines things like this: “He presents like an expert” + “He has high conviction about this topic” + “He’s employed by this well known firm, so what he says must be legit” + “But something just isn't right, he’s not disclosing something” = “Nope, I don’t trust this guy!” Just like the OBVIOUSLY fake family gathering in the clip below, our X-ray like vision knows authenticity (or the lack thereof) when we see it. We know when a leader isn’t giving us the full truth or the complete picture. We know when a sales person isn’t forthcoming about a product issue or service limitation. We know when a communicator is embellishing to the point of straight up lying. YES, I’m painting with a broad brush. We’re also susceptible to having the wool pulled over our eyes! But, my advice to all of you is simple: lean into truth. Be authentic. Disclose the complete story, warts and all. Your audience will accept not-so-perfect stuff far more than they’ll accept lies, deceit or half-truths. I mean c’mon, nobody is buying this happy family nonsense, am I right? Kate Piña, SHRM-SCP, SPHR, MA, MBAPatricia Brown Mari TautimesRobert Telford Mark Baraghimian Matthew Cavallo, MPH, PMP Zackary Thornberg Brent Barcena Ellen Owens Karcsay, CMAS, LCC- CPT Adam Goodman Marissa Hill Jenny Poon John Rakovic

The year 2011 in four parts: life, new beginnings and loss: https://lnkd.in/exRShvPm

Day 17 the gift of wonder ! One of the delights whether yours or close to you of the delight and wonder of children at Christmastime. The excitement and anticipation of gifts from Father Christmas/ Pere Noel etc. The sheer delight at how the jolly fat man knew what they wanted and got down the chimney! I often find myself wondering in as how Mother Nature managed something - take this pic / spiders often amaze me and I stare in awe and wonder at how they manage to create such strong webs or lines that cross many feet of open space. So what do you wonder about ? What piques your curiosity and makes you wonder how did they do that ? When facing challenges the gift of wonder is useful, it can unlock ideas of how to solve your problem or give you inspiration for new products as you marvel at what Mother Nature or someone has done and how you can apply that thinking that lens to your self or your business. You may not be thinking about how to solve a problem but just enjoy something and it may spark an idea. Look around look up look in corners and see what you discover. Be curious and sit in the moment when you find yourself wondering how did they do that. You may never know how Father Christmas manages to deliver all those pressies in one night around the world but you might just discover the joy in what you do. Video is of delicate spider web holding rain drops, stretched but not broken despite the weight!

The Elephant in the room So I heard this really cool joke the other day, and I can’t help but share it with you, on account of it having two punchlines: Two longtime friends meet up in a bar one quiet Friday afternoon to catch up. Friend 1 is looking like a million bucks, apparently living his best life. Friend 2 looks like he’s seen better times. Friend 1: I just have to share this! My life has taken a turn for the best. I’m the happiest I’ve ever been, and it’s due to a major change in my life! We’ve bought a house elephant! Best investment… EVER! Friend 2: Oh… OK… sounds iffy. How do you mean? F1: It’s a total game changer. Since it’s arrived, it’s made our lives a lot better. He washes my car, does the dishes in the morning and takes care of the garden. F2: That sounds awesome. Listen… I need that. Could I buy it off of you? Double the price! F1: Don’t think so… He brews the coffee in the morning, does my wife’s hair and tucks in the children at night. F2: For real? No, I have to have that. Triple the price! F1: No can do, amigo. He uses his trunk to blow the leaves off the front porch, he makes the kids breakfast, he helps me water the plants. What can I say, he’s more than a pet, he’s a member of our family! F2: Outstanding! Triple the price! Please! F1: I can’t do that! He catches bugs, he guards our house, and he takes the kids to school on his back. I can’t do that to my family. We simply can’t lose his beneficial influence.    F2: No, that’s it! Ten times the asking price for your wonderful elephant. Take it or leave it! F1. OK… It’s yours… One month passes since the elephant exchange, and the two friends reconvene at the local pub. Friend 2 looks a little worse for wear. He’s lost weight, chunks of his hair are missing — all in all a disheveled mess. F1: So, how’s it going? F2: How’s it going? That damn elephant destroyed my life! He’s scratched my car, almost sat on the kids and destroyed my wife’s hair! He does nothing else than sit around all day and eat. The smell of his feces is atrocious. He’s a pest, pure and simple. Wife’s left and the kids can’t visit me. Worst decision of my life! F1: I see… Well, I don’t know what to tell you, but with that attitude you’ll never sell your elephant. Funny, right? And now comes the second punchline: this ↑ is how most people treat traditional marketing. Don’t be that F1 person… 

🎁 Giving gifts shouldn’t break the bank—or your spirit. Here’s how to make an impact without overspending: ✅ **Set Your Limits:** Assess your budget before you even browse. Knowing your spending boundary is key. ✅ **Prioritize Thoughtfulness:** A sincere note or a gift that resonates with their passions can outshine any pricey item. ✅ **DIY Magic:** Homemade goodies, personalized crafts, or even offering your time—like cooking dinner or a shared experience—hold immense value. ✅ **Plan Smart:** Snag gifts during sales throughout the year to ease your wallet and your mind. 🎯 Remember, the heart behind the gift beats louder than the price tag. What's the most meaningful, budget-friendly gift you've given or received? Share your stories and let’s spread some inspiration!

Collecting and preserving what truly matters most in your life is one of the most important things we do for you.  When you plan with us, we will personally guide you to create a customized recording for the people you love in which you share your most insightful lessons, memories, and experiences. From there, we will provide you with the recording digitally to ensure it will survive long after you—and your money—are gone. Don’t worry if this sounds overwhelming or difficult in any way, it’s not. Our clients consistently tell us they are surprised about how easy it was, and how quickly they were able to create a truly meaningful gift for the people they love. But most importantly, what they also tell us is that it brings more intention and awareness to how they want to pass on their values, insights, stories, and experiences to the people they love on a day-to-day basis going forward. Learn how to schedule your appointment today to get started. https://lnkd.in/emC_Rwmb