Kiker Wealth Management, LLC

Imagine that you find a $100 bill under the couch cushions, get a nice Christmas bonus from your employer, or receive a hefty #TaxRefund. What do you do with that money? Many people tend to look at these unplanned-for windfalls as free money. As a result, they spend the money on luxury items, vacations, or even on a quick gambling jaunt to Vegas. To put it simply, they use the money on short-term wants instead of long-term goals.... It’s perfectly understandable why people want to do this, and every once in a while, it’s probably okay. But when you do it too oftenwhen you treat a $100 bill differently depending on where it came fromyou are guilty of irrational accounting. Irrational accounting is a mental mistake because it means you are making financial decisions based off emotion and impulse rather than logic and planning. Done too often, it can become a potentially damning habit. Remember, mental money mistakes are a problem because they can keep you from getting ahead financially. In this case, while it might be fun to spend free money on luxuries, it’s also counterproductive to reaching your long-term goals.

Tax season is winding down... For adults like us, this time of year is like a second Christmas. The stress of filing is over, and now we have our tax refunds to look forward to. The question is, what will you do with yours? Because tax refunds come outside our regular income, most people treat them like change beneath the couch cushionsit’s extra spending money. They think, Now I can buy that new iPad, or go away for the weekend! Others are more prudent, and use the cash... to pay down their debt, handle every-day expenses, or line their savings account. As a financial advisor, I don’t have a problem with any of these. It’s always good to save, and it’s always good to pay down your debt. It’s equally important to enjoy the money you’ve worked so hard to attain. So, if there’s a dream vacation you’ve been planning to take, go for it! BUT. Don’t just spend your tax refund for the sake of spending it. Don’t just stick it in a savings account because you can’t think of anything else. Instead, consider this: invest your tax refund. It may not provide immediate gratification. But it could make you happier down the road. Why? Because achieving our long-term goals is always a bigger thrill than satisfying our whims.

Story Time! A little boy named Billy wanted $100 very badly. He prayed for two weeks, but nothing happened. Then he decided to write GOD a letter requesting the $100. When the postal authorities received his letter to GOD, USA, they decided to send it on to the President. The President was so touched and amused that he instructed his secretary to send the little boy a $5 bill. (The President thought this would appear to be a lot of money to a little boy.) The little Bil...ly was delighted with the $5 and sat down to write a thank-you note to GOD, which read: Dear GOD: Thank you so very much for sending me the money. However, I noticed that for some reason you had to send it through Washington and, as usual, those guys deducted $95. Happy Tax Season!

This season is amazing! We see leaves on the trees, baby animals, flowers in full splendor, the grass turning green, and too many other wonderful things to mention. Regardless of your particular beliefs, there’s one thing we can all agree on: the Easter season brings hope and joy to us all! As you ponder what this season means to you, remember that hope and peace are available to all of uswe just need to know where to look. I suggest simply looking outside your window. I know it works for me! Have a wonderful month and may God Bless you with a wonderful Easter, and let the spirit of the season stay with you the year ‘round!

The quality of a person’s life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor. Vince Lombardi Just as none of us have the same goals in life, none of us have the same path to those goals. Some people begin the journey with more or less than others. Some people have more or less support than others. Some people set ambitious goals; others set more modest ones. But what truly matters, in the end, is not how much money... we’ve earned or how many accolades we’ve gained What matters is how well we spent the time given to us. Life is an investment. If you put in all you have, you’ll take out even more.

In honor of #PresidentsDay, let’s take a moment to reflect on the wisdom of our forefathers. If the American Dream is about making something of ourselves and living financially healthy lives, then it seems reasonable to say that a stress-free retirement is that dream coming to fruition. We all want to retire comfortably one day, and many Americans actually have the power to make it happen if they set clear saving and investing goals and work hard to meet them. As Benjamin F...ranklin famously said, A penny saved is a penny earned and he reportedly retired at age 45, so he’s probably someone we should all listen to! This President’s Day, we could all afford to take a cue from America’s leaders and founding fathers. As John F. Kennedy, 35th U.S. president, once said, Things do not happen. Things are made to happen. You are in control of your own destiny. Take inspiration from the wisdom of former American leaders and use it to prepare your financial future. By making a few sacrifices today to pay off your high-interest loans and make saving and investing a part of your budget, you’ll move the needle toward achieving financial health and fulfilling the American Dream. And with these three tips, you’ll be that much closer to the financial freedom you’re dreaming of:

Well, it’s that time again . . . Valentine’s Day. And you know what? Just between you and me, I don’t enjoy the commercialism that overshadows some of these holidays. We hear all the ads about the obligatory sending of roses, chocolates, candy kisses and cards. But life isn’t just about roses, chocolates, candy kisses and cupids. Life is about friendshipsabout relationships, and Valentine’s Day gives us an annual reminder.... It’s the one time of year that we can be mushy and say we love you and that we appreciate your business, your time, and most importantly your friendship. We wish you a happy and wonderful Valentine’s Day.

The Forget Me Not European perennial is one of the world’s most loved wildflowers, and though the little clusters of sky-blue flowers are wonderful, the romantic legend of how it got its name is even better! It is said that a medieval knight was picnicking on the banks of the beautiful Danube River in Europe with his lady love. She noticed some lovely blue flowers growing down the bank beside the river, so he wanted to climb down and pick some for her. But, as he descende...d the bank to the water’s edge and was gathering some of these flowers, a flash flood suddenly came and pulled the handsome knight into the churning river. As he was swept away, he tossed the bouquet to his lady on the bank with the three now-famous words: Forget me not! Ever since, this lovely blue flower has been a symbol of true love and memories! In 15th century Germany, it was supposed that the wearers of the Forget-Me-Not flower would not be forgotten by their lovers. Since Valentine’s day is right around the corner, what better time to remind your spouse how much you love them and that you’ll never ever forget them!

The aqueducts built by the romans between 312 BC and 109 AD, were able to supply Rome, and its estimated one million inhabitants, with over 300 million gallons of water every day. Rome and many other communities thrived because of their access to a clean and abundant water supply. The aqueducts were the life blood of their communities and were treated as such. Much time and effort went into maintaining these crucial pieces of infrastructure. In fact, some communities still us...e these same aqueducts for irrigation. Even in Rome, some of their ancient fountains are still fed by aqueducts. So what does this have to do with investing? Actually, quite a bit. As a financial advisor, I speak with a lot of people who are certain that they have a rock-solid financial plan or portfolio. In many cases, they do. But much like the aqueducts, even the most solid plan won’t work forever without some attention and maintenance. Below are a few tips to make sure that you are properly maintaining your financial aqueduct Keep in mind that the Romans built a system that would take care of them and their community for generations. Likewise, your plan needs to be maintained for your own legacy to continue!

It’s nearing the end of football season... and believe it or not, football has me thinking about investing. I guess that’s why I’ve got my job and you’ve got yours! Anyway, I think that we can all learn a lot from one of my favorite players, Joe Montana. In case his name is almost familiar: Joe Montana was among the top few college and pro quarterbacks ever. Four Super Bowl titles in the 80s and three-time Super Bowl MVP. One notable characteristic of Montana’s teams was thei...r ability to win in any environment, either at home or away. There are times when the skies aren’t clear, and the turf isn’t firm. As #investors we may hope for ideal conditions, but we don’t always get them. We can still win in the rain and mud, but we have to be flexible enough to alter our strategies. However, like Montana, when we find a strategy that works for us as investors, we should stick with it. The core of his offense was the short pass. Sometimes he ran, at times he threw long. But he wasn’t afraid to keep coming back to the short pass...over and over again. Why? Because it worked. It may not have seemed exciting or new, but winning is exciting, and his 49ers won over and over and over again. We shouldn’t be afraid to be repetitive with an Investment Strategy that works for us.

To our valued clients, we would like to wish you a very Merry Christmas and may God bless you with a Happy New Year.

Forget elf on a shelf. Have you ever heard of a giraffe on a raft? Since 2011, a herd of endangered Rothschild’s giraffes has lived on a protected peninsula in Lake Baringo in Kenya. Unfortunately, after a year of heavy rains, their peninsula became an island, stranding the towering animals and further threatening their survival. That’s where the nonprofit organization Save Giraffes Now stepped in.... Working alongside Park Rangers and local volunteers, they constructed a giraffe-raft in order to ferry them across the lake to safety on higher ground. After spending months getting the gentle animals to be comfortable with the strange watercraft, they set sail last week, ferrying the endangered animals one at a time to their new home. So far, they have successfully rescued over a dozen animals, and they don’t plan on stopping anytime soon. Thank you to all the volunteers who are working hard to save these magnificent animals. https://savegiraffesnow.org/pro/ruko-community-conservancy/

Working for a startup is vastly different than working for an established company. Established companies have steady processes and defined operations, while startups often wade through a constant stream of pivots and unknowns. It makes sense, then, that startup employees would require certain skills and attitudes to thrive in this type of workplace. Forbes asked 10 members of the Young Entrepreneur Council for one quality they believe all startup hires need to have. Here are the traits they deem essential and why each one helps when working in a startup environment. Do you agree? What other qualities would you add to this list?

Thanksgiving. A time of food, sharing, and family. Whether you’re usually excited about the food, the football, or getting the whole family together, the fact is that this year is going to be different. With traveling off the table for many people, this year more of us will stay home. So if 331 Million of us stay home, what is Thanksgiving? Is it limited to traveling over the river and through the woods to grandfather’s house? Not this year, I’m afraid. Is it Turkey Day? W...hat if one is a vegetarian? Is it about America’s Pilgrims? Perhaps- then again, even the Pilgrims based their celebration on an ancient harvest tradition. What if one is a more recent immigrant to this wonderful land of liberty? Perhaps Thanksgiving is more than the food, more than the football, and way more than shop ‘til one drops! Maybe Thanksgiving is an attitude about what we have, versus what others do not have. Why? Because we were blessed to live in America- that’s why. This year, no matter the circumstances, no matter your tradition, just be thankful! At Kiker Wealth Management, we're so thankful for our clients, families, and friends. May God richly bless you this Thanksgiving. From all of us to you, have a happy & safe Thanksgiving!

In observance of the Thanksgiving holiday, the office will be closed on Thursday, November 26th and Friday, November 27th. The stock market will be closed on Thursday, November 26th and closing at 1pm on Friday, November 27th. Any clients who need to place a trade in their Fidelity account please contact Fidelity at 1-800-343-3548. On behalf of the staff at Kiker Wealth Management, we wish you and yours a Happy Thanksgiving!