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“FAANG” stands for Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Netflix and Google/Alphabet. These are considered 5 of the hottest stocks in the market today. These 5 stocks have no doubt created a lot of rich people and in turn, have generated a lot of buzz when it comes to any investor from the newest to the most advanced. This concept has driven further theory and speculation into “figuring out” or “cracking the code” to the unpredictable stock market which has been going on since its inception in 1926.

The Coronavirus pandemic continues to define 2020 as well as the economy and markets for good or for bad. It seems this volatility has been driven by “consumer market sentiment” (how people are feeling) vs economic factors such as unemployment and GDP (Gross Domestic Product).

Planning for retirement and retirement itself is both a game of numbers and psychology. Both areas serve to create the most successful planning and, ironically, a focus on each of these areas individually serve the other. The numbers are the foundation and lifeblood of any retirement plan. Most people, even the ones actively saving for retirement, do not have a clear and specific idea of what their investments will be and what they can expect from them when they retire.

What should a business owner do to protect themselves and their business’ in the event of a market downturn? Here are 3 important aspects to keep in mind -- be aware, be lean, and be balanced.

"The CARES Act provides 2 trillion dollars of government aid along with several SIGNIFICANT changes to preexisting IRS, retirement accounts, and other financial rules in attempts to open up opportunities for individuals and small businesses to survive in this time of crisis. I have broken down and summarized that document here into 5 key areas: Recovery Rebates, Coronavirus Related Distributions, Significant Tax Changes to Retirement Accounts, Unemployment Compensation Benefits, and Small Business Benefits."

"I have often said that what separates average investors and the great ones is how they make decisions when the markets become volatile. With education and understanding comes great discipline. There is an actual science around disciplined investing which has always been the easiest and most probable way to be successful in the markets long term."

"For those who know me or work with me, they know I love analogies. The reason I love analogies is that they can take complex ideas and concepts (especially when it comes to finance and the markets), and make them easier to understand by comparing them to something that may be better understood by the person you are speaking to. When it comes to inflation the analogy I often use is Carbon Monoxide Gas. Inflation, like carbon monoxide gas, cannot be seen, smelled or tasted, but it can kill you!"

I meet and work with people over a broad spectrum of ages, cultures, and lifestyles. They say as a “teacher” you tend to learn as much, if not more, about people and financing than you teach. Nothing could be truer than this over the 13 years I have been consulting people on life and finances. When it comes to married couples, like any “team”, there are roles that must be taken on by both spouses to support the greater good of the team.