Bridgeriver Advisors LLC - July2021

Bridgeriver Advisors LLC - July2021

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JULY 2021

‘Rate My Retirement’ Could Save This Couple Thousands in Taxes

Introducing My New Facebook Live Show and Podcast

No retirement plan is a one-size-fits-all deal. Every person, from single individuals to married couples, has a unique set of assets, scenarios, obstacles, and opportunities that they’ll be faced with while journeying toward retirement.

If you want to learn every single tool and strategy at your disposal for any scenario — including your own! — then I’ve created the perfect show for you.

“Rate My Retirement” is a new Facebook Live show that I’ll be putting on monthly, which will be edited and uploaded onto YouTube as well as transformed into a podcast (available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and anywhere else you listen to podcasts). During the show, I’ll break down a case, including family size and assets; rate their retirement plan; then suggest improvements and put together an entirely new financial plan for the case. Because it’s live, you’ll be able to ask any questions you want during the show! In our very first episode, we featured a married couple who wanted to retire in five years. They had a combined household income of $235,000, a 403(b) IRA of $385,000, and a pension rollout of $960,000. This might seem pretty nice, so what’s the problem? The couple found themselves worried about tax increases in the future. They wondered if it would be worth it to rollout their $960,000 pension into their IRA account or take monthly payments for the rest of their life?

the IRS and rising taxes for the rest of your life, diminishing your paycheck. However, if you roll out, you won’t be so tied to the IRS — you can convert it into a Roth IRA, pay now at a known rate, and start tax diversity (aka, simply have more control over the taxes you’re paying in the future). If you don’t convert into a Roth IRA, there can be real problems — mainly, when you turn 72. The IRS will force you to pull money out of most of your retirement accounts. At that point, the withdraw rate starts at just under 4% and will ramp up as you begin to age. I dive into this topic more in-depth in the first episode of “Rate My Retirement,” along with many more concerns, including how to best convert your IRA into a Roth IRA and how to create income using the case’s current assets. If you’re looking for real retirement expertise for real people, “Rate My Retirement” is available for you to watch right now 100% free. You’ll find it on Facebook ( Facebook.com/bridgeriver ), YouTube ( YouTube.com/user/ bridgeriveradvisors ), or anywhere you listen to podcasts. If you’d like to be featured, I’m always looking for case studies to talk about! Remember that it can be as anonymous as you’d like, and we can always leave your name out.

There are many pros and cons to rolling out your pension versus receiving monthly payments. For example, monthly payments will keep you tied to

More Retirement Income and Less Taxes Seminar July 13, 15, 20, 22 — 6:30 P.M. at Filippa’s (Utica) July 29 — 7:00 P.M. at Emagine Theater (Rochester Hills) The Secrets of Wills and Trusts Seminar June 30, July 1 — 6:30 P.M. at Filippa’s (Utica) Register today at BridgeriverLLC.com! Free dinner provided at Filippa’s; popcorn and a drink will be served at Emagine.

Thanks so much for reading, and I’ll catch you next month, everybody.

-Dan Casey

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FUN FACTS ABOUT THE FOURTH OF JULY YOU CAN SHARE WITH YOUR KIDS What do your kids know about the Fourth of July? Do they know it’s a day when you have a barbecue, spend time with friends and neighbors, and watch a fireworks show? These hallmarks of the holiday certainly do make it fun and memorable, but they don’t really exemplify why we celebrate the Fourth of July, the anniversary of when the United States declared its independence from Britain.

later, on July 4, 1826. This fact is an interesting coincidence sure to fascinate both kids and

adults. It’s also a great way to introduce kids to some of the Founding Fathers and share how they helped shape the United States today.

So, along with the sparklers and hot dogs, here are a few fun facts about Independence Day you can share with your kids to help them understand the significance of the holiday. The Fourth of July marks our country’s independence because it’s when the Continental Congress ratified the Declaration of Independence. This fact might seem like a no-brainer, but it contextualizes the holiday for kids. It’s a great jumping-off point to talk about why the United States wanted to be its own country, what the Continental Congress was, what the Declaration of Independence said, and what it means to “ratify” something.

In 1776, the year the United States was founded, only 2.5 million people lived here. Today, the U.S. population is 331 million. Lots of people have been born in the United States since it was founded, and millions more came here from other places, hoping to find a better life. Many succeeded, too. Many people want to call this country home! On the Fourth of July, around 155 million hot dogs are eaten in the United States. Okay, so this fact might not have anything to do with American history, but it’s still pretty funny! If anything, the fact that we have so many hot dogs to eat on that day is evidence of the prosperity so many people enjoy in the United States of America.

Two future presidents signed the Declaration of Independence: John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. They both died exactly 50 years

GET YOUR TRAIN OF THOUGHT BACK ON TARGET

RECOVERY HACKS

Have you ever been in the middle of a conversation, presentation, or debate, stringing together thoughts in a way you hope is coherent and insightful when — poof! — you lose your train of thought? It’s frustrating.

time to think, and you also don’t want to be bogged down by a chorus of “ums” escaping from your mouth.

You just want to make yourself understood, but your brain has other plans. What if there were a way to keep your train of thought on track? Well, the good news is that recovering your train of thought is easy with the following hacks in mind.

Write it all down.

This hack works well when you know beforehand that you’ll be speaking with someone or in front of people. Even if you never refer to your notes while speaking, simply writing down a road map for your train of thought can help you recover from a detour and speak more confidently.

Repeat, repeat, repeat yourself.

Paraphrasing your last few thoughts out loud can help you remember where you were going. Think of it as retracing your steps: You go back to the last words you remember saying, and more often than not, you’ll find your direction again.

Remember your overall point.

The easiest way to drive your train of thought into the weeds is to forget your overall point — or not to have an overriding point at all. Always have a short, overarching point you can use to recenter yourself and get back on track.

Take a short pause.

With these hacks, your brain will have to work a lot harder to make you lose your train of thought! Now you’ll be more prepared to tackle any subject matter, no matter how deep or technical, that comes your way.

Pausing briefly is a great way to make recovering your train of thought seem natural. This hack works really well if you’re answering a question and you need

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ARE THE CARTOONS YOUR KIDS WATCH ACTUALLY MADE FOR KIDS?

With the many streaming platforms out there, kids have access to a more diverse array of content than ever before. That being said, parents need to be extra vigilant about which shows and videos are captivating their children’s attention, particularly when it comes to cartoons. Cartoons on their own aren’t bad for kids. In fact, enjoying them in moderation can have myriad benefits for a child’s development. They can bring laughter and relieve stress, engage a child’s imagination, help them develop their language skills, and teach them about topics ranging from mathematics to social skills. The best cartoons can be bright, colorful, funny stories that help children learn and grow.

So, how can parents make sure the cartoons their kids are watching are safe, wholesome, and educational?

In recent years, as YouTube has continued to amass countless hours of video content — much of it geared toward children — they’ve developed YouTube Kids, their streaming site for children under the age of 13. This site isn’t airtight, however, and disturbing content can sometimes slip through the cracks.

Parents might also find value in sticking to certain channels or streaming services, such as PBS Kids, Nick Jr., or Disney+. There are also organizations like the Parents and Television Media Council, whose website, ParentsTV.org, can help parents determine which cartoons are okay for their kids to watch. Ultimately, the best way to ensure cartoons are safe is to watch with your kids. After all, this turns a solitary activity into one where parents can learn, laugh, and bond with their children.

That said, though, not all cartoons are for kids, nor do they teach good lessons. Many cartoon characters encourage violence and speaking rudely to teachers and other authority figures. Additionally, with adult animation becoming more popular in recent years, many of the cartoons available on TV, streaming services, and YouTube are explicitly not for children.

HAVE A LAUGH

Mexican Corn Salad

Inspired by JoCooks.com

Ingredients

• 1/2 tsp ground cumin • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika • Salt and pepper, to taste

• 4 cups of fresh corn, cut from 5 cobs • 1 tbsp olive oil • 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped • 1/2 red onion, diced • 6 green onions, chopped • 1 jalapeno, diced • 1/2 avocado, cubed • 1/4 cup fresh-squeezed lime juice

• 2 tbsp sour cream • 2 tbsp mayonnaise • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped • 1/2 cup cotija or feta cheese, crumbled

Directions

1. In a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, add oil and corn. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3–5 minutes or until corn starts to char. 2. Add the corn to a large bowl and let cool for 5 minutes, then add the remaining

ingredients and still together until well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning. 3. The salad pairs well with grilled entrees and can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

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INSIDE This Issue

Introducing My New Show, ‘Rate My Retirement’ Fourth of July Fun Facts to Share With the Kids Life Hack: How to Recover Your Train of Thought Are Your Children’s Favorite Cartoons Actually for Kids? Mexican Corn Salad Is ‘Hammocking’ a Better Way to Sleep?

IS ‘HAMMOCKING’ A BETTER WAY TO SLEEP?

(Theoretical) Benefits of Sleeping While Swinging

Pressure Point Relief A good mattress can reduce pressure on the shoulders, back, and butt, while a bad mattress can do the opposite. Some hammock advocates claim that a hammock’s more flexible surface means pressure is spread more equally across all parts of the body. However, this benefit is purely theoretical and more study is needed to confirm the hypothesis. Deeper Sleep According to a study from 2011 where 12 men took two 45-minute naps — one in a regular bed and one in a swinging bed — results showed the men fell asleep faster in the swinging bed and that they had a longer light sleep before they entered a deep sleep. However, because the size of this study was so small, its conclusions need more verification. Until more >Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4

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