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	<title>Longview Financial Advisors, Inc.</title>
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		<title>Happenings at Longview</title>
		<link>http://longviewfa.com/blog/happenings-at-longview/</link>
		<comments>http://longviewfa.com/blog/happenings-at-longview/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 15 May 2013 16:04:02 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Longview Happenings]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://longviewfa.com/blog/?p=603</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[April and May have shaped up to be busy months for Longview, particularly with our efforts to stay on top of cutting edge research and continuing education in financial planning and investments. We are pleased to announce that Andrew has &#8230; <a href="http://longviewfa.com/blog/happenings-at-longview/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>April and May have shaped up to be busy months for Longview, particularly with our efforts to stay on top of cutting edge research and continuing education in financial planning and investments.</p>
<p>We are pleased to announce that Andrew has successfully completed the CFP® Examination and is progressing well toward obtaining the designation and becoming a fully certified planner. Congratulations Andrew!</p>
<p>Jeff recently attended the 2013 IMCA conference, focused on investments and investment research.  The conference was three days filled with intense education and discussion, with healthy debates from both academics and practitioners.  Jeff was successful in getting “brain burn” by the end of it, and feels the conference was a great contribution to his own continuing investment and economic research.</p>
<p>Jessica just returned from the NAPFA National conference, which covered a wide range of financial planning topics.  The conference was held in Vegas, but fortunately, the knowledge she gained didn’t have to stay there.  The planning team will be reviewing her takeaways and how best to incorporate them into our planning approach over the coming months.</p>
<p>Finally, we are pleased to announce that Jessica and her husband, Craig, are expecting a baby boy due on October 7th.  We are all very excited for them. Congratulations Jessica and Craig!</p>
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		<title>Charitable Giving: Let the Donor Beware</title>
		<link>http://longviewfa.com/blog/charitable-giving-let-the-donor-beware/</link>
		<comments>http://longviewfa.com/blog/charitable-giving-let-the-donor-beware/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 15 May 2013 16:03:50 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Estate Planning]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[General]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tax]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://longviewfa.com/blog/?p=610</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[By Larry West, CFP®, MBA, EA NAPFA-Registered Financial Advisor People naturally get upset and concerned when they hear stories about how a charity has misused donated money.  It makes them cautious and wary about gifting to organizations with which they &#8230; <a href="http://longviewfa.com/blog/charitable-giving-let-the-donor-beware/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-612" style="color: #333333; font-style: normal; line-height: 24px;" alt="larry_west" src="http://longviewfa.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/larry_west1.jpg" /></p>
<p><em>By Larry West, CFP®, MBA, EA</em><br />
<em> NAPFA-Registered Financial Advisor</em></p>
<p>People naturally get upset and concerned when they hear stories about how a charity has misused donated money.  It makes them cautious and wary about gifting to organizations with which they are not fully familiar.  Is there a way to check into a charity and see if they are legitimate and using donated funds appropriately?  Absolutely.  A little known website, <a href="http://www.guidestar.org">www.guidestar.org</a>, provides an extensive amount of information about 501(c)(3) non-profit charities.  Their home page has a search box where you can enter the name of a charity.</p>
<p>GuideStar has a premium report that includes more information at a cost, but there is plenty of free information for most people to make a decision.  To get the free information, you need to create an account by clicking on “My Account” and then filling out the information under the “New Customers” section.  It is a very simple process.  Once you have an account and are signed on, just type in the name of the charity in the search box.   The first page of the GuideStar report on the charity has general information such as whether or not it has registered with the IRS.  All that tells you is that the charity wrote a letter to the IRS stating that it has a valid charitable purpose and the IRS accepted it.  However, they also list organizations where the IRS has withdrawn registration.</p>
<p>The charity’s page provides more detailed data on several tabs such as one labeled “Form 990s and docs”.  The Form 990 is required to be submitted to the IRS annually and contains substantial information about the organization.  Yes, you may not care about most of the detailed financial data, but you can look at the top level data such as revenue, expenses and net income.  It contains names of Board of Directors and the executive director and his or her salary.  There are several pages of questions that provide more information.  I always check line 12a of Part III to see if the financials were audited by an independent accounting firm.</p>
<p>GuideStar obtains the Form 990 directly from the IRS, so the charity cannot alter the data contained on it.  The charities can also add some information to their Guidestar report, such as its mission statements and programs that they conduct.</p>
<p>We recommend that you always check GuideStar.org before donating to a charity, and especially if you plan to make a large donation.</p>
<p><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">Larry West is Chairman of the Board of Directors for Longview Financial Advisors in Huntsville, AL. He is a CFP® professional, an IRS Enrolled Agent, an MBA and has extensive financial planning and investment experience.   Visit <em><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.longviewfa.com/meet_team.html">“Our Team”</a></span></em> to learn more about him and other team members at Longview. Larry can be reached via e-mail at </span></em><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="mailto:larry@longviewfa.com">larry@longviewfa.com.</a></span></span></em></p>
<p><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">Please remember that past performance may not be indicative of future results. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and there can be no assurance that the future performance of any specific investment, investment strategy, or product (including the investments and/or investment strategies recommended or undertaken by Longview Financial Advisors, Inc.), or any non-investment related content, made reference to directly or indirectly in this newsletter or post will be profitable, equal any corresponding indicated historical performance level(s), be suitable for your portfolio or individual situation, or prove successful. Due to various factors, including changing market conditions and/or applicable laws, the content may no longer be reflective of current opinions or positions. Moreover, you should not assume that any discussion or information contained in this newsletter or post serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from Longview Financial Advisors, Inc.. To the extent that a reader has any questions regarding the applicability of any specific issue discussed above to his/her individual situation, he/she is encouraged to consult with the professional advisor of his/her choosing. Longview Financial Advisors, Inc. is neither a law firm nor a certified public accounting firm and no portion of the newsletter or post content should be construed as legal or accounting advice. A copy of the Longview Financial Advisors, Inc.’s current written disclosure statement discussing our advisory services and fees is available for review upon request.</span></em></p>
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		<title>Spring Cleaning for Records and Documents</title>
		<link>http://longviewfa.com/blog/spring-cleaning-for-records-and-documents/</link>
		<comments>http://longviewfa.com/blog/spring-cleaning-for-records-and-documents/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 15 May 2013 16:03:38 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[General]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://longviewfa.com/blog/?p=625</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[By Andrew Gipner Paraplanner Warm and sunny days, the start of baseball (Go Tigers!), and pollen are here. It’s spring time for most of the country as well as the starting point of many projects. For me, my project is &#8230; <a href="http://longviewfa.com/blog/spring-cleaning-for-records-and-documents/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-243" alt="Andrew Gipner" src="http://longviewfa.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/andrew-gipner-108x150.jpg" width="108" height="150" /></p>
<p><em>By Andrew Gipner</em><br />
<em>Paraplanner</em></p>
<p>Warm and sunny days, the start of baseball (Go Tigers!), and pollen are here. It’s spring time for most of the country as well as the starting point of many projects. For me, my project is to finally organize and get  rid of a majority of items in a local storage closet. As for my wife, she is in the beginning stages of organizing her mementos to re-start her hobby of scrapbooking. As you see, organization is the foundation of each of these projects. While the definition of organization is different for everyone, I think the satisfaction of it is the same.</p>
<p>So, what about your financial and personal records? With tax season over, this is the opportune time to review and take care of organizing these types of items. Below are a just a few ideas to consider when you are focusing on this area of your spring cleaning.</p>
<p><strong>What Documents Should I Keep? </strong></p>
<p>Here at Longview, we are often asked by our clients which documents are necessary to retain as well as which documents are worth shredding.  While all documents and situations are different for everyone, here is a short list to consider:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Tax Documents </strong>– While the IRS has three years to challenge any item on a tax return, it has up to six years to challenge the reported income which you received. Simply put, hold on to your 1040’s and any supporting documents for at least 7 years.  If you are interested in more specific information for a particular tax document or situation, the IRS has a nice summary page <a href="http://www.irs.gov/Businesses/Small-Businesses-&amp;-Self-Employed/How-long-should-I-keep-records%3F">here.</a></li>
<li><strong>Bank Statements </strong>– In most cases, holding on to these for more than one year is not necessary. Additionally, many banks will retain your statements electronically through your online access for this timeframe. That said, if you are comfortable with shredding the documents received via mail immediately, go ahead and do so. Just know that at tax time next year you may have to re-print certain statements.</li>
<li><strong>Retirement and Investment Account Statements</strong> &#8211; Hold on to your monthly statements for one year and keep your annual statement indefinitely if the monthly documents align with the annual document. Additionally, any account documents that are related to contributions you make to retirement accounts or related to taxable investment transactions should be held along with your other tax information.</li>
</ul>
<p>As mentioned, these are general guidelines. If in doubt, gauge your personal level of comfort or feel free to contact us and we can provide you with a quick answer.</p>
<p><strong>Consider Online Storage </strong></p>
<p>This year, it was a personal goal of mine to go paperless with everything I receive (bills, statements, etc.).  Other than the occasional restaurant coupons, my mailbox is empty and I personally love it. That said, going paperless is not for everyone. But, if you are thinking about it, be sure that all of your monthly statements and important documents are saved to your computer and backed up with a program such as Carbonite or directly saved to other online storage platforms such as DropBox. Also, for extra security, be sure that access to your sensitive documents is encrypted with a password that is different from any other password you currently have.</p>
<p>If you are indeed considering any of these suggestions, I encourage you to research all providers thoroughly and know that the price and services vary between companies. <b></b></p>
<p><strong>Change Your Passwords</strong></p>
<p>While some of my online access requires me to change my password every 60 days, the others are begrudgingly changed every April.  Yes, it can be very frustrating – especially when I forget the certain order and characteristics of my new password and inevitably get the security question wrong due to me forgetting what I entered for my first car’s make and model (<i>was it an ‘89 Trooper or a 1989 Isuzu Trooper?)</i>.  That said, there is a simple solution that is one-step beyond changing the password – create an encrypted Excel spreadsheet, backed up via online storage, with all your passwords and security questions. Alternatively, you may consider using online password manager software (LastPass is my personal favorite).  Finally, always remember that the word “password” is never a good password.</p>
<p>I hope that you find these few considerations helpful if you do indeed decide to take on a spring cleaning and organization of your personal and financial records. As with any project, I am sure the satisfaction of completion will be well worth it in the end!</p>
<p><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">Andrew Gipner is a part of the planning team at Longview Financial Advisors in Huntsville, Alabama.  He is a graduate from the University of Alabama with a Masters in Financial Planning as well as a candidate for CFP Board certification.   Visit <em><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.longviewfa.com/meet_team.html">“Our Team”</a></span></em> to learn more about him and other team members at Longview. Andrew can be reached via e-mail at </span></em><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="mailto:andrew@longviewfa.com">andrew@longviewfa.com.</a></span></span></em></p>
<p><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">Please remember that past performance may not be indicative of future results. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and there can be no assurance that the future performance of any specific investment, investment strategy, or product (including the investments and/or investment strategies recommended or undertaken by Longview Financial Advisors, Inc.), or any non-investment related content, made reference to directly or indirectly in this newsletter or post will be profitable, equal any corresponding indicated historical performance level(s), be suitable for your portfolio or individual situation, or prove successful. Due to various factors, including changing market conditions and/or applicable laws, the content may no longer be reflective of current opinions or positions. Moreover, you should not assume that any discussion or information contained in this newsletter or post serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from Longview Financial Advisors, Inc.. To the extent that a reader has any questions regarding the applicability of any specific issue discussed above to his/her individual situation, he/she is encouraged to consult with the professional advisor of his/her choosing. Longview Financial Advisors, Inc. is neither a law firm nor a certified public accounting firm and no portion of the newsletter or post content should be construed as legal or accounting advice. A copy of the Longview Financial Advisors, Inc.’s current written disclosure statement discussing our advisory services and fees is available for review upon request.</span></em></p>
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		<title>April 2013 Market Letter</title>
		<link>http://longviewfa.com/blog/april-2013-market-letter/</link>
		<comments>http://longviewfa.com/blog/april-2013-market-letter/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 10 Apr 2013 19:46:17 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Investment]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://longviewfa.com/blog/?p=592</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[&#8220;And one other thing: you have to be willing to look wrong for a while.&#8221;                                                    &#8230; <a href="http://longviewfa.com/blog/april-2013-market-letter/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: right;" align="center"><a href="http://longviewfa.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/cedarholm-cond.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-430" alt="cedarholm cond" src="http://longviewfa.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/cedarholm-cond-150x150.jpg" width="150" height="150" /></a><i>&#8220;And one other thing: you have to be willing to look wrong for a while.&#8221;</i>                                                        -Howard Marks, Oaktree Capital</p>
<p>By now, most of you know when it comes to investing, we generally prefer active fund managers as opposed to passive, or index investing.  Sometimes index funds work very well, such as the phenomenon of low volatility investing. And then there is the argument that index funds, usually in the form of exchange traded funds (ETFs), are less expensive and more tax efficient.</p>
<p>But as allocators of risk capital, yours and our own, it makes sense to study long term, high performing investment managers (or better yet, management teams) and compare them over time to their respective index.  Markets usually move on three things: 1) global economic conditions, 2) corporate valuations and 3) investor psychology.  It is at market tops and bottoms, when the “greed and fear” factors of investor psychology are at their greatest, that we see the most value being added by active managers.  As markets go up, well, let the good times roll! And as they fall, well, things are bad and will never get any better.  Indices mirror this human behavior, but good managers usually don’t.</p>
<p>It’s not news to any of you that the U.S. markets have been on an incredible bull run, both last year and through the first quarter of this year.  This is despite a lackluster U.S. economy, which generally has been the best performing in the developed world.  Our research leads us to conclude that our market has gotten ahead of itself, overbought, so to speak, and needs to rest.  As I write this on April 5<sup>th</sup>, the jobs report widely missed the economic consensus forecast, so we are seeing the beginning of a pullback and the return of some volatility.</p>
<p>Some of the managers we employ stay fully invested during a downturn and use the volatility to either add to existing positions at lower prices or to pick up new bargains. But some, like the management team of First Eagle Global, slowly raise their cash position as the markets climb.  The primary reason for this is that as the markets get more expensive, the higher prices conflict with their discipline and they can find nothing to buy that meets their value criteria.  It is not unusual to see their cash allocation at 20 -25% of their asset base at a market top.  This strategy of being disciplined buyers slows their returns slightly as markets reach for a top, but it also gives them a natural cushion as markets retreat. It also gives them plenty of “dry powder” to use as bargains become available in a lower market.  This strategy is one that has worked well for them for over thirty years, and is most “un – index” like, but tends to smooth the jagged tops and bottoms of the market.</p>
<p>We know that index funds, whether they cover a broad market index or a tiny sliver of an individual market sector, are a daily reflection of the markets’ progress.  This must be correct because it presents a summation of not only global economic health and individual corporate health, but also a snapshot of the underlying investor sentiment that day.  Yet we also know that our active managers have choices:  they can choose to hold what they consider are the best stocks or bonds, or can hold abundant cash if need be.  Because of these choices, good active managers tend to outperform over long periods of time, and often do so with much less market risk.</p>
<p>In closing, if we go back to Howard Marks’ quote about “looking wrong”, we often do.  We are willingly to “look wrong” sometimes in order to achieve good long term results with less risk.  As always, thank you for being clients and for your continued confidence in the Longview team.</p>
<p><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">Jeffrey Cedarholm is the Chief Investment Officer at Longview Financial Advisors, Inc.  He is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ practitioner with a passion for investment and wealth management. Jeff can be reached via e-mail at </span></em><em></em><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="mailto:jeff@longviewfa.com">jeff@longviewfa.com.</a></span></span></em></p>
<p><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">Please remember that past performance may not be indicative of future results. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and there can be no assurance that the future performance of any specific investment, investment strategy, or product (including the investments and/or investment strategies recommended or undertaken by Longview Financial Advisors, Inc.), or any non-investment related content, made reference to directly or indirectly in this newsletter or post will be profitable, equal any corresponding indicated historical performance level(s), be suitable for your portfolio or individual situation, or prove successful. Due to various factors, including changing market conditions and/or applicable laws, the content may no longer be reflective of current opinions or positions. Moreover, you should not assume that any discussion or information contained in this newsletter or post serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from Longview Financial Advisors, Inc.. To the extent that a reader has any questions regarding the applicability of any specific issue discussed above to his/her individual situation, he/she is encouraged to consult with the professional advisor of his/her choosing. Longview Financial Advisors, Inc. is neither a law firm nor a certified public accounting firm and no portion of the newsletter or post content should be construed as legal or accounting advice. A copy of the Longview Financial Advisors, Inc.’s current written disclosure statement discussing our advisory services and fees is available for review upon request.</span></em></p>
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		<title>Form ADV and Privacy Policy</title>
		<link>http://longviewfa.com/blog/updated-form-adv-and-privacy-policy/</link>
		<comments>http://longviewfa.com/blog/updated-form-adv-and-privacy-policy/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 10 Apr 2013 19:37:06 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[General]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Longview Happenings]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://longviewfa.com/blog/?p=586</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Each year, Longview reviews and updates its privacy policy and SEC disclosure form (Form ADV) to ensure we are continuing to meet the appropriate regulatory policies and procedures. The privacy policy information has not changed from the previous year and &#8230; <a href="http://longviewfa.com/blog/updated-form-adv-and-privacy-policy/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Each year, Longview reviews and updates its privacy policy and SEC disclosure form (Form ADV) to ensure we are continuing to meet the appropriate regulatory policies and procedures. The privacy policy information has not changed from the previous year and the only change to our Form ADV is that we have increased our financial planning and wealth management annual minimum fee to $7,500 for new clients. Existing clients are not affected by this change. Both forms can be accessed <a title="here." href="http://www.longviewfa.com/client_center.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</p>
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		<title>Longview&#8217;s Huntsville office is moving!</title>
		<link>http://longviewfa.com/blog/longviews-huntsville-office-is-moving/</link>
		<comments>http://longviewfa.com/blog/longviews-huntsville-office-is-moving/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 27 Feb 2013 21:36:52 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Longview Happenings]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://longviewfa.com/blog/?p=576</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[As of March 1st, our Huntsville office will officially be moved into the new office, located at 2430 L&#38;N Drive, Suite A, Huntsville, AL 35801.  Updated directions and a new link to map the location are expected to be posted &#8230; <a href="http://longviewfa.com/blog/longviews-huntsville-office-is-moving/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>As of March 1st, our Huntsville office will officially be moved into the new office, located at 2430 L&amp;N Drive, Suite A, Huntsville, AL 35801.  Updated directions and a new link to map the location are expected to be posted on our website under the “Contact Us” tab by Friday.</p>
<p>The new office is just a few blocks south of our current location, but we will have more space there and feel like the building and surroundings will be a great fit.  We hope that you agree and, for those in the Huntsville area, we look forward to showing it to you at your next meeting.</p>
<p>Best,</p>
<p><em>Longview Team</em></p>
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		<title>Preparing for the Catastrophic</title>
		<link>http://longviewfa.com/blog/preparing-for-the-catastrophic/</link>
		<comments>http://longviewfa.com/blog/preparing-for-the-catastrophic/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 27 Feb 2013 21:34:28 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[General]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Insurance]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://longviewfa.com/blog/?p=566</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[By Jessica Hovis Smith, CFP®, CLU®, CPWA® Director of Financial Planning A couple weeks ago, I received some devastating news &#8211; family friends lost their home and everything they owned to a fire. Luckily, they, along with their two dogs &#8230; <a href="http://longviewfa.com/blog/preparing-for-the-catastrophic/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em><a href="http://longviewfa.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/jessica-pic-scale-down.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-206" title="jessica pic scale down" src="http://longviewfa.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/jessica-pic-scale-down-e1336059568300-123x150.jpg" alt="Jessica Hovis Smith" width="123" height="150" /></a></em></p>
<p><em>By Jessica Hovis Smith, CFP®, CLU®, CPWA®</em><br />
<em></em><em>Director of Financial Planning</em></p>
<p>A couple weeks ago, I received some devastating news &#8211; family friends lost their home and everything they owned to a fire. Luckily, they, along with their two dogs were able to get out of the house unharmed. In the weeks following, I’ve been thinking about my own family and whether we’d be prepared in the case of a fire, tornado or any other catastrophe. Have I done the things I preach to my clients like making a list of all valuables and videotaping my belongings? I did…once, but that was a couple years ago before we had moved into our current home.  That information is really outdated now.  Thanks to my lack of cooking skills, the one thing I know for sure about my new home is that the smoke detectors do work. So, in an attempt to get my own house in order, I’ve compiled a list of important “to-dos” <strong>NOW</strong> when there seems to be no time to do it and a million more important things on my list. I’m sure you know what I mean, but what doesn’t seem like the most important use of your time now may just be the best thing you ever did for your family! I’d like to share my list with you below.</p>
<ol>
<li>Know where your smoke detectors are and test them regularly. (Smoke detectors should be replaced every 10 years.)</li>
<li>Know where your fire extinguisher is and how to use it.</li>
<li>Identify at least two escape routes from your home and ensure that each member of the household is familiar with these. If you have children, you may even want to perform drills to make sure they understand safety procedures and the escape route.</li>
<li>Videotape or take pictures of the contents of your home. Don’t just focus on the big items. Open drawers and film all items, especially those of value, like jewelry, antiques, art, etc.</li>
<li>Create a written inventory of your assets to accompany the videotape or pictures.</li>
<li>Create a list of important usernames, passwords, phone numbers, medications or any other data that could be lost or destroyed.</li>
<li>In order for 4-6 above to be useful, you need to keep this information in a safe place. Invest in a fire-proof safe or a safety deposit box. In addition, keep all important documents like wills, Social Security cards, birth certificates, etc. in the safe or safety deposit box.</li>
<li>Look into online backup storage for your computers.  There are many options these days, which include Mozy, Carbonite, Justcloud, and Dropbox to name a few.</li>
<li>Last, but surely not least, periodically review your insurance to ensure it still meets your needs. Don’t just focus on the homeowner’s policy, but also consider your valuables (jewelry, furs, antiques, etc.) and whether any of them should be covered by their own property policy.</li>
</ol>
<p>I hope you find this list useful as you begin to get your own house in order. It will take time and patience, but it will be invaluable if you do face a catastrophe.</p>
<p><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">Jessica Hovis Smith is the director of financial planning at Longview Financial Advisors, Inc.  She is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® practitioner with extensive experience and expertise in insurance and retirement planning.  Visit <em><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.longviewfa.com/meet_team.html">“Our Team”</a></span></em> to learn more about her and other team members at Longview. Jessica can be reached via e-mail at </span></em><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="mailto:jessica@longviewfa.com">jessica@longviewfa.com.</a></span></span></em></p>
<p><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">Please remember that past performance may not be indicative of future results. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and there can be no assurance that the future performance of any specific investment, investment strategy, or product (including the investments and/or investment strategies recommended or undertaken by Longview Financial Advisors, Inc.), or any non-investment related content, made reference to directly or indirectly in this newsletter or post will be profitable, equal any corresponding indicated historical performance level(s), be suitable for your portfolio or individual situation, or prove successful. Due to various factors, including changing market conditions and/or applicable laws, the content may no longer be reflective of current opinions or positions. Moreover, you should not assume that any discussion or information contained in this newsletter or post serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from Longview Financial Advisors, Inc.. To the extent that a reader has any questions regarding the applicability of any specific issue discussed above to his/her individual situation, he/she is encouraged to consult with the professional advisor of his/her choosing. Longview Financial Advisors, Inc. is neither a law firm nor a certified public accounting firm and no portion of the newsletter or post content should be construed as legal or accounting advice. A copy of the Longview Financial Advisors, Inc.’s current written disclosure statement discussing our advisory services and fees is available for review upon request.</span></em></p>
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		<title>January 2013 Market Letter</title>
		<link>http://longviewfa.com/blog/january-2013-market-letter/</link>
		<comments>http://longviewfa.com/blog/january-2013-market-letter/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 22 Jan 2013 21:52:31 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Investment]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://longviewfa.com/blog/?p=557</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[“The riskiest thing in the investment world is the belief that there’s no risk.” Howard Marks, Oaktree Capital I think most of you will agree with the old saying that “you are what you eat.”  Just look around the world &#8230; <a href="http://longviewfa.com/blog/january-2013-market-letter/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://longviewfa.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/cedarholm-cond.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-430" title="cedarholm cond" src="http://longviewfa.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/cedarholm-cond-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: left;" align="center"><em>“The riskiest thing in the investment world is the belief that there’s no risk.”</em></p>
<p style="text-align: right;" align="center">Howard Marks, Oaktree Capital</p>
<p>I think most of you will agree with the old saying that “you are what you eat.”  Just look around the world at wealth levels of societies and their locals.  A broad generalization is that those societies who are wealthier are heavier, with the generalized exception of those coastal populations who tend to eat a healthier diet of fish.  In the investment world, it could be said that you are what you read, although this is also a broad generalization complete with much background noise. In Howard Marks’ latest newsletter, he writes quite frankly about investment cycles, past and present, investor psychology and behavior, again past and present, and lastly, the importance of risk and the prudence of controlling investment risk.  Cycles do happen in investing where you can almost compare bull and bear markets to daylight and dark.  The last dark cycle was so deep that many stock investors have been afraid to come back into the market, at least until now.  The S &amp; P 500 is up over 100% above its low in early 2009, and only now do individuals show a renewed interest in buying equities.  Many see the return of the individual investor as the beginning of the end of this cycle; certainly it is a sign of a heightened appetite for risk assets.  There are also other signs, such as Bank of America’s roll-out of an aggressive new mortgage lending program, and the much increased use of leverage in private equity deal making. While large capitalization stocks are still fairly priced, some mid-cap and small-cap indices have already hit all-time highs.  Don’t get me wrong, I like a bull party as much as anyone, but as Marks writes, a time for caution may be in order.</p>
<p>As the signs crop up for a little more risk control in the stock markets, the bond markets are way ahead of their equity brethren in terms of being at high risk levels.  The U.S. Federal Reserve Bank, along with most other central banks around the western world, has kept a low interest rate policy for four years now.  They have “forced” fixed income investors farther out on the risk curve looking for better yields. I get the feeling that many of the these investors understand the inherent risk they are taking in reaching for higher yields, but feel they have been forced into participating in Bernanke’s strategy of recreating wealth through risk assets. Paul Volcker, back in the early 1980’s, had a similarly mammoth task of fighting runaway inflation, certainly different than the deflation problem Bernanke has tackled.  But in both cases, there was a growing budget deficit caused by tax cuts and high Congressional spending.  Volcker created much pain by putting the U.S. economy into recession by raising interest rates above 15%, but he did something else just as important.  After inflation began to moderate, he held rates relatively high, forcing Congress to focus on the growing federal deficit because the country couldn&#8217;t afford to pay those high rates of interest.  It worked and the U.S. economy enjoyed an unparalleled period of prosperity from 1984 through the late 1990’s.  One can only hope our current officials read Volcker’s new biography.</p>
<p>Many of you know we have a preference for using small mutual funds where the owners of the fund have a substantial stake of their own money at risk.  In other words, they are “eating their own cooking.”  Our experience is that these funds tend to have very focused, high performing management teams.  The downside of this strategy is they also tend to close the funds sooner than later, knowing that they cannot effectively deploy huge influxes of cash.  So it is with our emerging markets selection; representatives of the Virtus Emerging Markets Opportunity Fund called us about two weeks ago saying the fund would close at the end of January.  The next day, Morningstar named the manager, Ravi Jain, international mutual fund manager of the year.  We have enjoyed and hopefully will continue to enjoy our relationship with Ravi and his team, but primarily because, as Howard Marks preaches, he has factored risk control into his methodology.  Congratulations to him, and continued thanks to you for your ongoing confidence in the people of Longview.</p>
<p><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">Jeffrey Cedarholm is the Chief Investment Officer at Longview Financial Advisors, Inc.  He is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® practitioner with a passion for investment and wealth management. Jeff can be reached via e-mail at </span></em><em></em><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="mailto:jeff@longviewfa.com">jeff@longviewfa.com.</a></span></span></em></p>
<p><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">Please remember that past performance may not be indicative of future results. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and there can be no assurance that the future performance of any specific investment, investment strategy, or product (including the investments and/or investment strategies recommended or undertaken by Longview Financial Advisors, Inc.), or any non-investment related content, made reference to directly or indirectly in this newsletter or post will be profitable, equal any corresponding indicated historical performance level(s), be suitable for your portfolio or individual situation, or prove successful. Due to various factors, including changing market conditions and/or applicable laws, the content may no longer be reflective of current opinions or positions. Moreover, you should not assume that any discussion or information contained in this newsletter or post serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from Longview Financial Advisors, Inc.. To the extent that a reader has any questions regarding the applicability of any specific issue discussed above to his/her individual situation, he/she is encouraged to consult with the professional advisor of his/her choosing. Longview Financial Advisors, Inc. is neither a law firm nor a certified public accounting firm and no portion of the newsletter or post content should be construed as legal or accounting advice. A copy of the Longview Financial Advisors, Inc.’s current written disclosure statement discussing our advisory services and fees is available for review upon request.</span></em></p>
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		<title>Fiscal Cliff Resolution</title>
		<link>http://longviewfa.com/blog/fiscal-cliff-resolution-3/</link>
		<comments>http://longviewfa.com/blog/fiscal-cliff-resolution-3/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 02 Jan 2013 20:40:48 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Tax]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://longviewfa.com/blog/?p=535</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[By Jessica Hovis Smith, CFP®, CLU®, CPWA® Director of Financial Planning Late Tuesday, Congress passed legislation to extend the Bush tax cuts permanently for individuals earning less than $400,000 a year or married couples earning less than $450,000. Here are &#8230; <a href="http://longviewfa.com/blog/fiscal-cliff-resolution-3/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em><a href="http://longviewfa.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/jessica-pic-scale-down.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-206" title="jessica pic scale down" src="http://longviewfa.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/jessica-pic-scale-down-e1336059568300-123x150.jpg" alt="Jessica Hovis Smith" width="123" height="150" /></a></em></p>
<p><em>By Jessica Hovis Smith, CFP®, CLU®, CPWA®<br />
</em><em>Director of Financial Planning</em></p>
<p>Late Tuesday, Congress passed legislation to extend the Bush tax cuts permanently for individuals earning less than $400,000 a year or married couples earning less than $450,000.</p>
<p>Here are some of the most important provisions of this bill:</p>
<p><strong>•Tax Rates:</strong> As mentioned above, current tax rates are extended for everyone making below $400,000 and couples making below $450,000. For those over these limits, the top tax rate increases from 35% to 39.6%.</p>
<p>•<strong>Capital Gains and Dividends Tax:</strong> Capital gains and dividend tax rates increase from 15% to 20% for those individuals making over $400,000 and couples making over $450,000. For those in the lowest two tax brackets, the rate is still 0%.  For all others in between, it remains at 15%.</p>
<p>•<strong>Alternative Minimum Tax:</strong> The AMT exemption patch is extended for 2012 to $50,600 for individuals and $78,750 for married couples.</p>
<p>•<strong>Social Security Tax:</strong> Social Security withholding on wages increases back to the pre-2010 rate of 6.2%.</p>
<p>•<strong>Itemized Deduction Phase Out</strong>: There is a phaseout of itemized deductions and personal exemptions for those who make more than $250,000 as an individual or $300,000 as a married couple.</p>
<p>•<strong>3.8% Medicare Tax on Investment Income:</strong> The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“Obamacare”) included a 3.8% Medicare tax on the lesser of net investment income or total income over $200,000 for individuals and $250,000 for married couples. The fiscal cliff deal does not change this.</p>
<p>•<strong>Estate Tax:</strong> The estate and gift tax exclusion amount is $5,000,000, which is indexed for inflation ($5,120,000 in 2012, $5,250,000 in 2013). The highest estate tax rate increases from 35% to 40%. It appears that the portability option also remains.</p>
<p>•<strong>Annual Gift Exclusion:</strong> While not part of this bill, it also worth noting that the IRS announced in 2012 that the 2013 annual gift exclusion will increase from $13,000 to $14,000.</p>
<p>While this last minute bill addresses many tax issues, it does not address sequestration or the debt ceiling. Both of these battles are set to be fought in a couple of months.</p>
<p><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">Jessica Hovis Smith is the director of financial planning at Longview Financial Advisors, Inc.  She is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® practitioner with extensive experience and expertise in insurance and retirement planning.  Visit <em><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.longviewfa.com/meet_team.html">“Our Team”</a></span></em> to learn more about her and other team members at Longview. Jessica can be reached via e-mail at </span></em><em> </em><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="mailto:jessica@longviewfa.com">jessica@longviewfa.com.</a></span></span></em></p>
<p><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">Please remember that past performance may not be indicative of future results. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and there can be no assurance that the future performance of any specific investment, investment strategy, or product (including the investments and/or investment strategies recommended or undertaken by Longview Financial Advisors, Inc.), or any non-investment related content, made reference to directly or indirectly in this newsletter or post will be profitable, equal any corresponding indicated historical performance level(s), be suitable for your portfolio or individual situation, or prove successful. Due to various factors, including changing market conditions and/or applicable laws, the content may no longer be reflective of current opinions or positions. Moreover, you should not assume that any discussion or information contained in this newsletter or post serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from Longview Financial Advisors, Inc.. To the extent that a reader has any questions regarding the applicability of any specific issue discussed above to his/her individual situation, he/she is encouraged to consult with the professional advisor of his/her choosing. Longview Financial Advisors, Inc. is neither a law firm nor a certified public accounting firm and no portion of the newsletter or post content should be construed as legal or accounting advice. A copy of the Longview Financial Advisors, Inc.’s current written disclosure statement discussing our advisory services and fees is available for review upon request.</span></em></p>
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		<title>Holiday Happenings At Longview</title>
		<link>http://longviewfa.com/blog/holiday-happenings-at-longview/</link>
		<comments>http://longviewfa.com/blog/holiday-happenings-at-longview/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 21 Dec 2012 17:17:10 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Longview Happenings]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://longviewfa.com/blog/?p=503</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[As we are accustomed to doing every so often, we would like to share with you some of the latest happenings at Longview during this busy, but exciting holiday season. We want to extend a special welcome to Lincoln Mitchell &#8230; <a href="http://longviewfa.com/blog/holiday-happenings-at-longview/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>As we are accustomed to doing every so often, we would like to share with you some of the latest happenings at Longview during this busy, but exciting holiday season.</p>
<p>We want to extend a special welcome to Lincoln Mitchell Marsden, born October 25, 2012.  Mitch and Sam are making some of the final adjustments welcoming this little one into their home and are finally beginning to get an hour or two of sleep each night!  Congratulations on the recent addition Mitch and Sam!</p>
<p>We also would like to congratulate Jessica for recently completing an intense education series and comprehensive exam in order to obtain the Certified Private Wealth Advisor designation.  This advanced credential has prepared Jessica with the skills and knowledge to deal with unique and complex needs of high-net-worth households.   Congratulations Jessica!</p>
<p>May you enjoy this holiday season with family and loved ones!</p>
<p>Best Wishes,</p>
<p><em>The Longview Team</em></p>
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