What will you find within these pages? Intentional living. Deliberate choices infused with purpose for a better outcome. It’s not complex, but sometimes the execution of the details can be testing. That could include what you eat, how you manage your finances, or the people you choose (or don’t choose) to have in your life. Many of our topics in this issue require the practice of intentional living. Our Cover story tackles transitioning from a work identity to a retirement identity. First, and possibly the hardest, is accepting that change so you can lead a purpose-driven retirement. This feature article sheds light and humor on how to do just that.

If you were to weave a thread through the Fall issue, you’d discover the smaller unseen contributions that support the more significant deeds that stand out in the open. Their connections lead to a greater good. The Cover article focuses on assistive technology that’s letting older adults reclaim their independence. Education plays a significant role in driving such advancements, and Family shows how a 529 plan can secure your family’s educational needs for generations to come.

Rob Legenhausen is an Orlando, Florida-based financial advisor. With over 20 years of experience in the financial industry, Rob has built a reputation as a knowledgeable and trusted advisor to his clients. In this blog post, we will explore Rob's credentials, abilities, and how he may assist you in achieving your financial objectives.

There are many investments you can use to drive the Dividend Lifestyle. Dividend Lifestyle equals Freedom, pure and simple.  Freedom from the trap of trading time for money because you have enough smart investments which produce enough passive income to sustain your lifestyle. 

Happy New Year! 2023 still feels weird to say, like the Jetsons or something, but we’re here now like it or not so let’s approach the new year with a mindset of health, happiness, grace, and make it your best year ever! Fun fact-Did you know the old cartoon series “The Jetsons" predicted autonomous vehicles, FaceTime, and Zoom? Pretty cool, huh? I hear "The Simpson's" also made some eerily correct predictions about the future that came to fruition.

My Grandpa was not a wealthy man, in fact he was a blue collar maintenance  man working in an oil factory where crude was refined into gasoline.  He was just a hard honest worker and a good saver.  My Dad was the same.  Me, I grew up middle class, and did not know at the time that we did not have many of the luxuries that my son today thinks is normal.

My hope for you, the reader, is that you now feel like an insider in the industry of investments, Wall Street, and retirement. I want you to feel empowered that you now understand how it works. You understand what is available to you, and with the right guidance of a professional advisor and Fiduciary who has experience with the Dividend Lifestyle, you can have access to these investment strategies.

The biggest thing we provide to our clients and their families is confidence and clarity. I’m extraordinarily honest and transparent when speaking with clients or potential clients about the investment business. Being brutally honest seems to resonate with people in a world of bait-and-switch marketing. 

I have a lot of folks who approach me and ask what the process is and how it works. They may be interested in reducing their investment expenses, pursuing stronger risk-adjusted returns, or reducing tax drag. Maybe they saw me speaking live at an event, saw a video on YouTube that I produced, or were referred by an existing “evangelical” client (I love those).

Mutual funds can be a good way to save for retirement. Mutual funds are good to start with if you don’t have a lot of money, or maybe you’re a young person saving in a 401(k) plan at work. Yes, mutual funds are fine in those cases, especially in a 401(k) or IRA, because those are tax-deferred vehicles. You’re not going to get whacked with all the distribution of capital gains, taxes, etc.

The biggest mistakes include losing sight of the long-term plan and getting distracted by things you might read or the content you consume. In our ever-expanding mobile world, the videos that pop up on your favorite social media sites are distracting to your long-term investment goals. My wife Jenn enjoys TikTok very much. I can’t get into it, but I digress.

I hear some retirees who say, “I’m saving everything for my kids and grandkids; I want to leave everything to my heirs, so they never have to worry about money the way I did growing up,” Then we have some retirees who say, “Heck no, I made it, I’m going to spend it. I want to enjoy myself to the max, and my goal is to die as I spend my last dollar!” Frankly, there is no right or wrong answer. Personally, I do believe in the idea of making the next generation work hard and not feel entitled.

When you live the Dividend Lifestyle in retirement, you enjoy a predictable income stream that keeps up with and often beats inflation. Home Depot stock is a great example. Home Depot stock has increased its dividend by 10% per year on average for the past decade. If their dividend was 40 cents 10 years ago, they bumped it to 44, then 49, then 55 and so on. It results in a 10% a year increase in dividends, which means a 10% increase in income every year for the retiree.

The ‘ah-ha’ moment is tough to have in dividend investing because it doesn’t happen overnight. It’s such a long, drawn-out process. It doesn’t get exciting until you’ve been doing it for so long that you’re no longer excitable in some cases! The Chinese are known to be very strategic in their thinking. Economically, militarily, and politically, they are patient, and they always play the long game waiting things out until the time is right. I’m not suggesting you buy Alibaba stock, but as dividend investors, we could benefit from their temperament and long-term way of thinking.