H&H Newsletter (November 2022)

Happy Thanksgiving

We can all agree that it’s been a pretty unique year—an almost continuation of the prior two. And while the uncertainty and stress of the past few months may have resulted in some challenges, I think we can all agree that these challenges can produce something positive. Maybe your family went through a difficult time, but you were able to lean on a friend for support, and now your bond is stronger because of the shared experience. Perhaps your work environment continues to change due to COVID-19 protocols, but you became more creative on getting your work done. Or maybe you simply realized the amongst the chaos of this year, you have a lot to be thankful for—even when the world seems a bit off-kilter.

This Thanksgiving we’re grateful for the good people in our lives, the places we’ve seen, our clientele and team, and the memories we’ve made along the way. We hope you and your loved ones have a season full of laughter, joy, and togetherness, both through the holiday season and throughout the coming year!

From our families to yours—

H&H Financial Group

We Are Moving

In case you didn’t hear the news, our Horseheads office is relocating later this year! We are incredibly grateful for this opportunity and cannot wait to share this step of our journey with you. We promise to remain loyal to our promises—a superb client experience, every client, every time. Our Facebook page is an excellent resource for timely updates, but will be sharing more in future newsletters as well: www.facebook.com/theHHFG.

H&H Financial Group

H&H Financial Group

Aunt Karen’s Corn Casserole Recipe

Here is a copy of the recipe for Aunt Karen’s Famous Corn Casserole—a family favorite! (shhh… top secret!) Great last-minute idea in case you’re looking for inspiration:

Ingredients:

  • ½ cup butter, melted
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1 16 oz. can whole kernel corn, drained
  • 1 16 oz. can cream corn
  • 1 16 oz sour cream
  • 1 9 oz box corn muffin mix

Directions:

Combine all ingredients, adding the muffin mix last. Pour into a greased 11 X 7 baking dish and bake at 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes until lightly browned and the center is set. This is a great dish for holidays. We usually double the recipe for the Herrington Thanksgiving buffet!

H&H Financial Group collage

H&HFG Team News

Gratitude & Gravy: What We’re Grateful For & Most Excited To Eat!

Kyle Herrington

Co-Founder & Senior Partner

Fave Food: Gravy

I am most grateful for my family’s good health. It may sound like a cliché, but you have nothing if you don’t have your health.

Manda Lewis

Partner & Financial Advisor

Fave Food: Stuffing & Apple Pie

I am grateful I am physically able to exercise and help keep myself healthy.  I am also thankful for my mind that keeps me hoping, dreaming, thinking and learning. For my friends, my fur babies, my childhood, and my home—I am grateful for relationships and space that bring me such peace and comfort.

Mike Strong

Partner & Financial Advisor

Fave Food: Stuffing

 I am grateful for so much in my life. Being able to get married this year and start the next step of my life. I am so grateful for the progression of the business and being able to get into a new office building.

Samantha Herrington

Director Of Client Experience

Fave Food: Stuffing

I have an amazing husband, who I have the pleasure of sharing my professional life with as well—thank you, Colton, for being my greatest supporter! I see wonder and excitement in the world each and every day through the eyes of our two young daughters. And, for the memories I’ve made this year with those closest to me.

Chelsea Landolf

Client Experience Specialist

Fave Food: Stuffing

I'm grateful that I've been able to take trips and see new places with friends and family. I'm grateful to have been a part of my sister's wedding and all the celebrating leading up to it. I'm also so grateful that later this year I'm going to become an "auntie" when my best friends welcome their son.

Colton Herrington

Partner & Financial Advisor

Fave Food: Party Mix

I am grateful for my family, my wife and two daughters (ages 6 and 1). Through our struggle with infertility, I realized just how much of a miracle Harper was, and am so thankful that she now has a sibling to play with.

Pam Mann

Executive Assistant

Fave Food: Stuffing & Pie

I am grateful for family and friends—especially my three siblings that I am incredible close with. I look forward to my weekly Happy Hour/Book Club gathering where we laugh, swap stories and food, and go on adventures!

Samantha Impson

Director of Case Management

Fave Food: Leftover turkey sandwiches

I am grateful to have been able to spend the summer with family friends. Whether it was camping at the lake with my parents or my friend being able to visit from North Carolina. I'm also grateful to have been able to celebrate my parents 50th wedding anniversary this year.

Luke Herrington

Partner & Financial Advisor

Fave Food: Apple salad and pumpkin pie

This year I’m grateful to have a loving and growing family. My wife, Kristen, supports me in all my endeavors, and I have two boys that are growing up to be little men, that amaze me every day. I’m grateful for learning my success code and focusing on the little things in life that make all the difference.

Jenifer Beschler

Case Manager

Fave Food: Sweet potatoes

This year I am grateful for my health and have learned that I am capable of so much more physically and mentally than I ever thought. I am also grateful for friend and family (pets included) and this beautiful area that I live in.

Zach Herrington

Senior Case Manager

Fave Food: Everything

I am so thankful for the memories made this year, especially while participating in my hobbies. I’ve spent countless weekends in the woods, either participating in outdoorsman sports, or riding dirt bikes. I’m so fortunate for the time I get to spend outside, especially when it’s with my family and friends.

Karen Brancy

Director Of Human Resources

Fave Food: Stuffing

I am so fortunate to have a close bond with my three siblings and get to spend Thanksgiving with our families united. When we say our family’s traditional blessing, it brings tears to our eyes yet fills our hearts because we think of all who came before us, and all the little ones who surround us now, and it all keeps us laughing and reminiscing.

Candy Whiting

Executive Assistant

Fave Food: Cranberry Bread & Green Bean Casserole

At the top of my list is spending time with family and friends—especially my seven grandchildren. I’ve found a happy balance of work and play and love the adventures that their extracurricular activities take me on.

Turkey Talk

Dialogue at the Thanksgiving dinner table is likely to be colorful, no matter who you share the holiday with. There is bound to be a taboo topic brought up, or a relative who stirs up conflict—but, this year we encourage you to be the one who brings positivity and harmony to the conversation. While finances might typically be an off-limits subject, we find that the more transparent you and your family are about finances, the more likely you are to learn from one another. Spreading your knowledge with one another will help ensure you and your family are prepared for the future. Keep reading for tips on what you might discuss.

Be Open & Respectful

While this process may seem awkward at first, making it the norm to discuss your financial wellbeing at the Thanksgiving table will make it easier to ask for advice, grow, and plan for the future. It’s important to remain respectful of everyone’s individual circumstances and you can help guide the conversation, in case it goes astray if you engage with this lens in place.

Don’t Wait Until 2023

You can start the conversation with your financial goals to break the ice. Thanksgiving is a great time to ask your family about their goals for the new year because it allows you to discuss action steps needed to reach them. Even if financial goals are not mentioned, often our finances play a role in how we reach our aspirations. Maybe you might even consider creating accountability partners to help achieve everyone’s dreams.

Organize Your Finances

How do you know if your finances are on track? Spark a conversation about the way you keep your finances organized to make sure you are on target to reach your goals. Consider the following tools as a means of keeping your financial health in check: Credit monitoring services, financial snapshot programs, safe document storage solutions, and budgeting tools should all be a part of your toolbox.

Legacy Planning

Start by asking an elderly family member what they envisioned their future would look like twenty years ago; and, how did their vision change over that time? Use this conversation as a foundation for discussing your outlook and establish realistic steps to help you turn them into your reality. This is a fun way to spark meaningful dialogue, and ease into less pleasant—though necessary—conversations about the possibility of future extended care needs.

Prepare the Next Generation

‘If only I knew then what I do now…’—don’t let this be the mantra of your children’s future. Maybe you’ve already prepared the younger generation financially through trusts or education funds, but they may also benefit from your wisdom. One way to get the conversation started is by asking: “what do you hope to have achieved financially by the time you’re my age?” Then, discuss what it would take for them to get there. It will be fun to see how the conversation evolves over future Thanksgiving dinners.

End of year outlook

First, thanks to all of our clients for your continued trust. We know 2022 has been a rough year for investors. It can be really painful to go through market downturns and volatility like what we’re currently experiencing. If you’re feeling worried or anxious about your finances or feel a punch to your gut when you look at your account values – that’s normal. We’re human – we’re wired to avoid things that could cause us pain, even when we anticipate it will pay off in the future. That’s why we’re here – our job as your advisor is to be your “behavioral coach” and help you make good decisions for your situation based on a sound process.

While we can’t predict the future, we want to remind our clients of a few things that might help you sleep better at night:

First, as always, we are monitoring your accounts and the markets – and we’ll keep you updated if things come up that warrant a change to your accounts.

Second, remember that we’ve set up your allocations for the long-term to support your goals. In the grand scheme of things, we expect this downturn to last for a relatively short period. We invest for a much longer period of time, often over several market cycles.

Finally, we stress test your financial plan against market conditions just like this – we always know it’s a matter of when we see a downturn or volatility, not if, and we plan accordingly.

We became financial advisors because we want to help people, especially when times get tough. So I want to take a moment to say that we’re here for you. We are going to be with you every step of the way to listen, provide perspective and help guide you through a challenging time. If you need anything, please reach out – we’re available for phone calls, online video meetings or emails.

Thanks for putting your trust in our team. We’ll continue to watch out for you.

END OF YEAR CHECKLIST

Have you taken your Required Minimum Distribution? If you are the owner of an IRA and you are 72 years of age or older, you are required to take a minimum distribution before the end of 2022. There are stiff penalties (50% of the distribution) for not taking your distribution before the deadline. If you haven’t taken your distribution, please contact our office and we can assist you.

Have you checked your Flexible Spending Account balance? If your employer plan doesn’t allow rolling money over into the next year you may want to consider spending the balance on qualified expenses so you don’t lose out.

Have you reviewed your 401(k) and IRA contributions? Maximizing the amount you contribute takes advantage of available tax deductions and employer matching contributions.

Have you double-checked your beneficiaries? Reviewing your account beneficiaries is helpful to make sure your preferences are appropriately indicated and remain up-to-date.