Sexton Financial Mentoring

Debt payments can be paralyzing to your desired lifestyle. The opportunity cost of “paying it off later” is that you’re locked into the cycle for long periods of time and prevented from enjoying the present. The biggest lie you tell yourself is that you’ll be happy with this one thing and won’t want anything new until it’s paid off. Stop doing that. Pay off the debt and don’t get caught in the trap again. It won’t feel good, but it will be worth it in the end.

The harder you hit it, the faster you git it!

….and we can help with that 👍🏼

Happy Father’s Day!

When people hear “financial advisor” they often immediately think “investment advisor” because so many advisors are focused on managing your wealth for a hefty fee. While investment planning is an important service we offer, it’s but one of many. What’s the point of investment planning if you’re neglecting the basics like budgeting and household planning? We advise starting from the ground up! Developing a strong household budget is the baseline for all other financial planning, but many people struggle with the process. How about those company 401k options? What’s the best option? We can help with that too!

PM for a free consultation!

Sometimes a client comes along who is just extra fun to work with. No debt, aggressive retirement savings, leftover monthly income. You may ask, then why do they need an advisor? Well, it can be overwhelming to lack direction and wonder if you’re doing what’s best with your money. We can help with that! A full financial review is part of our services and provided to all subscription clients, as well as available ad hoc. Tune-ups are an essential part of financial planning, even when things seem to be going well.

Sacrifice while it’s voluntary…

Small changes in your daily routine can significantly improve your life. These habits seem minor because we adjust to them so easily over time and then suddenly we wonder why we accomplish so little. Don’t try to change everything at once, but start with what you think you can easily stick with and work up from there.

- Turn the TV off. If you want to watch something, be deliberate and turn it back off as soon as you’ve watched what you wanted. Don’t binge watch. Hours will go by before you even realize it.

- Turn social media notifications off. They’re not important and are a major distraction/addiction. Plan a time and an amount of time for social media during your normal non-productive hours, such as in the evening or whenever your usual downtime is. Limit your time to an hour or less. No mindless scrolling.

- Identify your productive time. People are most productive at different times. Do important work when you’re mentally sharp and save entertainment for your downtime hours.

- Make a list. It’s a waste of energy and focus to try to keep your to-do list memorized. Write it down and cross it off when complete.

- Plan your week ahead. Take some time on Sunday evening or just before whenever your week starts and review the week ahead.

- Be present in your focus. If you’re mentally engaged in something, fully engage in that one thing. Multitasking is not productive.

- 64oz of water before noon, 32oz in the afternoon/evening. Hydration cures many things.

- Make time for relaxation and fun. Many times we’re tired, not because of physical exertion, but lack of physical exertion. Make it a point to smile and enjoy part of every day!

Need some guidance with your personal finances, or know someone who does? Sexton Financial Mentoring can help! Unlike most financial advisors who just want to manage wealth, we focus on the basics and start from the ground up. These are just a few of the personalized services we offer. Message us here to get started!

- Consumer behavior
- Household budgeting
- Debt reduction
- Retirement planning
- Investment planning

Yesterday the DJIA had the largest drop in 15 months. To keep perspective, it is still up 18% over 12 months prior. The Nasdaq and S&P500 had less downward movement, partly propped up by Nvidia’s record performance and recent 10:1 stock split.

After setting an intraday record by exceeding 40k two days ago, the DJIA has now set a new closing record, also exceeding 40k.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) passed 40,000 for the first time ever in intraday trading yesterday. Nasdaq and the S&P 500 also posted strong.

The income tax filing deadline is approaching quickly. Do you owe a significant amount and still not sure how you're going to pay it? Before you borrow money from any credit or loan source, consider using the IRS payment plan. The failure to pay penalty is only 0.5% per month (partial months included as full months) and if you set up a payment plan the penalty is reduced to 0.25% per month. It's likely you will pay a much higher rate borrowing money or using credit cash access. There is a 180 day plan that has $0 setup fee and no scheduled payments as long as it is paid by the end of the term. The other plan is long-term and includes a setup fee and required if you owe more than $25k. Another benefit is that using the IRS payment plan does not get reported to the credit bureau, unlike loans and credit use.

To learn more and to apply, visit the IRS Payment Plan website below.

Online payment agreement application | Internal Revenue Service The IRS Online Payment Agreement system lets you apply and receive approval for a payment plan to pay off your balance over time.

https://www.netflix.com/title/80118100?source=35

Watch Dirty Money | Netflix Official Site From crippling payday loans to cars that cheat emissions tests, this investigative series exposes brazen acts of corporate greed and corruption.

https://youtu.be/nN55aImFr-o?si=1VHqZqJpBNzEAsD6

Generation Zero Full Documentary | Citizens United - Documentaries

https://youtu.be/LJkljVZ_M3w?si=9R-mMw8JcRaF6qKK

Money For Nothing Inside The Federal Reserve Nearly 100 years after its creation, the power of the U.S. Federal Reserve has never been greater. Markets and governments around the world hold their breath...

https://youtu.be/Zvs10rN-DoE?si=NyaOOPTmfUnC57PZ

MAXED OUT A Documentary on PREDATORY Lending Maxed Out: Hard Times, Easy Credit and the Era of Predatory Lenders (2006) is an independent feature-length documentary film and (2007) book that

Back to back record highs for the Dow and the S&P 500 closing yesterday and today. Nasdaq still on the verge at 0.38% to current record.

New record high closings for the Dow and S&P 500, while the Nasdaq gets within 0.1% of its record high.

After close yesterday the Nasdaq sits just 66.88 points (0.4%) away from its record high

The Dow and S&P 500 set new closing record highs today. The Nasdaq is less than 3% from reaching its new record high.

The Dow Jones Indistrial Average (DJIA) set intraday and closing records today. All 3 indexes are in or near record territory.

The S&P 500 set a record at closing on Friday, January 19 with a volume of 4839.81, and is currently at its record intraday volume of 4855.06. All 3 major indices are in near-record territory.

And that’s a new record close for the Dow

You are the greatest project you will ever work on

Home appointments available every Wednesday from 8am - 2pm within the 217 area code. Message today to book yours.

If companies were simply passing along the increased input costs, profits would remain the same. Instead, they’re using inflation as a cover while they pick your pocket.

Accepting new clients! Do you need help budgeting your money? Eliminating debt? Retirement or tax planning? PM us today!

Interest is the premium you pay for impatience and the fee for poor planning

Seriously though, how could you expect big banks to survive on a paltry $93B annually from a single revenue stream? Give them a break why don’t ya! This will come straight out of your pocket as businesses fold the increase into already inflated prices.

Visa, Mastercard are about to make changes customers really won't like The credit card companies are looking to increase their revenue.

https://fortune.com/recommends/investing/chatgpt-vs-real-financial-advisor-to-plan-retirement-which-is-better/

I pitted ChatGPT against a real financial advisor to help me save for retirement—and the winner is clear ChatGPT could revolutionize financial planning, but it won't replace human guidance.