Thomas Herlong

Latest Author Features

The Future of Tax Rates — Storm or Hurricane?

Get House in Order NOW We desperately need some good news at this period in life. I have good news for now through 2025 which I will comment on below! While I was already aware of the issues that I will discuss in this article, the need to act ASAP really hit me hard when I read The Power of Zero by David McKnight — I would strongly encourage you to read this book. On the very first page of the first chapter, McKnight quotes David Walker, CPA, former Comptroller General (CPA for the United States), stating that unless future tax rates double, our country could go bankrupt. If you

Facts for Life in 2020

One thing is for certain in life — it goes on. Whether or not a vaccine makes our world safer again, life goes on. The past months have been a wake-up call that demonstrates how little we really control. We all have hopes and dreams for the future, but we are all impacted by current conditions that affect our lifestyle, our workplace, and most definitely our finances. Since the last issue of Bella, we have seen some of the worst and best weeks in market returns. How much of that were you able to control? Unless there is something I am not aware of, the only control that you have

Has the World Really Changed?

Yes. Never before in our lifetimes have we experienced the shutdown of businesses across the globe that we have seen in recent weeks. Never before have schools closed across our nation. Never before have sports events of all types been cancelled. Never before have we as a nation been confined to our homes and experienced this type of isolation. No. As long as our hearts are beating and our brains are working, change is as constant as life itself. The financial world has never been static and will always react to the perceived analysis and emotions of both domestic and global conditions. Throughout history, the market has recovered and grown

Serious Money Matters and Brain Food

In nearly thirty years of working as a financial advisor, I have never witnessed more uncertainty in so many areas that impact investments. The financial crisis in 2008 was serious and we saw tremendous volatility, but it was more concentrated directly with mortgage and banking related concerns. The objective of having some assets in a position that are unaffected by market volatility is a discussion that I always have. I can also state that most people do not give this suggestion much concern because we focus on recent events. We are very aware that market returns in general were outstanding for 2019. We are emotional beings and our brains are

Think Inside the Box

It’s outside what you expect The spaceship that I was driving must have been going a million miles per hour. At eight years old, I was enjoying the man in the moon while avoiding being seen by the Martians. It was a wonderful trip, and my box had once again made the exciting journey possible. Only moments later, I was in another world of adventure and my cabin (box) was protecting me from all the wild animals and possible spies in the surrounding forest. I had food and supplies for several days and could survive the storms, which were brutal at times. My box was my world of imagination and

2020 Financial Vision

Where do you want to be at the end of 2020, or three years from now, or five years from now? One of the basic needs that we desire for making good decisions is clarity. Until my mid-forties, I had 20/20 vision. Today, clarity comes with the help of my glasses. Sometimes we need a professional to help with clarity in other matters of life. When it comes to making decisions about investing for the future, clarity is a challenge. Just read my article from December. Multiple money managers were recommending that we prepare for single digit returns in 2020 and that volatility could be significant. That could still be

Money Matters | As 2019 Closes & 2020 Begins

What to Expect? You Need to Know! We have just experienced one of the best years of investment performance, and that is both good and bad. It is good if you benefited from the performance, but it can be bad if you don’t face the reality of what 2020 and the future can bring. How many times have you heard that past performance does not indicate future performance? I don’t want to throw cold water on your parade, but there are clouds on the horizon that we should pay attention to. In our firm, we often consult with a financial analyst who communicates with multiple money managers each week to

Gifts that Keep on Giving

Stress. Time-consuming shopping. Expenses. Appreciation or lack thereof. Confusion. Do you associate any of these thoughts with Christmas? Most people do, and that is really sad when you consider why we celebrate this holiday. Not a day goes by that I do not think about financial matters. That is what I do for a living and I am passionate about what I do along with the members of our firm. We care about our clients, our families, friends, and community. Serving on four different foundation boards, I accepted the responsibility to support the mission of those foundations. As President of the Aiken Symphony Orchestra, I believe that the organization provides

How to Bring an End to Family Tradition$ (Or Keep Them Going)

The laughter of children playing with siblings and cousins at a family gathering while the turkey and dressing is placed on the table is a wonderful memory. The young mother has put the baby down for a nap, and now we all enjoy a wonderful meal and a great time of fellowship. The parents and grandparents are so proud to see the family together and you can see their happiness in sharing this memory together. I am probably not the only one that was able to share some special times like this when our children were young and we look back on those memories. A few years have passed and

The Art of Money

“We can’t predict, but we can prepare.” The real economic issues that matter are what is going on in your world – your family and the career that you are involved in. Quebec, Canada is a beautiful city this time of year. I was fortunate to enjoy a few days there last month for a business meeting. Artists had their art works displayed along the streets. Flower boxes filled with beautiful flowers lined the windows of many homes and businesses. Even the people on the streets were exceptionally friendly. It was France in North America. In a few months the atmosphere will be very different. They told me that snow