As I have mentioned previously, I listen a dozen podcasts weekly…and hundreds annually. Carl Richards is one that I listen to (called “Behavior Gap Radio”), and many people know him from his famous sketches. The one mentioned here is a great one, and I love how he details the rationale about what an advisor does for him (and he is in the financial business!). Most of my clients (ok, ALL of my clients) are very smart people, and many know a lot about personal finance and investing. But as Carl points out, it’s pretty important to have an independent third party standing the way of the client doing something “stupid”. I couldn’t agree more – if you take your financial life seriously, why not hire someone to help keep you accountable and focused on the road ahead? This is a good, quick read… and be sure to search “Carl Richards sketches” online to see more of his awesome and telling drawings. It’s Disability Insurance Awareness Month (RealityCheckup.org) I would venture to say that not many people know that the month of May is Disability Insurance Awareness Month. People in the insurance industry are raising awareness of the important of “income protection”, also known as “disability insurance”. Working adults should have disability insurance in the event they need to leave work for an extended period of time. Don’t think this could happen to you? You are not alone – in fact, most people significantly underestimate their risk for disability. Here’s a stat that should grab your attention: the Social Security Administration says that more than one in four of today’s 20-year-olds will be out of work for 12 months or more for a variety of reasons before they retire. Wow – that’s a 25% chance of it happening to someone during their working years. Another interesting point I would share is that most people consider “disabled” as physically injured, from accidents, fractures, etc. But in actuality, the most common disabilities include skin/bone diseases, complications from pregnancy, and mental health challenges (depression, anxiety disorders, etc.). So these are real risks, and as many of us know, very prevalent. And let’s be honest, cancer is all around us – who knows whose number the Big C will call next! So if you don’t have any disability coverage, please consider it…or consider getting more of it. It’s much more likely that you will need disability insurance than life insurance by the time you turn 65, and it’s one gap you should consider closing if you want to protect your family. Into the Fire (book, by Dakota Meyer) This is not the typical financial material I usually surround myself with, but I just finished this eBook called Into the Fire. Actually I listened to it twice because it was so moving. This firsthand story is a true-life experience from one of our many warriors out there protecting American freedom. I had never heard of Dakota Meyer before this book, but since have learned a lot…and this living Medal of Honor recipient should probably be known and recognized by everyone (not necessarily for the one who married Bristol Palin though)! He, like many other of our military, truly risked his life for us in Afghanistan, and the details of the fight he endured in the Battle of Ganjgal are really amazing. I actually shed tears while listening to this, in the gym, doing pull-ups. That’s the emotion I experienced while listening, knowing that this guy (whom I will probably never get to meet nor thank personally) put his life on the line of me, for my family, and for all of us who stand for freedom. I mean, I know what’s going on overseas, but I really don’t know what it is like there. But thanks to people like this, I am able to take my kids to the local park on a Saturday, and to Butterfly World Sunday. I am able to sit in my air-conditioned office and do business in a relaxing environment. I don’t have bullets buzzing by my ears, nor have to carry dead/wounded team members to the medivac helicopter pad. Instead, I am able to enjoy memories with my family as well as all the things this great country has to offer. Looking at the American flag at my front doorstep now has a whole new meaning – I now can further visualize all of the sacrifices that others are making for us. I am glad he lived to tell his story, yet am sad knowing there are many others who don’t.  I do hope we can find world peace one day, but in the meantime I am forever grateful for the men and women like Dakota Meyer who stand up and fight on our behalf.

Enjoy the light reading!