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CampbellWealth.com • (703) 535-5300 • 330 John Carlyle St., Suite 400, Alexandria, Virginia 22314
L E S S ON S L E A R N E D WH I L E R E B U I L D I N G MY B A S E M E N T BASEMENT BLUES
I’ve been rebuilding my basement. We first moved into our house in 2004. We used to have a smaller, one-story ranch house, but Kim and I decided we wanted a larger home for our growing family. So, toward the end of 2003, we moved out of our ranch house and had it torn down. Over the next year, we had a new house built on the property. During building, I decided to leave the basement only partially finished. The idea was that I would finish it later. I wanted it to be a certain way — to be my “man cave” with a great entertainment center, maybe a bar, and a place to store wine. Well, life got in the way, and for a long time, I didn’t have time for this kind of project. Our basement stayed mostly unfinished. It was a daunting project to take on. But about a year ago, I decided it was time to get to it. I knew it was going to take up a lot of the free time I had available, but it needed to be done. I put in a place for wine, an area for a big screen TV, and I even added the bar I wanted. But the work started to get to me. In the beginning, I was having fun with it, but, after a while, it really started to cut the time I would normally spend with family or on my hobbies. I also found that I was having to do things over again because I made a few mistakes. As a result, it took me a year to finish. I did bring in a few contractors to help with the walls, paint, and flooring. At the end of it all, I realized it took me twice as long as it should have and saved me very little, if any, money. It took me away from doing things I really enjoy doing. It was also less time spent with my family. Looking back, I should have hired a professional on day one. While I do like my result, a professional would have come up with a better plan and had better execution.
As a professional in the field of finance and retirement, I am— along with my team—much like the professional I should have hired.
We’re a team of experts in retirement planning and financial management. We’re here so our clients can enjoy their retirement, their
families, their hobbies, and their free time without getting bogged down in the details of managing the financial side of their retirement. We’re here so you don’t have to do it yourself — so you don’t have to face the challenges we have become experts at handling it. If you have questions about your retirement or financial situation, don’t ever hesitate to give us a call. Don’t be like me and try to take on the world by yourself. At the same time, if you have any friends or family members who are trying to manage their retirement on their own (and need help), let us know. We’re happy to help the folks in your life who matter to you. If they’re important to you, they’re important to us! With that, we hope you had a great Fourth of July, and we hope you’re getting the most out of this summer! Kelly Campbell
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Insomniacs Unite 3 Free Apps to Help You CatchThose Z’s
Everyone with a smartphone has heard time and time again that looking at your phone before bed is a bad idea. According to the National Sleep Foundation, “The use of electronic devices in the bedroom further disrupts the natural pattern of the sleep-wake cycle” primarily because of the blue light emitted from the screen. While most scientific data pertaining to sleep recommends you place your phone in another room overnight, those who toss and turn regardless of phone location might benefit from using technology rather than tucking it away. Here are three FREE sleep apps that might help you get to dreamland faster. Pzizz While there are many apps that claim to help people fall asleep quicker, very few are programmed to prevent sleepers from growing bored of the same monotonous soundtracks. Pzizz combines music, sound effects, and binaural beats, and an embedded algorithm generates a slightly different track each time you use it. Snore Report Many troubled sleepers who are able to fall asleep are jolted awake shortly afterward. The inability to stay asleep throughout the night can stem from a multitude of factors, but snoring tends to be the most
common. The Snore Report app records through the night to detect any snoring sounds and then provides the user with an overview of the previous night’s recording, including an index to determine snore intensity. Using this app might not help you fall asleep faster, but it could offer helpful information about why you aren’t able to stay asleep. Sleep Cycle Alarm Clock Instead of setting an alarm to jolt you out of sleep at a specific time, choose a window of time to wake up with the Sleep Cycle Alarm Clock. The app will sense your sleep movements and ring an alarm when you’re in the lightest stage of sleep. This way, you’ll wake at the optimal time, feeling refreshed rather than groggy.
4 TRAITS SCAMMERS TARGET Awareness Is the Best Defense
target small businesses and prey on employees who want to please their boss. Always verify the legitimacy of these kinds of messages before doing anything. Scammers routinely target people who are stressed . For example, following the death of a loved one, there are people who read the obituaries looking for opportunities. Sometimes they claim to be a long- lost relative looking to get in on some of the inheritance. Other times, they search out the address of the deceased to rob their home. There are also scammers who use this time of stress and grief to get other family members to hand over money. Stress clouds people's judgment, but it’s still up to us to look for red flags that something isn’t right. Finally, scammers often go after people who have already been scammed . If a person falls for a call or a phishing email, that person gets put on a list. The scammers will eventually reach out again in the hopes of repeating their initial “success.” To make matters worse, AARP reports that the scammers sell these “success lists” to other scammers. It’s a win-win for them, and it leaves you vulnerable to future scams. However, the more informed you are about scams and how they work, the better prepared you can be should you be targeted.
Some people are more susceptible to financial scams than others.
According to the AARP Fraud Watch Network, there are several personality traits that can contribute to a person being more apt to fall for a scam,
whether it’s a phone scam, an online scam, or even in-person. However, when you’re aware of your own behavior, you can be extra vigilant should a scammer try to weasel their way into your pocketbook. While this isn’t a negative personality trait by any means, having respect for authority can spell trouble when someone calls pretending to be with the IRS, the Social Security Administration, the FBI, or any number of government agencies. Many people feel compelled to follow instructions given by the person on the other end of the phone, but it’s crucial to remember that no government agency will ever call demanding money. People-pleasers are often susceptible to scams, as these people just want to help out. Sometimes, scammers call or send an email with a sob story, and you just want to do the right thing. Or you may get an email from a colleague or boss requesting money (or gift cards). Many scammers
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One Phone Call Can Change a Life An Unforgettable Client Experience — And a New Program Just for You
One of our long-time clients passed away recently. In fact, she was one of our very first clients, who came to us in 2004. It really hit me after I received the phone call that she passed away. I remember when she first called us: She had just lost her husband, and he had handled all the finances for the decades they had been together. She had never been involved with paying the bills or managing their checking account and didn’t know how their money was invested. Before she called us, she spoke to a close friend about what to do next. Her friend was already one of our clients (and another one of our earliest clients). Her friend recommended us, and it wasn’t long until we had our first meeting set up. As we spoke on the phone, I asked her to bring in everything she had: financial documents, bills, statements, you name it. When she first walked into our office, I clearly remember her pulling along a small luggage cart stacked with paperwork. She had brought everything! Together, we sat in our largest conference room and spread everything out on the big table. Over the next three hours, we went over every single document. We organized every piece of paper and made a comprehensive inventory. And with that, we were able to put together a detailed retirement plan. It was the first time since before her husband passed that she felt she had sure footing. From that day forward, she understood where her income was coming from, what her expenses where, and what she needed to do to have a successful, worry-free retirement. She continued to rely on us for every financial decision she made. We heard from her often, and she told
us she was grateful to have found us. It was a great relationship; we even started working with her family. We’ll miss her phone calls, whether they were to talk about a financial decision or to chat about life in general. I believe fate brought us together. Fifteen years ago, she was lost, and we guided her to a successful retirement. If she had never made the call to our office, we would have never met, and she would have led a different life. It’s those first phone calls that make all the difference. You may know someone who feels lost or uncertain about their financial future, and they may have questions or want a second opinion about a financial decision. Or they may be going through a major life event, such as the death of a spouse, preparing to collect Social Security, or retirement. Whatever it may be, if they need guidance, we’re here for them— just like we are here for you. As I often say, if they are important to you, they are important to us. And to show our thanks for our clients who refer family or friends, I want to introduce you to our new Ambassador Program. This program is all about recognizing clients who bring people they care about into the CWM family. When you refer someone, you will receive a unique gratitude kit filled with gifts handpicked by our team, like coffee, movie tickets, and so much more. You also gain special access to events, including events that are exclusive to our Ambassadors. It’s just our way of saying thank you. If you haven’t received it already, be on the lookout for a letter or email detailing the Ambassador Program. It will have everything you need to know about helping your friends make the connection with CWM!
Upcoming Events
SUDOKU
Taxes in Retirement Herndon Senior Center Tuesday, July 16 or Wednesday, July 17 at 6:00 PM Wise Women Financial Planning Connie Morella Library Tuesday, July 23 or Wednesday, July 24 at 6:30 PM
Social Security Reston Association Wednesday, July 24 at 1:00 PM or Thursday, August 1 at 11:00 AM Taxes in Retirement Sherwood Library Tuesday, July 30 at 1:00 PM or 6:00 PM
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700 S. Washington St. Suite 220 Alexandria, Virginia 22314 (703) 535-5300 CampbellWealth.com
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CampbellWealth.com (703) 535-5300 330 John Carlyle St., Suite 400 Alexandria, Virginia 22314
Inside
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Why I Will Never Rebuild a Basement Again 3 Free Apps to Help You CatchThose Z’s Does Your Personality Make You a Target for Scammers? The Phone Call That Changed a Life Upcoming Events Avoid the Summer Heat Somewhere Cool
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Securities offered only by duly registered individuals through Madison Avenue Securities, LLC (MAS), member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory services offered only by duly registered individuals through Campbell Wealth Management, LLC (CWM), a Registered Investment Advisor. MAS and CWM are not affiliated entities.
Chill Out RELAX IN THESE COOL
DESTINATIONS THIS SUMMER
As the scorching summer sun beats down, it’s hard to remember that just six months ago you were shivering through the winter, whether that meant a chilly 50°F or bitter subzero temperatures. But if cooler temps sound like paradise, and a dip in the pool is no longer keeping you cool, it might be time to take a vacation somewhere chilly. Check out these three destinations to avoid the summer heat. Alaska No place says chilly quite like Alaska. Trips to Alaska can be expensive during this time of year, but when you step into that crisp air with a cool mountainous view, you’ll understand why it’s a popular summer voyage. Travelers can choose to fly or take a cruise ship, and many cities feature tourism-packed excursions. A few notable locations include Anchorage, the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, and Denali National Park and Preserve. Iceland Just as its name suggests, Iceland can be the perfect destination for travelers yearning to get away from the unbearable summer heat. With
temperatures rarely exceeding 60°F — the average high for the country — packing is easy for this relaxing vacation. Take a relaxing dip in one of the country’s many hot springs or enjoy tremendous views of the fjords. Even better, you can tour the country at any time because it’s sunny almost 24 hours a day. What could be better than a midnight hike around the fourth happiest country in the world? Norway Just because it's summer doesn’t mean you have to give up your skiing hobby! Venture off to Norway and experience some of their most popular summer ski resorts. After a day or two shredding the slopes, experience the popular Norwegian Opera and Ballet in Oslo or choose between numerous outdoor and indoor exhibitions. Best of all, you won’t even break a sweat, as the average temperature in Norway’s hottest month barely hits 70°F. Bordering Sweden and northern Finland, Norway can even be the beginning to a cool European tour this summer.
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