THE
119 Old State Rd, Ellisville, MO 63021 CapitalAdvisoryGrp.com
APR 2018
THE MOST MAGICAL PLACE IN THE WORLD
I have one suggestion if you go to either of these theme parks — get the VIP pass. It’s worth it. It’s even better than an express pass. We got our own tour guide, and there were only 10 other people in our group. We got to meet cool people from all over the world — some from Canada, some from Asia — and our guide marched us right up to the front of the line for each ride. It was wicked. We did 12 rides at Universal Studios that day. It was 84 degrees out most of the time we were in Orlando, and with those perfect conditions, I got in a few rounds of golf between all the fun at the theme parks. It was the first time I’ve played since the Thursday before Christmas — not that I’m counting. After the nice break, I’m ready to jump into a busy month here at the office. Thanks to your organization, we’ve gotten many tax returns out ahead of time. We’re putting on the final touches and getting them sent out. Don’t forget, on April 28, we’re hosting our sixth annual Shredding Day! You bring your previous tax returns; we bring the shredders and the party. You clean out your basement and get to have fun while you’re doing it!
I went to Disneyland when I was 5, and at that age, it really was one of the most
magical places on Earth. And since then, I hadn’t been back until last month. In March, my family and I headed to Orlando for a quick trip and got to take in the magical world that Universal Studios and Disney have created. My youngest daughter, who’s 18 and getting ready to go to college, made her sister extremely jealous with all her pictures of Harry Potter World. My middle daughter is a huge fan of Harry Potter, and was disappointed that she couldn’t join us. We made sure to save her some butterbeer, though. On one of the Harry Potter rides, we got to go through the underside of Harry Potter World, and it appears as if you’re flying through Hogwarts. It was wicked! My favorite rides were the roller coasters, which I didn’t expect to find so thrilling as an adult. There was one that was flipped and it whipped us around. It almost, but didn’t quite, go upside down. Another one, a Mummy- themed ride, all took place in a pitch- black giant shell of a building. Inside, it looks as though you’re going through corridors of a pyramid, zooming through in your car.
This also happens to be Superhero Day, so if you see some folks dressed up in heroic garb, you’ll know why. Inside the newsletter, you’ll find more details about the big day and what to expect. It’ll be a fun and useful time to enjoy the fruits of your labor and clear out some of your files. We look forward to seeing you here!
-Jeff Zufall
(636) 394-5524 1
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Expanding Beyond Your Logo VISUAL BRANDING DON’T LET OUTDATED DOCUMENTS BE YOUR KRYPTONITE
When you think of visual brands, an iconic logo might pop into your mind. But logos are only the beginning of visual branding. While a strong logo is a terrific start, there are many other aspects that you should dedicate your time and money to. Here are a couple of tips you can follow to ensure successful Start with your logo. You want your customers to notice you, and one way to do that is with a simple yet eye-catching logo. It’s usually the first interaction someone has with your company, so make it memorable. However, it’s important not to let your logo carry everything else. Saul Bass, logo designer for United Airlines and the Girl Scouts of the USA, states, “Logos are a great extension of the internal realities of a company.” A logo is representative and gives your customers something easy to remember, but it doesn’t encapsulate your whole business. THEMES When you make promotional materials or certain merchandise, such as business cards or gift cards, the design should relate to your company.This doesn’t mean you should slap the logo on every item.The theme or design that you chose to represent in your logo should be present in your merchandise and promotional media. visual branding. THE LOGO
National Superhero Day, which happens every year on April 28, is dedicated to celebrating the superheroes in our life, and not just the ones from Marvel. While we’re all still replaying that epic battle scene from “Black Panther” in our heads, we can also honor our everyday superheroes.They are the teachers who educate our children, the friends who inspire us through the challenging times, and last but not least, the shredding companies who heroically (and safely) rid our offices and homes of old documents. If you’ve told yourself for the thousandth time that one day you’ll find a safe way to dispose of all your boxes of sensitive information, April 28 is your day! Join us from 9–11 a.m. at our office in Ellisville for the party. Capital Advisory Group is calling on the shredding superheroes to once and for all vanquish your old tax documents. On-site shredding services are provided by Pro-Shred, a locally owned document-shredding service where professionals securely dispose of your sensitive documents.The IRS recommends keeping your returns for three years after you file or two years from the date you paid the tax, whichever is later. So bring in those older documents and let the shredding superpowers take care of them! We’ll bring the shredders and snacks (and maybe a superhero costume or two); you bring your boxes of old paperwork and your excitement over finally ridding yourself of those old documents. Please call us at (636) 394-5524 if you have any questions. We look forward to seeing you here! Superhero Shredders to the Rescue BRING THOSE OLD, CLUTTERY BOXES OF PAPERWORK. DON’T PROCRASTINATE ANY LONGER. WE’LL HELP! WE HOPE YOU CAN JOIN US!
Keep the same color schemes and style for everything, but vary the imagery and design.This helps associate the product with your company without printing the same thing over and over. When your visual brands match, it creates a bridge to your company.
CONSISTENCY When your theme is inconsistent, you create mistrust between you and your customers. A changing logo or style will create a sense of uneasiness or suspicion that your company might not be authentic or reputable. Any visual element that you design to represent your company should remain the same. If it’s unavoidable, change it as minimally as possible. Consistency in visual branding builds trust and helps customers recognize you. Incorporating visual branding beyond your logo will bring more positive recognition to your company. Follow these tips to create great visual branding.
DATE: Saturday, April 28, 2018
We hope to see you there!
Light refreshments will be provided.
TIME: 9–11 a.m.
LOCATION: Capital Advisory Group, Inc. 119 Old State Rd, Ellisville, MO 63021
Any questions or concerns? Please contact us at: (636) 394-5524
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CapitalAdvisoryGrp.com
YOU ARE INVITED TO OUR
6 TH ANNUAL SHREDDING PARTY!
BRING IN YOUR FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS, STATEMENTS, RECEIPTS, ETC. ANDWE WILL PERSONALLY GUIDE YOU THROUGHWHICH DOCUMENTS SHOULD BE KEPT, WHICH SHOULD BE ADDRESSED, AND WHICH CAN BE SHREDDED (SHREDDING SERVICE PROVIDED FREE OF CHARGE).
BRING THOSE OLD, CLUTTERY BOXES OF PAPERWORK. DON’T PROCRASTINATE ANY LONGER. WE’LL HELP! WE HOPE YOU CAN JOIN US!
DATE: Saturday, April 28th, 2018
We hope to see you there!
TIME: 9am-11am
Light refreshments will be provided.
LOCATION: Capital Advisory Group, Inc. 119 Old State Rd, Ellisville, MO 63021
Any questions or concerns? Please contact us at: 636.394.5524
ON-SITE SHREDDING SERVICES PROVIDED BY PRO-SHRED
Securities offered through Kestra Investment Services, LLC, (Kestra IS), member FINRA/SIPC. Investment Advisory Services offered through Kestra Advisory Services, LLC, (Kestra AS) an affiliate of Kestra IS. Capital Advisory Group, Inc. is not affiliated with Kestra IS or Kestra AS.
IRS INVESTIGATES LEPRECHAUN’S POT OF GOLD
Gains on gold are also subject to the 3.8% “net investment income tax” for leprechauns with adjusted gross income above $200,000.00 (single filers) or $250,000.00 (if filing jointly with Mrs. Leprechaun). Finally, there’s a special prohibition against holding gold coins in IRAs or other retirement accounts. This may not sound like a big deal at first. However, Irish folklore holds that leprechauns live for 300 years, which makes saving for retirement especially crucial. Now, don’t go feeling too sorry for your pint-sized prospector. After-tax gold isn’t as much fun as pre-tax gold, but it’s still better than no gold at all. And with gold currently trading at $1,300.00 per ounce, there’s plenty in the pot to pay for good tax-planning help. Conveniently, that’s where we come in. Tax Day is fast approaching. So if you know a leprechaun (or anyone else) who wants to mitigate their tax liability, have them call us today. Don’t count on finding a four-leaf clover when we can provide you with tax- planning strategies that’ll allow you to keep more of your treasure.
St. Patrick’s Day is behind us and spring is in the air. Perhaps you, too, took advantage of being “Irish for the day” and got out of the house for a little day-drinking. Faux Irish saloons across America were tapping kegs of Guinness, pouring shots of Jameson, and covering their walls and ceilings with every Celtic cliché they could find: shamrocks, hats, green beads, and of course, the leprechaun jealously guarding his pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Now, I understand leprechauns are usually pretty happy little fellas. You’d be happy too if you found a pot of gold in some misty bog. But this isn’t always true, as you’ll see if you look closely at the University of Notre Dame’s “Fighting Irish” mascot. Have you ever wondered why that little guy looks so hostile? Maybe it’s because he just discovered the IRS wants their share of his stash! Unfortunately for our diminutive Hibernian friend, the tax code has all sorts of special rules to help the IRS dig their hands deep into his treasure. Code Section 61 defines gross income as “all income from whatever source derived.”The code does go on to carve
out all sorts of exclusions from this broad definition. For example, Section 101 excludes life insurance death benefits, and Section 105(b) excludes employer-provided health benefits. Unfortunately, there’s no exclusion for pots of gold at the end of the rainbow. (Sounds like the National Organization of Leprechauns needs to hire some better lobbyists!) Income received in the form of property is taxed under the rules of Code Section 83(b). Generally, the finder owes tax on the fair market value of property as of the date it’s found. In the case of gold, where there’s a public market to establish value, our leprechaun takes the average of the highest- and lowest-quoted trading prices for the yellow metal on the day he finds his treasure. If he finds it on a weekend, he’ll need to take the average price for the Friday and Monday bookending the day he finds it. Gold is considered a capital asset. This might seem like good news, as gains are generally taxed at preferential rates capped at 20%. However, precious metals are classified as “collectibles,” making them subject to special higher rates of up to 28%.
636.394.5524
ANNIE DUKE’S ‘THINKING IN BETS’
What a Poker Pro Can Teach You About Risk A nnie Duke may seem an unlikely business consultant given that she’s best known as a professional poker player. But the lessons in her new book, “Thinking in Bets,” extend far beyond the felt. Duke, who studied psychology at
factors at play.This imperfect picture is what makes every business decision risky. Duke argues that ignoring inherent risk results in dangerous outcome-based thinking. As an alternative, she proposes that you acknowledge that not every decision will be the right one.This way, you can investigate the nature of your decision-making process and improve it without being blinded by lucky (or unlucky) results. Poker provides a fertile analogy for this concept. It’s a game of imperfect information. No matter how much poker you’ve played, you never know which cards the other players hold. You can make educated inferences based on the information you gather, but there is always going to be a risk in calling a bet.The process parallels how we decide what’s best for a company. We analyze
all the information we have at hand and make a projection about the best option. Until the decision plays out, we won’t know the outcome. Though Duke knows more about poker than just about anyone, she doesn’t limit her examples to gambling. She writes with equal skill and depth about everything from CEOs to football coaches. “Thinking in Bets” is a comprehensive overview of risk assessment that provides countless tips on how to improve your decision-making. Even if you have no idea whether a flush beats a straight, you’ll find “Thinking in Bets” a valuable addition to your leadership library. Entrepreneurship requires making millions of decisions. Don’t you want to make them better?
UPenn and has consulted for a number of companies, takes the decision-making lessons she learned at the poker table and applies them to the hard choices we have to make in business. To emphasize the nature of her work, Duke begins with an introduction called “WhyThis Isn’t a Poker Book.” She writes that the process of thinking in bets “starts with recognizing that there are exactly two things that determine how our lives turn out: the quality of our decisions and luck.” When you make a decision, you rarely have perfect clarity regarding all the
This simple, delicious recipe only takes 20 minutes from start to finish. It’s also a great way to encourage kids to eat their broccoli.The next time you make pasta, leave the canned sauce in the pantry and make this instead! TAKE A BREAK PASTAWITH TURKEY AND BROCCOLI
Ingredients
• 3/4 pound pasta (shells or orecchiette) • 2 cups broccoli florets • 3 tablespoons olive oil • 1 pound ground turkey • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
Recipe inspired by realsimple.com
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper • Salt • Parmesan cheese
Directions
1. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Add broccoli when pasta is 1 minute from done. Drain both and return to pot. 2. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the turkey, garlic, crushed red pepper, and a pinch of salt. Cook while breaking up meat with a wooden spoon for 3–5 minutes. 3. Combine turkey with pasta and broccoli mixture, adding the remaining olive oil as you stir. Serve in bowls topped with Parmesan cheese.
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119 Old State Rd Ellisville, MO 63021 CapitalAdvisoryGrp.com
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page 1
A Florida Spring Break
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Your Logo Shouldn’t Run Your Business
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Join Us for the 6th Annual Shredding Party!
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Entrepreneurship Library: ‘Thinking in Bets’
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Pasta With Turkey and Broccoli
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April Local Events
CELEBRATE ARBOR DAY
Meramec River. Is there a better way to spend a Friday evening than in the beautiful outdoors with family and friends? Music, food, and refreshments will be available following the run. Register beforehand at register.chronotrack.com/r/3622 or on the day of the race. CITY OFWILDWOOD PROGRAMS FOR SENIORS When: Various times Where: Wildwood YMCA Did you know that the Wildwood YMCA offers free fitness classes for residents over 60? Yes, we were pretty excited too! Classes include Senior Fitness and Senior Yoga, both offered at 11 a.m. on alternating Fridays. Classes are free for Wildwood residents ages 60 and over; meanwhile, it’s $5 for nonresidents. Visit wildwoodmo.recdesk.com for a complete schedule and to register.
wanted to share some details about our free senior programs offered by the Wildwood YMCA. ARBOR DAY CEREMONY When: April 20, 2 p.m. Where: Bluebird Park, Ellisville, Missouri Join the City of Ellisville for their 37th year of being a part of Tree City U.S.A. Advance your tree knowledge as you take in the greenery at Bluebird Park. You’ll also get a free seedling from the Department of Conservation! ARBOR DAY BE BRAVE 5K When: April 27, 7 p.m. Where: Wildwood, Missouri The Arbor Day 5K run/walk is a great way to see the historic sites of Wildwood as you wind your way through the town and the trail system, taking in the views alongside the
Did you know that Missouri’s state tree is the flowering dogwood? This beautiful foliage ranks high among our region’s many treasures. Besides their stately beauty, trees provide shelter, food, and oxygen.They’re truly amazing organisms worthy of celebration. Arbor Day is on April 20, and there are several ways to celebrate the holiday in Ellisville and Wildwood. We also
4 www.IndianaRestoration.com CapitalAdvisoryGrp.com
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