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JUNE 2024
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As financial markets swing wildly in response to inflation and other drivers of volatility, retirement planning has become more difficult. Wall Street investment advisors, quick to fine-tune their marketing pitches to the latest headlines, are pushing stocks’ 10% “average annual return” as a hedge against inflation. In fact, this is a lie. As I explain in my new book, “Panic-Proof Your Retirement Today,” Wall Street’s promise of a 10% “average annual return” on stocks is misleading and essentially worthless for people nearing or already in retirement. An investor’s actual return within an account often falls far short of the average return. It also falls far short of the panic-proof retirement system we help our clients develop, ensuring your average and annual returns will be the same. Here’s the issue with Wall Street’s confusing claims. Retail brokers publish charts with trend lines soaring skyward like Mt. Everest, showing the value of an initial stock market investment rising exponentially over decades. However, these promises are made for people who tuck their money away and leave it untouched for many years. People at or near retirement may need, or be required by law, to withdraw funds from their accounts. Even for the savviest retirees, a considerable gap can open up between average annual returns and the results they actually see in their accounts. At this stage of life, bear markets can have a far greater impact on your financial security than that soaring stock-market trendline would imply. If a bear market strikes either late in your working years or early in retirement, the consequences for your future can be devastating. Consider this basic example. Imagine that you invest $100 into an account that posts a 50% decline in value one year and a 50% increase the next. You might assume your average annual return over two years would be zero, and the ending balance in your account would still be $100. You would be wrong. Here’s what actually happens: Your account declines by 50% the first year to $50. Your 50% return on that $50 the following year increases your bottom line to only $75, bringing your average return over two years to only a The Fiction of Average Annual Returns Panic-Proof Your Retirement Plan
negative 25%. How can this be? If the average return is zero, why isn’t the account value flat after two years? Gains during a rebound are building on a depleted asset base, reducing their magnitude. Any time a steep market decline hits an investor’s account, the “actual” and “average” returns will never be equal. Not surprisingly, ill-timed withdrawals during a market crash are also extremely damaging, removing from the portfolio assets that otherwise would have generated gains when the market rebounds. My book also discusses the critical importance of this sequence-of-returns risk. The toll taken by an ill-timed bear market or withdrawal can strike panic in the heart of an unwitting investor. To guard against these risks, we work with clients on panic-proof investment strategies that ensure their average returns will never dip below zero. The mantra for these clients: “Zero is your hero.” We specialize in investment strategies that ensure your nest egg will never be devastated by a steep market decline. Let us help you find peace of mind in a volatile world. If you want to avoid worries about whether your
money will run out before you do, I would love to help you with your investment planning. Please call me at 248-785-3734, and we can work together to panic-proof your retirement today!
-Dan Casey President, Bridgeriver Advisors
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RECYCLING REIMAGINED Innovative Ideas for Repurposing Household Items
While not everything you throw away is “another man’s treasure,” as the old saying goes, much of it can still be put to better use. The “treasure” may just be the money you save and the help you provide to the environment by utilizing discarded materials. If you have ever wondered if what you are tossing out may still be useful, this article is for you. Here are five everyday items you can reuse to help the environment and your wallet! Cardboard Boxes All of us have spare boxes from moving or an online order. Rather than breaking them down and throwing them out or stacking them up sight unseen, why not use them for organization? Boxes make for
option may be sitting in your car’s cup holder or on a fridge shelf. If you cut the tops off, plastic bottles are the perfect size and shape to contain the soil and roots necessary to start your garden strong and at a pittance of the cost of traditional options. Toilet Roll Tubes Are tangled wires making an eyesore out of your home office space? The cardboard tubes from toilet paper rolls we throw out make for a practical solution. You can turn these tubes into cheap wire organizers, and their shape and length make them perfect for HDMI cords, power cords, and phone chargers alike.
Wine Corks Your wine corks are useful for more than keeping your finest red from going bad. After celebrating with a bottle of Prosecco, you can make these corks into noise dampeners for cabinets and drawers. By cutting up the wine corks and gluing them onto the corners of your cabinets and drawers, you can turn them into impromptu soft-close bumpers, reducing the noise when you close those doors and drawers.
great organizers in drawers or closets and can be easily labeled to make managing your possessions easier. Plastic Food Containers If you have ever bought a tub of yogurt, cream cheese, or other foods in large plastic
resealable containers, you should know you can reuse them to store various foods, like sandwiches, fruits, vegetables, and sauces. Whether for storing your lunch or a midday snack, plastic food containers come in multiple shapes and sizes to fit your needs — and you’ve already paid for them. Bottles If you have a garden or are thinking of starting one, you may have realized that planter pots and boxes can be expensive . Luckily, a more economical
Although you can repurpose some waste for your benefit, that does not mean everything you throw out is worth the effort. None of us want our houses to look like something out of a post- apocalyptic movie like “Mad Max” or “Waterworld.” However, reusing certain items, typically considered disposable, can be a boon and lead to a more organized, happier household.
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MOONLIT MOVIE MAGIC Hosting the Ultimate Outdoor Movie Night conveniences you would expect at a movie theater — like an air mattress, pillows, and blankets! If you are looking for a fun way to spruce up a traditional movie night, what better way than to bring it outside under the stars? Here are some necessities to make your moonlight movie night truly magical:
Whether it’s blocking pucks during a street hockey game or checkmating chess hustlers at the park, traditionally indoor activities take on an entirely new feel and flavor when taken outside. While a rare sight these days, movie-goers worldwide used to enjoy cinema from the comfort of their cars at drive-in theaters. These made a brief resurgence during the pandemic, but now that movies are rolling in theaters again, the fad has begun to die off. These days, if you want to watch a movie, it seems like you are limited to three options: Watching it at the theater, on your TV, or on your phone or tablet. Now, I think we can all agree that watching a movie outside on your phone does not make for a great cinematic experience. Debtrette, a TikTok influencer and mom, has a suggestion. She put a spin on an old classic — family movie night — by holding it in her backyard with all the
• A portable projector screen, like a sheet on a clothesline • Portable movie projector
• Lamps, lanterns, or candles • Warm blankets • The perfect movie to bring it all together
• Candy, popcorn, and beverages • Some outdoor seating and cushions
You can find screens and projectors to fit any budget, and your movie selection will depend on the crowd. Just make it fun: Lie back on the grass and watch “Antz” or lounge in the pool while watching “Jaws”! The key is to make the experience unforgettable, and all who share in it will be thankful for your effort to make it all possible.
TAKE A BREAK
SUMMER CHICKEN SALAD Inspired by FoodNetwork.com
Ingredients
Dressing • 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts • Salt and pepper • 4 ears of corn, shucked • 3 tbsp minced dill
• 1/2 cup half and half • 1/4 cup mayonnaise • 1/4 cup sour cream • 1 tsp sugar • Juice of 1 lemon
• 3 stalks celery, finely diced • 1 red onion, finely diced • 1 1/2 cups blueberries • 1 head of butter lettuce
Directions
1. Place chicken in a large plastic bag and pound with a mallet to flatten to 1/4-inch thickness. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. 2. Heat grill, then grill chicken on both sides for about 4 minutes per side; set aside to cool before slicing. 3. Grill corn until the kernels begin browning, turning regularly for even cooking. Use a knife to shave the kernels off. 4. In a bowl, mix all dressing ingredients until combined. 5. In a large bowl, combine corn, dill, celery, and onions, then stir in chicken and top with dressing and blueberries as desired. 6. Separate the head of butter lettuce into “cups” to fill with salad and enjoy
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40900 WOODWARD AVE., STE. 150 BLOOMFIELD HILLS, MI 48304 248.785.3734 WWW.BRIDGERIVERLLC.COM
INSIDE
This Issue
Why Wall Street’s ‘Average Annual Returns’ Don’t Pan Out for You
Smart Ways to Reuse Everyday Items
Host a Movie Night Under the Stars
Summer Chicken Salad
Hot Water Is Phenomenal for Your Health?
Bridgeriver Advisors is a Michigan-registered investment adviser and may transact advisory business in states where it is registered or exempt or excluded from registration. Advisory services are offered through Bridgeriver Advisors, LLC. The content contained herein is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as an offer or solicitation for the sale of securities, insurance, or any other products. Investing in securities involves risk, including the potential loss of principal. Please consult with your financial, legal, or tax professional for information specific to your situation.
The Wondrous Properties of Hot Water REVIVED AND REVITALIZED
We are aware that water drinkers consume fewer calories than nonwater drinkers, and the link between consuming sweetened beverages and obesity attests to this. Beverage brands may boast the supposedly remarkable attributes of their energy drink and mineral water brands, but none can beat the benefits of water — and there’s research to prove it. Water is necessary to keep our bodies functioning, and drinking enough is essential to live healthily and reach our full fitness potential. However, a new development shows that it is possible to unlock even more of water’s potential — by drinking it hot! Enhanced Weight Loss While many know that drinking enough can make you feel full, it may actually do much more, depending on the temperature of the water and when you drink it. Research shows that drinking water can increase your metabolic rate and daily energy expenditure, which helps you burn calories and lose weight. If you want to lose weight, try
drinking some hot water before your meal. Studies also show that drinking hot water 30–40 minutes before you eat can increase your metabolism by 40%, compared to just 30% from drinking room-temperature water! Additionally, researchers recommend drinking 2 liters of water, heated to at least 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit, to kickstart your energy expenditure throughout the day. Cleanse Your System One of the first side effects of drinking hot water is increased body temperature, which can lead to sweating and natural detoxification. Additionally, drinking hot water aids in preventing constipation, bloating, and hemorrhoids and helps break down food faster than cold water. If you want to lose weight or partake in some natural detoxification, it may be time to incorporate some hot water into your diet. It may be a hot take, but science suggests that ditching soft drinks for some heated H2O will benefit your health!
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