Take a look at our May newsletter!
MAY 2023
PATRIOTWEALTHNC.COM PHONE | 919.322.4113
PATRIOT WEALTH
Then I met Mr. Harrison during my junior year of high school. He was my chemistry teacher and made it clear how his class would run from the very first day. “This course is an elective,” he told us. “You’re not here because you have to be but because you want to be. Therefore, here’s what I expect of you.” He outlined that paying attention,
Of course, I ultimately chose another way to make my living. The schools in the Appalachian Valley didn’t pay enough for me to support a family, so I went into private business. But I constantly use the skills I learned earning my degree in our wealth management practice because I think education is one of the most crucial components to a successful retirement. We developed our course, The New Reality in Our Retirement, to help baby boomers understand and mitigate the top threats to their financial stability. It’s genuinely a course that gives people information, not a sales pitch. Mr. Harrison, in particular, taught me that a good teacher could simplify complex topics, which has been my goal throughout every lesson. You may have already attended the course, but I hope you’ll sign up if you haven’t had the opportunity or refer friends and family who would benefit from education about their retirement. You can learn more and find the dates for course offerings and dates by visiting RetirementWealthAcademy.com . Learning is one of the most valuable things we can do for our minds and futures. I’m very grateful for the outstanding teachers who taught me as a child and young adult — and it’s an honor to continue their legacy in some small way.
My Favorite Teachers’ Legacies
behaving, doing homework, and studying were non-negotiables.
I don’t think I ever had a bad teacher during school. From my kind and gentle eighth-grade teacher to the band instructor who taught me music theory, they all had something to offer. For National Teacher Appreciation Day on May 2, I want to honor two instructors whose lessons most stuck with me. My seventh-grade teacher, Mr. Hill, always reminded me of Abraham Lincoln. He was extremely tall, and though he was only in his 50s or 60s, I thought he was ancient. Mr. Hill was old-school and very strict; I’m not sure all of his methods would fly in public schools today. Some kids even considered him mean. But I always appreciated his standards and thought he was a lot of fun. He’d use these hilarious old-timey sayings that cracked me up. I remember walking to his desk and asking permission to use the restroom. As his way of saying yes, Mr. Hill responded, “Take your time going, and hurry coming back.”
If you followed the rules, he could be a lot of fun. But he commanded a level of respect and gave us respect in return. Mr. Harrison was forthright about his standards, and we felt compelled to meet them. It was my first experience with rigorous study and a taste of my college courses. I always liked the so-called “tough” teachers because they expected more from us. It’s like a scaled-down version of being in the military. These teachers raised the bar and set our sights higher. We didn’t want to do the minimum to slide by; we actively tried to impress our instructors. Teachers like Mr. Hill and Mr. Harrison inspired me to pursue a career in education. Many people don’t know my original college degree was in elementary education. I was certified to teach kindergarten through eighth grade and taught one semester of second grade as a student teacher more than 40 years ago.
–Rick White
These articles are designed to provide general information on the subjects covered. They are not, however, intended to provide specific legal or tax advice and cannot be used to avoid tax penalties or to promote, market, or recommend any tax plan or arrangement. Please note that Patriot Wealth and its affiliates do not give legal or tax advice. You are encouraged to consult your tax advisor or attorney. Investment Advisory Services is offered through Retirement Wealth Advisors (RWA), a Registered Investment Advisor. Patriot Wealth and RWA are not affiliated. Investing involves risk, including the potential loss of principal. No investment strategy can guarantee a profit or protect against loss in periods of declining values. Opinions expressed are subject to change without notice and are not intended as investment advice or to predict future performance. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Consult your financial professional before making any investment decision.
PATRIOT WEALTH | 919.322.4113 | P1
HOW TO MAKE COFFEE WHILE YOU CAMP Best Ways to Brew in the Wild
Whether you need to recover from a stellar night around the campfire or fuel up for a blissful mountaintop meditation session, you’ll need a quick way to make coffee. Easy to travel with and perfect for outdoor nomads, these fuss-free coffee brewing tools make any moment in nature even better. PORTABLE POUR-OVERS While instant coffee packets are a tried-and-true method, we can all agree that they aren’t the epitome of fine-quality coffee. For the same ease but better taste, try single-serving pour-over coffee. These innovative products consist of a paper pour- over stand that perfectly fits on top of a mug. Lightweight and portable, this method gives you a pour-over coffee taste with the convenience of
instant coffee. We recommend brands like Kuju and Copper Cow Coffee for their excellent flavors, like bourbon and Vietnamese coffee. COWBOY COFFEE The epitome of “no-nonsense,” cowboy coffee requires only a pot, water, and ground coffee. All you need to do is boil some water, add the coffee grounds, wait until they sink to the bottom, and enjoy! With a rich, robust flavor, cowboy coffee may not be the best option for casual frappuccino drinkers. Yet, it provides a good cup of joe for those sleeping under the stars. AEROPRESS COFFEE When you buy an AeroPress, you get full-bodied coffee whenever your heart desires. If you’re a coffee connoisseur,
then you probably already know about AeroPress. If you haven’t heard of it or need more convincing, this small gadget requires little effort for delectable brews. The AeroPress is shaped like a tube with a filter at the bottom and an accompanying plunger cylinder to press the coffee. Just add ground coffee and water to the tube, then press down with the cylinder. Coffee will drip through and have you questioning why you ever spent $7 on a latte. Get your AeroPress from their official website ( AeroPress.com ) or a big box store! Don’t let the ruggedness of the outdoors ever stop you from enjoying a nice, smooth cup of coffee. You can bring your favorite caffeine fix to forest trails, mountaintops, and sandy shores.
The Best Way to Protect Your Wealth WHY YOU NEED AN ESTATE PLAN
As a wealth management firm, most of Patriot Wealth’s clients understand the necessity of financial planning. They want to protect their assets and ensure they’ll have sufficient funding for the future. But some don’t look quite far enough ahead and fail to realize that any financial plan is incomplete without an estate plan. Rick White is particularly passionate about this subject. “At a 30,000-foot view, my role is to protect our clients from anyone or anything that can take their money,” he explains. “Estate planning is a part of that because you want to make it easy for their heirs to receive the wealth passed on as efficiently as possible.” But, Rick says, “In my experience, about 70% of my age group have an outdated estate plan or no plan at all.” Many people avoid making an estate plan because they consider the idea unpleasant. But putting off the process often results in completing it during a more emotional and difficult time. Many people — including many famous and wealthy celebrities — also die without an estate plan, putting their hard-earned assets at substantial risk.
Others with an estate plan leave it untouched for 15 or 20 years. Contrary to popular belief, an estate plan is not something you can “set and forget.” Throughout your life, your assets will change, and so will your family. Your priorities and goals should shift, too! Everyone should periodically review and update their estate plan to ensure they account for everyone and everything. Further, an estate plan involves more than a will. “I like to use various types of trusts in estate planning to help protect assets once people pass on,” Rick explains. A trust can protect against taxes and probate, saving your family time and money. Trusts can also protect your heirs from divorce, litigation, and creditors. Meanwhile, people worried about leaving their children too well-off can set parameters on the trust that limit withdrawal amounts per year. Rick regularly works on his client’s estate plans with trusted estate planning attorneys who will provide attorney-client confidentiality. If you haven’t started your estate plan or know yours is out of date, we would be thrilled to help. Call our office at 919.322.4113 to schedule a meeting where we can help you understand your options and protect your family’s future.
P2 | PATRIOTWEALTHNC.COM
May is Local and Community History Month, and with its official founding in 1792, Raleigh has more than its fair share of landmarks. Among the best-known is the home that once belonged to one of Raleigh’s most unique and fascinating citizens, Dr. Manassa Thomas Pope. The Pope House downtown sits only blocks from our city’s capitol and remains the only African American house museum in North Carolina. STEP BACK IN TIME AT THE POPE HOUSE A Slice of Local History
Dr. Pope was born in 1858 to free Black Americans and moved to Raleigh in 1874 to attend Shaw University, the first historically Black college or university (HBCU) in the Southern U.S. After earning his medical degree. Dr. Pope began practicing medicine in Charlotte before returning to Raleigh in 1899. Around the time Dr. Pope began to settle down in Raleigh, government officials passed laws to disenfranchise
TAKE A BREAK
African Americans. However, as a rare Black citizen born to free parents, Dr. Pope met the requirements of the grandfather clause, providing voting rights only to those whose grandfathers could vote. He was one of only seven non-white men in Raleigh with suffrage. Dr. Pope took his unusual trajectory a step further when he decided to run for Raleigh mayor in 1919. During the Jim Crow era, he was the only African American man to enter a mayoral race in a Southern capital city. Unsurprisingly, Dr. Pope did not win the election, securing only 126 of 2,550 votes. But his campaign showed remarkable courage and defiance in a dangerous period. The Pope House was built in 1901 at 511 S. Wilmington St., in an area that African American professionals primarily inhabited. Dr. Pope had the latest technology in his home, including an electric stove, running water, a full indoor bathroom, and a telephone. In later years, the family added a garage and installed full electricity throughout the house. Dr. Pope died in 1934, and his daughters eventually took over stewardship of the house and converted it into a museum in 2000. The Pope House is on the National Register of Historic Places, retains much of the original furniture, and contains over 3,000 artifacts that give a glimpse into the lives of prestigious African American families in the early 1900s. If you’d like to see this slice of Raleigh history for yourself, it’s open for free tours on Saturdays and Sundays. Visit RaleighNC.gov/pope-house for more information.
RHUBARB CRISP
INGREDIENTS
Topping: • 1/4 cup roughly chopped walnuts • 1/4 cup old-fashioned oats (not instant) • 1/4 tsp cinnamon • 3/4 cup flour • 1/3 cup light brown sugar • 1 tbsp sugar • 4 tbsp unsalted butter
Filling: • 2 1/2 lbs rhubarb, cut into 1/2-inch pieces • 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp sugar • 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Set rack in the center of the oven. 2. In a food processor, place all topping ingredients. Pulse until the mixture is crumbled to the size of small peas. Do not over-process. Set aside. 3. Into a large, shallow baking dish, pour the rhubarb and sprinkle with sugar and flour, coating the rhubarb evenly. Spread crisp topping over entire filling mix. 4. Bake until crisp is bubbly and the top is golden brown, approximately 30–40 minutes. Serve warm or room temperature. Enjoy! Inspired by FoodNetwork.com
PATRIOT WEALTH | 919.322.4113 | P3
PATRIOT WEALTH 4350 Lassiter at North Hills Ave. #330 Raleigh, NC 27609
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
PATRIOTWEALTHNC.COM PHONE | 919.322.4113
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Rick Remembers the Teachers Who Shaped Him PAGE 1
3 Ways to Brew Coffee Outdoors PAGE 2
Is Your Financial Plan Complete? PAGE 2
Rhubarb Crisp PAGE 3
The Amazing Life of Dr. M.T. Pope PAGE 3
Want the Best Sleep of Your Life? PAGE 4
If you’ve ever planned a vacation, you’ve probably picked a few key places to visit, like a museum, restaurant, or historic site. However, a new vacation trend is becoming increasingly popular: sleep tourism, where a traveler plans their entire vacation to get the best quality sleep during their time away. Before, common goals for vacations were to eat delicious foods, stay up late to see the sights, and fit in as much activity as possible. However, this left travelers completely exhausted. And as our culture continues to understand how important sleep is to our health, more people are prioritizing rest even while they’re away. But being a sleep tourist is about more than going to bed early and ensuring you get your recommended eight hours of rest. It’s about building your vacation around sleep. Some hotels 3 Hotels to Visit for a Great Night’s Sleep
even offer rooms tailored to sleep tourists, with amenities so popular that their sleep options have become regular offerings.
So, if sleep tourism sounds like something you’d be interested in, here are three hotels that help you catch those z’s.
Park Hyatt New York (NYC): This hotel features a “Sleep Suite” designed by Bryte, a company that uses AI to facilitate sleep. The room touts an intuitive “Restorative Bed,” which adjusts to relieve pressure points and controls climate temperature throughout the night, according to each person’s needs. This suite also includes an array of soothing essential oils, a diffuser, and books about sleep. The Cadogan, a Belmond Hotel (London): This hotel offers a “sleep concierge,” which boasts prerecorded sleep meditations and a pillow selection menu for every type of sleeper. Sleepers can even benefit from the hotel’s weighted blankets, scented pillow mist service, and their proprietary sleep tea.
Zedwell (London): The first ever “sleep-centric” hotel, Zedwell uses recycled materials to insulate every door, wall, and floor from sound. This hotel also purifies the air within the hotel and fills every space with ambient lighting.
P4 | PATRIOTWEALTHNC.COM
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator