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119 Old State Rd, Ellisville, MO 63021 CapitalAdvisoryGrp.com
DEC 2017
GOING BEYOND THE Cookie-Cutter Approach
This is the inaugural issue of our newsletter, and we are excited about it! When we were looking for another way to connect with our clients, we could think of nothing better than sharing a few stories each month and saying thank you for including us in your life. As a father-and-son team, we’ve always been big on relationships. My dad, John, started the practice in ‘76, and as you know, he’s still actively engaged in it today. I joined him in 1988 and added my perspective to his tax expertise. It’s evolved from there, and we’re happy to now offer tax preparation and planning. Reflecting on almost 28 years in this pursuit, I’m more grateful than ever that I get to interact with you every day. We’re in a pretty serious business, and we don’t take it lightly. You know as well as we do how important it is for everyone to think about their future, whether you’re right out of high school, wanting to start your savings, or a year away from retirement. That’s been our biggest realization since we started this journey: This is not a cookie-cutter business. When we sat down to analyze our business a while ago, we realized we’ve had the gamut of clients, from one side of the spectrum to the other. Big families, childless
couples, homeowners, renters, retirees, entrepreneurs, and everyone in between have sought our counsel. Our analyzation really proved that this is a custom business, and that’s how we approach it. What does this mean for you? It means we’re going to do what we say we’re going to do. It means you’ll get advice that’s straight up and honest. It means we’ll tell you how long it will take you to save for your retirement based on your current lifestyle. It also means engaging in up-front conversation when someone wants to retire, but hasn’t saved enough. People sometimes think something magical will happen that will allow them to retire, that they’ll win the lottery or inherit a windfall, but this is unfortunately unrealistic. Often, these conversations are about understanding how your current lifestyle does, and will, affect your retirement. Numbers don’t lie, and we’ve lost clients due to our honesty, but it’s because we want to give you the truth — even if it means losing your business. Neither of us can afford to have your financial situation sugar coated. We’ve seen clients who didn’t want to make a lifestyle change, and decided to plan on their own. After a while, they would return, ready to make the changes we’d originally suggested.
It’s all based on conversations that allow us to see what the ideal retirement looks like for you. We take the personalized approach to help you reach your goals. Thank you for taking the time to read our newsletter. We look forward to sharing our stories and building our relationship through these conversations. I’d better go do some planning of my own — Christmas planning, that is. Most of the Zufall’s are within a 10 minutes ride of one another, so we get together for delicious food and good conversation of our own, just not about business. During our gatherings, our focus is on family. Enjoy the holidays with your loved ones and have a merry Christmas! Until next month,
Jeff Zufall
(636) 394-5524 1
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Running a business is hard enough without having to deal with technological problems. If your computer network is compromised, the results can be catastrophic. You might think that hackers and cybercriminals would never target a business as small as yours, but it happens all the time. You probably already know to be wary of dubious email attachments, but here are a few more tips to ensure you don’t end up the victim of an attack that sends your computers into a spiral. UPDATE ALLTHETIME Updates to your operating system and security software might seem like a constant chore, but it’s the easiest defense against an attack. Antivirus software should be set to scan for malware after each update, and you should update your software whenever you’re prompted to do so. Even better, set your software to update automatically. Security patches are designed to counter the latest threats, so you shouldn’t wait to install them. USE BACKUPS CORRECTLY If you do end up with compromised data, a backup is your best friend.Too many businesses don’t check that their backups actually work until they need to rely on them. Ensure your backed-up files are in good order and keep one set of backups off-site.That way, if your entire network is under siege, you know you’ll make it out with minimal damage. PROTECT YOURWI-FI If you want to provide Wi-Fi to clients visiting your office, you should create a separate network for them. Both that network and your internal network should be protected by different passwords. When you let outside devices onto your network, you are at risk of being attacked through those devices. EDUCATE YOUR STAFF A staff member’s device can leave your system vulnerable, as well. If you are going to allow your staff to use company Wi-Fi for personal use, you need to educate them on safe browsing behavior. You may be skeptical of unsolicited text messages promising vacation deals, but if one person clicks, the whole network is at risk. GET A FIREWALL That Could Save Your Business THE INTERNET SAFETY TIPS
KILLER TEAM-BUILDING ACTIVITIES
A tight-knit team benefits every business, regardless of size or industry. Every one of your employees is working toward a common goal, so a sense of camaraderie is crucial. As a leader, bringing your team together is one of the best investments you can make. What’s even better is that you don’t need to take everyone to Cancun to build real connections. Here are a few activities that will delight your staff without crushing your budget. BACK-TO-BACK DRAWING Team communication is vital to an effective workplace, so why not have a little fun testing that skill? Break your staff into groups of two, or do it by department if you have a larger workforce. Each pair sits back to back, and one is given an image to describe to their partner, but they cannot just say what the image is.The other partner has to try to replicate the image, and whoever comes closest wins. EGG DROP CONTEST
You may have done this in high- school physics class, but you’d be shocked at how well it tests creative problem-solving in your office. Give each team (you can decide the numbers) an egg and a time limit to create a contraption that will allow the egg to survive an eight-foot drop. You can provide materials if you’d like or force them to make due with whatever’s lying around. Not only
will teams have to work together to create a novel solution, they’ll have the satisfaction of seeing their work put to the test. TOP 5 ANYTHING Introducing a new employee to your group can be a challenge. “What’s your name?”, “Where are you from?”, and the like are boring and don’t really let someone express themselves. A great way to let a new employee share a passion or interest is to simply ask them to share their top five favorites from a category of their choosing. An avid reader might choose top five novels, and a home cook their top five favorite dishes.The great thing about this activity is that gives an employee the freedom to talk about something they love, while also letting the group get to know them. Sure, everyone loves a free lunch and a chance to escape the office for a few hours. But these team-building activities, which require no travel at all, can be even more rewarding.
A robust firewall is the first line of defense against prying eyes and hackers. A firewall, or router that includes firewall features, is inexpensive and easy to set up, and it will deter those seeking to break in. Think of it as a digital version of an alarm system.
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3 TAX CHANGES THAT MAY AFFECT YOU
MEME CORNER different, though both propose tax cuts. While the president has said the proposed tax plan will make the “biggest cuts in the history of the country,” if we account for inflation, it’s the fourth- biggest, according to CNN. A t the end of October, the House of Representatives passed a budget resolution paving the way for tax reform. With reconciliation rules in place, the Senate can now pass the reforms with a simple majority instead of a 60 percent majority. As we write this, the House prepares to vote on their bill, with the Senate soon to follow. There’s a lot to take in, and most of us will be affected in some way. Do you know what changes to expect? The House and Senate bills are slightly
Most citizens will see a small reduction in their taxes, but changes are also happening to the tax brackets themselves. If the reform goes into play, tax brackets will be reduced from seven to four, and the top tax bracket kicks in at $1 million for married couples and $500,000 for all other filing statuses, with a tax rate of 39.6 percent. The other big change would be a 20 percent reduction in the corporate tax rate.This is proposed by both the House and Senate, though the House bill puts
it into place right away, while the Senate wouldn’t implement it until 2019. You’ll also see a change to mortgage interest rates. For the House, the mortgage interest deduction for new homes will be capped at $500,000; the Senate bill proposes no change, leaving the cap at $1 million. Stay tuned for updates in the next newsletter as we cover the latest in tax reform.
EASY HOLIDAY PARTY CHEESE FONDUE
Ingredients
(Recipe inspired by PinchofYum.com.)
Directions • ¾ cup dry white wine • 1 tablespoon cornstarch • 1 (8-ounce) package sliced Swiss cheese • 1 clove garlic • Salt to taste • Foods to dip (apple slices, bread cubes, roasted vegetables, etc.) 1. In a large bowl, whisk together wine and cornstarch. 2. Chop cheese slices into small, uniform pieces. 3. Rub clove of garlic all over the sides and bottom of a heavy-bottomed pot, then discard. 4. Heat wine mixture over medium- low heat in the pot until thick and
bubbling. Add some cheese and slowly whisk. When nearly smooth, add more cheese and whisk gently. Repeat until all cheese is melted. If mixture seems too tight, add 1 tablespoon wine. immediately. Keep pot on low heat to keep the fondue dippable.
5. Season with salt and serve
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119 Old State Rd Ellisville, MO 63021 CapitalAdvisoryGrp.com
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What Our Customized Approach Means for You
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3 Killer Team-Building Activities
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The Internet Safety Tips That Could Save Your Business
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A Look at Tax Reform, Part I
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Easy Holiday Party Cheese Fondue
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Where’s Santa?
SANTA TRACKING GOES HIGH-TECH
It’s almost Christmas, and if you have small kids, you know what that means: prepping for the arrival of a jolly man in a red suit and his confusingly named reindeer. Some of us may remember spending Christmas Eve curled on the couch with a cup of hot cocoa as radio reports tracked Santa’s trip around the globe. But these days, kiddos have gotten a little more high-tech in their search for up-to-date, GPS-driven Kringle updates. First, there’s the Google Santa Tracker (santatracker.google.com), a full-fledged holiday hub for your browser powered by Google Maps, including, of course, an up-to-the-minute GPS tracker for the big man.The application arrived in 2004, and it’s been updated every year since. During the countdown to Christmas, there’s a colorfully animated advent calendar of sorts, where buildings around Santa’s village “thaw out” and
reveal a host of fun games and activities. There’s even a section titled “Santa Tracker for Educators,”which includes kid-friendly coding games, information on international holiday traditions, and a translation app to “learn the Santa lingo from around the world.” When the eve of the big day finally comes, Google promises a showcase of Santa’s “dashboard, the technology that powers his sleigh during his around-the- world journey.”Featuring “the latest and greatest … in sleigh engineering,” the app displays a Google Maps window that tracks each of Santa’s stops, gives status updates from Old Saint Nick, and tells kids how far he is from their city. It’s a colorful, fun adventure for the whole family. Of course, Google’s not the only kid on the Santa-tracking block.There’s also
NORADTracks Santa, operated by the North American Aerospace Defense Command, the same organization that tracks nuclear missiles for the government. Similar to Google, noradsanta.org includes a variety of fun games and activities leading up to Christmas. But unlike Google, NORAD has a dedicated Santa-tracking app for your phone, where you can see a 3-D view of Santa’s location during his trip. The app also features videos, so you and your little ones can see clips of Santa flying around major landmarks and world cities. Just don’t stay up too late watching them. You don’t want Santa to skip over your house!
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