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FINANCIAL SERVICES, LLC
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www.MattsonFinancial.com
DECEMBER 2023
WILL YOU STAY ON TRACK WITH YOUR PLAN? A Look at the Road Ahead
As we head into the end of the year, many people are wondering, “Are we going to end up in a recession?” The simple answer is that nobody knows. However, if we look at history, which sometimes fails to give the true answer, we may find answers there that will tell us if we do, it will be very short-lived. So, as an investor, what should you do between now and when we find out what the markets are actually going to do? History shows us that the best thing you can do is stay invested. At Mattson Financial Services, we add equities to your portfolio and take advantage of market movements by buying more for less, depending on what’s in or out of favor. We work with Gradient Investments (our portfolio managers) to look for opportunities to take advantage and react to the markets. We’ve all heard the advice about staying invested, and they give you 7-, 10-, and 15- year returns, but when you’re looking at 10, 12, and 15 months, it can seem like a lifetime getting back to those positive areas. So, how do you best stay on track with your plan? No. 1: Make sure you’re communicating with your advisor. If you’re feeling uneasy or have questions about your portfolio, you should always call your advisor and air that concern. If you call me, I’m going to tell you where you are in the portfolio, what the markets have done, and where we expect them to go to over time. No. 2: Look at your investment portfolios on a regular basis, but not every day. Watching the markets climb and fall will wreak havoc on
your emotions, causing them to compound. Even I experience this when I watch the markets. When I set up long-term reviews, whether they’re quarterly or semi-annually, I don’t have to worry about what is going on in the future and where my investments will be.
Look at your investments to see where you are year over year, but also look back two or three years. We had a couple of great years of returns, with one not-so-great year between them, which is expected. As we look back at volatility over the last 20 years, the markets have been down 10% or more in a
No. 3: Your portfolio needs to reflect what you’re trying to achieve. In years that are up, we have clients telling us they want more risk so they can achieve a higher
single year over a third of the time. So, we all need to grow accustomed to volatility because it’s here to stay.
As we come to a close with 2023, don't forget to look at your beneficiaries as you’re enjoying this holiday season. As always, we feel blessed to have the opportunity
return. Remember, when the markets go down, you will have higher negativity. Because of our participation and active management, we try to diminish the downturn to take advantage of the upturn. That means we have to “review the market,” and we aren’t going to get it right every time. Recently, there was one investment I felt incredibly comfortable with, as it had an excellent track record that did very well for our clients. To be fully transparent, I held it too long. With that in mind, we rebalanced the portfolio, got out of that investment, and moved forward. It doesn’t matter if you’re an amateur or a professional; you must understand that you need to do things regularly. When the markets are up, you want to harvest the gains. When the markets are down, you want to move in to take advantage of buying low so that in the future, you can sell high.
to be your fiduciary advisor, not just today but every day. When you’re done with your assets, make sure they’re given to whom you want, when you want, and how you want, with as few tax implications as possible. We can’t control the markets, but we can control how we respond to the markets and how much you’re going to pay in taxes at any given time. Take advantage of the things you can control, and let us take care of the things we need to keep an eye on for you.
Merry Christmas! We hope you have a wonderful start to the new year!
–Gary Mattson
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THINK OUTSIDE TH START A NEW TRADITION THIS CHR
Christmas is built on tradition. Many families celebrate the holiday by waking up bright and early to open presents, attending church, having
could go caroling or try out a white elephant gift exchange with the entire family. If you’re looking for something unique, try one of the following activities this year. The Christmas Box One of the most exciting parts of Christmas is when everyone gathers to open gifts. The Christmas box gives you an opportunity to create a new tradition around gift-giving. Fill a medium- or large-size gift box with smaller items you like to give each year. You can stuff it with Christmas pajamas, mugs, books, movies, and
a delicious meal, and closing the day with “How the Grinch
Stole Christmas,” “Elf,” or another Christmas classic. Some families have been doing this for so long that they’re starting to look for new traditions to throw in the mix to spice up the season a little more. There are plenty of ways to change your holiday traditions without losing the meaning of the season! You
THE FALL OF AIRBNB AND SHORT-TERM RENTALS
WHAT DO THESE BANS MEAN FOR THE HOUSING MARKET?
Almost everyone has stayed in an Airbnb or at least heard of the global short-term rental company. Since its inception in 2008, Airbnb has offered listings worldwide. The company has been providing budget options and, more recently, high-end lodging for every type of traveler. But the golden age of Airbnb may be over. U.S. cities have recently tightened restrictions on Airbnb hosts and anyone renting short- term accommodations. The reason is that Airbnb listings have caused local rent prices to skyrocket, especially in tourist destinations like New York City. According to Jorge González- Hermoso, a research associate at the Urban Institute, the Big Apple recently showed more Airbnb listings than actual apartments for rent. More tourists than established owners/renters were living in residential dwellings. Airbnb regulations vary. So, how are cities working toward preserving their communities? By implementing tighter restrictions that severely limit the types of short-term rentals allowed. New York City was
one of the first to put what Airbnb called a “de facto ban” on these accommodations. In 2022, the city prohibited owners from renting out a unit for less than 30 days at a time without the host being present in the unit. Cities in California battling inaccessible housing have also released new regulations on Airbnb hosts. Even in San Francisco, where the company originated, hosts must be full-time residents and cannot rent out listings for more than 90 days a year. Dallas has been the most recent to establish regulations, asserting that all short-term rentals are banned from neighborhoods of single-family homes. Short-term rentals in communities with multifamily dwellings are still allowed but must pay the same taxes and fees as hotels. How will the housing market be affected? As the bans continue to roll out in cities worldwide, many hope this will bring more low- priced properties into the market. While plenty of talk about these changes may encourage
real estate investors and homebuyers, the truth is that it might not make a difference. Experts say these short-term rental owners won’t simply start selling their property. Instead, they’ll work around the restrictions and likely transform listings into long-term rentals. Don’t get your hopes up!
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January Virtual Event: Market Update Release Friday, Jan. 12, 2024 From the comfort of your own home! A market update from one of our advisors and a Gradient Investments portfolio manager will be released via email at 12 p.m.
HE GIFT BOX RISTMAS
other small gifts you know your family or friends will love. Refill the box with different versions of these items every year.
You can also do this with your friends in place of a Secret Santa gift exchange. Set a budget and draw names to determine whom each person will give their box to. From there, you go to local garage sales, dollar stores, and thrift shops to fill the box with things the person will like. A Reminder of Past Christmases Do you buy a real tree every Christmas? Most of us bring our old trees out to the curb when the holiday passes. Before you do so, cut off the very bottom of the tree trunk. Write the date on it and include any extra information you want, such as a child’s or pet’s first Christmas. After a few years, you’ll have a collection of tree trunk rounds that help you reminisce about one of the happiest days of the year and all the memories you made.
Laurel's
SKILLET CHICKEN POT PIE
TAKE A SUDOKU BREAK!
Inspired by TheModernProper.com
Ingredients
• • • • • • • •
1/2 cup butter
• • • • • •
1 tsp garlic powder
1 cup chopped onion 1 cup sliced celery 2 cups sliced carrots
1 cup milk
2 cups chicken stock
2 cups peas
1/2 cup flour
4 cups cooked chicken
1 tsp salt
1 package frozen puff pastry, thawed
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp celery seed
•
1 egg
Directions
1. Heat oven to 425 F. 2. In 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat, melt butter, then add onion, celery, and carrots. Sauté for 5 minutes. 3. Add flour, salt, pepper, celery seed, and garlic powder to pan and stir. Sauté for 2 minutes. Slowly incorporate milk. 4. Add stock and bring to a simmer, whisking until mixture thickens. Add peas and chicken. 5. Roll out pastry sheet into 16-inch square on floured surface. Cut into 3-inch squares and place overlapping onto chicken mixture. 6. In a small bowl, whisk egg with 1 tbsp water. Brush egg over pastry and place in oven for 25 minutes or until golden and bubbling.
Solution on Pg. 4
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FINANCIAL SERVICES, LLC
3226 28th Street SE Kentwood, MI 49512
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Navigate the Next Recession With Smart Investing
1
Fresh Traditions to Make Your Holiday Sparkle Will the Airbnb Crackdown Lead to Affordable Homes?
2
Skillet Chicken Pot Pie Upcoming Events and Seminars
3
Discover the Most Enchanting Christmas Towns in the US
4
**Reminder: If you have any changes to your financial situation, please notify us as soon as possible.
Investment advisory services offered through Mattson Financial Services, LLC, an SEC-Registered Investment Advisor. Insurance and annuities offered through Lakeview Financial Group, LLC. Mattson Financial Services, LLC and Lakeview Financial Group, LLC are affiliated companies.
EXPLORE AMERICA'S MOST MAGICAL CHRISTMAS TOWNS
FROM SNOWY VILLAGES TO YEAR-ROUND HOLIDAY CHEER
It may be too late for less spontaneous travelers to start planning a Christmas
and decorates almost 21 miles, where you can find reindeer farms, carolers, gingerbread competitions, and Christmas markets. Every step of the way offers an Instagram- worthy photo opportunity! Solvang, California A slice of Denmark right in sunny California, Solvang brings endless holiday cheer, especially with their annual Julefest. Pronounced “Yule-fest,” this month-long festival takes place every December and features picturesque events, including a ballerina-filled tree lighting ceremony, visits from Santa, culinary delights, traditional Danish celebrations, and much more! Woodstock, Vermont During Woodstock’s Wassail Weekend, you’ll find the town in peak Christmas mode, where you can experience parades,
horse-drawn carriages, carolers, and the Billings Farm, a local favorite of the season. Stroll down Main Street to witness an idyllic Christmas spot filled with cozy small-town shops and restaurants. North Pole, Alaska If you ever feel like celebrating Christmas in the middle of summer, we know the perfect destination. North Pole, Alaska, offers Christmas decor and festivities year-round! Here, you can get up close and personal with Santa’s reindeer, meet the man himself, and enjoy the snow that covers the entire town. Be sure to check out their ice sculpture competition, which features artists from all over the world! Ready for the Christmas celebration of your dreams? Start planning your next holiday vacation at any of these destinations, and we promise your dreams will most definitely come true!
vacation. But that shouldn’t stop you from planning next
year’s holiday journey! The good news is you don’t need to venture to another continent to find a Christmas wonderland. There are countless picture-perfect
Christmas towns across the country. Make your next Christmas trip feel like a Hallmark movie at one of these festive towns! Leavenworth, Washington Many have dubbed Leavenworth the most Christmas-centric in the U.S., and it’s easy to see why. This Bavarian-style village experiences nearly 96 inches of snowfall every year, and they certainly don’t hold back when it comes to the holidays. The town lights up
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