RFG Wealth Advisory Team Newsletter October '24
The newsletter welcomes cooler weather in October, shares updates from a fishing trip to Sun Valley, and highlights activities and achievements of team members and family at RFG Wealth Advisory.
RFG Wealth Advisory - Team News Chris Robinson Chris Robinson Hello and welcome to October and a little cooler weather! Henry has started his senior year at Texas August is a good month/bad month. It is good because football has started, Tech. He is majoring in computer science. His and there is excitement with school starting. It's bad because it is usually friends are starting to graduate and are October 2024 brutally hot. getting good jobs, that seems to be We took our annual trip fly fishing to Sun Valley, Idaho, this year. Mike and motivational! Emilio came with me for the first week. We fished on the Big Wood River Jacob is a sophomore at Tyler Junior College, and the Big Lost River. As usual, it was a great time. The weather was very where he plays football. He injured his foot good. We went during the Summer Olympics and got to watch a lot of great the week before the first game, but he has events, when we were not fishing of course! My family joined me for the been cleared to start practicing again. second week and we also had a great time. I got adventurous and decided Looking forward to watching him play this to hike Baldy Mountain. The first day was pretty tough. Needless to say I year. didn’t make it to the top the first day! I did make it to the top the second day and my wife joined me for the third day. I think I could get used to mountain life, at least in the summer. Continued on Page 2 Read More, page 2
Ben is a junior at Argyle High School. He is a serious student and also works on the weekends at Denton Country Club. Last week he attended "Homecoming" and had a great time. I can remember my Homecoming Dances in High School. Those were special times! I had a homecoming disaster during my sophomore year in high school. I had a beautiful date and my brother was going to let me borrow his 1978 Trans Am! (Think Smokey and the Bandit!) But sometimes things don't exactly go as planned. I failed my driver's test and had to go with my buddy and his date. OK, no problem. Well, he wrecked his car into my neighbor's yard and we had to get my mom to drive us! So from driving a Trans Am to being driven by my mom! It sounds funny now that I think about it. Do any of you have any good Homecoming stories? If so, send them to me. [email protected] Molly is in the 8th grade at Argyle Middle School. She is also a serious student and enjoys playing tennis. It has been 12 years since we brought Molly home from China. Crazy how fast time flies. In addition to our normal summer activities, we also have been raising 2 puppies. Johnny is now an 8 month old Brittany, and Pearl is our accident pup. It seems our labrador Buddy, hooked up with my prize English Pointer. I promise I only turned my back on them for a second! Well, one puppy was born, cesarian section. The pup was no bigger than a hot dog. Mama Ellie wasn't too interested in baby Pearl, due to the cesarian section. So, my wife and I had to bottle feed her for the first 6 weeks. I am told a labrador and English Pointer mix is called a Pointador. She is definitely our miracle dog. We are incredibly grateful to be in this business and incredibly grateful to our clients! Regards, Chris Robinson
Navigating Medicare IRMAA: Strategies On RFG University How To Minimize Your Medicare Premiums by Chris Robinson, ChFC So, what income counts for MAGI? Almost everything counts, including tax- free municipal bond income, wages, Social Security benefits, and retirement account distributions. Understanding what counts towards MAGI allows you You turn 65 and begin Medicare insurance. Looking at the monthly cost and to predict your IRMAA charges and find ways to reduce them. think that is not so bad. You can easily look up how much your payment is going to be for Part B and Part D. Medicare may cost you a lot more than you Please Note: If you have MAGI that is as little as $1 over the threshold limit, imagined! then you must pay the full adjustment. There are actually five different levels of income with five different levels of additional premium. The levels differ What is IRMAA? with single or jointly filed tax returns. At the most punitive level of income, an additional $419.30 for Part B and $81 for Part D must be paid per month per Welcome an unfriendly additional premium called IRMAA or income-related individual! monthly adjustment amount. Basically, the more you make, the more you pay. Medicare looks back at your income two years ago to determine the price you will pay for parts B and D. So income in the year you were 63 determines how much more you will pay when you are 65. The calculation is based on your modified adjusted gross income or MAGI. Announcing our New RFG Client Planning Portal! NEW- RFG Planning Portal! This upgraded portal offers enhanced features that will help us work together more effectively to build your financial plan. Key Features: Account Balances: View your account balances at a glance. Financial Planning Tools: Collaborate with your advisor and fine-tune your plan. video here Information Management: Easily enter and update information to for up-to-date accuracy. Secure Document Vault: Store important documents and correspondence securely. We are currently transferring documents from the old portal’s vault to the new one for a seamless transition. If you are registered, log in today. If not, call us, and we’ll get you set up! 940-464-4104.
This time of year, from June to October, is truly one of the best. There's something about the transition from John Crowder John Crowder summer to fall that brings excitement. The days are still warm, but the air starts to cool just enough to hint Over the past few months, the at the changes coming. The perfect balance of sunny weather has been ideal for golfing afternoons and crisp evenings makes any outdoor and fishing, making it a perfect activities so enjoyable. season to enjoy the outdoors. One of my favorite golf courses is This time is even more special for me, watching my Turtle Hill in Muenster. The course little brother play football for Stephen F. Austin. As a is known for its stunning views and redshirt freshman, he worked his tail off to become a a couple of elevated tee boxes that member of the starting O-Line. Football season, add a unique challenge to the especially at the college level, brings its own unique experience. It's not just the beauty energy. The thrill of the game, the excitement in the that makes it special, though— stands, and the collective support of the fans create there's usually very little foot an atmosphere that's hard to match. Knowing my traffic, which means it's the brother is part of that, makes it even more meaningful. perfect place for a quiet, peaceful afternoon getaway. Regarding fishing, I can't tell you about my honey hole for this; I'm keeping it confidential! It's a season of gratitude and joy for me. Not only do I get to experience the beauty of these months, but I also get to share in my brother's journey, watching him grow as an athlete and a person. For that, I couldn't be more thankful.
Lindsay Freeman Lindsay Freeman This summer was full of unexpected twists and memorable Beyond our beach adventures, the boys decided to dive moments! We had been eagerly anticipating our annual trip into a new sport this summer: baseball! They’ve been to Galveston, but Hurricane Beryl changed our plans and practicing their swings and working on teamwork, and it’s prompted us to explore a new destination: South Padre been so fun to see their enthusiasm. Charley, not to be Island. left out, has started dance classes. Watching her twirl and Upon arriving at South Padre, we quickly settled into the practice her moves has brought so much joy to our beach vibe. The boys were especially excited about their family. It’s wonderful to see all of them pursuing their banana boat ride with Dad. Their laughter and shrieks of joy interests and passions! echoed across the waves as they bounced over the water. Meanwhile, Charley and I took a more laid-back approach, enjoying the tranquility of the beach while searching for seashells. We found some beautiful treasures, each one a little reminder of our fun day together.
As September rolled around, we celebrated a very special milestone: my Grandma’s 90th birthday. The celebration took place at the church we grew up in, a place filled with memories and warmth. Family and friends gathered to honor her incredible life, sharing stories, laughter, and even a few tears. It was a beautiful reminder of the importance of family and the love that binds us all together. Looking back, this summer was a mix of change and adventure. From beach days and new sports to cherished family celebrations, we created lasting memories that we’ll treasure for years to come!
Susan Dawson Have you noticed how the most impactful things in life take the most time? Long periods of time and patience you didn’t know you had. I reflect on marriage, raising kids, family traditions, On previous trips to Barcelona, Spain, Mike and I visited the As I mentioned, the outside reminds even growing a tree. You can’t outside of this sandcastle-looking structure and were amazed at me of a sand castle. It’s brown and see things change daily, but over how it changed over time. However, this trip we secured tickets to rough-looking from far away, but you time, you do see change. tour inside the basilica. It opened my eyes to an even greater can see the intricate detail on every On a recent trip to Spain, my appreciation for the centuries-long attention to a plan developed entrance and tower up close. The husband and I had the in 1882. inside is entirely different, with white opportunity to experience one of The designer for the Sagrada Familia is Antonio Gaudi, a Spanish stone. The smooth stone reflects the these wonders, the Sagrada architect from Catalonia. Gaudi is famous for many significant and light streaming through the amazing Familia. This UNESCO World recognizable works, including Casa Batllo, La Pedrera-Casa Mila, stained glass windows. These are not Heritage site is still under and Park Guell. His later designs include few straight lines and typical stained glass windows you construction which began in many unique uses of natural light. see in most religious structures. 1882. Our tour started with a bus and walking tour of historical parts of These windows are designed with What began as a neo-Gothic Barcelona. We were dropped off about a half mile from the yellow, orange, and red abstract basilica has evolved over 142 Sagrada to get the full visual effect of approaching this 566’ tall pieces to the east and cool colors to years into a place where those of church. The crisp fall air and partly cloudy skies set the stage for a the west to take advantage of the faith to architectural enthusiasts wonderful visit. natural sun streaming through at any marvel at the splendor and vision time of year. being carried out by workers Our tour there was beautiful and doing their part for this massive meaningful. It reminds me that the wonder. most important things in life take time. Relationships, spiritual development, and financial investing are not one-and-done projects but intentional daily choices. I look forward to progressing with each of you as we make great daily choices. Have a wonderful holiday season with your families! Susan
Emilio Gonzalez November is probably my favorite month of the year: Fall, Football, Thanksgiving, Hunting Season, plus my first grandbaby, Mia, will be one! But November has also been a month of trials; It is the month we lost our first son in 1997, the month my dad passed away in 2020, and 2 years ago when our house burned down. It is just a reminder that life is full of ups and downs, but without those, we would be flatlined and you know what that means! So we move on and keep getting stronger, loving deeper, and making more memories. This year has been challenging but oh, so awesome. We finally moved into our home in August, the day before school started. After being displaced for almost 2 years. It feels so good to have our own nest. It is so nice to be back on our property and back next door to my mom (However, I have gained 5lbs living next to her again; funny how that happens) Sharon and I celebrated our 30th anniversary and decided to just stay at home and enjoy our new
Fall IS Football! We have truly enjoyed watching Mateo perform at a more intense level. And it is much better to have our own cheerleader in the stands. Mia loves football games and gets very vocal and animated during the entire game. Mateo has proven to be a valuable teammate and leader on the field while keeping his grades up. It is time to start visiting colleges. We attended Olivia’s
Nick Noll A Busy Season of Sports, Travel, and Milestones! The past few months have been filled with exciting events for our family. Between soccer, softball, and a memorable trip to Colorado, it's been non-stop fun and adventure! Meanwhile, Emily started her first season of softball, and I had the privilege of helping Our soccer season took us to the stunning coach her team. It's been incredible watching grounds of the Air Force Academy in Colorado, her take to the sport with such enthusiasm. where Kylie and her team had the opportunity to This season culminated in a well-deserved play. The mountain backdrop made for an second place and a very cool ring for the girls unforgettable experience, and the team played to show off as a token of their hard work! wonderfully, showcasing their hard work and teamwork in every match and speaking of soccer! Kylie has recently committed to playing soccer and studying at Concordia University in Austin next year! We are so excited and proud! (We are really excited she is staying in Texas for school) Go Tornados!
Happy Fall! Hopefully by the time you are reading this Mike Lemich newsletter, the temperature has finally dropped into weather suitable for enjoying and exploring the outdoors. A few weeks ago, we visited pumpkin village at the Dallas Arboretum with our friend who was visiting from Japan. It was your typical 90 degree fall day in Texas, but despite the heat, it was still a great opportunity to share fall and Halloween related customs with our friend who has only ever experienced Halloween from the outside looking in. We recently started our fourth-year homeschooling and the kids continue to thrive in their routines and sports. We are enjoying the flexibility it brings for traveling too. Early in September we were able to go down to Padre Island and stopped to explore the USS Lexington. My father is a big history buff and was almost as knowledgeable as the tour guides on the ship. The kids were quite shocked at how much life has changed from the mid/late 1900’s to now. I forget how much time has passed until I realize we are already almost a quarter of the way through this century!
Big changes for Carson (3-year old) this school year as he started pre- school and T-ball. After watching his siblings on the sidelines for years, he is so excited to finally be part of the action. Anastaisa (6- year old) continues on in her gymnastics journey and is currently trying to master her back handsprings on the floor and backflips on the trampoline.Calvin (8-year old) is currently in his flag football season and enjoying hanging out with all his buddies, while throwing some touchdowns in the meantime! He has also become quite interested in chess. As we go into the busy and exciting holiday season, we hope are able to take time to slow down, count your blessings, and notice the small moments that bring joy to your life. Until next time!
We look forward to an amazing holiday season with you and your family. Thank you for being part of the experience that is RFG Wealth Advisory. Chris & Team RFG Connect with Us! Financial Success Doesn’t Happen by Chance. [email protected] It takes careful planning and expert advice. [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] 940-464-4104 RFG Wealth Advisory Blueprint