July 2018
Greetings!

I'm sure you've all heard of the trade tariffs that were implemented on Chinese goods earlier this month, so much so that it may be considered a "trade war". Let's get into a little more detail so you know how this may affect you.

  1. What is a tariff? In short, a tariff is a tax on goods coming into a country. Most tariffs in the US are paid at the time of entry into the US via a customs broker or agent, along with other duties and fees that may apply to the import
  2. What is the purpose of a tariff? The idea of a tariff is to push up the price of foreign goods to make the US-made option more attractive.
  3. What is Trump's goal with this implementation of tariffs on Chinese goods? Trump is trying to get companies to use less Chinese-produced goods and choose items made in the US or imported from a more friendly trade ally.
  4. What does this mean for businesses? The tariffs focus on intermediary good or parts. Many US businesses use these parts to make finished products. Now companies will either have to pay that increased price, pay more for the finished product, or use more expensive domestic parts. This increase in productivity will cause companies to either pass the cost on to customers with higher prices, cut costs in other areas like workforce (layoffs), or completely moving operations outside of the US to avoid the tariffs altogether.
  5. What does this mean for the average American? If businesses choose the option of raising prices, the average American will see an inflation on purchased goods, which could lead to a slowdown in consumer spending.

We hope this helps clear up any questions you may have regarding the tariffs. Feel free to reach out should you need any further details.


As always, it's a pleasure to serve your family.
Beware of the Retirement Raiders: The Terrible 4 that are After Your Retirement

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We are currently unhappy with our financial advisor because we believe he just wants to sell us investments that benefit him and also is not concerned about our own comprehensive needs. So, if they want to become a client of yours, what is that process?
I recently transferred my IRA account twice within the same year to two different companies. Then I read an article that says you can only do one rollover per year. Does this mean he's in trouble?
Get Healthy with a Disability

Stories tell of heroes with disabilities overcoming great challenges. The moral of those stories: You never have to let circumstances or your physical condition get in the way of your fitness goals. 

If you have a disability, here's what you should do before you begin an exercise program: 

  • Discuss with your doctor the amount of exercise that's acceptable and any restrictions.
  • Discuss your goals with an exercise professional.

Your goal is to reach and maintain 2 hours and 30 minutes of aerobic activity per week. Activities may include walking, wheeling in a wheelchair, swimming, or performing vigorous yard work.

Start slowly: Try doing something for at least 10 minutes and gradually add time until you reach 30 minutes at a time. If you can't reach those time goals, do as much as you're able to.

You should do strength-building activities at least 2 days per week. Strength exercises may include pushups or weight training. 

Sticking to your routine is the best way to achieve your fitness goals. Here are some quick tips to keep you moving:

  • Find an exercise buddy.
  • If you fail to meet your daily goal, you have tomorrow. 
  • Best of all: Some exercise is better than none. So, keep at it.

Tip adapted from Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
Mixed Green and Herb Tossed Salad

Yields: 6

Ingredients: 

  • 6 cups mixed spring greens (like Bibb, pea shoots, and mâche), torn
  • 2 cups mixed herbs (like tarragon, dill, mint, and chives), chopped
  • 1 cup shelled edamame
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • Kosher salt
  • Pepper
  • 1 small shallot, finely chopped
  • Soft-cooked eggs and edible flowers, for serving

Directions: 

  1. Mix greens and herbs together in a large bowl. Put in edamame. 
  2. Mix in olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, honey, and ¼ teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Add shallot and stir.
  3. Gently add dressing and put eggs and flowers on top.

Recipe adapted from Good Housekeeping
Monthly Riddle - Don't miss out on a chance to win LUNCH ON US!

Congratulations to last month's winner, Donna Richards!

July Riddle: 
Why did the robot go on summer vacation?

Last month's riddle: 
What dresses for summer and sheds in the winter?

The answer to last month's riddle: A Tree

Email   us with your answer; if it's correct, you'll be entered into a drawing amongst other correct winners. We will announce the winner in next month's newsletter, so keep those answers coming. We will draw one lucky winner to win lunch on us! 

Monthly Quote

" Having a lot of money does not automatically make you a successful person. What you want is money and meaning . You want your work to be meaningful, because meaning is what brings the real richness to your life. ”
- Oprah Winfrey

Fun Facts | Interesting, Amazing, Strange, Funny, and Weird

Google and Facebook combined make up roughly 25% of all global advertising expenditures, and control more of the advertising market than all of the print media on the planet.
-Abundance Insider

China is home to the world’s best pencil graphite. In China, the color yellow is connected with royalty, so American pencil producers began painting their pencils yellow to show they contained high-quality Chinese graphite.
-Asiaoppo

The U.S. Mint made over 1.3 billion nickels in 2017, losing $9.5 million making them. The copper and nickel in a five cent piece went up in price and now costs 7 cents each to produce. Changing the composition of the nickel would not be easy because vending machines and coin counters in America use conductivity to delineate different coins, and reprogramming would cost tens of billions of dollars. 
-Quartz

In California, there is a tiny private school called Ad Astra with fewer than 40 students whose average age is 10. Music, languages, and sports are not taught, there are no grades, and students can opt out of subjects they don’t enjoy. The children do trade their own currencies and study artificial intelligence. Elon Musk’s kids attend.
- Ars Technica

American workers forfeited a total of 212 million vacation days in 2017, equivalent to $62.2 billion in lost benefits. In other words, the average American employee donated $561 back to their employer by not using allotted vacation time.
- The Week

The US flag currently in use was actually designed by a 17-year-old high school student as a class project. After Hawaii and Alaska joined the union in 1959, Robert Heft designed a flag with five rows of six stars and four rows of five stars. His teacher told him it was unoriginal and he received a B-minus. He later sent his design to Ohio Congressman Walter Moeller and it was adopted as our current flag on July 4, 1960.
- Ohio History Central

Due to new sexual harassment guidelines, Netflix employees are being asked not to look at one another for more than five consecutive seconds.
- Quartz at Work
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