IN THE KNOW
Monthly Newsletter
August 2021
At ML&R Wealth Management, we want to ensure our clients are In The Know.

In this month's newsletter, we have a helpful article on preparing for college expenses. We also take a look at how umbrella insurance can be beneficial. Advisor, Vanessa McElwrath was recently interviewed by KVUE news so be sure to check out her interview below. We are continuing our employee spotlight and introducing you to retirement associate, Julie Reinhardt. And as usual, we are sharing helpful COVID-19 resources from our parent company, Maxwell, Locke & Ritter, and relevant investment articles and videos from Dimensional.

We are a firm that understands that managing your assets is about more than money. It is about empowering your future. At ML&R Wealth Management, we focus on you.


sadair@mlrpc.com | (512) 275-2734

It is that time of year again when millions of young Americans begin returning to college. While it is certainly a time of excitement for students and a source of great pride for their parents, the costs of sending a child to college have been rising steadily for decades (about 8% annually). Texas parents who send their kids to an in-state college can expect to pay between $25,000 – $30,000 per year for tuition and room and board and double that amount for out-of-state colleges. Fortunately, there are options available to help supplement the costs, like scholarships, grants, and low-interest loans. Still, the majority of parents expect to pay for at least some, if not all, college costs out of pocket. Thus, it is very important that parents start saving for their kids’ college as soon as possible so the funds will have time to grow and hopefully keep up with the rising costs. 

Saving for College
There are several types of college savings accounts, but the most common and flexible is the 529 education savings plan. 529 plans are legally known as “qualified tuition plans,” are sponsored by states, state agencies, or educational institutions, and are authorized by Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code. Texas residents can not only open an account through the Texas program but can also open a 529 account through any state in the U.S. 529 accounts are typically opened by parents or grandparents on behalf of a child or grandchild, who is the account’s beneficiary.




rroth@mlrpc.com | (512) 370-3262

It is prudent that we protect ourselves and our families from potential lawsuits should you face an unexpected claim against you. An umbrella policy is an easy and affordable way to weather a storm and safeguard your family and assets.  

What is Umbrella Insurance?
Umbrella insurance is an extension of your personal liability insurance. It protects you and members of your household if they are sued and found at fault for personal injury or property damage to others, libel, or slander. It is carried in addition to your homeowners, auto, recreational vehicle, boat, or other types of insurance policies that carry personal liability coverage. 

I know what you are thinking…. Why do I need additional coverage when my home and auto policy already covers personal liability? The answer lies in the coverage limits of those policies. For example, your teen driver is found at fault causing significant damage to an expensive vehicle ($50,000 in repairs) and injury to another family ($250,000 in medical expenses) plus the occupants won’t be able to work and decide to sue for lost wages ($100,000). You are now facing $400,000 in damages, but your auto insurance personal liability limit is only $250,000. Now your personal assets are at risk for legal judgment. An umbrella policy would step in and pay the difference between your auto policy and what you are responsible for, and in this example scenario, it would cover the $150,000 plus legal costs. 



vmcelwrath@mlrpc.com | (512) 275-2716

The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged families around the globe, with a disproportionately large burden falling on the shoulders of women. This ongoing crisis has exacerbated demands on women who juggle the responsibilities of a career with a primary caregiver role at home. Women in corporate careers face difficult choices amid the global pandemic. Before you make any major career moves, you should know to consider all your options and consider the long-term consequences. Advisor, Vanessa McElwrath, spoke with KVUE Midday News to share some considerations to take into account:

Employee Spotlight

We are excited to spotlight employee, Julie Reinhardt this month! Below are some fun facts to help you get to know her better!
Julie Reinhardt | Retirement Associate

Birthday: April 28

Tell us about your family: I have a GREAT family! I have been married to a fishing and hunting guide for over 25 years now. My son is finishing up his last year of college and in the process of applying for law school. My daughter is in her junior year and starting to look at colleges now. She is planning to study something in the health care field. I have two labs that love to go on walks and chase squirrels.

What's your favorite TV show? I have watched some really great shows over the years but I really loved Friends probably more than the others. We've watched the series over and over again. I really enjoyed the reunion and experiencing it through the actors' eyes as well. We recently sold the house we had lived in for 24 years. On the last night we were all together there, we all watched the last episode together - one last time.

If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would you go? On my phone, I have a list of all of the places I want to go - kind of like my bucket list for travel. I think of all of the places I want to go, Europe is up at the top. My kids have promised to take me in the next few years. First stop - Italy!

What is your favorite book? One of my passions is reading - and I am a very fast reader - so I have read many, many books. But, I have read and re-read two-book series multiple times: Harry Potter and Healing Ruby. So, I guess all of those books must be my favorites!

If you could go back to any time in history, where would you go? If I could go back to any time in history, I would go back to the time when my grandparents were young. I so enjoyed hearing their stories. I would love to see them play out and experience what life was like then.

What is your favorite part of working at ML&R? My favorite part of working at ML&R is two-fold - the people and the flexibility. I don't think you could find a better group of folks to work with anywhere. Everyone is a team - intelligent, hard-working, fun to be around, and just good people. Also, being a working parent is hard. ML&R works with all of us to help create that work-life balance that makes it easier for all of us.


Investment opportunities exist all around the globe, but the randomness of global stock returns makes it exceedingly difficult to figure out which markets are likely to be outperformers. How should investors deal with this kind of uncertainty?


By Kenneth French, PhD, Director and Consultant

The pandemic snuck up on investors. On December 31, 2019, the government in Wuhan, China, confirmed that dozens of people were being treated for a new virus. China reported its first death from the virus on January 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared a global emergency on January 30, and the first death outside China occurred in the Philippines on February 1. Financial markets took this news in stride. The UK’s FTSE 100 fell 1%, for example, from December 31, 2019, to February 20, 2020, and the S&P 500 rose 5% over the same interval. Things changed quickly, however, after that. Over the next month, stock indices around the world plunged, with both the S&P 500 and the FTSE 100 dropping by a third.

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As the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to spread in the U.S. and across the world, our priority at Maxwell Locke & Ritter is the safety and well-being of our people, clients, families, and community. We are monitoring daily updates and recommendations from the CDC. Additionally, we are minimizing the impact that COVID-19 could have on our services and are staying abreast of all filing deadline adjustments. We understand that in this time of uncertainty you may have growing concerns for the financial health of yourselves and your businesses, employees and families. We have curated some helpful resources for you and will continue to update this page as new information and updates occur.

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About ML&R Wealth Management:
At ML&R Wealth Management, we take investing personally. Your ML&R Wealth Management advisor will work to develop a lasting relationship with you, keeping in touch to understand your changing goals and to provide an asset management strategy to help achieve them. Whenever you need sound financial advice, you have a direct line to a trusted advisor.

For over 20 years, we have served individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofits with wealth management services, custom retirement and 401(k) plans, and portfolio management.

We believe in accountability and transparency and operate as a fee-only advisor with fees calculated solely on assets under management.
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