The Big Picture
 Time to Plan

The volatile markets, interest rate changes, and tax season combine to make this an opportune time to either start or update your financial plan.

In times of turbulent markets, many tend to feel that they either need to sell their investments or stay put. Instead, it may make for a good time to rebalance your portfolio.

Additionally, if you plan to retire in the next year or two, the recent decline in stock value may have an impact on your retirement date. If you were invested aggressively because the market had a few years of solid growth or if you sold your investments at the "bottom", you may have lost a significant amount of your retirement savings. This might be the time to reevaluate your retirement projections to ensure you will have sufficient income.

If you are one of the many people who took out a variable interest rate loan, you may want to consult with your financial advisor on refinancing strategies. You will want to balance the need for fixed payments with potentially extending the amount of time you will be making mortgage payments. Ideally, you will want to have as much of your home paid off as possible in the early years of retirement.

As you are preparing your income tax returns, you might be gathering many of your bank, investment, and loan statements. Because you already have these together, you may want to take this time to meet with an advisor to review your financial plan. Much of the leg work on your end will have already been completed and you can begin to plan for your retirement and future tax years without delay.

 

 The Office
 

We're going to be at several local events this month. On Sunday, April 20th, we have a booth at the SPCA of Maryland's annual March for the Animals. Last year the SPCA had around 6,000 attendees participate in the walk. In addition to the fundraiser, they also have various pet contests and fun activities for both you and your pet. We'll be at the finish line in Druid Hill Park from 10AM until 2PM. Hope to see you there!

Just about a week later, we'll make another visit to Druid Hill Park. This time we'll have a booth at the Baltimore EcoFest. 2008 marks the fifth year that the City of Baltimore has showcased their eco efforts through Green Week. Every day from April 25th through May 2nd is packed with educational events and legislative action. We'll be at EcoFest from 11AM until 5PM on Saturday, April 26th.

We also plan to attend and volunteer at several of the activities during Green Week. Go to www.baltimoregreenweek.org to learn more.

Office Hours: You can reach us from 9AM to 6PM Monday through Friday. The office will close from 12PM to 1PM for lunch. If you call during lunch, please leave a message and someone will contact you after 1PM.

 

 The Family
 

Roxy's DNA test results are in! She shows some evidence of Dalmatian, Welsh Springer Spaniel, Boxer, and Mastiff (yes, Mastiff!). All this tells us is what we already know; she's a spunky, strong minded girl!

Baseball season begins for me at the end of April. We play in the opening game of the season at 6:30PM on April 23rd and are back on the field just three days later. Last year, our team won one tournament and came in second in two others. With a little luck, we'll win all three this year. Let the games begin!

Heidi started kickball a few weeks ago, but the weather hasn't been kind to her team. They have already had to postpone a few games. She and a friend are on a team they just met at the beginning of the season. Everyone seems as though they want to be competitive, but also have fun- which is the perfect mix for Heidi. Good luck with kickball, Heidi!