Extra Point eUpdate!                               Like us on Facebook Summer 2014

About Our TD Group eUpdate
You may have noticed in these eUpdates that we share a lot about the community events TD Group sponsors, supports and joins. And we usually share that before we get to the articles with financial planning information. There's a BIG reason for that. When we started TD Group as a locally owned and independent firm, one of our main missions was to reinvest our own growth with our own community. Rather than share profits with a parent company on Wall Street, we wanted to share profits - and our time, effort and families - with amazing community outreach programs right here at home. And one of the reasons we are so passionate about helping our clients succeed is that they'll do the same as they feel led. Those weren't just boilerplate words on a brochure. This mission is a big part of who we are at TD Group. We work very hard at our craft to stay in front of the knowledge and technology curve to help our clients work towards their financial goals. We are excited that financial growth - yours and ours - is doing so much to make our community a better place for everyone. So we share much about both, financial planning information and our community involvement. But we usually start with the community involvement. And here we go again ....

 

TD Group Annual Charity Golf Tournament Blows Past Goal!
On Monday, June 16, TD Group clients, friends and families came out to Sunnyside Country Club for a day of golf, fun and giving back to some of our favorite local charities. Our goal was an ambitious 144 golfers and proceeds of $25,000 to share with Care Fresno, PAL (Police Activities League) and KYJO (Keeping Youth Journeying Onward). We are humbled to report that we missed our goal. We had 180 golfers and raised over $40,000!!! This was an all-time record by a long drive! We feel so blessed and so thankful for those who joined us. Thank you so much to all who share our passion for supporting these wonderful organizations who benefit youth in the communities we serve. Because of you, so many children will be given opportunities that they normally would not have.  We encourage you to learn more about these organizations. And should you feel drawn to get more involved, go for it! 

 

Our Own Celebrity Bowler to Make a Big BANG
TD Group was one of the many sponsors of KYJO's Big BANG Weekend, which included the Celebrity Bowling Challenge on July 11 and Believe and Achieve, a free football clinic for 4th - 8th graders July 12.  Our own, Stephen Spach, was a special guest at both events. As you may know, Stephen was a standout Tight End at Fresno State and has played in the NFL since 2005. Stephen, along with other NFL and Division 1 football players will meet and bowl at AMF Sierra Lanes in Fresno. The players and celebrities will rotate lanes and help participants win a few frames. The Believe and Achieve Free Football clinic gave 500 students, 4th - 8th grade opportunity to not only meet, but also be mentored by top NFL and Division 1 football players and practice on an actual Division 1 college field that many may have only seen on television. They learned skills they can use on and off the field. KYJO is a non-profit youth organization dedicated to providing opportunities for better way of life. All proceeds benefit KYJO Cares events such as the Free Big Bang Weekend Football Clinic at Bulldog Stadium, mentoring, education, mental health services, and trips to historical landmarks, museums, amusement parks, camping, deep sea fishing and more!

 

Catching Dreams

On June 2nd, Diana Kliewer had the privilege of participating in the 2nd Annual Dream Catcher Appreciation Picnic.  Dream Catcher Clubs were founded several years ago by a young lady in Southern California. Bakersfield clubs are run through some of the high schools in conjunction with Optimal Hospice. The goal of Dream Catchers is to grant wishes to people who are on hospice. The patient, a family member, medical team member, or volunteer can nominate a patient for a "Dream". They have arranged for dinners, attending baseball games, decorating rooms, buying eyeglasses, and others.  Diana has become a mentor to one of the local high school whose students are involved in the program. Way to make dreams come true in more ways than one Diana.

 

Caring for Kids Right Where They Live
TD Group supports and believes in the works of Care Fresno. In cooperation with the Fresno Police Department, Care Fresno delivers love and help to turn high-crime apartment complexes into safer places to live. Care Fresno enlists local churches to make it happen. Through a yearlong partnership, Care Fresno trains the church congregation in the theory and practice of urban missions. Through this training, leaders are elicited to be local missionaries to these apartment complexes. Care Fresno turns an apartment unit or community room into a center for programs or ministries. Care Fresno's missionaries and church volunteers provide daily after-school tutoring mentoring and sports programs for at-risk youth. TD Group provides a reward program for kids who are committed to these programs. In 2012, we took a group of kids to Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. In 2011, we went to Disneyland!  On Saturday, May 24 we took 60 of Care Fresno's kids back to Santa Cruz. Ten of our team members and 10 of Care Fresno's leaders joined forces and chaperoned these kids, ages 9-12 years old, on two charter buses. It was a day full of riding rides, playing on the beach, playing games, eating lots of food and just hanging out getting to know our new young friends. The kids had a blast and, as usual, blessed us perhaps more than we blessed them.

 

Stephen Spach is a REAL Man
Stephen Spach participated in the NFLPA Former Players Northern California Chapter REAL Men Read Day on March 29. The goal is to prepare students for the future while demonstrating the importance to model behaviors essential for lifelong learning. REAL Men Read Day is an excellent opportunity to motivate the students of the Northern California communities and elsewhere. When real men converse in classrooms throughout the various school districts ... and when real men volunteer to read to students ... they demonstrate a genuine appreciation for reading for a lifetime. We are proud of Stephen for being a guest reader at McCardle Elementary School. 

 

TDU Seminar Series
Thank you to those who have taken the time out of your busy schedules to participate in our TDU Seminar Series. We hope that you find our topics informative and enjoyable. It's always a pleasure to see our friends and clients and deliver important information to help them succeed. Please don't hesitate to contact us if you have questions about any material that is covered in the seminars, or about any other investment or insurance-related subject. It is our genuine pleasure to be of service to you. We try to hold these educational events each month on different topics. You can find the schedule on our website- www.thiesendueker.com, or simply look for invitations we email to every client.

In May, Estate Planning Attorney, Paul Franco came and spoke to us about the importance of Estate Planning. If you'd like to learn a little more about Wills and Trusts, here is more information. We will have Paul Franco back on September 17. Please mark your calendar and we will be sending out more information.
 
In June, we hosted a wine tasting event with Ashley Ackerman from Sun America Mutual Funds. She taught us about investing for the long term and that diversification is the key. During her presentation, we paired five different wines with various foods. Who says learning can't be fun?
 
Some of our upcoming seminars include topics like Medicare, Healthcare and Social Security. If you are approaching 65, you will have some key decisions to make regarding your health coverage and Medicare. Depending on your financial and personal health situation when you retire, you may want to consider whether to enroll in Medicare. Health Insurance may play a valuable role in your retirement plan.

 

TD Groups Drive for 55
We find that at 55 years of young, many people begin to have questions about their retirement income and how long it will last. With a lot of life left to live, what will their finances look like after retirement? A successful retirement is not about how much money someone has accumulated, it is about allocating and using the assets one has to generate needed and desired income throughout retirement. Each person preparing for retirement should have a retirement income review to analyze required and desired lifestyle income needs, prepare for cost-of-living increases, and choose a sound financial strategy. Do you know someone who is 55-65 years of age and preparing for retirement? Please consider sharing our name with them. TD Group will conduct a no-obligation, complimentary retirement income review. We think 55 is a great age to have peace of mind ... not questions.  

 

 

Things to Think About......

Choosing Between Traditional and Roth 401(k)'s

Traditional and Roth 401(k) plans both provide tax-advantaged ways to save for retirement.  Which works best for you will depend upon your unique circumstances.

Many workers now have -- or may soon have -- a new retirement planning option to consider: the Roth 401(k), which permits participants to save for retirement on an after-tax basis.  In return for forgoing a tax deduction at the time on contribution, participants may make withdrawals free of taxes and penalties if they are 59 1/2 or older and have maintained the account for five years or more.  The feature may appeal to investors who anticipate being in a higher tax bracket in retirement. Learn more. 

 

Saving Strategies: Buying vs. Leasing a Car

As prices of new cars continue to climb, more and more people are considering leasing as a viable financing option.  Although leasing is generally more expensive than financing, there are certain advantages to leasing a vehicle.  A lease will typically result in a lower initial cash outlay and lower monthly payments.  But at the end of the lease, you don't own the car. 

The cost of a lease will depend on the sales prices of the car, the interest rate, the lease period, and whether the lease is closed-or open-ended.  An open-end lease allows you unlimited miles, but you must make up the difference between the agreed-upon resale value and the actual value when the lease is terminated.  A closed-end lease imposes a mileage limit.  If you drive over this amount, you will pay a per-mile surcharge. Both types of leases usually entail substantial penalties for premature cancellation.  Read how it works. 

 

Social Security and You: What Does the Future Hold?

If you're counting on Social Security to provide you with a secure retirement, think again.  Social Security benefits only account for less than half of today's retirees' income.  Longer life expectancies and the aging of the population will put an increasing burden on the Social Security system, making your own retirement funding more important than ever. 

The exact amount of your Social Security benefit will depend upon the number of years you've been working and the amount you've earned.  Retirement benefits are collectible at any time on or after age 62, but can be delayed until age 70.  How much you get depends upon when you retire; reduced benefits are paid if you retire between ages 62 and your "normal retirement age", as defined by Social Security, while delayed retirement credits apply if you wait until beyond your normal retirement age.  In some cases, your children and your spouse may also be eligible for benefits on your account. Learn the system. 

The Learning Center 

 Please refer to our website, www.thiesendueker.com for more educational material.
  
        

       

 
                       

  

Avoiding Identity Theft

 

Identity theft is a serious crime, one that affects millions of Americans each year according to statistics published by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Identity theft occurs when someone steals your personal information in order to commit fraud or other crimes such as opening credit in your name or using your information to make unauthorized purchases. 

Unfortunately, anyone can be victimized and it can cost you hundreds of dollars and many hours of your time to repair the damage that can be done to your credit and your personal reputation. LPL Financial is committed to protect your privacy, but there are steps that you can take to reduce your risk in identity theft.

  • Shred all documents containing personal information before you discard them.
  •   Protect your Social Security number.  Don't carry Social Security card with you and do not provide it to anyone unless absolutely necessary.
  • Keep your personal information in a secure place.
  • Never click on unsolicited emails and do not provide passwords or personal information on sites that you do not know or look unfamiliar.
  • Monitor your accounts and billing statements for any unusual activity and take immediate action when you spot it.
  • Check your credit reports annually from all three major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and Transunion.  Place fraud alerts on your credit report with the credit bureaus if you suspect suspicious activity.
  • Close any accounts where suspicious activity has occurred or that are not longer active or being used by you.
  • If your become a victim of identity theft, file a police report and report your incident to the Federal Trade Commission.

If you do become a victim of identity theft, here are the steps you should immediately take.


Market Stats
as of July 16, 2014

 

Index          YTD

Dow Jones   +3.39% 
 Nasdaq      +5.97%
S&P 500     +7.21%
US Treasury Yield
Maturity   Last Yld
3 mo.         .02%
5 yr.        1.70%
10 yr.       2.54%
30 yr.       3.35%
 
      
      CNNMoney.com

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 Independent Investor - Managing Healthcare Costs: Tips for Small Businesses

 


Jeff Thiesen
Partner
LPL Finanical Consultant
 
 Lance Dueker
Partner
LPL Financial Consultant
  
David Johnston
Partner
LPL Financial Consultant
 
Jasin Carlen
Partner
LPL Finanical Consultant 
   
Holly Bare
Associate
Retirement Plan Consultant
  
Thomas Frost
Associate
LPL Financial Consultant

 Jason Link
Associate
LPL Finanical Consultant
 
Brian Nunes
Associate
LPL Financial Consultant
 
Ronald Young
Associate
LPL Financial Consultant
 
 Ryan Purkiss
Associate

 LPL Finanical Consultant

  

Michael Muhareb
Associate
LPL Finanical Consultant 
 
Tom Morgan
Associate
LPL Financial Consultant
 
Stephen Spach
Associate
LPL Financial Consultant
   
James Kliewer
Client Servcies Associate
 
 
  Kimberly Choi-Lindley 

LPL Registered Client Services Associate

 

Reynaldo Cardenas
Client Services Assosciate
 
Jamie Davis  
LPL Registered Client Services Asscciate
  
Diana Kliewer
Client Services Associate 
 
Rebeka Leighton
Client Services Associate
 
Brooke Simmons
LPL Branch Operations 
Compliance Manager
 
Tina St. Louis
Client Services Associate
 
Tammie Sitton
Client Services Associate
 
Carol Matalon
Client Services Associate 
 
Christine Martinez
Client Services Associate
 
Te Shardlow
LPL Registered Client Services Associate
 
Tess Dawson
Client Services Associate
 
Stephanie May
Client Services Associate
 
 

 

 Our Services

 

 Retirement Planning
  • Tradtional/Roth IRAs
  • Simple/SEP IRAs
  • IRA Rollovers and     IRA Consolidations
  • 401(k), 403(b), Profit Sharing and Defined Benefit Plans
  • Income Distributions and RMDs
Financial Strategies
  • Comprehensive and Modular Financial Plans
  • Risk and Insurance Analysis
  • Wealth Accumulation and Income Planning
  • Personal, Family and Charitable Trusts
  • Private Trust Services* 
Investment Management
  • Asset Allocation Modeling
  • Investment Manager Search and Selection
  • Performance Monitoring
  • Institutional Research

 Educational Funding

  • 529 Plans
  • Education Savings Accounts
  • Custodial Accounts

 Investment options and tools

  • CDs and Money Market Funds
  • Tax-advantaged Municipal and Treasury Bonds
  • Domestic and Foreign Stock and Bonds
  • Mutual Funds, Unit Trusts and ETFs
  • Fixed and Variable Annuities
  • Insurance - Life, Long-Term Care and Health
  • Alternative Investments - REITs

 *LPL Financial representatives offer access to trust services through The Private Trust Company N.A., an affiliate of LPL Financial.  

 

  
  
The Financial Consultants at Thiesen Dueker Group are also registered representatives with, and  securities offered through LPL Financial, member FINRA/SIPC