The fsic Legacy Continues

I am grateful that my decision in 1992 to start my own Investment Advisory and Brokerage Firm in order to provide a home for quality caring advisors and the clients they care for turned out to be a good one.  The firm has grown to be a national firm with over 30 advisors.  I am proud of our 23+ year legacy of no client complaints and the quality of the advisors working for fsic. 

After 23 years it was time to find a new dynamic successor that could continue the legacy for the next 23 years.  My business partner and I worked hard to find someone that we felt would continue our dedication to integrity, trust, ingenuity and simplicity.  We have spent the last year working to provide a smooth transition of our advisors to our new successor.  I will remain one of those advisors as part of the Kirkland Financial Advisor team and will now be able to dedicate even more of my time to helping you achieve your financial goals.

Income Tax Key Numbers for 2016

Several provisions have been permanently extended.  My favorite is the Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCDs).  QCDs are distributions made directly from an IRA to a qualified charity.  Such distributions may be excluded from income and counted toward satisfying any required minimum distribution. 

Click here for a summary of changes and pending changes to income taxes

17th Century – Wampum Inflation

“Wampum” began as ornamental beads made from clamshells, which were highly prized by Native Americans.  When the Dutch arrived in the New World in the 1600s, they discovered the wampum could be used as money.  Thanks to this new financial instrument, they were able to begin buying beaver pelts from the natives – for wampum – and reselling the furs in Europe for a huge profit.

Click here to read full article

Rules have changed for Washington State LLCs as of January 1, 2016

Professional Alliance member, Pat McGowan brings to our attention that Washington State’s new Limited Liability Company (LLC) Act took effect on January 1, 2016, bringing with it a number of changes that affect current and future managers and members of Washington LLCs, as well as anyone doing business with Washington LLCs. 

If you are associated with a Washington State LLC, Pat recommends you reference the states RCW 25.15.045 or seek advice from your legal counsel on how the changes may affect you. 

Click here to access the State of Washington’s RCW 25.15.045 Professional limited Liability companies (Effective January 1, 2006).

Trends and Innovations: Nanotech Color Image Breakthrough

A nanotech breakthrough allows laser printing that is among the smallest, if not the smallest, scale yet.  The 127,000 DPI technology developed at Technology Univ. of Denmark uses a laser to melt a treated aluminum surface.  The researchers said in the report that they reproduced a color image of the Mona Lisa smaller than 1 pixel on the iPhone Retina display.

Click here to read the full article

2016 Estate Tax Update

Professional Alliance Member, Warren Baker’s recent publication “DEATH & TAXES Planning Advice for the Two Certainties in Life” provides a highlight of the updated estate taxes.   The Federal Estate Tax and Gift Tax Exemption had an increase over 2015 to $5,450,00 million per individual.  However the Washington State Estate Tax Exemption has not, as it remains at $2,054,000 for 2016. 

You can reference Warren's publication on his website:
www.Fairviewlawgroup.com by clicking here

Grilled Shrimp and Scallops with Warm Bacon Vinaigrette

This hot sweet combination goes well over baby spinach as a salad or alone on a plate as an appetizer.  We always use double skewers for ease when turning the seafood without it rolling around on the skewer.   This is very simple to make and a refreshing treat severed on a summer evening on the deck or an attractive appetizer for guests.
Click here for the full recipe

Martha Stewart French Toast

When we started fsic over two decades ago; my husband was laid off for a short period of time, so he helped us out at the firm.  One day while he was eating lunch he turned on the TV to find Martha Stewart making French toast.  He wrote her recipe down as she cooked it—you had to write things down back then because the internet didn’t archive like it does today.  We tried her recipe and loved it! Since then is has been an annual tradition to make Martha Stewart French toast for every first cold weekend of fall, like she suggested on her show.

Click here for the full recipe

Seasonal Pumpkin Recipes

We look forward to the fall pumpkin season to bring out our stuffed pumpkin and our savory roasted pumpkin seeds. This year we found another fun recipe in Alton Brown's Whole Pumpkin Pie Soup. We have featured the Whole pumpkin Pie Soup and you can find the stuffed pumpkin and savory pumpkin seed recipes in the RockCandy Kitchen Recipe Book listed on the right.

Click here for the full recipe

Stuffed Peppers with Spanish Beef & Rice

We first experienced this recipe watching the Rachael Ray 20 minute meals show.  It was a Spanish Style Beef & Rice two meal deal.  Half the beef and rice was served with a spicy chopped salad with Taco dressing and the other half used for stuffed peppers.  It is definitely not something you can do in 20 minutes, more like two hours. 

We spiced up the recipe a bit and like the fact that we can make two meals one a 9X11 and the other a 9X9 casserole.  We bake one and freeze the second one.  In the spring time for the smaller casserole we stuff fresh grape leaves and then pour a can of diced tomatoes over them.   Prior to stuffing we cook the grape leave to tender them up and make them easier to stuff. 

Click here for the full recipe

Candy’s husband, Rocke Koreis featured in GeekWire about 3D printing

With 3D printing all the rage Rocke continued his legacy of patenting ideas that integrates new technology into Aerospace applications to increase efficiency to help reduce the costs of air travel for all of us.  

GeekWire referenced patent application published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) by Boeing where Rocke Koreis was the inventor.  GeekWire indicated, “the patent describes a method and apparatus for requesting, authorizing, printing, and even paying for aircraft parts.  The published patent application goes into detail on why 3D aircraft replacement part printing is desirable, and it has a lot to do with stockpiling and waiting.  ‘Receiving requested parts from the aircraft manufacturer may take an undesirable amount of time for a client,’ the application notes. ‘Some clients may keep an inventory of parts on hand to avoid waiting an undesirable amount of time. However, storing an inventory of extra parts either at an aircraft manufacturer or at a client may use an undesirable amount of resources.’

 Click here for a link to the article

Medicare's Annual Election Period (Open Enrollment)

Professional Alliance member, David Johnson brings to our attention that Medicare's Annual Election Period (Open Enrollment) has arrived. If you are newly eligible or already receiving Medicare benefits, they may be wondering... What do Parts A, B and D cover? What's the difference between Medicare Advantage Plans and Original Medicare + a Medicare Supplement + a Part D Prescription Drug plan? How do I choose which is most appropriate for me? When and how can I switch plans? Should I switch? You may not yet enrolled in Medicare who are wondering: How do I enroll? When should I enroll? How much does Medicare cost?

If you are a Washington resident it is import for you to know that UW Medicine has just announced that they are withdrawing from the Regence MedAdvantage PPO network effective January 1, 2016.  If you have doctors at UW Medical Center, Harborview Medical Center, Northwest Hospital and Medical Center or Valley Medical Center, they will be impacted and may want to consider an alternate plan for next year.

If you have any questions on these or other Medicare issues please feel free to contact David S. Johnson, RHU, CLTC - Vice-President and Principal - Lehmann Wood Johnson, Inc. at 425-861-8700

 Click here for an article David has written that addresses all of these questionsmentioned above or look for it in the upcoming Bulletin of the King CountyMedical Society.

Saturday Family Movie – Featuring “Peanuts the Movie”

Candy and her Kirkland Financial Advisor partner, Tim Bovey invite you to join them for our annual family Saturday at the movies event.  We have a private showing at the Lincoln Square Theater of the new The Peanuts Movie!  Please bring the kids or grand-kids or just bring the kid-in-you to enjoy a Saturday at the movies.    

RSVP to Michelle@CandyJlee.com or call her at 206-384-4390.  

IRA and Retirement Plan Limits for 2016

IRA Contribution limits remain unchanged from 2015. The maximum amount you can contribute to a traditional IRA or Roth IRA in 2016 is $5,500 (or 100% of your earned income, if less).  The maximum catch-up contribution for those age 50 or older remains at $1,000. 
(You can contribute to both a traditional and Roth IRA in 2016, but your total contributions can't exceed these annual limits.)  For information on other retirement plan limits click on the link below.

Click here for more details

The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015

On November 2, 2015, President Obama signed into law the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, legislation that raises the federal debt limit and establishes the framework for a two-year budget deal. The legislation, needed to avoid an impending default on U.S. debt, also contains multiple unrelated provisions, including an elimination of two Social Security retirement benefit claiming strategies and a provision to prevent a significant increase in Medicare Part B premiums for some.

Click here for more details

Commodities – A Leadership Change?

Economist Jim Paulsen posted an interesting article on September 17, entitled “A Leadership Change?   Jim documents the fact that a collapse in commodity prices is actually quite common during the middle of an economic recovery, and that in deed once commodity prices have bottomed, the pace of economic growth has accelerated.  He finds that oil prices have been in just such a bottoming process since early this year.  It is definitely an article worth reading. 

Click here to read the full article

17th Century - The Rice Futures Market

In the 17^th century, Japan developed the world’s first futures market—which was based on trading rice. In the 1600s, Japan used a standard of measurement (koku) that was equal to the amount of food needed to nourish a person for an entire year.

Click here to read full article

Trends and Innovations: 3D printed house for $5,000

Chinese company Shanghai WinSun Decoration Design Engineering used a massive 3D printer to make 10 houses in 24 hours.  The huge 3D printer – which, like smaller versions, layers materials to form various items – measures about 35 yards long by 11 years wide and is capable of printing all materials to build a 557 square foot house for under $5,000 using all recycled materials.  The company plans to build 100 recycling facilities in China to keep up with demand.

Click here to read full article

Great Moments in Financial History - Full Collection

Click on the links below to view our "Great Moments in Financial History."  Keep checking back as new posts will be added as we go.

Introduction
3000 BC – Money!
2342 BC – Urukagina Stands Up For Property Rights
600 BC – Olive Press Call Options?

329 BC – The Opening Of The Silk Road To The East
1st Century - "Fiduciary" is Latin for...

976 AD - The Greatest Invention Ever?

12th Century:  The Medieval Cloth Trade and the Champagne Fairs
1288 AD - Birth of the Corporation
1300 AD - Medieval Italy and the Foundations of the Modern World

1346 AD: European sovereign debt default!!!
1356 AD: The Hanseatic League: A community of commercial interests
1565 AD: The start of the Manila-Acapulco Silver Run

17th Century - The Rice Futures  Market
17th Century - Wampum Inflation

© Russell Investments 2013. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission.

Petrale Sole Albert

This is one of Rocke’s favorite fish recipes.  Whenever we find fresh Petrale Sole in the market we savory each mouth watering bite.  The Sole is very delicate, the bread crumb crust is crispy and the sauce with the vermouth and tarragon is light and buttery.  The flavors melt in your mouth with a light contrasting crunch from the topping. 

Click here for the full recipe