Habits of the Rich and Poor

Research shows that daily behavior determines our economic outcomes.  It has proven a long-standing philosophy of mine that if you want to be rich, watch what poor people do and do the opposite.  This interesting research by bestselling author, Thomas Corley can help you fine tune your habits to help increase your wealth. 

Click here to view full-sized chart

President Obama Authorizes New Roth myRA Retirement Account

The myRA (rhymes with IRA) is a new workplace retirement savings account discussed by President Obama in the State of the Union address, and subsequently authorized by executive order. The administration hopes that employers who currently don't offer a workplace retirement plan will make myRAs available to their employees.  The myRA is a regular Roth IRA with some special features. Your contributions are made on an after-tax basis, through payroll deduction.  

Click here to read the full article

Click here to read the White House Fact Sheet 

Click here to read the Presidential Memorandum to the Treasury

The Only Way to Have Friends is to Be One

I am blessed to have three women business owners as close friends.  Being a business owner brings its unique challenges and being a woman business owner adds a unique twist to the norm.  Over the last several years my friends, Debbie, May and Tish, have met every month for dinner and the sharing of our challenges and accomplishments.  We replaced one of our monthly dinners with a trip to Christopher Conrad’s photography for new press photos and ended the evening with this wonderful group shot.

Roast Chicken with Garlic and Rosemary

This recipe has been a staple for us for many years. We particularly like the chicken served with a slice of iceberg lettuce topped with blue cheese and chopped tomatoes. It is especially delicious when the roaster comes from Rocke’s brother’s Temenos Highland Farm. At Temenos they strive to make a positive difference in the health of the soil, the life of their animals, and the quality of the food they produce. If you happen to be in Molson, WA you may want to stop by and get one of these very flavorful birds. Tenemos Highland Farm: temenosfarm@gmail.com

Click here to view full recipe

Trends & Innovations: Army Eyes Flying Rescue Truck

A new “transformer” type truck can also fly.  The aptly named Black Night Transformer unmanned robotic vehicle will operate like a standard utility truck.  When needed though, it has 8 rotors that deploy for flying.  Like side mirrors on cars, they can fold in for flying down narrow streets, then tilt forward for faster flight.  The machine, developed by Advanced Tactics, is undergoing tests.  It resulted from a request by the U.S. Army for a “multi-mission medical and casualty evacuation” vehicle.

Article obtained from Investors Business Daily 

1st Century – “Fiduciary” is Latin for…

The Romans are commonly thought to have been a fairly barbaric, even if advanced, civilization and not unfairly so.  For 400 years, gladiators fought one another to the death in the Coliseum – as a form of entertainment, to help the idle rich and poor while away the day.

Click here to read full article © Russell Investments 2013. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission.

New Mortgage Rules Take Effect January 10

Professional Alliance member Conrad Wouters reminds us that a new category of  mortgage loans referred to as Qualified Mortgages (QM) have been created with specific rules effective January 10, 2014.  The QM underwriting guidelines are very specific and strict, which means in general homebuyers will need to provide more documentation (subject to third party verification) and will have loan size limitations set by debt to income ratios.  Being higher quality, the QM loans are designed to enable better rates and lower fees than non-QM loans.

Click here to read full article, courtesy of  Conrad Wouters