Traudy F. Grande, CFP

home

authors

traudy-f-grande-cfp

This unimaginable horror we are living through in 2020 should not be wasted. It is like a kind of tough love therapy that helps us to re-evaluate our lives.

If we had suggested three months ago these scenarios-that the entire world would be shut down, there would be no travel, millions of people would be ill and hundreds of thousands dying, people would be in lockdown in their homes in quarantine, your practices would be closed and the stock markets down to this level, and we would have no idea how long these circumstances would last or how bad they might yet become-you would have thought us insane.
	But this is what happened and continues to happen today.

So, in the face of this nightmare, is it possible to emerge from it with a sense of waking up to a new way of living?
	Actually, a new way of being? I coined an expression once, “He (she) who is happiest wins.”

But perhaps we need to redefine happiness, especially given the new world we live in. Life, as normal for most of us in the past, meant running after and reaching goals, accomplishing, accumulating, doing something to achieve an end result. Let’s face it, many of us were like puppies chasing our own tails.

For most of us our focus was on the objective world. Out there. Make more money, redo the house or get a bigger one, the next relationship, the next vacation. New this, new that. Better this, better that. More this, more that. But now we have been forced to temporarily stop the chasing. Halt the perpetual running after things or people, in order to feel fulfilled and happy.

What can we possibly learn from this pandemic that we can carry forward with us like a mega-lottery prize from having survived this horror? How do we emerge from this, thankful for what we might refer to as “waking up”? Fulfillment is never to be found outside of ourselves. This kind of fulfillment is only a limited happiness that comes and goes with intermittent suffering. This isolation/self-quarantine has forced many of us to slow down in life.

Questions we might ask ourselves in this quieter time could be “What do I want?” or  ”What do I really want in life?”

Then ask yourself, “if I get just what I want, then what does that do for me?”

After delving into this we will find that fulfillment and happiness isn’t to be found outside of ourselves. It is always present inside. And, if we take a minute to notice, we will see that there is a new sense of silence in our sheltered-in life. A silence where the chatter of the mind has been reduced and we can get more in touch with our hearts than living solely in our heads. This may sound trite, but I notice that recently in Zoom meetings with our clients, it is hard for me not to say, “I love you,” before ending the meeting.

I suddenly find a sense of fulfillment in just looking out the window at nature. At the sun colorfully reflecting on the clouds at sunset. Listening to the birds sing. There is a new sense of freedom for me in not being owned by the objective world and its things, my toys and accumulations. I cannot imagine ever walking in a park again without this new silence that represents my truer nature. Being more fully in touch and in tune with every precious moment.

I’m ready to go back into the rat race again when it opens up for business. But I will never be the same person as I was before this happened. There is a stillness now. I’m allowing myself not to think so much, or just let the thoughts slide by without effect. Not always planning the next “happiness” event.

Instead I see myself going into a world I had become accustomed to, but with eyes fully open. It reminds me of a fish that doesn’t know it’s in water until it is taken out. Or perhaps even better, a fish complaining that it is thirsty. There has been this beauty around me the whole time. I won’t hesitate to be honest about my love for those around me. We have seen firsthand and through our friends and clients the tragedy of losing someone from this dreadful virus. Not just senior citizens either. What can we learn?

How can we allow ourselves to go back into our professions and lives again and not use this experience to change us for the better? When we get right down to it, we are not our money, our possessions, our successes, our ambitions, or even our education and experiences.

The question then is: Who are we? What a wonderful opportunity we have in this “time out” world to self-inquire into who we are and what we really want and need. This may not sound like financial advice, but it actually is. I’ve noticed for decades the lack of correlation between a person’s joy in life and the size of their estate. Money never has, nor ever will buy you this joyfulness. When we are owned by our assets and possessions, we are prisoners of the very things we own and worship. You no longer own your things, but they now own you.

Where is the freedom in this? We have desires and go after them to find out that the brief passing happiness of achieving a desire was only to be instantly replaced with yet another desire and, round and round we go.

Now, we need new desires to chase after, so we can once again look for that ever elusive fulfillment. I’ve seen too many people misidentifying themselves with their fortunes. In so doing, in thinking they “are” their money, they run the risk of suffering horribly at the slightest decrease in their net worth. Money is useful. It makes life easier and gives you more options to play in the world. But it is only a store of wealth. Not worth getting sick over.
	
	We have all, since childhood been taught to succeed. Everything we do in life we do to improve ourselves. Attempting to change “what is” into what “should be.” We have these long-held ideas, images and belief systems in place that we mistake for reality or truth. Do this, accomplish this and you will be secure and happy.

Well, here we are in 2020. Wealth is reduced. We have lost our freedom to move around. Our very lives are now at risk. Is it possible to be happy in these circumstances?

I can only share my experience with you. But my answer is a resounding yes! Just to be alive, to be aware and conscious of being in this life is joy. To calm the mind, relax the desires a bit, and go inside to a freedom that needs nothing.

Then, to re-emerge into the outside world after realizing, discovering that possessions and things, fame and notoriety, never could have given you this peace. Bring this calmness back out into the world when it opens up again.

Yes, you will do all the things you did before, but you will be awake to the fact that all fulfillment lies within. Not out somewhere out there. Now you can enjoy everything in life, but from a different perspective. We now know, as other generations have learned in the past, there is really no such thing as security. However, to be able to live life without fear of loss is to live life fully.

This unimaginable horror we are living through in 2020 should not be wasted. It is like a kind of tough love therapy that helps us to reevaluate our lives. It is a time for self-inquire and questioning one’s priorities. It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get a second chance in life. To smell the roses. To slide down for a moment from your head to your heart. To end needless suffering and replace it with wisdom. To be free!

I am not attempting to tell you how to think or be. I am only sharing my observations of others and myself over the last several decades. I offer my insights only with love.

John J. Grande, CFP, Traudy F. Grande, CFP, and John S. Grande, CFP, are co-editors of the Money Matters column in Ophthalmology Times®. They are owners and principals of Grande Financial Services Inc., Oakhurst, NJ, (

). The Grandes advise doctors across the country on a diverse range of investment and financial matters. Readers may submit their financial questions to them at 

The views depicted in this material are for information purposes only and should not be considered specific advice or recommendations for any individual. All investing involves risk, including the potential for loss. Past performance is not indicative of future results. No investment strategy can ensure a profit or protect against loss in a declining market.

John J. Grande, John S. Grande and Traudy Grande are Registered Representatives offering securities through Cetera Advisor Networks LLC, Member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory services offered through Summit Financial Group, Inc., a registered investment adviser. Summit and Cetera are related and are under separate ownership from any other named entity. Registered Branch: 257 Monmouth Rd, Oakhurst, NJ 07755. Phone: 732/531-4111; toll-free: 800/722-1258. Website: 

Articles

What can we learn from COVID-19?

Would you ever consider entering into a complex surgery procedure with a patient without first doing every test and possible scenario before entering the operating room? Why should one approach finances any differently?

There are three senior partners in our practice, and we have all been working with ophthalmologists for more than 25 years. I don’t dare do those years in the aggregate!

Plus, we’ve attended well over 100 ophthalmology conferences around the country and on the islands and have sat down with many hundreds of ophthalmologists to listen to their concerns and questions.

We have eye-doctor clients across the country and have worked with some of them throughout the entire 25 plus-years.

This article is an attempt to share with you the insights we have gained about their personal and financial lives. Their financial aspirations, failures, and fears.

First, it has been beyond a privilege to have spent most of our profession in the most intimate relationships with this group of men and women, who are the crÃ¨me de la crÃ¨me of the medical profession. What an honor and a challenge it is to deal daily with what must be the kindest and most intelligent of any group in medicine.

For us, it started with having as clients some of the brightest and most shining stars in ophthalmology.
	A. Edward Maumenee, MD, Ron Michaels, MD and Ron Smith, MD, to name just a few. Talk about gentlemen and intellects. The medical profession lost these doctors far too early. The one word that comes up for these three incredible men is kindness. Besides their scientific brilliance and love of ophthalmology they were giants when it came to being human beings. They were our close and cherished friends and we learned so much from them about life. So many stories we could share. Such selflessness always emanating from them. We were then, and still are, in awe of these gentlemen.

And as it started, so it continues, working closely with the upper echelon of humanity. Working closely with so many men and women who are seemingly all blessed with multiple talents in life. No doubt, being so humbled by these professionals has been a gift in many ways. We always knew we were going to be asked sophisticated questions. Still, underneath this intellect and goodness lie the normal emotions of any human being.

No two doctors are alike, but there are definitely commonalities to be found among them and their immediate families. Families we are so proud to call our friends.

We have observed, through the questions put to us, that most ophthalmologists think that their peers have more money than they do. It’s almost never true. Many have been great savers, good investors and prudent spenders, and it is rather remarkable, taking away the outliers in either direction, the similarity of accumulated wealth between them.

Those outliers usually come about from one or more of these factors:

the negative financial impact of divorce(s);

when both spouses are physicians, obviously income is augmented;

how many children have to be educated since most doctors don’t qualify for any assistance;

attempting to invest in a “sure thing” that promises astronomical returns with little risk and then losing a large portion of their investments (high intelligence doesn’t override efficient markets);

greed/fear, both equally having no place in investing.

The above items contribute the most for the discrepancy in rare cases between a doctor’s net worth when compared with his or her peer group.

As for aspirations, almost everyone wants financial security for the future. Educate their children. A nice home. A second home. Vacations, a secure retirement, etc.

Given the high income for most ophthalmologists, there is a choice one is faced with after having handled income taxes and living expenses; what to do with discretionary income? Most doctors are maxing out their 401(k)s, 403(b)s, profit-sharing plans, etc., and this is paramount, but what do they do with what is left over?

Some people are just born savers and others are born spenders. Herein lies the biggest factor between doctors’ net-worth statements.

As for fears. That’s an easy one. It’s always the same question. Will I run out of money in retirement? After receiving a pay-check for 30 plus years and suddenly this dependable income stops, this question would surely arise.

Along with this question come so many others. How long must I work? How much will I need to spend in retirement? Should I (we) take social security right away or wait? How much should I keep in the stock market? Are annuities a good or a bad idea to use? What if the market collapses right before or after I retire? What if one of us goes to a nursing home, how will that impact us?

We hear these concerns every time we listen to a doctor who is meeting with us for the first time or sitting down with them at a conference.

So, here we have it. A group of extraordinary professionals and humans, with the same hopes, emotions, and fears as everyone else.

Unfortunately, what we generally observe are people with some level of anxiety over the unknown. That’s normal. This is human nature. But it is a form of suffering, and probably not great for one’s health. We have spent our careers attempting to show people how to reduce these fears and it’s basically pretty simple.

Construct a realistic investment/financial plan, showing short, intermediate, and long-term goals. Invest a little of your time with the guidance of a professional developing a plan that leaves you strongly grounded in financial reality.

Not hoping, fearing, guessing, reacting, but having a thoroughly thought-out plan of action that you follow. Monitor, adjust, and review as circumstances change both in your life, and in the world.

With this in place, you can get on with life knowing that at least your finances are in order.

Would you ever consider entering into a complex surgery procedure with a patient without first doing every test and possible scenario before entering the operating room? We don’t think so. Why should you approach your finances any differently?

You spend your professional lives dedicated to caring for others, making a positive difference in society. You are all a credit to the medical profession. We wish you the happy, healthy lives you so deserve.

Is there a correlation between happiness and wealth? Our experience from observation is “no,” a topic for another day. But, is it not easier to be light and happy when you aren’t stressed out about money?

So, our advice is to have a plan in place that gives you freedom from anxiety.

“Let the good times roll.” Stay safe and remember this, too, shall pass.

John J. Grande, CFP, Traudy F. Grande, CFP, and John S. Grande, CFP, are co-editors of the 

. They are owners and principals of Grande Financial Services Inc., Oakhurst, NJ, (

What we've learned from the commonalities of financial aspirations, fears

This crisis will pass, but so will the gift of it to waking-up to live the rest of your lives in gratitude and appreciation for each breath you take.

Unexpectedly-suddenly-there may come like a thief in the night, a seemingly, overwhelming and insurmountable crisis that threatens our very existence.

However, if examined carefully, this crisis can actually be a doorway to peace. At the time of writing this article-and I highly doubt things have changed before publication-our world as we have known it has been turned upside down, and what security we thought we once had, we are suddenly aware was only an illusion.

In a matter of weeks, our financial security, our businesses, our way of life, our world as we knew it, and even our very lives have become threatened.
	
	My profession over the past several decades, blessedly, has been to council ophthalmologists around the country in planning for a successful financial life, and a carefree retirement.

My partners and I continue to work with doctors in all phases of their lives, from accumulating assets to withdrawing assets in retirement. Our job was always to plan carefully and prudently to achieve their goals with minimum risk. But, and perhaps because of the very nature of our business, we noticed that there was never a correlation between how much money a person had and how happy they were. This mystery compelled me to search out why this occurred.
	
	So, this article is about our current crisis and happiness, or freedom from the terror of one’s own punishing thoughts.
	
	I have seen it all, or at least I thought I had. But this current financial/health outlier-black swan event is one in which no one can give early predictions as to the impact on our world or domestic economies, or the very survival of our healthcare system. Our family’s and our very own mortality are actually called into question. From nowhere we are now faced with unprecedented challenges. And in many cases overwhelming fear of the unknown.
	
	First, on the financial side, if you are in the accumulation phase of your career, nothing has changed. Unless this is the end of our financial systems as we have always known them, and that is highly unlikely, the companies you have invested in and loved are now at fire-sale prices, provided you are going to hold them long-term. Just keep saving and investing as you have been.
	
	Uncertainty is the last thing Wall Street wants to see. Uncertainty is the last thing any of us wants to see, especially when it comes to our health or financial security. We have, as a team at Grande Financial Services, witnessed more than three decades of ups and downs in the market, and just about every geo-political event imaginable.
	
	This most recent downturn, as severe as it has been, is something that we have not seen before. It is disconcerting, to say the least, to watch your investment holdings lose up to 30% of their value in one week.

However, and yes there is a however, even though we have not seen exactly this particular rapid spiral into a bear market, and a possible recession, we know how it has turned out in the past, which has always been to come back and advance further. This should be no different as the banks are strong and the government is giving its full accommodation to both the virus and the financial markets.
	
	I have witnessed firsthand over the years that fear is the most dangerous emotion when it comes to investing. The feeling of watching your portfolio grow each year is pleasant and rewarding, but does not match the intensity and pain of watching your investments lose value. Presuming that you had a good financial plan laid out, and your exposure to stocks was not more than the absolute minimum risk you had to assume to achieve your financial goals, just stay the course.

You must remember that your stock portfolio represents a long-term strategy, and that you are not to panic and sell out because of fear. Selling out after a large decline in the markets is turning a paper loss into a real loss.

Then comes the problem of getting back before the markets turn upward, possibly as fast as they went down. This is the age of computer trading and things happen very fast, as we have just experienced. This particular downturn may well be the fastest and most severe to date. It gave few investors a chance to trim down their holdings as the markets were down considerably in just one week’s time.
	
	For those ready to retire or in retirement now, it may be a good time to divide your expenses between essential and discretionary. Essentials must be paid, e.g. food, mortgages, property taxes, insurances, gas and electric, cars, etc. The discretionary side would be anything not essential, such as eating out, gifts, travel, etc. When you calculate what the essential and discretionary costs are, you can divide each number by your investment net-worth, find what the percentage is, and stick to a budget that does not exceed this percentage.

As your portfolio goes down or up and, if the percentage is higher than planned, you may want to cut back on your discretionary spending until the portfolio has recovered again. This will preserve principal and the danger of creating a vicious cycle of depleting your savings when your withdrawal percentage keeps increasing as the portfolio goes down. There are many more strategies to be considered, which will be covered in future articles.

Some examples would be tax-harvesting losses by switching positions on the same day. Thereby, not missing a market upturn if one would occur, but locking in future loss carry-forwards. Also, repositioning portfolios that previously had too much gain to consider a move because of capital gains. There are actually many positive moves one could consider while we are experiencing these depressed markets. Of course, it is imperative that you consult with a tax professional before making these changes.

There is not enough space in this article to fully address the opportunity that presents itself for all of us, but I will give it a try. This shock to our daily lives, in my opinion, is a wake-up call.

It is a time to re-evaluate the reality of the mechanical lives most of us have been guilty of living. We plan and do and do so much every day that most of us miss being in the sacred moments of being alive. Please excuse me for philosophizing, but the moment seems to call for it. I have watched it my whole career.

Professionals on a treadmill, always looking into the future for when things will really be good, trying to turn ”what is” into “what should be”-thereby missing what joy is right in front of them. It is time to come down from our cluttered minds into our hearts and remember the innocence of our childhood. We are more than our money, our professional achievements, our pride. If we look deeper, and this terrible crisis is a perfect opportunity to do so, you will find a peace within you.

Instead of trying to control the future, which we now see we cannot, we can become more grounded in the preciousness of each moment. Just take a look at the fragility of life and what we thought was our security. What have we been missing in an attempt to achieve this illusion?

I am not saying not to plan. I am saying to be fully alive while planning. Remember the love we are as human beings. Remember the kindness and compassion that we innately are. There is no such thing as security no matter how much planning we do. There is only now. I urge you, my friends of many decades, to embrace this opportunity to re-evaluate your priorities.

Yes, I said, "opportunity." Don’t miss it! This crisis will pass, but so will the gift of it to waking-up to live the rest of your lives in gratitude and appreciation for each breath you take.

Perhaps this sounds like strange advice from a wealth counselor, but I have always loved my profession and my clients and only want them to be whole in life. Integrating their knowledge, intelligence and success without needless suffering. I believe this is a wake-up call. May everyone stay safe.

John J., John S., and Traudy F. Grande, CFPs, are co-editors of the "Money Matters" column in 

. They are owners and principals of Grande Financial Services Inc., Oakhurst, NJ (

John J. Grande, John S. Grande, and Traudy Grande are Registered Representatives offering securities through Cetera Advisor Networks LLC, Member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory services offered through Summit Financial Group, Inc., a registered investment adviser. Summit and Cetera are related and are under separate ownership from any other named entity. Registered Branch: 257 Monmouth Rd, Oakhurst, NJ 07755. Phone: 800/722-1258. Website: 

COVID-19 ‘wake-up’ call: Unexpected advice for happiness from a wealth counselor

Take-home message: When choosing a retirement plan that is right for your practice, conduct a thorough review of available options.

 John J., John S., Traudy F. Grande, CFPs and the Wells Fargo Advisors

If you own a small business (such as a medical practice), many retirement plan alternatives are available to assist you and your eligible employees with retirement planning.

For most closely held business owners, a Simplified Employee Pension Individual Retirement Account (SEP IRA) was once the most cost-effective choice. Then, the Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees (SIMPLE IRA) became a viable alternative.

Visit the Ophthalmology Times Money Matters Resource Center

Today, you may find that a defined benefit or 401(k) plan best suits most needs. To make an informed decision on which plan is right for your practice, review the differences carefully before choosing.

Simplified Employee Pension Individual Retirement Account (SEP IRA)

This plan is flexible, easy to set up, and has low administrative costs. An employer signs a plan adoption agreement, and IRAs are set up for each eligible employee. When choosing this plan, keep in mind that it does not allow employees to save through payroll deductions, and contributions are immediately 100% vested.

The maximum an employer can contribute each year is 25% of an employee’s eligible compensation, up to a maximum of $265,000 for 2015. However, the contribution for any individual cannot exceed $53,000 in 2015.

More practice management: Using social media to promote your practice

Employer contributions are discretionary and may vary from year-to-year. With this plan, the same formula must be used to calculate the contribution amount for all eligible employees, including owners. Eligible employees include those who are age 21 and older and those employed (both part time and full time) for 3 of the past 5 years.

Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees (SIMPLE)

If you want a plan that encourages employees to save for retirement, a SIMPLE IRA might be the appropriate option. In order to select this plan, a practice must have 100 or fewer eligible employees, who earned $5,000 or more in compensation in the preceding year and have no other employer-sponsored retirement plans to which contributions were made or accrued during that calendar year.

There are no annual IRS fillings or complex paperwork, and employer contributions are tax deductible for your practice. The plan encourages employees to save for retirement through payroll deductions; contributions are immediately 100% vested.

Practice management: Long-term care insurance: ‘Who needs it?’

The maximum salary deferral limit to a SIMPLE IRA plan cannot exceed $12,500 for 2015. If an employee is age 50 or older before Dec. 31, then an additional catch-up contribution of $3,000 is permitted.

Each year, the employer must decide to do either a matching contribution (the lesser of the employee’s salary deferral or 3% of the employee’s compensation) or non-matching contribution of 2% of an employee’s compensation (limited to $265,000 for 2015). All participants in the plan must be notified of the employer’s decision.

This type of plan helps build savings quickly. It produces a much larger tax-deductible contribution for the practice than a defined contribution plan. However, annual employer contributions are mandatory since each participant is promised a monthly benefit at retirement age.

Since this plan is more complex to administer, the services of an enrolled actuary are required. All plan assets must be held in a pool, and employees cannot direct their investments.

Certain factors affect an employer’s contribution for a plan, such as current value of the plan assets, the ages of employees, date of hire, and compensation. A participating employee with a large projected benefit and only a few years until normal retirement age generates a large contribution because there is little time to accumulate the necessary value. The maximum annual benefit at retirement is the lesser of 100% of the employee’s compensation or $210,000 per year in 2015 (indexed for inflation).

This plan may be right for your practice if you want to motivate your employees to save toward retirement and give them a way to share in the practice’s profitability. 401(k) plans are best suited for companies seeking flexible contribution methods.

When choosing this plan type, keep in mind that the employee and employer have the ability to make contributions. The maximum salary deferral limit for a 401(k) plan is $18,000 for 2015. If an employee is age 50 or older before Dec. 31, then an additional catch-up contribution of $6,000 is permitted.

The maximum amount the employer can contribute is 25% of the eligible employee’s total compensation (capped at $265,000 for 2015). Individual allocations for each employee cannot exceed the lesser of 100% of compensation or $53,000 in 2015.

The allocation of employer profit-sharing contributions can be skewed to favor older employees, if using age-weighted and new comparability features. Generally, IRS Forms 5500 and 5500-EZ (along with applicable schedules) must be filed each year.

Once you have reviewed the goals and objectives of the practice, physicians should check with their financial advisors to evaluate the best retirement plan option for their financial situation.

John J., John S., and Traudy F. Grande, CFPs, are the editors of the 

 column. They are owners and principals of Grande Financial Services Inc. and registered principals of Wells Fargo & Co., member of SIPC. The Grandes advise physicians across the country on a diverse range of investment and financial matters. Readers may submit their financial questions to them at 800/722-1258, online at 

Wells Fargo Advisors and its Financial Advisors provide non-fiduciary services only. They do not provide investment advice [as defined under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 as amended (“ERISA”)], have any discretionary authority with respect to the plan, make any investment or other decisions on behalf of the plan, or otherwise take any action that would make them fiduciaries to the plan under ERISA.

Wells Fargo Advisors does not provide legal or tax advice. Be sure to consult with your tax and legal advisors before taking any action that could have tax consequences.

Investments in securities and insurance products are: NOT FDIC-INSURED/NOT BANK-GUARANTEED/MAY LOSE VALUE.

Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, LLC, Member SIPC, is a registered broker-dealer and a separate non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company Investment products and services are offered through Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network.

If you own a small business (such as a medical practice), many retirement plan alternatives are available to assist you and your eligible employees with retirement planning. To make an informed decision on which plan is right for your practice, review the differences carefully before choosing.

Author | Traudy F. Grande, CFP

Articles

What can we learn from COVID-19?

What we've learned from the commonalities of financial aspirations, fears

COVID-19 ‘wake-up’ call: Unexpected advice for happiness from a wealth counselor

Which retirement plan is right for your practice?