If it’s Fall at The Center, Love is in the Air!

Contributed by: Amanda Toia

When most people hear the phrase, “Wedding Season”, they think of the summer months--June, July, and August.  But around here, our wedding season seems to be the month of October!  We’ve moved from calling it a coincidence to spotting a serious trend.

Shortly after joining our team in 2013, Nicholas Defenthaler married on October 12th in Detroit.  He and his lovely wife, Robin honeymooned in Riviera Maya, Mexico. They have since recently moved into their new home in South Lyon and welcomed their first child, Brek Defenthaler.

The following year, another one of our team members tied the knot! The Center’s own Melissa Cyrus married her fiancée Kevin Parkins on October 4th, 2014.  Melissa and Kevin were married at The Roostertail in Detroit.  We were awestruck by Melissa’s beauty.  She was a gorgeous bride and Kevin didn’t look too shabby, either!  Their wedding ceremony was extremely unique with Kevin’s father officiating.  The food was abundant, the drinks were flowing, and the music kept us on our feet—when we weren’t cramming in the photo booth to take silly pictures! Melissa and Kevin honeymooned in Aruba and now reside in their home in Novi.  Not too much has changed around here since Melissa’s wedding except her last name and her Center e-mail address.  She is now Mrs. Melissa Parkins.  Her new e-mail is melissa.parkins@centerfinplan.com. Kevin and Melissa just celebrated their one year wedding anniversary this past weekend. My, how time flies!

Other notable weddings that took place during The Center’s “wedding season” were those of Jen Hackmann and Melissa Joy.  Both were married on October 6th.  Jen and her husband, John are celebrating their 14th wedding anniversary this month. They were married in Ann Arbor. Melissa and her husband, Jeff married in 2007 in Charlevoix.  Both were Center team members when they wed.  In fact, Melissa Joy was a bridesmaid in Jen Hackmann’s wedding!

Congratulations to our office newlyweds and not-so-newlyweds! We wish you many years of health and happy October anniversaries!

Amanda Toia is a Registered Client Service Manager at Center for Financial Planning, Inc.

The Center finds balance at Dave & Busters

How do you beat the winter blues? It was a question the Center for Financial Planning Social Committee had been pondering.  We kicked around many ideas but finally decided on Dave and Buster’s.  For those of you not familiar, Dave and Buster’s is a complex where food, drink, gaming, and fun collide.  We could beat the blues while trying to beat one another at some of the best games around. 

On the afternoon of February 6^th, we headed to Dave and Buster’s in Livonia.  It was a great afternoon filled with lots of food, drink, and camaraderie.  We found out we are a pretty competitive bunch.  There was a fierce Pac-Man tournament that took place between Tim Wyman, Amada Toia, Kali Hassinger, and Jennie Bauder.  Matt Chope and Melissa Joy found a video-enhanced Soccer Game.  Matt Trujllio stationed himself at a cool skee ball game that paid out lots of tickets while many others spent some time shooting hoops, playing air hockey, and various arcade games.

We decided as a group we would pool the tickets we won and get something for the office.  The number of tickets won totaled somewhere around 19,000 (told you we had fun!). Walking through our office you may spy two large, brightly colored gorillas (stuffed, of course).  They are our happy reminders of the day our office beat the winter blues!

How investor access keeps you in the loop even when you are on the Go

 We, here at the Center, love to use the latest technology and we’re excited to be able to put it at your fingertips.  Many of you know about Investor Access, the free, online portal designed exclusively for Raymond James clients.  It offers a secure platform to view and navigate your Raymond James accounts.  This is a free service and it is quite user friendly and it is now portable.  Raymond James offers an app so you may use this service on the go!  Designed with the busy client in mind, this app incorporates the features you would have on the full website.  Your detailed information can now be accessed through your mobile device and is just as safe and secure.

Obtaining the app is easy.  Just visit Apple’s App Store, Google’s Play Store, or Window’s Marketplace to sign up.  You will need to be enrolled in the desktop version of Investor Access before adding the application to your mobile device.  Access to the full website can be found on our website under the “Clients” tab.  Need help?  Call us – we would love to help set you up with this technology to make your life easier even when you are on the go.

The app is just one tool in our technology toolbox, enabling us to keep in contact with our clients and each other.  We have the ability to increase our productivity with the help of software programs and databases that allow retrieval of information at a moment’s notice.  We are able to personally communicate with clients via email and through voice over IP services like Skype. Our broad communication is accomplished through Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, our company website, and even YouTube.  While these features help make our day a bit easier, it is even more exciting when we have technology that will make your life easier!  

4 Steps to Save You Big Headaches on Your Summer Vacation

 Though we have experienced some glorious summer weather, June 21st actually marked the “official” start of summer.  The shift in season brings a host of activities – evening strolls, outside concerts, boating, picnics, and if you are one of the lucky ones…taking a summer vacation! 

Whether you are hoping to relax by tranquil waters or seeking the rush of scaling a mountain, few can disagree there is nothing like a summer vacation.  In my family, planning is half the fun.  The discussion of our destination, where to stay, who to visit, and what to pack gets us ready for the anticipation of our departure. 

But when you are planning time away from your home base, it is very important that you prepare yourself financially.

Here are some behind-the-scenes items to add to your travel to-do list: 

1. Research the “financial” aspects of your destination well in advance.  Get an idea of where to access ATMs and banks in the area. It is also prudent to understand the local currency and exchange rate(s) if traveling abroad. 

2. Be sure to have different types of currency available during your time away (if possible). This can include cash, traveler’s checks, debit and credit cards.  Not all debit or credit cards may be accepted where you are traveling so carrying cash for daily expenses is always helpful. 

3. Notify your credit card companies and banks when and where you will be traveling.  This ensures the utmost safety for your accounts. If you do not give notification, that souvenir you are trying to purchase may be flagged as potential fraud and your account frozen for unauthorized activity! It is also a good idea to find out what your service fees will be for utilizing credit while in a foreign country. 

4. Make a list (or copies) of all your pertinent information like credit card account numbers, insurance cards, passports and driver’s licenses.  Keep this list in a secure spot at home or with your financial planner.  It is always hoped it will not be needed but should a situation arise, you will be thankful you have this information. 

Going on a vacation, whether a quick get-away or trip around the globe, is such an exciting part of the summer.  Taking a small amount of time to engage in some financial housekeeping will help ensure your time away is as relaxing or adventurous as you planned!