TERRY HILL & ASSOCIATES Semi-annual Publication News from the Hill Volume 3, Issue 2 Finishing 47th Isn’t So Bad

Don’t worry about going slowly. Just goals. Yet in the aftermath, the worry about finishing. That old saying world applauds Razzoli and has been around for as long as I can adores Nkrumah-Acheampong. TERRY HILL & remember and its message is still We salute #1. We embrace every bit as urgent as it was years #47. Why? Because Razzoli is ASSOCIATES ago. Just hang in there long enough that multi-million-dollar, I-will-be PHONE: 972.966.2020 and you will be a success in business -number-one-if-I-have-to-stay- and life. here-all-night achiever we read FAX: 972.317.7637 about; and Nkrumah- Finish the race. Some of the few who Acheampong represents the [email protected] hang around become the top few; and rest of us. WWW.TERRYLHILL.COM the top few get the ink and fame and that’s fine. But they are not the only A story of unmatched skill. Raz- winners. Anyone who is still moving zoli is from . He began ski- toward the finish line after the last few ing seriously at age three and he arrived in Vancouver as years is a survivor. Anybody who is has never stopped. He had a Ghana’s first-ever Olympic providing for his or her family, after all great mentor, , skier. “I’ve been able to wangle we have been through, is a winner. the last Italian man to win an and wrangle and struggle and We are not paid to start the race. We Olympic Alpine gold medal. He find deals here and there,” said are paid to finish the race. Finishing practices skiing as often and as Nkrumah-Acheampong. He number one is not the point. Finishing hard as anyone in the world. He Please feel free to share made it there on short money is the point. You don’t have to be has been racing competitively and with two goals: avoid last the content of this news‐ number one to be a hero to those in nearly all his life. Second place place and beat at least one letter with anyone whom your life who matter. Giuliano Razzoli at Vancouver would not have skier from a country where it you feel it might help. is cool. Kwame Nkrumah- been acceptable. Second place snows. Check and check. Acheampong is every bit as cool. would have been failure. The parallels. Here’s where the The story of two winners. Razzoli and A story of unmatched heart. game of is eerily Nkrumah-Acheampong are Alpine Nkrumah-Acheampong is from like life and business. Of the skiers who skied in the men’s slalom Ghana. The coolest month of 102 skiers who competed in the at the recently competed in the Van- the year in Ghana averages 77 slalom, only 48 finished the couver . Both went degrees Fahrenheit. He took up required two runs. Nkrumah- there with incredibly high goals. Raz- skiing less than ten years ago Acheampong finished 47th and zoli’s goal was to win the gold medal. in England. He had no mentor. Erjon Tola of Albania finished Nkrumach-Acheampong’s goal was to Even his coach can beat him 48th. The majority fell to the not finish last. Both achieved their down a mountain. Nonetheless, wayside. They didn’t finish. The Gettysburg Address Cont’d Page 2

Inside this issue: With the Fourth of July coming up mous speech, but the story be- vania, four and a half months after soon, I am reminded of the time I hind it and Lincoln’s strong mes- the Union armies defeated those Finishing 47th Continued 2 was in grade school and given the sage of freedom and liberty is of the Confederacy at the decisive assignment of memorizing the Get- something that I will never forget. Battle of Gettysburg. Just for Fun 2 tysburg Address, one of my favorite During this patriotic season, it is Contrary to popular myth, Lincoln historical oratories. Of course over worth reflecting on this interesting neither completed his address on the years I have forgotten the fa- bit of history and how the speech the train to Gettysburg, nor did he Gettysburg Continued 3 is still relevant in our current write it on the back of an enve- times. lope. He did, however, do the final Surviving Spouses 3 The Gettysburg Address was a editing after he arrived in Gettys- speech given by Abraham Lincoln burg. It is very ironic and nothing during the Civil War on the after- short of amazing that one of the Financial Independence 4 noon of Thursday, November 19, lines in the speech is, “The world 1863. It was delivered at the dedi- will little note no long remember cation of the Soldiers’ National what we say here.” Well, it turned Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsyl- Cont’d Page 3

SECURITIES OFFERED THROUGH LPL FINANCIAL, MEMBER FINRA/SIPC. News from the Hill Volume 3, Issue 2

Page 2 Finishing 47th Continued

Fans were chanting “Ghana, have failed to hit an unreasonable folio management for example, we Ghana, Ghana” for an hour after goal. Maybe unburdened is better aim to avoid taking more risk than the race and Nkrumah- than burdened. Maybe reasonable necessary. I tell my clients that my Acheampong met every auto- goals are better than unrealistic goal is not to make you rich, but to “The reality for graph and photo request thrown goals. Maybe balance in your life is work to prevent making you poor. his way. His comment after all he more important than spending your Crossing the finish line is a lot more most of us is that had accomplished was: “I just try waking hours on the job. Yes, there important than crossing the finish we reap what we to remember who I am.” As he are those who have absolute bal- line number one. explained it, “Just be ance in their lives sow.” Nkrumah-Acheampong stayed on yourself and things will and still post higher his feet and under control. He fin- turn out correctly. If you than average num- ished 43 seconds behind the win- try to play up to the bers. But they are ner. He wasn’t number one in the cameras, then that’s a few and far be- Olympics, yet he still hit all his problem.” tween. The reality goals. At the finish line, his wife and for most of us is Find your own “Gold two children were looking at him, that we reap what Medal.” It’s highly likely not Razzoli. The world envied Raz- we sow. that winning the gold medal in our zoli. The world related to Nkrumah- lives means spending our waking Cross that finish line. I say this Acheampong. Both men left it all on hours in the office. Maybe your because I want you to know that the mountain. Each skied to the goal is not to spend all your time sending your grandchildren to one best of his ability. Each was the in the office. Maybe your goal is to of the best colleges in the country recipient of everlasting gratitude. spend some time at work and a lot or taking care of your family in re- Each is a hero. Most of all, each of time with your family. It’s hard tirement is a better goal than be- accomplished what he set out to do. to be a good Dad or Mom over the coming the next Bill Gates. Being Isn’t it ironic that finishing 47th is as phone. Maybe your goal is to Number One in your home is better cool, as satisfying and as rewarding spend some time at work and a lot than being Number One in your as finishing number one? It doesn’t of time with your spouse or mate. industry. make you a loser if you’ve given It’s hard to be a good spouse or I advocate being number one, your all. May you look in the mirror mate over the phone. Maybe your make no mistake. I do not, how- at the end of the day and say out goal does not include walking ever, advocate walking through life loud, “I accomplished what I set out around feeling guilty because you wound tighter than a drum. In port- to do.” Just for Fun!

“Create each day anew by Leonardo da Vinci never signed “The real measure of your clothing yourself with or dated his most famous paint- wealth is how much you’d be heaven and earth, bathing ing, the Mona Lisa. worth if you lost all your yourself with wisdom and ♦ money.”- love, and placing yourself in the heart of Mother Na- Honey is used sometimes for Bernard Meltzer antifreeze mixtures and in the ture.”- ♦ center of golf balls. Morihei Ueshiba “You don’t get in life what ♦ ♦ you want. You get what you Watermelons can cost up to are.”- “Miss a meal if you have to, $100 U.S. Dollars in Japan. Les Brown but don’t miss a book.”- ♦ ♦ Jim Rohn Red is the most popular car ♦ color in the United States. “You have not found your place until all your faculties “You can make more ♦ are roused, and your whole friends in two months by Babe Ruth wore a cabbage leaf nature consents and ap- becoming interested in under his hat while playing proves of the work you are other people than you can baseball, and he changed it doing.”- in two years by trying to get every two innings. Orison Swett Marden other people interested in you.” -

Dale Carnegie

News from the Hill Volume 3, Issue 2

Page 3 Gettysburg Address Continued out that throughout history everyone in Liberty, and dedicated to the here. It is for us the living, rather, to be remembered Lincoln's speech. It was proposition that all men are created dedicated here to the unfinished work just over two minutes long but became equal. which they who fought here have thus one of the greatest speeches in far so notably advanced. It is rather for Now we are engaged in a great civil American history and one of the finest us to be here dedicated to the great war, testing whether or not that na- examples of English public oratory. task remaining before us — that from tion, or any nation so conceived and Even more amazingly, Lincoln was not these honored dead we take increased so dedicated, can long endure. We even the featured speaker. The main devotion to are met on a great battle-field of that speaker was Edward Everett who was that cause for war. We have come to dedicate a a widely famed orator of the day. His which they portion of that field as a final resting speech lasted over two hours and to gave the last place for those here who gave their this day neither his name or speech full measure lives that that nation might live. It is are hardly remembered. of devotion — altogether fitting and proper that we that we here Here is Lincoln’s speech in its short should do this. highly resolve entirety. I will let the speech speak for But, in a larger sense, we can not that these itself and even though times have dedicate — we cannot consecrate — dead shall not changed, I will leave it up to you, dear we cannot hallow — this ground. The have died in readers, to determine its relevancy in brave men, living and dead, who vain — that our chaotic times. struggled here, have consecrated it, this nation, The Gettysburg Address far above our poor power to add or under God, shall have a new birth of detract. The world will little note, nor freedom — and that government of the Four score and seven years ago long remember what we say here, but people, by the people, for the people, our fathers brought forth on this it can never forget what they did continent, a new nation, conceived shall not perish from the earth. Surviving Spouses Face Challenges

The death of a spouse is a very stressful and 9. Buy-sell agreement if your spouse owned a busi- losing a spouse. challenging time. There are many financial and ness We Can Help legal challenges that occur within the first six to 10. All bank statements, brokerage statements, IRA nine months of a spouse’s death. I will focus on and company plan statements If you or anyone you know has recently lost a the first steps to solve some of these issues spouse, our firm can help with the following: that many will overlook including one of the Congratulations, you have now organized all your most important steps: getting organized. important documents. You are now ready to meet 1. Consolidating and renaming assets with your attorney, CPA, and Financial Advisor. First Things First 2. Transferring assets and helping to obtain You are also prepared to get assets renamed if insurance proceeds The first things to get started on the path to needed and to collect insurance benefits. 3. Budgeting and cash flow organization is to set up a record keeping sys- Assets and Debts tem. One easy way to do this is to file all impor- 4. Organizing and helping to locate important tant papers in separate manila folders. Label The next thing to do is to take an inventory of your documents each folder and file them in alphabetical order assets and debts. This is important so that you in a large storage box. don’t miss any payments. This will also help you 5. Portfolio & risk management set up a budget so you can see how much income 6. Working to maximize income Information to Locate and Organize is needed to be generated by your investments, Here are the documents to locate: insurance proceeds, and current earned income. 7. Coordinating and communicating with your CPA and attorney 1. Tax returns for the last three years Now that you have the above steps completed, you will be better prepared to make decisions. Some 8. Insurance planning and updating beneficiar- 2. Wills examples of the type of decisions you may need to ies 3. Any of your spouse’s military discharge pa- make are whether or not to sell your home, your 9. Education pers spouse’s business or some of your investment assets. Also, decisions may need to be made on 10. Helping to take inventory of assets and 4. Insurance policies how to invest your insurance proceeds or to reposi- debts. 5. Birth certificates tion your portfolio. It is very important, however, to Losing a spouse can be a very stressful and understand that your ability to make reasonable 6. Death certificates emotional time. Our goal is to ease the stress decisions may be temporarily impaired. Don’t worry and to help keep our clients on track with their 7. Marriage license though, because this is normal. It may make sense finances despite experiencing tough times. 8. Closing or escrow papers for real estate to postpone non-essential decision making for at least six to nine months after the traumatic event of 2340 FM 407 - Suite 201 Highland Village, Texas 75077

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Declare Financial Freedom on Financial Independence Day

We are fast approaching July 4th, further and relate freedom and ties you desire. the anniversary of America’s Decla- hope to financial independence. ration of Independence from the This year, I am declaring July 4th Start today, not tomorrow, in setting Kingdom of Great Britain in 1776. Financial Independence Day . your goals and your plan for Finan- Though the war was not officially cial Independence and declare war over until the Treaty of Paris was I challenge everyone to declare fi- and make a concerted effort to signed in September of 1783, we nancial freedom. Financial inde- change your ways so that you can celebrate the July 4, 1776 as the pendence has different meanings potentially be forever financially free. birthday of our nation. * Financial Planning and portfolio management are offered through to everyone. It could be freedom LPL Financial, a registered investment advisor. from debt, no longer being a slave July 4th is a special day for many to your day job, earning more Americans. To me, the 4th of July money, eliminating credit cards represents not only the birth of our from your life, creating multiple nation and the sacrifices that mil- streams of income, finding a new lions of military members and their job, planning for retirement, or any- families have made throughout our thing else that helps you achieve nation’s history, but it also repre- the life you want to live. Make Fi- sents the symbol of freedom and nancial Independence Day your hope. day to create a financial plan* to take you through life and help give It is not a stretch to take this a step your the freedoms and opportuni-

The opinions voiced in this newsletter are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. To determine which investment(s) may be appropriate for you, consult with us—your financial advisor—prior to investing. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Indices are unmanaged and cannot be invested into directly.