ThimbleberryU

Emotional Fatigue is all around us. We are covering it today because Amy Walls and her team at Thimbleberry Financial are hearing about it from clients, experiencing it themselves, and trying to battle through it. We talk about "Doom Squirreling" - when we are stressed out, we often find ourselves attracted to - and distracted by - countless other problems.   And there's no shortage of those causi...

In today's world, it's important to keep your personal and financial information secure.  Today, Amy Walls of Thimbleberry Financial explains what a password manager app/website is, what the benefits are, and why it's so important to use one.  And we aren't talking about a password-protected Excel file, or a little booklet on your desk with everything written down! Unlike a password YOU come up wi...

We are talking about the dreaded "R-Word" today - RECESSION!   Maybe it doesn't matter to you personally, or at least as much as you might think. A recession is a "lagging indicator" - which means we can only tell if one exists in hindsight, not by looking ahead.  And if you knew a recession was coming, how much of your day-to-day life would you really change?  Remember, news outlets are always tr...

Today, Amy Walls of Thimbleberry Financial sits down with Jag to talk about tracking basis on your residence, and why it's important.   Simply put, the basis is what you paid for a property.  More complex, you'll want to track changes, such as improvements and depreciations.  This will have a tax impact when the property sells. As a property owner, you have an exemption on the gain in basis betwee...

Today, Amy Walls of Thimbleberry Financial sits down with Jag to talk about sabbaticals.  This is something she's seeing more often, particularly with her tech clients.  We cover the A-Z of taking a sabbatical in this episode, including: Is it really possible to create your own sabbatical?  What should be considered in deciding to create your own sabbaticals?  What does the financial impact of a s...

Discussing aging is not an easy conversation to have, but it's an important one.  Today, Amy Walls of Thimbleberry Financial joins JAG to jump into this topic. Are these questions for the retirement years, or for earlier? How do you define aging and the parameters of the discussion? What do I need to know to talk about this with my spouse/partner? Once you sort through these ideas, what's next? Wh...

Amy Walls is just back from a family vacation to Florida, and her time there really got her thinking about what she'd like her retirement to look like some day. It's no secret that Americans spend much more time planning out our vacations than our retirement.  But you can take aspects of your vacation and see if it has long-term appeal for you in the longest vacation of your life - retirement.   F...

For Amy Walls, life insurance is personal.  Today, she explains what she went through as a child that informs her feelings on the topic today. For many, life insurance can be complicated.  We break it all down for you today, starting with temporary (term) insurance and permanent life insurance - and the different categories within it. As with most types of insurance, we'll have needs at different...

It's hard to believe Amy and Jag have been doing this podcast for two and a half years!  We've spent countless episodes talking about your financial future, and the psychology behind investing. Today, we wanted to take a moment to introduce the Thimbleberry Financial team, and how they will work with you to manage your money. Amy and her team focus on six core values.  She explains what each means...

Roth accounts are an excellent vehicle for tax diversification and planning your financial future.  However, there are some changes to these laws being discussed in Congress.  Today, Amy Walls of Thimbleberry Financial breaks down current Roth options, and what might change. First, we look at the tax triangle - and the three "corners" of assets, based on tax status.  Next Amy explains the  5 ways...

Amy and Jag have talked in previous episodes about the importance of saving money.  But a recent conversation that Amy had with her 14-year-old daughter prompted us to re-examine this idea. Previously. Amy's daughter hasn't been concerned with money. She's always enjoyed artistic pursuits, but a recent interest in quilting had her needing supplies.  So Amy started breaking down what investing coul...

Horrible things are happening in Ukraine, and we aren't about to lose sight of that.  But, given that this is a financial podcast, today Amy Walls from Thimbleberry Financial breaks down what your level of financial worry should be over this conflict. We look at the criteria involved for you to actually worry about something, and how much of that applies here, depending on your individual situatio...

Yes, "mindfulness" has become a buzzword in today's society.  But mindfulness is an important piece of managing your money.  It involves observing yourself and your habits without judgement.  Today, Amy and Jag dig a little deeper into mindfulness and money. Amy doesn't want to manage budgets for her clients. She wants to create spending plans. The difference? Mindfulness. To borrow a page from Ma...

Owning a home is often a part of the American Dream.  Often, that refers to owning a home outright, not having to make mortgage payments.  But according to Forbes, 38% of U.S. homeowners age 65 and up have a monthly mortgage payment.  Today, Amy and Jag break down when paying off your mortgage can lead to a successful  retirement - once you decide what "success" means, of course. When does paying...

Thimbleberry Financial Website and Phone Number: https://thimbleberryfinancial.com/ (503) 610-6510 Many folks in the tech world can receive "tender offers" - a proposition to buy shares of your company holdings. This could come from the company or an outside party.  What do you do when you receive a tender offer? Today, Amy Walls of Thimbleberry Financial explains why tender offers are made, and w...

Thimbleberry Financial Website and Phone Number: https://thimbleberryfinancial.com/ (503) 610-6510 Amy Walls and the team at Thimbleberry Financial work with many clients in the tech sector.  When an employee lands their first high-salary job in this field, it can be overwhelming. Today we talk about what to do. What is the first thing someone to do? Maintain the Status Quo - temporarily. What’s n...

Thimbleberry Financial Website and Phone Number: https://thimbleberryfinancial.com/ (503) 610-6510 The behavior and psychology of personal finance is something that Amy Walls is always studying at Thimbleberry Financial.  In our first podcast of 2022, we are discussing the concept of "Your Future Self." Your future self is just that - you in the future. You can make decisions today, that, if you k...

Thimbleberry Financial Website and Phone Number: https://thimbleberryfinancial.com/ (503) 610-6510 An Annual Financial Review can be a great tool to evaluate your 360 degree financial future.  Often, this is the time of year when we take stock and think about these things.   Today, Amy and Jag go over the elements of an annual financial review and how to get started. What is an Annual Financial Re...

Thimbleberry Financial Website and Phone Number: https://thimbleberryfinancial.com/ (503) 610-6510 Today, Amy Walls from Thimbleberry Financial walks us through the top 6 retirement planning mistakes. They are: Not thinking about how they will spend their time in retirement Lack of Diversification Lack of Rebalancing Learning Not All Savings Are Equal Cashing Out a Retirement Plan Not Planning for...

Thimbleberry Financial Website and Phone Number: https://thimbleberryfinancial.com/ (503) 610-6510 "Shrinking your income" may not seem like a good idea, but it's actually a psychological trick to increase your savings. Today, Amy Walls from Thimbleberry Financial explains the process. If you think you have less to spend, it will change your habits and decisions. Automatically take different categ...

Thimbleberry Financial Website and Phone Number: https://thimbleberryfinancial.com/ (503) 610-6510 Qualified Charitable Distributions, or QCD's, are an effective way to lower your tax burden while contributing money to a cause important to you.  Today, Amy Walls of Thimbleberry Financial walks us through all things QCD, including: What is a Qualified Charitable Distribution? What is the benefit of...

Thimbleberry Financial Website and Phone Number: https://thimbleberryfinancial.com/ (503) 610-6510 The tax plan being debated in the US House of Representatives can have significant impacts on the financial futures and retirements of many Americans.  Today, Amy Walls of Thimbleberry Financial highlights some key areas of the legislation, as of our recording date of October 12th. What are some diff...

"A stock tender offer is a bid to purchase some or all of the shareholders' stock in a corporation." - Investopedia If you find yourself on the receiving end of a stock tender offer, there are a number of factors that should go into your decision. Today, Amy Walls of Thimbleberry Financial breaks them down. What is your purpose for the money? Are your short or long term goals more of a priority? U...

End of life planning is an intimidating, yet necessary, process. Amy Walls of Thimbleberry Financial thought of today's topic after seeing a friend receive a terminal diagnosis, and watching her and her husband scramble to get their affairs in order.  It gave her pause, and she started thinking about her own family and future. You need to take stock of both your financial situation and your priori...

You may have seen that commercial a few years ago - people were walking around with their "magic retirement number" above their heads.  Well, it turns out there's no ACTUAL magic retirement number, because there are too many changing factors to influence it.  Today, Amy Walls of Thimbleberry Financial walks us through some of them, including: Spending Savings rate Retirement date Inflation rate In...