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Back to the Basics: Financial Decision Making a Four-Year-Old Would Approve Of

In Articles, Articles: Kansas City Office, Articles: Salt Lake City Office, Back to the Basics, Fall 2022, SLC Fall 2022 by Scott Dougan

I fear that we’re all victims. All too often, we’re victim to forces that surround us that are pushing us to act in ways that appear to be rational but lack something critical: a clear purpose. In the busy-ness of daily life, we act on instinct and sometimes in haste. I do it and I suspect you do too. It’s …

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Briefcase Study: The One Word Retirement Plan

In Articles, Articles: Kansas City Office, Articles: Salt Lake City Office, Briefcase Studies, Fall 2022, SLC Fall 2022 by Scott Dougan

Working in the retirement planning realm for so long has given me the opportunity to talk with hundreds, perhaps thousands, of people about what they hope to experience during retirement. Discussions of money, time, and purpose lead to so many interesting insights about what a life well-lived might look like. A simple question like, “What would you like retirement to …

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Alzheimer’s isn’t waiting, and neither are we

In Articles, Articles: Salt Lake City Office, SLC Summer 2022 by Scott Dougan

Elevated Retirement Group is participating in the Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s® and fundraising for Alzheimer’s care, support, and research. Please consider supporting us in the fight to #ENDALZ by making a donation on our fundraising page or by signing up to participate in the walk itself, which will take place Saturday, September 24th at Rio Tinto Stadium. Every …

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2022 Summer Newsletter: Salt Lake City

In Newsletters, Newsletters: Salt Lake City Office, Newsletters: Salt Lake City Office by Scott Dougan

It’s the most wonderful time of the year: baseball season!  Summer is sizzling! The kids have been out of school for a few weeks now, so we’re trying to make the most of these fleeting summer days. Our family kicked off our summer with a trip to Pensacola, Florida with Erika’s family. We rented a little condo on the beach …

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Briefcase Study: Breakthrough in a Box

In Articles, Articles: Kansas City Office, Articles: Salt Lake City Office, Briefcase Studies, SLC Summer 2022, Summer 2022 by Scott Dougan

When an Amazon box arrives at the front door, it’s an exciting moment. Is it…for me? Boy, I sure hope so (having forgotten what I may have ordered in the first place). Generally, the thing in that box is the result of a decision process that was either minutes long or one that took months of research. Either way, taking …

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Back to the Basics: Proof and Belief

In Articles, Articles: Kansas City Office, Articles: Salt Lake City Office, Back to the Basics, SLC Summer 2022, Summer 2022 by Scott Dougan

Money and Markets  Beware: I’m going to get existential for a moment. I’ll be quick about it. Beginning in 2007 and through 2009, I found myself having a particular conversation about money with a lot of people. What started as a discussion of the happenings in the markets and economy became a journey into the historical role of gold and …

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ERG Team Building

In Articles, Articles: Salt Lake City Office, SLC Spring 2022 by Scott Dougan

As the first quarter of 2022 came to a close, the teams at Elevated Retirement Group and Elevated Capital Advisors spent an afternoon out of the office to recharge the batteries and engage in some good old-fashioned team building at Top Golf. Of course, the team building quickly turned into a competitive event with everyone trying to prove their golf …

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2022 Spring Newsletter: Salt Lake City

In Newsletters, Newsletters: Salt Lake City Office, Newsletters: Salt Lake City Office by Scott Dougan

Spring is here – the trees are blossoming, the birds are chirping and the bats are swinging.  It’s the most wonderful time of the year: baseball season! Not only have the pros started playing (which almost didn’t happen!), my nine-year-old son, Michael, and his team began their season as well. His games started in March with a couple of out-of-state …

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Briefcase Study: How Low Can You Go?

In Articles, Articles: Kansas City Office, Articles: Salt Lake City Office, Briefcase Studies, SLC Spring 2022, Spring 2022 by Scott Dougan

Reduced Stress Through Rehearsed Austerity  A recent client review meeting reminded me that money can be stressful. This is a statement so obvious that it seems silly to write it out, but there it is. It can stress me out, and I’ll bet you feel it from time-to-time as well. While I won’t suggest that money’s emotional and intellectual burdens …