2021 Newsletters Archives - Sycamore Financial Group

Doing Our Part for the Community

Hello from Sycamore,

We are pleased to announce that Sycamore Financial Group is now carbon-neutral, powered by renewable energy, and supports efforts to restore damaged freshwater sources.

We worked with Bonneville Environmental Foundation (BEF) to help us calculate and balance the environmental footprint we create. There are three main categories where we create an environmental impact: carbon emissions, water usage, and energy usage. We need to consume some resources to operate, and we cannot directly restore what we use, partnering with an organization that can fund these restoration projects at a large scale was necessary.

Through the purchase of Green-e Energy Certified Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs), we have ensured that our electricity use comes from renewable resources. Verified Carbon Offsets purchases have balanced the greenhouse gas emissions associated with all of our office locations, employee commutes, and business travel. Water Restoration Certificates® purchases have restored water to critically dewatered rivers and streams equivalent to at least the annual water consumption at our office locations.

All of us rely on Earth to survive and there is no planet B, we feel it is vital to help do our part for the community at large. We believe that helping take care of our fellow neighbors and the world that we depend on will help ensure that we all have a clean and healthy place to live.

Our purchases are the equivalent of powering 18.5 average U.S. homes for the year, restoring 19,200 five-gallon water cooler containers, and reducing emissions associated with 169,647 vehicle miles traveled.

We are happy to be doing our part and would gladly supply you with information on how to accomplish the same thing. You may be surprised at how little it might cost to offset your household or business for a full year. If you have any questions, as always, do not hesitate to reach out.

Thank you for your business and trust,

Sycamore Financial Group

***This article is distributed for general informational and educational purposes and is not intended to constitute legal, tax, accounting, or investment advice.***

By Sycamore Financial Group|2022-07-20T15:44:02-04:00August 25th, 2021|2021 Newsletters|0 Comments

Financial Freedom

Hello from Sycamore,

What is financial freedom? Financial freedom can mean many different things. To us, it means having the ability to live the lifestyle that you want while working and throughout retirement.

Depending on where you are in your life, the term Financial Freedom may seem overwhelming for many different reasons – you may feel bogged down with student loans, you may have credit card debt that is hard to dig out of, you may be saving for college expenses, you may be saving for your first-time home purchase, you may be saving for retirement, the list goes on. While different lifestyles require different financial resources to be financially free, there are few things we believe will help make financial freedom more attainable:

Build up an emergency fund.
a. This is a personal preference on the “right” number. Typically, between 3-6 months of living expenses is a good rule of thumb.
Create a budget.
a. Often, we don’t know where our money is going – creating a budget and tracking our expenses is a great way to find out where we may be overspending.
Invest enough in your employer-sponsored retirement plan to get the full employer match.
a. You should be doing this while building your emergency fund – the match is “free” money left on the table if you don’t invest enough to get the full benefit.
Work toward paying off debts.
a. Begin paying extra toward your highest interest loans first.
Begin investing in a brokerage account, ROTH IRA, College 529 plan, or increasing contributions to your employer-sponsored retirement plan.
a. It is a good rule to have this come out of your savings automatically each month to make it automatic and easy.
b. Consult with a financial advisor on what the best investment vehicle is for you and your family.

Remember to set small achievable goals and reward yourself when those are met. The process of accumulating wealth and becoming financially free is not short or easy, but it is rewarding.

Everybody’s financial situation is different. These steps will not solve all financial problems and there is no fast and easy magic formula, but they are steps toward financial freedom.

As always, we would love to hear from you! Please reach out with any comments or concerns you may have.

Thank you for your business and trust,

Brent Yard
Sycamore Financial Group

***This article is distributed for general informational and educational purposes and is not intended to constitute legal, tax, accounting, or investment advice. The information, opinions, and views contained herein have not been tailored to the investment objectives of any one individual, are only current as of the date hereof, and may be subject to change. Any ideas or strategies discussed herein should not be undertaken by any individual without prior consultation with a financial professional to assess where the ideas or strategies that are discussed are suitable based on your own personal financial objectives, needs, and risk tolerance.***

By Sycamore Financial Group|2022-07-21T12:07:16-04:00August 10th, 2021|2021 Newsletters|0 Comments

Sycamore Financial Group is now a Certified B Corporation

Hello from Sycamore,

We have exciting news to share with you that we are very proud of!

Sycamore Financial Group was one of the first Corporations in Indiana to become Certified B Corporation®! Since its inception, Sycamore has always wanted to do better, do more – for our clients, for our community, for our families. Over the years as we have grown, we were able to give back more, take steps for the good, and now join the few firms that are Certified B Corporations.

What is a Certified B Corporation? B Corps™ are for-profit companies that use the power of business as a force for good. B Corps™ meets the highest verified standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability. To become a B Corps™, a company must prove to an independent third-party organization named B Labs® that they operate not solely with profits in mind but are good stewards of the environment, contribute to the local community, and act in ethical manners.

We have and continue to operate and make decisions with a stakeholder approach in mind. This means that our decisions consider all people that may be affected – our clients, our employees, our community, and our owners. Becoming a Certified B Corporation® was a way for Sycamore to solidify our commitment to our community and to focus our goals of continually improving our processes so that we may progress as an organization that benefits all.

From our beginnings nearly 40 years ago, we decided that the best way to structure our business for success and longevity is to always act with integrity and honesty and with our client’s best interests as a priority. This approach, we feel, has been the backbone that has allowed Sycamore to maintain decades-long intergenerational relationships with our clients. Becoming a Certified B Corporation® is our public declaration to you that these values will continue to be upheld.

We look forward to continuing to make strides for the better with you, always having your best interests in mind and continuing to contribute to our local communities.

Thank you for your business and trust,

Craig Smith
Sycamore Financial Group

*Past performance does not assure future results. Investors cannot invest directly in the stock market indexes such as the S&P 500. The investment return and principal value of an investment will fluctuate. Investor value, when sold may be worth more or less than their original cost.

By Sycamore Financial Group|2022-07-21T12:22:37-04:00June 8th, 2021|2021 Newsletters|0 Comments

How to Accumulate Your First Million Dollars

Hello from Sycamore,

The looming question out there for many is how do I save a million dollars? Starting off it may seem impossible, but we are here to tell you that with dedication, a strict budget, and time it is possible. It is also important to note that you do not have to make “a lot” of money for this to be possible. The earlier you start investing, the easier it will be.

Three main factors influence how quickly this aspiration might be attained and they are investment time horizon, contribution amount, and investment rate of return. We realize that some of you reading this have already reached one million dollars of investment assets, but for those who have not, let us look at a few different scenarios to see what it takes to accumulate $1,000,000 in a portfolio.

To oversimplify, we will assume a 10% rate of return on your investment compounded weekly.

As you can see, the earlier you start the less you will need to save weekly. Other important factors will come into play and this should be discussed with a financial professional. Please feel free to call us with any questions or concerns!

As always, we would love to hear from you! Please reach out with any comments or concerns you may have.

Thank you for your business and trust,

Brent Yard
Sycamore Financial Group

*** Taxes and portfolio turnover are not accounted for in the above example. All investment strategies and investments involve the risk of loss. Actual investment returns may vary. This article is distributed for general informational and educational purposes and is not intended to constitute legal, tax, accounting, or investment advice. The information, opinions, and views contained herein have not been tailored to the investment objectives of any one individual, are only current as of the date hereof, and may be subject to change. Any ideas or strategies discussed herein should not be undertaken by any individual without prior consultation with a financial professional to assess where the ideas or strategies that are discussed are suitable based on your own personal financial objectives, needs, and risk tolerance. ***

By Sycamore Financial Group|2022-07-21T12:10:49-04:00May 12th, 2021|2021 Newsletters|0 Comments