Hans Blake, CFA, CPA

$50 Could Be Headed Your Way

November 13, 2019 by Hans Blake, CFA, CPA

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Earlier this year, South Carolina lawmakers determined $61 million of the tax dollars generated by the 2018 Mega Millions winner would be used to fund $50 tax rebate checks for qualifying taxpayers. A rebate check may be on its way to your mailbox! Learn more below and see if you qualify.

Pause a Moment Before Reading Further

Before you check if you qualify, take a moment to think about how you may want to use the refund. Using your tax refund wisely and directing it toward your financial goals might give you a little boost that can go a long way psychologically, and financially. At Intelligent Investing, one of our core values is Compassion. We encourage you to perhaps think about a charity you’d like to give towards.

Who qualifies?

In order to qualify:

You must have filed your 2018 South Carolina Individual Income Tax Return by October 15, 2019.
You must have a 2018 South Carolina tax liability of at least $50 after credits.
Not sure how to determine your tax liability? Take a look at your 2018 return:
1. 1. Original returns (SC1040): If Line 15 – (Line 21 + Line 22) is $50 or more, you qualify
  2. Amended returns (SC1040X): If Line 14 – Line 11 is $50 or more, you qualify

Not sure if you qualify? Check your rebate status here. Enter $50.00 in the Refund Amount field. Married couples who filed a joint 2018 South Carolina Individual Income Tax Return will receive one $50 rebate check.

Taxpayers who don’t live in South Carolina, but who filed a 2018 South Carolina Individual Income Tax Return are also eligible, as long as they meet the qualifications listed above.

How will eligible taxpayers receive their rebate?

Eligible South Carolina taxpayers will receive their paper rebate checks by mail.

You will receive it as a $50 paper check, regardless of how you may have received your 2018 refund.
Each check will be mailed to the most recent address we have on file for you, which is typically the address on your 2018 South Carolina Individual Income Tax Return.

When will eligible taxpayers receive their money?

According to the Legislature, rebates will be issued to eligible taxpayers by December 2. The SC Department of Revenue has started issuing checks.

Rebates are being issued to eligible taxpayers in zip code order.
If you moved recently and have not updated your address with the SCDOR, your check may be delayed.
Want to know if your check is in the mail? Check your rebate status here. Enter $50.00 in the Refund Amount field.

How do I identify my rebate check?

Your rebate will be mailed in a standard white envelope with an SCDOR return address and your name and address visible in the window.

The check will say “SC Tax Rebate” on the memo line.
The check will be for exactly $50.
Information about the rebate will be included on the page that the check is printed on.

For more information, please visit https://dor.sc.gov/rebate.

The Journey of an Index Investor

November 6, 2019 by Hans Blake, CFA, CPA

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On today’s Intelligent Money Minute, we’ll interview Rick Ferri on the journey of an index investor. During this episode, Rick talks about his new e-book, “The Education of an Index Investor.” He wrote this book due to the fact that many try to beat the market and fail. He lists out four levels of an index investor’s journey and the emotions experienced at each level. At Intelligent Investing, we believe no advisor can consistently deliver outperformance. Due to this, we have four unique factors we believe make us different from other advisors. Learn more here.

Check out our previous podcasts with Rick on Financial Heroes and Tips for Lump Sum Recipients. We’ll be interviewing Rick on several podcasts regarding index investing, behavioral finance, and practical tips for retirees, so be sure to subscribe to our Intelligent Money Minute podcasts.

Rick Ferri is a fellow CFA Charterholder, Marine veteran, author, and owner of Ferri Investment Solutions. He continues to write books and articles, provide educational webinars, and teach financial lectures.

Rick Ferri Bio

Rick Ferri earned a B.S. in Business Administration and an M.S. in Finance. He also holds a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charter through the CFA Institute. After college, Rick served as a U.S. Marine Corps officer and fighter pilot for 20 years of active duty and reserve service.

Rick’s investment career spans three decades and offers a history of empowering people to achieve their goals. He landed in the brokerage industry in 1989 where he learned the wrong way to invest. As a result of 10 frustrating years, Rick founded one of the country’s first low-fee investment advisory firms. Rick’s firm grew to a sizable business over the next two decades due to the explosion of interest in low-fee investing. This growth provided good-paying jobs to dozens of people and allowed Rick to take on business partners with whom he generously shared his equity.

Ferri Investment Solutions is Rick’s new firm. This modern concept provides even greater value to investors by “unbundling” adviser services whereby clients pay only for the time it takes to assist them. In addition, Rick’s industry consulting firm helps other advisers build their investment practices, and he has launched Core-4 Portfolios to provide simple model portfolios for use by a wide variety of investors.

What the National Christian Foundation Can Do for Families?

October 30, 2019 by Hans Blake, CFA, CPA

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On today’s Intelligent Money Minute, we’ll interview John Putnam on what NCF can do for families. John states initially that NCF can help families create a giving plan. NCF helps families think about their giving legacy, along with their passions and impact. One way NCF guides families is to show them how to engage all of their resources. Ultimately, the desire is for families to experience more joy. More specifically, John states that NCF will first help the family simplify their giving with a donor-advised fund. Families are advised with strategic giving using complex asset, i.e. land, real estate, etc. NCF also desires to include the family’s advisors. Finally, bringing family around generosity is encouraged. You can find a link to more resources from NCF here.

We’d love to help your family explore different charitable options. we’ve included resources and a link to the National Christian Foundation which you can check out by going here.

More From John

We’ll be interviewing John Putnam on future podcasts on creative ways to give charitably, how to use a donor-advised fund, and charitable giving with Young Children, so be sure to subscribe.

John Putnam Bio

John is an author, speaker, Kingdom entrepreneur and non-profit leader of NCF Carolinas. He grew up on a cattle farm in Cherryville, NC (that’s ‘Churvul’ for you locals ☺), and attended college at N.C. State. Above all, John is married to his wife Anne and the father of three children.

John led a thriving financial services practice for over 20 years. Following his passion for stewardship, he launched a Charlotte, NC affiliate of National Christian Foundation. On January 1, 2018, the office merged with NCF Raleigh to become NCF Carolinas. To His glory alone, God has used the NCF Carolinas team to help mobilize hundreds of millions of dollars for Kingdom impact. John’s professional background is as a former Certified Financial Planner, a trained Life Planner through The Paterson Center and a graduate of Charlotte Leadership Forum. He has worked alongside the Halftime organization, a two-time graduate of The Masters Program and a past Strategic Coach participant. He enjoys sharing through media, workshops and his website at JohnPutnam.com.

Grace: The Third Stage Of Widowhood

October 23, 2019 by Hans Blake, CFA, CPA

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On today’s Intelligent Money Minute, we’ll interview Kathleen Rehl on grace: the third stage of widowhood. On previous podcasts, Kathleen has discussed grief and growth, the first two stages of widowhood. Grace, also called “transformation” by some, is the final stage of widowhood. Kathleen begins by mentioning that at this point a widow may begin advanced financial planning, i.e. advanced estate planning. Becoming confident in her own independence, she may become involved in other efforts such as philanthropic giving. Similarly, Her mindset has been shifted to now share her hopes, values and dreams with future generations. Kathleen mentions, however, that not all widows make it to this stage. This could be a result of the comfort of the growth stage. Ultimately, feeling financially secure is the biggest need of all widows. Kathleen closes with a personal experience, explaining the expected overlapping of the three stages of widowhood.

If you are a widow or know of a widow who is in the third phase of widowhood called Grace, you have come a long way on your journey, but you still may need help with advanced planning. At Intelligent Investing, we’d love to have a conversation with you to discuss advanced estate planning, philanthropy or your legacy. We understand your need to feel financially secure, and we’d love to help you sleep at night knowing you have a coordinated financial plan and portfolio.

On upcoming podcasts, Kathleen will talk about the three stages of widowhood- Grief, Growth, and Grace, so be sure to subscribe by clicking here.

Kathleen Rehl Bio

Kathleen M. Rehl, Ph.D., CFP®, CeFT® wrote the multi-award-winning book, Moving Forward on Your Own: A Financial Guidebook for Widows. Experiencing widowhood herself, Dr. Rehl empowers widows financially™ and inspires their advisors. Her work has been featured in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, AARP Bulletin, CNBC, USA Today, U.S. News & World Report, Journal of Financial Service Professionals, Journal of Financial Planning, and other publications. Rehl owned a financial planning firm for 17 years before retiring to her “encore” career. She walks an hour daily, practices yoga, enjoys art and music festivals, writes poetry and makes art, loves her grandsons . . . and continues to evolve on her journey.

The Paradox of Skill

October 16, 2019 by Hans Blake, CFA, CPA

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On today’s Intelligent Money Minute, we’ll interview Larry Swedroe on the paradox of skills. This is the third issue that makes Alpha become elusive. Larry explains two thoughts that need to be considered. First, most people fail to understand the difference in competition. In a one-on-one competition, the successful competitor wins, or outperforms, by a significantly higher percentage than his opponent. The collective wisdom of the market, however, is the tougher competition. Second, Larry expounded on the increase in education within financial institutions. Interestingly, this increase in skill level is needed to generate Alpha. Larry states that this is a big problem consequently for the active world.

At Intelligent Investing, we believe that no advisor can consistently deliver outperformance. As Nick Murray says in one of his books, “Adam and Eve were goal-focused investors…until the serpent told them they could be–with just a little guidance from him–smart enough to outperform. Remember, outperformance is the apple. Don’t bite into it. To learn more about the other reasons Larry believes the Quest for Alpha is so difficult, visit out blog section at investedwithyou.com/blogs

We’ll be interviewing Larry on several podcasts regarding markets, passive investing, and diversification, so be sure to subscribe to our Intelligent Money Minute podcasts.

Larry was among the first authors to publish a book that explained the science of investing in layman’s terms, “The Only Guide to a Winning Investment Strategy You’ll Ever Need.” He has since authored seven more books.

Larry Swedroe Bio

Since joining the Buckingham Strategic Wealth in 1996, Chief Research Officer Larry Swedroe has spent his time and energy educating investors on the benefits of evidence-based investing.

In his role as chief research officer and as a member of the firm’s Investment Policy Committee and Board of Directors, Larry regularly reviews the findings published in dozens of peer-reviewed financial journals, evaluates the outcomes and uses the result to inform the firm’s formal investment strategy recommendations.

Larry’s dedication to helping others has made him a sought-after national speaker. He has made appearances on national television shows airing on NBC, CNBC, CNN and Bloomberg Personal Finance. Larry is a prolific writer, contributing regularly to multiple outlets, including Advisor Perspectives and ETF.com.

Before joining Buckingham, Larry was vice chairman of Prudential Home Mortgage and senior vice president at Citicorp.

Larry holds an MBA in finance and investment from NYU, and a bachelor’s degree in finance from Baruch College.

Practical Tips for Pre-Retirees

October 9, 2019 by Hans Blake, CFA, CPA

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On today’s Intelligent Money Minute, we’ll interview Rick Ferri on practical tips for pre-retirees. During this episode, Rick provides helpful insight for those who want to set themselves up for retirement. He explains the value of automation because it removes typical investment hinderances. At Intelligent Investing, we can set up automatic contributions and rebalancing alerts. Above all, we believe that having a disciplined process is one of the best ways to grow one’s wealth. Read more about our wealth management philosophy here.

Check out our previous podcasts with Rick on Three Military Discipline Investing Values and The Impact of Investment Expenses. We’ll be interviewing Rick on several podcasts regarding index investing, behavioral finance, and practical tips for retirees, so be sure to subscribe to our Intelligent Money Minute podcasts.

Rick Ferri Bio

Growth: The Second Stage Of Widowhood

October 2, 2019 by Hans Blake, CFA, CPA

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On today’s Intelligent Money Minute, we’ll interview Kathleen Rehl on the second stage of widowhood: growth. Previously, we interviewed Kathleen on grace: the first stage of widowhood. Kathleen continues the discussion by sharing the process of growth. Because a widow’s cognitive functions have normalized, she is now able to do more general financial planning. Some of the decisions mentioned are basic estate planning, reevaluating investments, taxes, and retirement. A widow may also need to update her documentation, due to the fact that many of her documents may be in her husband’s name. Kathleen discusses the important change in mindset for the widow to make “our home” into “my home.” Many factors considered, there is no definite time period for the growth stage.

You may be a recent widow or know of a widow who is in this second phase of widowhood called Growth, or you may still be in the first phase of Grief. Regardless of which stage you are in, we’d love to help you. You may need help deciding what options you have regarding the proceeds from your late husband’s life insurance proceeds or annuity. You may need help with retirement decisions as Kathleen mentioned. Perhaps you need help updating your financial goals or estate planning documents, or just need someone to talk with regarding your financial questions. We have a page dedicated to widows and you can find it here. Please be sure to join us as Kathleen talks about the third stage: grace.

On upcoming podcasts, Kathleen will talk about the three stages of widowhood- Grief, Growth, and Grace, so be sure to subscribe by clicking here.

Kathleen Rehl Bio

An Overview of the National Christian Foundation

September 25, 2019 by Hans Blake, CFA, CPA

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On today’s Intelligent Money Minute, we’ll interview John Putnam on an overview of the National Christian Foundation (NCF). John Putnam is the president of the National Christian Foundation Carolinas. Beginning today’s episode, John gives the background of NCF. Larry Burkett, Ron Blue, and Terry Parker found NCF in 1982. Their goal was, and still is, to assist families and encourage them to have an impact with what they have. NCF comes alongside families, their advisors, and the organizations they love. Using innovative and creative ways, NCF helps donors give more wisely to these organizations. The founder’s initial desire was for one billion dollars of giving to flow through their doors. Today, however, over ten billion dollars have been granted by NCF and families locally and around the world.

The National Christian Foundation (NCF) is a U.S. non-profit organization that helps donors give more wisely and tax-efficiently to support their favorite charitable causes. In 2018, NCF ranked as the 8th largest non-profit organization in the U.S. At Intelligent Investing, we strive to align your charitable gifts with your strategic, philanthropic and financial goals. Whether you need to develop gift-giving strategies, create a foundation or endowment, or receive overall philanthropic guidance, we deliver the right level of expertise with a focus on maximizing your tax efficiencies and protecting your wealth while you generously share it with those you love.

More From John

We’ll be interviewing John Putnam on future podcasts on creative ways to give charitably, how to use a donor-advised fund, and charitable giving with young children, so be sure to subscribe.