— Sponsored content —&nbsp;

As 
the end of the year draws near, many families think they have a sound 
“financial plan” because they own investments or have established a 
saving strategy for retirement.&nbsp;This is a good start but it’s 
incomplete. There are many components to insuring your financial future 
and getting your “house in order” is the first step. What do I mean by 
that? I’d like to share 5 ways you can accomplish this. Let me explain…

Do you know what the three leading causes of death are in the United 
States? Many people correctly guess cancer and heart disease as numbers 
one and two. What is number 3? Accidents? Alzheimer’s? Strokes? <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2018/02/22/medical-errors-third-leading-cause-of-death-in-america.html">You may be surprised to learn that the third leading cause of death in America is medical malpractice! </a>The
 doctor’s fault? Nope- our fault. We go to the hospital totally 
unprepared. The average American over the age of 65 will take 11 
different prescription drugs this year. You’re in an accident and 
brought to the hospital, the hospital administers a pain reliever and 
the combination of what you are taking and what they have given you- 
kills you. Have you ever had a heart attack? Do you carry nitroglycerine
 with you? Have you been warned that the combination of Cialis and Nitro
 will kill you? Is this a risk you are willing to take? Or maybe when 
they ask you what prescriptions you are taking you mispronounce Omicor 
when you meant Amicar. Yes, medical malpractice is third leading cause 
in America. We don’t want this to happen to you, so it is time to get 
your house in order!

Resolution number 1..Don’t go to the hospital unprepared!&nbsp;&nbsp;

1)
 Do you remember the story about Terri Schiavo? At 26, Terri had a 
massive coronary, was resuscitated but experienced irreversible brain 
damage that left her in a coma. Fifteen years later, the Supreme Court 
made the final decision to remove the feeding tube. This long-term 
ordeal would not have happened if a simple healthcare directive and a 
living will had been in place. A misconception we frequently encounter 
is that healthcare directives are only for older adults. We’ve seen 
clients experience unexpected, lifechanging circumstances at all ages 
and believe that health care directives should be a priority for 
everyone. Please don’t let this happen to you or a loved one. Please get
 your house in order.

Resolution number 2..Sign a healthcare directive and living will.&nbsp;

2)
 What do Steve McNair, Abraham Lincoln, Pablo Picasso and the musician 
Prince have in common? They all died without a will. Steve McNair’s 
mother was removed from the house he had given her because there was no 
will to prove he had given it to her-&nbsp;I’m pretty sure that was not his 
intent. Having this document is essential to ensuring your wishes are 
carried out but it is one of the most frequently postponed documents to 
be put in writing. Your will protects you and ensures that your future 
wishes for your estate are carried out. According to the Virtual 
Attorney, 32% of Americans would rather do their taxes, get a root 
canal, or give up sex for a month than create or update their will! Even
 though we are not attorneys, we can help you facilitate this- let you 
help you get your house in order.

Resolution number 3..Create or update your will.

3)
 In 2005, Anne Friedman, a former school principal, died suddenly of a 
massive heart attack. She had accumulated over $900,000 in her Teachers’
 Retirement Fund but never named anyone as her designated beneficiary. 
By law, her surviving spouse would have been entitled to the money. 
However, in 1978, in a previous job, before she was married,&nbsp;she had 
filled out a designated beneficiary form naming her mother, her uncle 
and her sister as her designated beneficiaries. Her mother and uncle had
 since passed away, but her sister was still living. By law, the sister 
was entitled to the money, which she received, and didn’t share a dime 
with the now destitute husband. We see this every day. Proceeds from 
Life Insurance, 401(k) plans, and IRAs are being left to the wrong 
beneficiaries because the owners never thought to update them.&nbsp;Your 
financial documents must be regularly reviewed and evaluated as your 
life evolves, particularly when it comes to your beneficiaries. 
Marriages, divorces, births, deaths and other major life events can all 
warrant changes. These documents are too important to leave unattended. 
Let us review these for you.

Resolution number 4…. Review and update beneficiary designations with life changes

4)
 How many of you own a business?&nbsp;How about those of you that have a real
 estate investment?&nbsp;Better yet, how many of you have children driving a 
car? Do you have proper insurance?&nbsp;Have you fully limited your 
liability?&nbsp;Are your investments titled properly to limit liability? If 
you have trust documents, titling of property, insurance coverage(s) and
 other liability documents, also need to be regularly reviewed. We can 
help you do this.

Resolution Number 5... Regularly review legal/liability documents

5)
 Frederick Vanderbilt, J.D Rockefeller, JP Morgan, Franklin Roosevelt, 
and Elvis Presley all died without an estate plan. Please re-read that 
list. Some of the most successful, intelligent, and powerful people in 
America did so much for so many- they failed, however,&nbsp;to protect all of
 the wealth they had created. Although we can’t predict the future, it’s
 important to have a comprehensive plan in place for how your money and 
other assets should be distributed when needed.&nbsp;Your life stage will 
determine the needs of your estate plan. If you’re young and single, 
your plan may only include a few items, such as a will, beneficiary 
designations and medical and financial powers of attorney. If you have 
substantial wealth, you may need one or more trusts to control how your 
assets are taxed, managed and distributed.&nbsp;

Resolution Number 6... Establish an Estate Plan.&nbsp;

It’s
 critical to remember that financial planning is not solely based on 
investment planning or picking the right investments. While this must be
 done properly, there are many other vital areas that get overlooked or 
forgotten. Keep your financial house in order by regularly reviewing 
your plan and ensuring that you have the fundamentals in place. 

By this time next year, you’ll be glad you did.&nbsp;

Investment
 Advisor Representative offering advisory services through Main Street 
Advisors, LLC, a registered investment adviser. Securities and 
additional advisory services offered through Independent Financial 
Group, LLC (IFG, a registered broker dealer and a registered investment
 adviser.&nbsp;

Member FINRA/SIPC. The Meckenstock Group, 
Inc., Main Street Advisors, LLC and IFG are unaffiliated entities.&nbsp;Bobb 
A. Meckenstock, MBA, CLU President Main Street Advisors, LLC&nbsp;

&nbsp;The Meckenstock Group, Inc&nbsp;1407 Main Street Hays, KS 67601&nbsp;&nbsp;Phone: 785.625.5601&nbsp;• www.themeckgroup.com

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1588876498640.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>— Sponsored content —&nbsp;As 
the end of the year draws near, many families think they have a sound 
“financial plan” because they own investments or have established a 
saving strategy for retirement.&nbsp;This is a good start but it’s 
incomplete. There are many components to insuring your financial future 
and getting your “house in order” is the first step. What do I mean by 
that? I’d like to share 5 ways you can accomplish this. Let me explain…<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1588873984029.png" alt="Bobb Meckenstock" />
 <figcaption>Bobb Meckenstock</figcaption>
 </figure>Do you know what the three leading causes of death are in the United 
States? Many people correctly guess cancer and heart disease as numbers 
one and two. What is number 3? Accidents? Alzheimer’s? Strokes? <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2018/02/22/medical-errors-third-leading-cause-of-death-in-america.html">You may be surprised to learn that the third leading cause of death in America is medical malpractice! </a>The
 doctor’s fault? Nope- our fault. We go to the hospital totally 
unprepared. The average American over the age of 65 will take 11 
different prescription drugs this year. You’re in an accident and 
brought to the hospital, the hospital administers a pain reliever and 
the combination of what you are taking and what they have given you- 
kills you. Have you ever had a heart attack? Do you carry nitroglycerine
 with you? Have you been warned that the combination of Cialis and Nitro
 will kill you? Is this a risk you are willing to take? Or maybe when 
they ask you what prescriptions you are taking you mispronounce Omicor 
when you meant Amicar. Yes, medical malpractice is third leading cause 
in America. We don’t want this to happen to you, so it is time to get 
your house in order!Resolution number 1..Don’t go to the hospital unprepared!&nbsp;&nbsp;1)
 Do you remember the story about Terri Schiavo? At 26, Terri had a 
massive coronary, was resuscitated but experienced irreversible brain 
damage that left her in a coma. Fifteen years later, the Supreme Court 
made the final decision to remove the feeding tube. This long-term 
ordeal would not have happened if a simple healthcare directive and a 
living will had been in place. A misconception we frequently encounter 
is that healthcare directives are only for older adults. We’ve seen 
clients experience unexpected, lifechanging circumstances at all ages 
and believe that health care directives should be a priority for 
everyone. Please don’t let this happen to you or a loved one. Please get
 your house in order.Resolution number 2..Sign a healthcare directive and living will.&nbsp;2)
 What do Steve McNair, Abraham Lincoln, Pablo Picasso and the musician 
Prince have in common? They all died without a will. Steve McNair’s 
mother was removed from the house he had given her because there was no 
will to prove he had given it to her-&nbsp;I’m pretty sure that was not his 
intent. Having this document is essential to ensuring your wishes are 
carried out but it is one of the most frequently postponed documents to 
be put in writing. Your will protects you and ensures that your future 
wishes for your estate are carried out. According to the Virtual 
Attorney, 32% of Americans would rather do their taxes, get a root 
canal, or give up sex for a month than create or update their will! Even
 though we are not attorneys, we can help you facilitate this- let you 
help you get your house in order.Resolution number 3..Create or update your will.3)
 In 2005, Anne Friedman, a former school principal, died suddenly of a 
massive heart attack. She had accumulated over $900,000 in her Teachers’
 Retirement Fund but never named anyone as her designated beneficiary. 
By law, her surviving spouse would have been entitled to the money. 
However, in 1978, in a previous job, before she was married,&nbsp;she had 
filled out a designated beneficiary form naming her mother, her uncle 
and her sister as her designated beneficiaries. Her mother and uncle had
 since passed away, but her sister was still living. By law, the sister 
was entitled to the money, which she received, and didn’t share a dime 
with the now destitute husband. We see this every day. Proceeds from 
Life Insurance, 401(k) plans, and IRAs are being left to the wrong 
beneficiaries because the owners never thought to update them.&nbsp;Your 
financial documents must be regularly reviewed and evaluated as your 
life evolves, particularly when it comes to your beneficiaries. 
Marriages, divorces, births, deaths and other major life events can all 
warrant changes. These documents are too important to leave unattended. 
Let us review these for you.Resolution number 4…. Review and update beneficiary designations with life changes4)
 How many of you own a business?&nbsp;How about those of you that have a real
 estate investment?&nbsp;Better yet, how many of you have children driving a 
car? Do you have proper insurance?&nbsp;Have you fully limited your 
liability?&nbsp;Are your investments titled properly to limit liability? If 
you have trust documents, titling of property, insurance coverage(s) and
 other liability documents, also need to be regularly reviewed. We can 
help you do this.Resolution Number 5... Regularly review legal/liability documents5)
 Frederick Vanderbilt, J.D Rockefeller, JP Morgan, Franklin Roosevelt, 
and Elvis Presley all died without an estate plan. Please re-read that 
list. Some of the most successful, intelligent, and powerful people in 
America did so much for so many- they failed, however,&nbsp;to protect all of
 the wealth they had created. Although we can’t predict the future, it’s
 important to have a comprehensive plan in place for how your money and 
other assets should be distributed when needed.&nbsp;Your life stage will 
determine the needs of your estate plan. If you’re young and single, 
your plan may only include a few items, such as a will, beneficiary 
designations and medical and financial powers of attorney. If you have 
substantial wealth, you may need one or more trusts to control how your 
assets are taxed, managed and distributed.&nbsp;Resolution Number 6... Establish an Estate Plan.&nbsp;It’s
 critical to remember that financial planning is not solely based on 
investment planning or picking the right investments. While this must be
 done properly, there are many other vital areas that get overlooked or 
forgotten. Keep your financial house in order by regularly reviewing 
your plan and ensuring that you have the fundamentals in place. By this time next year, you’ll be glad you did.&nbsp;Investment
 Advisor Representative offering advisory services through Main Street 
Advisors, LLC, a registered investment adviser. Securities and 
additional advisory services offered through Independent Financial 
Group, LLC (IFG, a registered broker dealer and a registered investment
 adviser.&nbsp;Member FINRA/SIPC. The Meckenstock Group, 
Inc., Main Street Advisors, LLC and IFG are unaffiliated entities.&nbsp;Bobb 
A. Meckenstock, MBA, CLU President Main Street Advisors, LLC&nbsp;&nbsp;The Meckenstock Group, Inc&nbsp;1407 Main Street Hays, KS 67601&nbsp;&nbsp;Phone: 785.625.5601&nbsp;• www.themeckgroup.com— Sponsored content —&nbsp;

Ask the Expert: Six ways to keep your financial house in order in 2020