April 2020

"This Too Shall Pass” Blog Post
Ideas on How to Use Your Extra Time
Article: The CARES Act

Wow. It’s amazing how much life can change in a couple of months. Life as we know it has come to a standstill and most of us are staying in our homes due to the coronavirus. Some experts believe that the COVID-19 global pandemic will cause permanent changes in our lives, our psyches, and in the normal way that business is conducted in America and around the world.

My guess is that people will have a new appreciation of things we once took for granted, like being able to leave our homes without gloves and a mask, and knowing that the store shelves will have toilet paper when we need it.

None of us really know how long the pandemic will last and when the market turbulence will end. I found this infographic from Morningstar and thought it would be interesting to share. It illustrates all of the market downturns and recoveries since 1926. As you can see, there’s quite a bit of variability in terms of the duration of the downturn and recovery for each event.

An important thing to note on the chart is that each market downturn has a beginning and an end. Even though there’s a high amount of uncertainty surrounding this new virus and the economic fallout that has followed, at some point this market downturn will also come to an end. Until the market cycle is finished, we need to be resilient, persevere, and act rationally in the face of adversity. This too shall pass.

As you are spending more time at home and are searching for things to do, here are a few ideas besides cleaning out all of your cabinets and closets:

• Review your estate plan. Your estate planning documents would include your will, healthcare directive and Power of Attorney. These are important documents for you to either establish if you don’t currently have them, or update if it’s been a few years since the last update. And, if you have young adult children, make sure they have a health care directive on file so in the event they become ill you will have access to their medical records if they are unable to make decisions for themselves.
• Get your financial house in order. Put together a list of your advisors, investment accounts, passwords, bills and important documents and store in a safe place. Make sure you tell a trusted contact where they can find this information in the event that you are unable to attend to your financial affairs due to illness or death. Your loved ones will appreciate your efforts if something should happen to you unexpectedly.
• A couple of years ago, I wrote about Yale University’s most popular class of all time, their course on “happiness.” You can now take this course for free online through Coursera.
• Work on a puzzle, an adult coloring book, or other hobbies such as sewing and knitting.
• Actor John Krasinski created his own news show called Some Good News (SGN), which features positive, feel-good news stories from around the world. Here’s a link to his first episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/F5pgG1M_h_U
• Check out virtual concerts, plays, museums and other culture. Here’s a list to get started: https://www.cnn.com/style/article/what-to-do-at-home-streaming-art-museums-concerts-coronavirus-trnd/index.html
  Play a board game or cards with your family - try to do it virtually if you are solo.
• Schedule a virtual happy hour or dinner with your friends or family.
• Read a book that has been sitting on your nightstand gathering dust.
• Connect with someone who is single and sheltering in place by themselves.
• Get outside for some fresh air and go for a walk.

On Friday, March 27, 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was signed into law. This $2 Trillion emergency relief package is intended to assist individuals and businesses during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and accompanying economic crisis. The major relief provisions are summarized here.

Click here to read the article, The CARES Act.

I hope you enjoyed the newsletter. Please email me at cindy@fairtrustfinancial.com with any questions you have regarding planning for your future.  

Thank you! Cindy Turkington, CFP®, CDFA™ 

Mailing Address:855 Village Center Drive, #360 North Oaks, MN 55127

651-484-0701

cindy@fairtrustfinancial.com 

www.fairtrustfinancial.com

Quote:

Viruses are contagious
so are panic
fear
hysteria
calm
love
enthusiasm
kindness
joy
Choose wisely