Charles Sizemore, editor of The Sizemore Investment Letter, was quoted in Lou Carlozo’s recent Reuters article:
For most American families, there’s one major money-related tradition associated with Thanksgiving: Black Friday shopping. But for others, bargain hunting takes a back seat to a financial reality check. They use this time together as an opportunity to discuss and review a host of financial issues ranging from estate planning and wills to investment and philanthropy. And financial advisers, who sometimes attend more formal versions of these Thanksgiving conversations, have much to share in terms of what direction these meetings can take. They stress that with a little preparation, and a lot of nonconfrontational goodwill, families can come out with an increased sense of connectedness, cooperation and shared vision.
Still, it’s hard to gauge how family members will react, even to the most innocuous statements. Every tribe has its more emotional and melodramatic types, and so it’s crucial to limit the chances of misinterpretation or outbursts. This may be especially true if younger adults are involved and feel cornered in front of the whole family, experts say…
Then you have families facing pressure on both ends. “Boomers in particular worry about being ‘sandwiched’ and having to support both elderly parents and adult children who are unemployed or facing financial difficulties,” says Charles Sizemore, principal of Sizemore Capital Management in Dallas, Texas and author of the Sizemore Investment Letter. He thinks that this Thanksgiving, discussions of this type will dominate many family meetings. But how much gets done at these summits depends on the sum total of interruptions, as no football-loving guy will keep his mind on the big picture when he has his eyes on the big screen.
The full article can be viewed here.
Sizemore Financial Publishing wishes all of its readers a Happy Thanksgiving.