Financial Partners, Inc.

09/08/2026

I’m so old…

I recently watched a television series that revolved around time travel, and the episode focused on the building of The Berlin Wall. (Yep – I’m a sci-fi fan!) However, it made me think about all of the “historic” things that I have witnessed and rarely think anything about. Watching this scene of the Berlin Wall being built made me recall watching the wall being torn down on the news and families being brought back together. And, it made me think about many other things I’ve been witness to.

I wasn’t old enough to know it was “Project Mercury”; however, I recall watching the lift off with my dad on the tiny black and white TV. I was always fascinated with space. I watched many lift-offs and splashdowns. I watched the Challenger explode. I watched the Mars Rover land and make its way across the planet. (I had to literally be peeled away from the TV.) And most recently watched Artemis I. I’m excited for this exploration to continue.

I remember Cassius Clay before he was Muhamed Ali, and Lew Alcindor, Jr. before he was Karim Abdul-Jabbar. I remember when Johnny Cash decided to become the man in black.

I watched Operation Desert Storm, with cameramen embedded within the troops. Everyone was a patriot at the start of that, unlike the wind-down of Vietnam. I remember my mother sending pen pal letters to soldiers in Vietnam, and all the kids at school who wore POW bracelets. I still have one.

I even recall women burning their bras in the street while my mother was insisting I had to wear one. I know they were fighting for women’s rights that I fortunately have always had since I became an adult. Rights that are generally taken for granted. Those of us who enjoy these rights never experienced what our mothers and grandmothers had to live with.

I was an early adopter of the internet working with the University of Iowa on a project, and I’ve continued to grow up with it. Tech savvy, not tech dependent…

And as I look back, the thing that bothers me is that it now seems all so matter-of-fact, only it wasn’t at the moment. It was special, and we as a collective have forgotten that. We have such an influx of information now, that it’s hard to first off know what even is “real” news or something fake, so we’ve all had to become mini-detectives to identify it. From there, how do I “know” what is historic or life-altering? I feel as if we are in a loop of “if everything is special than nothing is really special.” And I still want to celebrate what is special. I want to celebrate the risk-takers. I want to celebrate the monumental leaps we make. Let’s find those special things, keep up the momentum, and celebrate!

~Contributed by Melody Lowe

08/26/2026

We're thrilled to share our very first full contributed article with Kiplinger 's Adviser Intel program! In the linked article, Blake breaks down the lesser-known Trump Account employer contribution provision under Section 128-and what families should ask HR before open enrollment.

We're honored to be an ongoing contributer to Kiplinger 's Adviser Intel network, sharing insights with readers nationwide.

Read it here:

Your employer can contribute up to $2,500 a year to your child's Trump Account. The funds won't be taxable income for you and are a deductible business expense.

08/25/2026

Do you have a life insurance policy? Is it up to date? Do you need to discuss it?

I suggest you do that with your financial advisor, and I can recommend one if you need me to. However, I’m not here today to sell you on life insurance. I’m here to sell you on life assurance.

What the heck am I talking about? You! I’m talking about you (and me). I don’t want you to be so busy with “the grind” that you simply work yourself to death and someone collects on that insurance policy earlier than they ought to.

This is about quality of life. Yes, we all need to work, however what’s your reason? I work so I have “play money”, funds to do things I enjoy. After I’ve put money aside for all of the responsible things I must do, I like to have some money to do things I enjoy. I love to go to concerts, the theater, movies, the zoo, and take my grandchildren on various trips so they experience new things. Sometimes I just need time to do absolutely nothing and relax. I need the “assurance” of a fun money budget to meet these objectives.

Unfortunately, the money doesn’t matter if I haven’t done a few other “life assurance” activities. Am I maintaining my health? Do I eat the right things most of the time? Do I get enough exercise? Am I competent and capable? Let me remind you that you can’t take care of anybody else, or participate in life to its fullest, if you don’t take care of yourself first.

Work-Life balance truly is an artform and not everybody knows how to attain it. Make some rules for yourself. People with OCD are really good at rules, the rest of us have to practice. Do a self-assessment. Understand what routines allow you to operate at your best. Working through that process will help you have fun and enjoy life like you should.

So, make sure you have time for exciting activities once in a while and by the way, last one on the vacation plane is a rotten egg!

~Contributed by Melody Lowe

08/11/2026

Check out Financial Partners, Inc.’s latest economic update! Bob discusses Q2 earnings reports and other market details.

https://www.financialpartnersinc.net 1.641.684.0368 Intelligent C...

08/11/2026

“Yeah, but…”
“Maybe, but…”
“Chicken butts…” But guess what? I don’t really want to talk about chicken butts.

I want to share a different thought revolving around the word “but.” It’s a word we all use frequently. Many of us don’t even think about it when we use this word. How many times do you ask your children, your co-workers, your friends, to do something and the word “but” pops up? Perhaps I notice this word more than others do based on years of writing and it always gives me pause. When you see the word multiple times in print you realize how often you use (or abuse) the word.

My other observation – “but” puts things in a negative context. “But” is the equivalent of “no” without really saying “no.” It’s passive-aggressive. When you hear this word during a conversation, it generally pushes your thoughts to a negative place. It’s a word that keeps you from growing. It prevents you from being open to possibilities. When I began using other words in place of “but” I immediately recognized the change in my conversations. Instead of thoughts spiraling downward or staying stuck on a thought I didn’t think I could budge on, my mind learned to explore different paths and thoughts. I saw options and solutions instead of problems. I could be the Devil’s Advocate without being mean because I was willing to consider different facets of an idea.

The word that works best for me is “however.” It’s a word that allows thoughts to be bridged instead of shut down. This word gives me subconscious permission to travel different roads of thought. It might not be your word. Check the thesaurus, see what feels comfortable to you.

I challenge you to stop using the word “but” even for just a day. See if that change opens up your thoughts to something new. It’s not easy. You have to specifically think about it to practice the change, however, it will begin to come to you naturally, and many positive thoughts will follow!

~Contributed by Melody Lowe

07/28/2026

HACKER ALERT – BE AWARE: I was absolutely appalled this past weekend! I was spending some time out on the internet, and I couldn’t believe some things I came across. I had to speak up. I wasn’t necessarily very popular, but it needed to be done.

“Share your birthdate – Let’s find our birthday twin.” I was shocked at the number of people who just blindly followed the parade. Did they not stop to consider who was asking? Did they not think it would be wrong to share their personal information? I couldn’t stay silent. This is a post that is collecting information in order to hack your accounts! Think about it. Anytime you set up a password, it asks for information that you can enter later to verify or change your account. That’s one way a hacker gets in! New accounts always ask for a birthdate.

Then I came across a post asking people to share “old-fashioned girls names.” How many posted their mother’s name, considering it “old-fashioned?” This is another verification question that is frequently asked.

And then of course there are the “pet names” and your “first car.” People are proud of their pets and their cars. They don’t hesitate at all to share this information. We all love the photos that go with them, too. Again, these are frequent verification questions that you determine the answer to.

Now, if I did all of these things, answered all of these questions randomly online, the only thing some scheming person has to do is check the various posts to see my responses. If they find all of my answers, they have collected some pretty good info to start a hacking venture. And yes, a hacker will be diligent enough at their tasks to find your information. It’s probably pretty easy when we are just giving those answers away. So – STOP IT! There are so many more fun things or educational things we could be sharing with each other. Things that bring us together and bring us joy. I can guarantee that getting hacked will not bring any joy whatsoever. And bonding over being hacked is not something any of us want to do. It’s all negative and I’d much rather spend my time on positive things. So, stay safe and think about what you share online.

~Contributed by Melody Lowe

07/23/2026

We're honored to share we were recently quoted in NerdWallet!
Click the link to read the entire article as Blake discusses having a properly funded "bucket plan."

"You don’t want market risk anywhere near money you’ll need for a closely approaching timeline," said Blake Smith, certified financial planner and president of Financial Partners, Inc. "That said, 'safe' doesn’t have to mean 'earning nothing.'"

The best ways to invest $10,000 include funding a 401(k) or opening and funding an IRA or brokerage account.

07/23/2026

For all of the wonderful Grandmothers, Grandma's, Gigi's, Nana's, and family matriarchs, enjoy your day. You deserve it!

07/22/2026

If you're planning to retire in five years, it's critical to get your portfolio in order. These five rules will ensure you're on the right financial track.