Introduction Client Focus - Augur Metal Calling All Open Minds Go Green Practical Prosperity News You Can Use Buy the Book Hear Me Speak   Dear ,   What season of the year is it?  The Holidays!  And Tax Planning time!  This year alone, we have already saved our clients $2,342,000 in income taxes.  Yes, we are closing in on 2.5 million in savings!  And Tax Planning season is just beginning.   If you haven't already spoken to Karen, Natalie or Barry about your 2007 tax position, follow up today.  Tax Planning season ends this year, like every year, on December 31.  Your holidays will be even brighter knowing you are putting money in your pocket that would otherwise pay taxes. We met our 2007 goals! Thank you to our clients for their continued patronage and to our generous referral sources who made it happen.  Bless you!  May your holiday season be filled with wild prosperity!   In gratitude, Mackey back to top

Client Focus - Augur Metal   These days Augur Metal Products, a family-owned business, can breathe a little easier.  Early this year, Desma Borland, CFO, was referred by their commercial lender to give Mackey Advisors a call.   Augur Metal was in need of some financial clean-up, tax planning and business streamlining in order for their company to move up to the next level.  By minimizing their companies down to one, Augur Metal was able to save over $200k due to appropriate tax planning.   Mackey McNeill and Natalie Linstruth have been developing new strategies and processes with Desma ever since.   "Mackey Advisors provides the leadership and direction I need to develop goals that will drive the success of our company," said Desma.  "I have absolute confidence in their abilities and appreciate their earnest desire to move my company forward." Providers of sheet metal fabrication and stamping, Augur Metal's work is everywhere.  From Argosy Casino to the Philadelphia Eagle's stadium and the Georgia Dome, Augur Metal is proving their success.  Find out more by visiting www.AugurMetal.com. By Alicia Speed back to top

Calling All Open Minds - The Lost Art of Anticipation   I grew up in the Christian faith, celebrating a traditional Christmas.   I was talking to my brother the other evening and remembering fondly our Christmas' past.  As I reminisced, I remembered the delight of anticipation. What would Santa bring?  Might I catch a glimpse of reindeer flying through the sky?  Would my Mother love the gift I picked out for her?  The taste of my grandmother's German Chocolate cake on Christmas Eve! As I have grown up and "experience success" in my career, anticipation participates less and less in my life.  If I want something, I am blessed to have the ability and resources to, for the most part, get it now. We have become an instant gratification society.  Credit is easy to get, (still difficult to pay back) and affords even people of modest means the ability to buy it now and pay later. I am often on my soap box about avoiding bad debt.  I have long seen debt as an unending treadmill that diminishes your life force.  It also robs you of the joy of anticipation.   Anticipation defined is expectant waiting: the feeling of looking forward, usually excitedly or eagerly, to something that is going to happen Go back to your own memories.  The anticipation is just as exciting as actually getting it!     The lesson of anticipation is revisiting in my life.  I am building a new home, and living in temporary quarters.   It is easy for me to slip into, "why isn't it done yet?" "I am tired of not having any space to myself!"  "There is so much to do and pick out!" And that is a choice.  I can focus on what is not working, or I can focus on the joy of anticipation.  I can spend my time watching the house being built with excitement and eagerness.  I can engage in expectant waiting.  I can more fully experience the abundance and joy available to me in this moment. What is your choice this holiday season?   To worry about getting just the right gift?  To stress over the number and unending stream of holiday parties?  To be upset by the crowds at the shopping mall? Or perhaps the choice that really serves you is to focus on the joy of being able to give and receive gifts.  To rejoice in seeing old friends at those holiday parties (or meeting new ones.)  To walk into the crowd at the shopping mall and see it as a moving piece of art! The choice is always ours.  Enjoy the holidays.  Enjoy the anticipation.   By Mackey McNeill  back to top

Go Green Have you ever wondered what to do with your old cell phone once you have replaced it?  Well, you can take that old cell phone and put it to good use.  There are lots of cell phone recyclers out there, but why not consider supporting The Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden by participating in their recycling program?  Visit www.eco-cell.org to find out how you can donate your phone to the Zoo or to a fundraiser of your choice!   By Alicia Speed back to top   Practical Prosperity   After the last few months, Americans are exhausted at watching the stock market and speculating about a recession.  The fear the market has brought upon us might also loom in the back of our minds as we make our way towards the checkout with our holiday gifts.  In this time of giving and happiness, take a break from the daily roller coaster that is the stock market.  We go to Las Vegas for short, dramatic bursts of either abundant wealth or dramatic failure.  The stock market is a long-term investment practice that with the proper diversification should yield you an average 10% annual return based on the 80 year period from 1925 to 2005. We are a people of monitoring.  We monitor babies, traffic, weather...it's an endless list.  Economists have compiled some very convincing data through monitoring our markets over time.  While we at Mackey Advisors cannot endorse these ideas, it is clear why some may find them very compelling. The January Effect Small-cap stock prices have a tendency to surge in early January.  During a period from 1953 to 1995 the sector has outperformed large-cap stocks 93% of the time during the first half of January.  With years of small-cap out-performance of large-cap, one might expect 2008's effect to be minimal. The January Barometer January has become a good indicator of the success of the Standard and Poor's 500 index for any given year.  In fact 86% of the time since 1950, when the first 5 days of January show positive return, the year will show a positive return.  The average return figure tends to be about 13.6%.  This will either allow you to rest better or worse going into the second week of the New Year!  I do wonder how many times my phone will ring on January 6th. While we will have to wait another month to know if 2008 will hold true to tradition, there is other positive economic news in the midst of the gloom and doom over housing and sub-prime mortgages.  Unemployment continues to decrease, which means more Americans are earning money that they will spend in our economy.  Most producers and manufacturers indexes are nowhere near the low levels they reached in 2000 before our last recession.   And finally, last but not least... the minimum wage making, "eight maids a milking" are getting a raise.  Last month PNC Financial Services Group released their annual "Twelve Days of Christmas" price index.  The index was up 3.1%, demonstrating inflation is in check, and thanks to new minimum wage laws the afore mentioned ladies will receive their first raise since 1997!   With the economy riding on such good news from the milking industry, this holiday season and New Year certainly have some upside potential.  Happy holidays to you and yours! By Andy Pulsfort back to top   News You Can Use   The IRS raised the optional mileage reimbursement rate to 50.5 cents per mile beginning January, 2008, up just two cents from 48.5 cents for 2007.   back to top

Buy the Book    The Dynamics of Money    Mackey's new audio book, The Dynamics of Money, gives you the power to discover your personal key, unlocking the door to your true potential for unlimited prosperity. Through the power of the Narrative Tradition of the Enneagram you will hear three exemplars of each of the nine personality types sharing their unique perspectives on the subject of money and prosperity. Order your copy now! The Intersection of Joy and Money    Warning! This book will: Expand your confidence around financial decision-making Increase your prosperity consciousness Create a more prosperous and abundant life Change your relationship with money today!  On sale NOW for the holidays!   back to top Hear Me Speak   Thursday - January 17, 2008 - 6:00 PM Cultivating Prosperity Walton County Chamber of Commerce   Location: 132 East Spring Street  Monroe, GA  30655   Mackey will be presenting her speech, Cultivating Prosperity, for The Walton County Chamber of Commerce's 60th Anniversary.  If you wish to join Mackey, please contact the Chamber at 770-267-6594.   Thursday - January 24, 2008 - 6:00 PM Cultivating Your Personal Prosperity  Parnell Memorial Library   Location:  277 Park Drive   Montevallo, AL  35115   This powerful presentation is one dynamic evening that is sure to increase your prosperity.  Included in this evening will be lessons on: The Five Secrets of Building Wealth Using the Rules of 72 & 115 to double (and triple) your $$$ The Bulletproof Portfolio How to Make the Most of Your Financial Life The Necessary Ingredients to Make Future Dreams a Reality back to top