Louisville Magazine

FEB 2012

Louisville Magazine is Louisville's city magazine, covering Louisville people, lifestyles, politics, sports, restaurants, entertainment and homes. Includes a monthly calendar of events.

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION Tips Credit Unions How does a credit union differ from a bank? A credit union is a not-for-profit financial institution that is owned by the people who belong to the credit union. Members share a common bond or affiliate, such as people who work in healthcare, including the receptionists, the nurses and the physicians, who belong to the Louisville Medical Federal Credit Union. Every member is an equal owner and therefore shares a common bond with the other members. Credit unions typically have competitive services but lower fees than other financial institutions. Investing 8IZ TIPVME * BEE BMUFSOBUJWF JOWFTUNFOUT UP NZ QPSUGPMJP One of the goals of alternative strategies is to preserve capital. Since alternative investments exhibit low correlation to stocks and bonds (traditional investments) while also having low correlation to each other, owning multiple alternative investments helps to manage portfolio risk and provide downside protection during times of market volatility. )PX TIPVME * CBMBODF BMUFSOBUJWF JOWFTUNFOUT XJUI USBEJUJPOBM JOWFTUNFOUT JO B QPSUGPMJP This would depend on the investor's risk tolerance level, but typically a 10 to 30 percent allocation to alternative strategies would maximize the potential portfolio diversification benefits of alternative investments over the long-term. 8JUI UIF TUPDL NBSLFU CFJOH TP WPMBUJMF BOE JOUFSFTU SBUFT TP MPX XIFSF EP ZPV UIJOL HPPE JOWFTUNFOU PQQPSUVOJUJFT XJMM come from in 2012? We believe 2012 will continue to exhibit high levels of volatility especially since the debt situations in Europe and the U.S. continue. One of our strategies for 2012 involves utilizing alternative investments to capitalize on this volatility. Alternative investments look outside the common asset classes of publicly traded stocks and bonds and can include real estate investment trusts, business development corporations, master limited partnerships, structured products and natural recourses. .BOZ TUPDL JOWFTUPST IBWF UFSNFE UIF MBTU ZFBST i5IF -PTU %FDBEFw TJODF UIF 4 1 SFUVSO XBT SFMBUJWFMZ nBU )PX EP ZPV SFDPNNFOE ZPVS DMJFOUT JOWFTU JO &RVJUZ; .BSLFUT Those discouraged stock investors likely bought and held large U.S. companies regardless of market conditions. Here at Lamkin Wealth Management, we will invest more heavily in the stock market as momentum and trends strengthen. When trends back down, our clients can utilize cash as an asset class. This type of management strategy can help reduce volatility and enhance returns compared to a "buy and hold" strategy. [70] LOUISVILLE MAGAZINE 2.12 8IBU BSF UIF mSTU TUFQT UP SFDFJWF )"31 CFOFmUT Make sure your mortgage is owned or guaranteed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. You can do this by visiting each of their websites at fanniemae.com/ loanlookup/ and freddiemac.com/corporate/. Once you've confirmed, get in touch with your present lender or find another lender, such as Republic Bank, that is participating in HARP. Convenience is important when it comes to my mOBODJBM OFFET 8JUI B DSFEJU VOJPO UIBU IBT MJNJUFE MPDBUJPOT XIBU PQUJPOT EP * IBWF In addition to having online banking, many credit unions have joined together to bring new choices in conve- nience through the CU Service Centers® credit unions, like Louisville Medical Federal Credit Union, share over 4,400 shared branch locations so members can conduct financial transactions where they live, work, or travel. Members' accounts remain at their own CU, but they can access their accounts with their credit union at no cost through any of the network loca- tions. Mortgage )PX EP * LOPX JG * N FMJHJCMF GPS )"31 )PNF "GGPSEBCMF 3FmOBODF 1SPHSBN Borrowers who fulfill the following criteria will, in general, qualify for HARP: • They must be current on their mortgages and have no record of late payment within the last six months, and may only have had one late payment maximum over the past 12-month period. • The mortgage must have been sold to or guaranteed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac on or before May 31, 2009. • The mortgage must not have already been refinanced through HARP in the past, unless it happens to be a Fannie Mae loan that underwent a HARP refinance between March and May 2009. Network. These — Ray Kirkland, president, Louisville Medical Federal Credit Union — Ray Kirkland, Louisville Medical Credit Union — Christopher D. W funds & alter native investments, Hilliard L right, vice president, product manager yons , mutual — Chris Steiner — Christopher D. W right, Hilliard L yons — Jonathan Upton, investment strategist, Lamkin W ealth Managem ent of mortgage lending, Republic Bank , vice president, regional manager — Chris Steiner , Republic Bank -— Jonathan Upton, Lamkin W ealth Management

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