My City January 2022

MYFINANCES

Things to Ponder in 2022 BY JOEL P. LAGORE, CFP®, AIF®

I wish all My City Magazine readers a very prosperous and Happy New Year! I also want to share some exciting news!ˆe teamat OLV Investment Group was recently joined by a newŸnancial advisor who has worked diligently in the Ÿnancial services industry for over 25 years.TimSt.Cin, formerly ofMorgan Stanley Smith Barney, is someone we consider to be well-known in the Flint area and we are honored that he has chosen to Ÿnish his career withOLV Investment Group. Now,on to the business of 2022.After a life-altering 18months and watching our stadiums go from socially distant attendance to 100,000U ofMfans packed like sardines inˆe BigHouse, I’mbeginning to think that life may just start getting back to normal. I know – we’re not getting our hopes up,as it seems like this virus can do the impossible; but a research article has got me excited.ˆis research comes froma little Ÿrmout of New YorkCity called JPMorganChase (Fortune.comDec 9,2021). It is their opinion that theOmicron variant of COVID-19may be exactly what we need to be able tomove forward.Fromall the leading information that we are getting back, this variant is signiŸcantlymore transmissible,but has been much less deadly than the others.ˆis could possibly be themagic ticket out of this hell in which we’ve all been living. If this COVIDvariant spreads like wildŸre and infects themasses while not killingmany,we could possibly reach the ever-illusive “herd immunity.”ˆis variant could be exactly what the U.S.needs to get back to normal life. ˆe implications of this outcome could be so positive, I don’t think we would knowwhat to do with the amount of pent-up demand.Americans are known for being very “hardworking.”We love to work hard,be rewarded with extra income,promotions and accolades fromour peers.My gener- ation,Gen-X, is known as the “WorkHard,PlayHarder”generation. I can tell you frommy observations that there is a whole generation that has

Investment advisory services o«ered through SPC, a registered investment advisor. Registered representatives o«er securities through AE Financial Services, LLC (AEFS), member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services o«ered through OLV Investment Group, a Registered Investment Adviser. Insurance o«ered through OLV Investment Group. OLV Investment Group is independent of AEFS.

800.338.4586 olvinvest.com ˆe Durant 607 E. 2nd Ave., Suite 100 Flint, MI 48502 jlagore@olvinvest.com Securities o«ered through Sigma Financial Corporation, member FINRA/SIPC.

buckled down under COVID-19 restrictions and poured their hearts and souls into their jobs as a way to keep their sanity.My work week has ramped up froman average 50 hours to amin- imumof 60 and sometimes,even 70 hours.Many of my older clients who were intending to travel and see the world during their retirement have delayed those trips and saved that money in anticipation of spending it when life “gets back to normal.” My point is that if the article from JPMorganChase proves correct,we could see one amazing economic boom in 2022 as America is desperate to get back to enjoying the spoils of our hard work andmake up for lost time.ˆis may seem like a pipedream for some; but hope is the belief in things not yet seen.Even the 1918 Spanish Žu took approximately three years to end. January 2022marks the two-year anniversary of COVID-19 (CDC.gov) and one way or another, this is going to end.When the 11 trillion dollars of stimulus money is unleashed into the capital markets in a frenzy of excitement, this could be an economic boom the likes of which were only seen during the Roaring 20s.Wait…what? Yes,“happy days are here again” could be a reality.More on the uncanny comparisons of our current times to the 1920s inmy next article. Happy NewYear,MCMReaders!Make 2022Amazing! ®

tomertu / stock.adobe.com

Joel P. LaGore, Certified Financial Planner and partner with OLV Investment Group, focuses on money management. Joining the Down- town Flint revitalization effort, his office is

located in The Durant at 607 E. Second Ave., Suite 100. Joel and his wife Sonya are raising two daughters in Flushing, where he enjoys philanthropic pursuits in his local community, in Flint at large and in Genesee County.

66

MYCITYMAG.COM