April Quarterly Newsletter - 2026

Highlights of this Special Edition Newsletter:

• Introducing: Clients Giving Back

• Congrats to Our Colleague: 25 Years with LVM!

• Financial Spring Cleaning:

  • Organize Your Documents

  • Review Your Budget and Cash Flow

  • Check Your Insurance Coverage

  • Revisit Your Investment Allocation

  • Update Your Estate Plan

  • Your Spring Cleaning Checklist

Introducing: Clients Giving Back A new recurring feature in our quarterly newsletter

At LVM, we’ve always believed that thoughtful financial planning is about more than portfolios, it’s about living with purpose and intention. And one of the most meaningful ways we see that come to life is through the generosity of the people we’re privileged to serve.

Starting this quarter, we’re introducing Clients Giving Back, a regular feature that shines a small but sincere spotlight on the charitable causes our clients care about. Each issue, we’ll share a few brief stories from clients (by first name only) about the organizations, communities, and causes close to their hearts.

You won’t find dollar amounts here. Just people, and the things that matter to them.

Our hope is simple: that you’ll see a little of yourself in these stories, discover causes worth knowing about, and feel, as we do, that you’re part of a community of people who care about something bigger than the bottom line.

If you’d like to be featured in a future issue, we’d love to hear from you.

Jericho Foundation

It is our great pleasure to support, along with numerous other generous people in our community, the Jericho Foundation. Based in Kalamazoo, Jericho provides financial and holistic scholarship support to disadvantaged youth in Bosnia and Herzegovina, allowing them to pursue a college education and make a lasting impact on their country.

-George and Terri, Portage, Michigan

Animal's Best Friend Fund (Oshtemo, Michigan) Animal’s Best Friend Fund was founded 45 years ago to reduce cat and dog overpopulation by providing free and low-cost spay and neuter surgeries for pets in need across Kalamazoo and Van Buren Counties. With no paid employees, they keep administrative costs below 10% — directing 90% of every donation directly to the animals they serve.

To fund their program, they rely on regular bake sales, garage sales, and newsletter donation drives, supported by a loyal base of volunteers who contribute baked goods and handmade crafts. A local pet supply store generously provides space for their sales events.

-Karen, Kalamazoo, Michigan

Rotary Foundation & Kalamazoo Rotary Club Charities We support the Rotary Foundation to help fund service in the global community. Locally, we also contribute to Kalamazoo Rotary Club Charities — the giving arm of the Rotary Club of Kalamazoo. They provide grants to local nonprofits addressing specific needs in our community, supporting organizations that identify a particular issue and have the resources and focus to tackle it.

-Rick and Penny, Kalamazoo, Michigan

CONGRATULATIONS to our colleague who is celebrating an anniversary this year!

Financial Spring Cleaning

Spring is a natural time to open windows, clear out closets, and start fresh. Your financial life deserves the same attention. A tidy, up-to-date financial plan can give you a lot of the same feeling a clean house does: less noise, more clarity, and a quiet sense of confidence. Here's a practical checklist to work through this season.

Organize Your Documents

Start by pulling together your important financial documents: tax returns (keep at least seven years), account statements, insurance policies, estate documents, and property records. Think about whether they're stored somewhere secure, and whether someone you trust knows where to find them if they ever need to.

If you don't have a good system yet, now is a great time to create one. A simple binder, a secure cloud folder, or something like a Next of Kin Box can make a real difference for you and your family down the road. See our April 2025 newsletter for Next of Kin Box details (NOK Box, thenokbox.com).

Review Your Budget and Cash Flow

Take a look at your bank and credit card statements for recurring charges. Streaming services, memberships, and software subscriptions have a way of quietly adding up. Cancel anything you're no longer using. While you're at it, make sure your emergency fund still covers three to six months of living expenses, and take stock of any outstanding debt, interest rates, and whether refinancing might make sense.

Check Your Insurance Coverage Life moves fast, and coverage should keep up. Review your health, life, disability, home, auto, and umbrella policies to make sure the amounts still make sense for where you are today. A new home, a growing family, a retirement, or a business transition are all good reasons to take another look.

Revisit Your Investment Allocation Market movement over the past year may have shifted your portfolio further than you'd expect. It's worth checking whether your mix of stocks, bonds, and other assets still reflects your goals, your timeline, and your comfort with risk. Your LVM advisor keeps an eye on this as part of your ongoing relationship, but if something has changed in your life or you have questions, don't hesitate to reach out.

Update Your Estate Plan Wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and healthcare directives should reflect your life as it is now, not as it was several years ago. Confirm that the right people are named, that your wishes are still accurately captured, and that beneficiary designations are consistent across all of your accounts.

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