The 4th of July marks a weekend of barbeques, cocktails, and celebration. But it also allows us to get patriotic and take time to reflect on this great country of ours.

What an incredible history we’ve had – some high points and some low.

But, I’m not aiming to make you read a novel about history today – you’ve probably heard lots of it. (If you want to, though – have at it!)

Instead, let’s keep it light and fun – and talk about some facts about the USA that you might not have known until now.

The American Flag Has Had 27 Versions. Did you know that the first iteration of the flag had 13 stripes and 13 stars arranged in a circle? They represented the 13 colonies that declared independence from the United Kingdom. The flag’s been updated so many times to reflect the number of states that joined our nation.

Washington, DC, Wasn’t Always The Capital Of The USA. It’s hard to imagine any other city as our capital, am I right? But, until 1790, this honor went to New York City – this changed because of a compromise between members of US Congress. So the Big Apple will just have to accept being our most populated city, instead.

The US Has The Largest Economy In The World. With our GDP at a whopping 21.43 trillion USD (as of 2019), we’ve outdone every other country. How amazing is that?

There are so many incredible facts about our country, but Independence Day is all about celebrating freedom. There’s nowhere like the US, where we are free to seek out our own path. Even people who came from nothing can make it here – with determination and some luck.

One way you can exercise your freedom is by making choices with your money so that you’re not overpaying the government in taxes. With a financial advisor on your side, you can be confident that you’ll use every tactic available to reduce your tax burden and get ready for retirement.

To get started, call 513-563-PLAN (7526) or click here to book a 15-minute call – after you’re done celebrating, of course.

Regards,
Nikki Earley, CFP®