It is the summer’s great last heat,
 It is the fall’s first chill: They meet.
 –Sarah Morgan Bryan Piatt

It may be the Halloween season but don’t let cyber criminals scare you!

Written by a NortonLifeLock employee

Malicious software that uses encryption to hold data for ransom has become wildly successful over the last few years. The purpose of this software is to extort money from the victims with promises of restoring encrypted data. Like other computer viruses, it usually finds its way onto a device by exploiting a security hole in vulnerable software or by tricking somebody into installing it. Ransomware, as it is known, scores high profile victims like hospitals, public schools and police departments. Now it has found its way onto home computers.

The nefarious ransomware business model has turned out to be a lucrative industry for criminals. Over the years its ill repute has made law enforcement team up with international agencies to identify and bring down scam operators. A large number of ransomware attacks that have taken place in the past have been linked to poor protection practices by employees.

There are a few dos and don’ts when it comes to ransomware.

1. Do not pay the ransom. It only encourages and funds these attackers. Even if the ransom is paid, there is no guarantee that you will be able to regain access to your files.
2. Restore any impacted files from a known good backup. Restoration of your files from a backup is the fastest way to regain access to your data.
3. Do not provide personal information when answering an email, unsolicited phone call, text message or instant message. Phishers will try to trick employees into installing malware, or gain intelligence for attacks by claiming to be from IT. Be sure to contact your IT department if you or your coworkers receive suspicious calls.
4. Use reputable antivirus software and a firewall. Maintaining a strong firewall and keeping your security software up-to-date are critical. It’s important to use antivirus software from a reputable company because of all the fake software out there.
5. Do employ content scanning and filtering on your mail servers. Inbound emails should be scanned for known threats and should block any attachment types that could pose a threat.
6. Do make sure that all systems and software are up-to-date with relevant patches. Exploit kits hosted on compromised websites are commonly used to spread malware. Regular patching of vulnerable software is necessary to help prevent infection.
7. If traveling, alert your IT department beforehand, especially if you’re going to be using public wireless Internet. Make sure you use a trustworthy Virtual Private Network (VPN) when accessing public Wi-Fi like Norton Secure VPN.

Among other cyber attacks, ransomware is one criminal activity that can be easily worked around with the above-mentioned solutions. 

By Nela Richardson, Ph.D. and Principal Investment Strategist for Edward Jones

As we approach November, the U.S. presidential election will be a key focus for investors. Historically, election years have been positive for stocks, with equities returning 9.5% annually on average and the market rising in 78% of presidential election years since 1947.* However, the 2020 election will likely be heavily influenced by the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, the resulting recession and the emerging, albeit rocky, recovery. In an election year marked by unique economic and social challenges tied to the pandemic, here are three trends you should know when it comes to politics and investing.

1. Consumer confidence is often tied to partisan views, even when market conditions are favorable.

Consumer spending drives two-thirds of economic growth. When consumers feel confident, they are willing to spend more and that spending boosts demand and economic growth. As this chart shows, consumers tend to have more confidence about the economy when their preferred party is in office. Democrats expressed higher levels of confidence between 2008 and 2016 when President Obama was in the White House. Since 2016, Republicans have reported higher levels of confidence under President Trump’s administration. Independents tend to exhibit confidence at levels between the two political parties. More recently, sentiment has slumped for all three groups due to the economic downturn, with Republicans feeling most positive. What's important to note is that in each of these time periods, the stock market increased, growing 14.6% and 14.7% during the first and second Obama terms, and 12% to date under Trump.

Source: FactSet, University of Michigan, 6-period moving average.

The lesson here is that playing politics with your portfolio could have caused you to miss solid stock market performance under both administrations. Even during market and economic turbulence, keeping a nonpartisan approach to investing helps achieve better portfolio performance over time.

2. Now more than ever, economic and corporate conditions matter more than politics.

Years of divided government, over several presidential terms, has led to an ongoing expectation among investors of policy gridlock on key economic issues. However, the severity of the pandemic, and its effect on the economy, led to a broad-based bipartisan effort to provide a much-needed lifeline to businesses and consumers, in the form of direct payments to households, extended unemployment benefits and low-cost loans. The combined monetary and fiscal response to the pandemic was more aggressive and occurred sooner than in any other recessions. The Federal Reserve pledged $2.3 trillion to help the economy get back on its feet, a larger sum than even during the Great Recession. Fiscal stimulus totaled over $2 trillion and is expected to grow, making it the largest rescue package, as a percentage of GDP, to date – second only to Roosevelt's 1930s New Deal.

Federal stimulus will be a key component of the economy for some time in the future, regardless of who sits in the Oval Office. The drop in economic activity this year is likely to be the deepest since the Great Depression but could also lead to a quicker than average start to the recovery, due in large part to federal relief efforts.

3. Investors’ knee-jerk reactions to election outcomes are often misleading.

We expect the economy to start to rebound in the second half of the year. But the climb back to pre-pandemic levels is likely to be rocky, due to an injured labor market caused by the national lockdown and the challenges of reopening the economy during an ongoing pandemic. This economic and market uncertainty, as well as sizeable differences in policy platforms between the two candidates, will likely keep volatility elevated in the lead-up to the election and even afterward. Looking back, stocks initially dipped 5.3% and 2.4% after Obama's 2008 and 2012 victories, respectively. Stocks declined 4% in the early hours after Trump's victory as well. These postelection dips proved short-lived, with stocks quickly reversing course. This postelection performance fits with historical precedent. Since 1947, the S&P 500 has climbed 6% on average in the 12 months following a presidential election, about the same percentage as the 12 months preceding an election.

Source: Morningstar (1936-2019), Edward Jones calculations. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index and cannot be invested in directly.

Market reactions to leadership changes are hard to predict. While this election poses unique challenges, we don’t think politics is a long-term driver of markets. Stock markets have averaged 10% over the past 30 years, regardless of which party controlled the White House and Congress, and under a divided government. Moreover, policy plans and proposals introduced on the campaign trail tend to change a great deal as they move through the democratic process. What history shows is that the effect of election outcomes on markets is generally temporary and economic and corporate fundamentals are what drive stocks over time. Because of this, our advice during the 2020 election season is the same as any other season: Don’t play politics with your portfolio.

* Morningstar (1947-2019), Edward Jones calculations. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index and cannot be invested in directly.

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2020. Texas offers absentee ballots by mail to voters who will be unable to vote in person. All other voters are expected to vote in person. Texas offers early voting.

Election day is Nov. 3

Absentee ballot deadlines

Request: Received by Oct. 23

Return by mail: Postmarked by Nov. 3 by 7:00 p.m.

Early voting

Oct. 13 - Oct. 30, but dates and hours may vary based on where you live

Study: 400,000 Homeowners Are ‘Needlessly Delinquent’

Not all struggling borrowers who are eligible for forbearance have taken it during the pandemic. That has led to a growing number of homeowners who are delinquent on their mortgages but don’t need to be. About 400,000 homeowners are “needlessly delinquent,” notes Urban Institute researchers Laurie Goodman and Michael Neal in a recent report.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act has allowed homeowners with federal mortgages to defer their mortgage payments for six months if needed. Borrowers only need to contact their lender to attest that they have a pandemic-related financial hardship.

“These borrowers may not know they are eligible for forbearance or do know but wrongly fear having to make ‘double payments’ when the forbearance period ends,” Goodman and Neal say.

Real estate professionals can help educate at-risk borrowers about mortgage forbearance options. The National Association of REALTORS® offers at realtorparty.realtor a downloadable brochure called “Protect Your Investment” that outlines what homeowners should ask lenders about their options and the payback requirements when considering forbearance.

You can also direct clients to a video, produced by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and HUD, that helps homeowners understand and explore their options for forbearance. It's available through HomeownershipMatters.realtor or at the CFPB website, where they can also find useful links and a checklist on how to avoid foreclosure. 

“Roughly 2% of government borrowers are needlessly delinquent across different servicer types, vintage years, and geographies, which suggests that an outreach campaign to reach these borrowers must be broad,” Goodman and Neal write.

As of Sept. 28, the Mortgage Bankers Association said that 6.87% of mortgage borrowers are in forbearance. A quarter of those borrowers are continuing to stay current on their payments even though they are in forbearance, using it more as an insurance policy in case they’re suddenly unable to make a payment.

Here’s a beautiful DIY idea for Fall!

If you master just one thing for Fall entertaining, make it this centerpiece. Versatile enough for both Halloween and Thanksgiving, this floral arrangement in a hollowed-out pumpkin is affordable, easy to do, and impressive. In a matter of minutes, you'll have a statement piece that will set the scene for any occasion within the upcoming weeks — no green thumb or craft skills needed.

  Do It Yourself Pumpkin Vase

Transform a pumpkin into a planter with these easy steps:

1. Use a medium-sized pumpkin (be sure it is large enough to hold a mason jar or small vase).
2. Carve a hole in the top of your pumpkin and hollow out the middle, creating room for your vase. No need to make a clean cut, as it will not be visible once your flowers are added.
3. With an assortment of flowers, style your arrangement. Use foliage to add volume and fill in any gaps.
4. Add the flowers to the vase, set the pumpkin on your table, and complete your tablescape!

Once cut, pumpkins last only a few days before starting to dehydrate and get moldy. Using commercially available “Pumpkin Fresh” or a diluted bleach solution can extend the pumpkin's life to 10 -14 days. 

OUR OFFICE WILL BE CLOSED IN OBSERVANCE OF THANKSGIVING ON NOV. 26^TH AND NOV. 27^TH. 

THANK YOU!

PLEASE ACCEPT OUR appreciation and sincere “Thanks” for letting us SERVE YOU. Sometimes in the rush of business life we fail to SAY “Thanks” loud enough to hear.

But you can be sure patronage is never taken for granted. 

OUR AIM IS TO PLEASE AND SATISFY YOU. We are grateful for you, our valued owners!

We wish you and your families a safe and memorable Thanksgiving.

Sincerely, Your 3G Properties Team