Just days after Donald Trump confirmed that he would tap Senator Jeff Sessions to serve as his Attorney General, the “race” for Senator Jeff Sessions’ seat has begun to heat up. Already, reports have flooded of lawmakers from across the state that have begun vying for Governor Bentley’s attention.

Governor Bentley now faces the decision to appoint a new Senator or call for a quick special election to take place. Considering the cost to hold a special election ahead of 2018- an estimated $4 million- it is especially likely that Bentley will appoint an interim lawmaker to fill Sessions’ empty seat.

Now, a new facet to the debate has emerged. According to AL.com, coastal lawmakers are urging the Governor to consider an appointee that would not only share Senator Sessions’ seat, but also his coastal home-region. To them, it only makes sense- Senator Richard Shelby is originally from Tuscaloosa. They argue that a senator from the area should be familiar with the issues and challenges specific to their area.

State Rep. Chris Pringle (R- Mobile) told AL.com that the locality of Alabama’s next Senator should be an “important consideration.” State Rep. Randy Davis (R- Daphne) agreed.

“Naturally, we would hope that would be part of the decision that the governor could consider in that Jeff’s work here when he was U.S. Attorney gave him the strong understanding of the region, the economics of the region and the population of the region,” Rep. Davis said.

Several state lawmakers from the state’s Gulf Coast could be considered for the post. Potential appointees from the area include State Senator Tripp Pittman (R- Montrose). Others- like Congressman Bradley Byrne and State Senator Rusty Glover (R- Semmes) have flatly stated that they’re not interested in the post.

Alabama’s Cuban-American immigrants wouldn’t say that they were celebrating the death of Cuba’s communist dictator. Castro, who died on Friday at the age of 90, had driven most of them out of their home nation in search of freedom. Now, they say that they have hope that many of their past countrymen can experience the hope of future freedom that they have found in America.

Jose Betancourt came to the United States with his parents when he was just five years old. Now an art professor at the University of Alabama-Huntsville, he told WAAY that his family had mixed emotions over the news of Castro’s death.

“I remember things like standing in line, I do remember that. But as a five-year-old, it’s a different kind of memory than if you asked my mother who was standing in line for hours to try to get food,” Betancourt told the station.

“The celebration of death is one thing, but the kind of end of an era and the remembrance of all the bad things and all the bad stories that I’ve heard,” he added.

WBRC reported that Kool Korner Sandwiches, a Birmingham-area restaurant, hosted dozens of Cuban immigrants on Saturday. They played upbeat music, danced, prayed, and passed around food and drinks.

The small shop is operated by 93-year-old Idelfonso Ramirez, who survived six years of forced labor on a hemp farm after refusing to support Castro’s regime. He left Cuba with his family in 1970.

Ramirez told WBRC that he has no desire to return to Cuba.

“My age – I don’t want to go,” Ramirez said. “I’m an American citizen and I love this wonderful great country and I want to die here free.”

Birmingham, Alabama-based financial guru Jeff Roberts, who was recently named one of the top private wealth advisors in the nation by Barron’s®, came on Yellowhammer Radio to lay out the facts so people can decide for themselves.

The full conversation with Mr. Roberts can be heard on the Yellowhammer Radio podcast or in the video above, and a lightly edited transcript of his interview with Yellowhammer’s Scott Beason can be read below.

Subscribe to the Yellowhammer Radio Podcast on iTunes. Learn more about Jeff Roberts’ private wealth advisory practice at JeffRobertsAndAssociates.com.

Scott:

Listen, we’ve been talking about everything going on in the world and so I have a question for you right now. Can you tell us what happened in the stock market yesterday?

Jeff:

It was kind of an interesting day for sure. since the surprise outcome of the U.S. election two weeks ago where Trump secured the White House the DOW Jones has rallied more than 667 points which is about 3.6% in that two week period of time. Although it took some time, the DOW Jones on Tuesday traded above 19,000 for the first time ever.

Scott:

It was incredible. What does that tell us, Jeff?

Jeff:

In a way not a whole lot. It’s always good when markets go up but the DOW by itself is not necessarily the end all be all. Quite frankly the DOW, a lot of people don’t realize this, is only comprised of 30 stocks. It’s not necessarily the best barometer compared to other ones like the S&P 500 which is 500 of the largest companies in the market. In the DOW Jones breaking 19,000 is wonderful but if we really put it into perspective it went from 18,000 on the DOW to 19,000 on the DOW which is about a 5.5% jump. But it took over 483 trading days to do that. When it first broke through 18,000 on the DOW it was the 23rd of December 2014. So it only jumped up 5.5% roughly in almost two years to finally get to 19,000. So, although it’s good to get there it’s about time.

Scott:

Do we know what is causing these equity markets to surge?

Jeff:

Good question. Speculation is always kind of at hand when we’re talking about what drives the market. If we step back a little bit and we try and figure out what is really doing it, there’s probably a fair amount of an argument that can be said that with the election of Donald Trump there is a tremendous amount of cheer going on with the idea of infrastructure spending that is likely because of his administration, what they’ve been talking about. They’ve been talking about renegotiating global trade deals and they draw down on regulations in general. So the rhetoric and themes coming out of the Trump Administration could very easily be contributing to a rally in the markets. There’s a good chance due to the Trump Administration that there could be significant fiscal stimulus including tax cuts, potentially tax reform and as I mentioned infrastructure spending which could boost growth. So those are some things that can be causing that and if you peel away the onion even further from just the political side and you concentrate on just what’s been happening in the overall economy, GDP, Gross Domestic Product, real GDP in the third quarter was announced to grow at about 2.9% in the third quarter. That’s an annualized result. That’s the advanced estimate released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. 2.9 is a strong number and higher than it was substantially than previous quarters. Corporate earnings in the market are up here in the third quarter. So when you look at corporate earnings, you’ve got GDP growth in the economy plus the positive election results that indicate possible pro-business, pro-growth administration. Those all speak to possibly a nice rally in the market that we’ve seen.

Andrea:

Hey Jeff, sorry to interrupt there but this is Andrea and I just wanted to ask you a question. Weigh in on this, do you see any cause for problems in the momentum we’re seeing right now?

Jeff:

It’s a great question because when you think about what we’ve seen in just a very short period of time the markets jump up from 18,000 where it was literally just over a month ago and it jumps up over 5% points in a very short period of time. When it first time broke 18,000 it was almost two years ago, you see that short term volatility pretty quick. It can go in the opposite direction just as quick. So for example hypothetically, if Trump were to come out and say, ‘You know what, I’m not going to try and unwind or undo Dodd Frank”. Or the GDP regulators push back and don’t want to deregulate so we start seeing some things on the political side. Financial stocks could drop or if certain political promises aren’t delivered on. If Trump comes out and says, ‘Well the Affordable Healthcare Act maybe fine the way it is and we’re going to leave it alone”, healthcare stocks could be impacted by that. The things that have been driving some of the euphoric performance in the short-term could turn on a dime if some political promises unwind and go in the wrong direction.

Scott:

You’re really good at putting this stuff into perspective. At the end of the day what should we be thinking right now?

Jeff:

Thank you. The point there is just this, keep this as information but it is not something that drives tremendous change in somebody’s portfolio and keep that perspective. Because the DOW and the S&P have just recently rallied and have done well. In fact all indexes, the DOW, S&P, Nasdaq, and Russell 2000 all reached an all time high simultaneously and that hasn’t happened since December of 1999. But there are other sectors of the market that are not performing well. Just since the Trump election the DOW is up 3.7 but municipal bonds are down 2.9 in that period of time. Merging markets are down 4% during that period of time. The bond index is down 2% during that period of time. Where financial stocks are up twice as much as the DOW so you see this wild fluctuation in different areas of the market whether it be bonds or stocks and in this particular case what makes the news the most is the DOW Jones. Keep in perspective that it’s just business as usual. Some markets are moving forward, some are not. Interestingly the bond market has kind of taken a bit of a tumble in this period of time where the tenure treasury interest rate has jumped up almost 22% just since the election which has caused bond prices to go down. So if we take just the perspective real quick on the stock market year to date and the bond market year to date. From January 1 to yesterday the S&P 500’s largest stocks is up about 7.75% for the year. The bond index is only up .5%. So let’s say you’re retired and you have a have half your money in stocks and you have half of your money in bonds evidenced by those two indexes. Well half your money is up 7 and half your money is up .5, your average return on your portfolio is only 4.1, ballpark. But if you’re seeing it as, ‘Hey the market is up 7%’, people think, ‘Well I should be up by 7’. Well not if you have an overall diversified portfolio. Keep in mind that markets move independently at times and sometimes things are up and sometimes things are down and you don’t need to worry about short-term volatility and even though the DOW is making some good news it could be down 1,000 points tomorrow.

Andrea:

Thank you Jeff for sharing and helping people get a perspective so they’re not full of anxiety. They’ve got a better context for evaluating this. Do you have any closing thoughts before you head off to grab that turkey?

Jeff:

Overall it is always exciting to see markets moving in a positive direction and we love seeing the DOW hitting 19 and look forward to days hopefully where it goes up to 20 and more. When people generally have questions on these types of things let us know. We would love to help them at JeffRobertsandAssociates.com. Give us a buzz and we’re happy to sit down and talk anytime with folks.

Former Auburn University and NBA basketball star Charles Barkley is again at the center of controversy surrounding race relations. This time, he’s catching heat for angering an audience over calls for sympathy for law enforcement officers.

Barkley was in Baltimore, set to film part of an upcoming reality documentary series, entitled “The Race Card.” According to ESPN-linked blog TheUndefeated.com, what was meant to be a one-hour town hall last Monday was cut short after the Alabama native was shouted down for urging compassion for families of police targeted in the line of duty.

“Did anybody say, ‘Man, I feel bad for their family?’” Barkley reportedly asked attendees, adding that the crowd had “no love” for law enforcement officers.

That didn’t sit well with his audience, which included Diane Butler. She’s the mother of Tyrone West, a man who reportedly died from cardiac complications after being restrained by police in 2013.

“I don’t know you, I don’t like you,” she told him.

The former NBA star’s response didn’t help smooth over the angry mother’s emotion.

“I’m sorry for your loss. As far as you not liking me, it really doesn’t bother me. I’m used to it. I’m like the homecoming queen. All the ugly girls hate you. That’s part of my life. I never take anything personally,” Barkley said.

From that point, the audience began hurling a series of insults against Barkley. The town hall gathering ended abruptly when his security team escorted him off stage.

This is not the first time Barkley has faced criticism for his posture against an “anti-police” sentiment. Earlier this year, Barkley was the subject of scorn from Black Lives Matter activists over his expressed support for men and women in uniform.

“We in the black community, we need the cops. Cops are important,” he said at the time. “They’re very significant. We as black people gotta do a better job of policing ourselves.”

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Senior day for the Alabama Crimson Tide Football players is a time when the graduating class can celebrate their hard work with close friends and family. The team honors each graduate in a presentation before the last home game that includes flowers and a family photo-op with Head Coach Nick Saban.

But for walk-on running back Lawrence Erekosima, the day was even more special. Most of his family was on the sideline to congratulate him, one important person was missing: his mother.

Erekosima’s mother serves in the U.S. military and was on active duty in Kuwait – or so Lawrence thought. Instead, his mother planned to surprise him at the end of the senior day presentation in front of an awe-struck crowd of 101,000 people.

You can watch the touching moment in the video below.

Awesome surprise on Senior Day for Lawrence Erekosima from his mother! #RollTide pic.twitter.com/nHns9VMLT9

— Alabama Football (@AlabamaFTBL) November 27, 2016

Coach Saban emotionally discussed the event in his post-Iron Bowl press conference, where he expressed his happiness for his player. “He’s a fine young man that’s been in our program for a long time,” Saban said. “I have a special place in my heart for all the guys – all the star players get a big ovation, they get to play, they get accolades, they get nominated for awards. A lot of those guys, they play their game on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, helping the rest of the players get ready for the game. And Lawrence is one of those guys that has done a phenomenal job here. He’s had some ups and downs, been injured, came back. But for his mother to be able to come today almost made me cry.”

Former Alabama governor Don Siegelman likely just spent his last Thanksgiving in a federal prison. While a possible release date approaches in February, he told supporters he is still hoping for a presidential pardon before Barack Obama leaves office.

In an email, he noted that there were 76 days remaining until he might be released.

“We are just a few steps from the prison cell door, February 8th, but there is another deadline looming. D.J.T’s Inauguration day in DC. President Obama’s last day is our last hope. He is only person who can, with his signature, right the wrong that I, and so many of us, have been seeking,” Siegelman wrote.

“So maybe, if I ask you to send a special word or thought to President Obama, maybe, just maybe he’ll hear our collective cry, if so, that will be another Blessing for which we can all be thankful,” he added.

The disgraced one-term Alabama governor has spent most of the past nine years in a federal prison after facing conviction on charges of bribery and obstruction in 2006. At the time, prosecutors claimed that he had “sold” a state regulatory position to former HealthSouth CEO Richard Scrushy in exchange for a $500,000 campaign contribution. He and his family have since waged an aggressive pushback campaign, claiming that his imprisonment was partially due to a conspiracy tied to George W. Bush’s advisor Karl Rove.

In early November, WikiLeaks revealed that top figures in Hillary Clinton’s campaign had kept a close eye on Siegelman’s case, though there seemed to be no sign of traction that could result in a pardon.

Siegelman has said that he will continue to seek exoneration from President Obama, who has set a record for the most jail sentences commuted this year. There has been no indication that clemency for Siegelman is on the White House’s radar.

The worship team from the Church at Brook Hills in suburban Birmingham just recorded an awesome version of “Joy To The World” being performed with classroom instruments, and it is sure to get even the biggest Grinch in the Christmas spirit.

Check it out in the video above. If you like what you hear, the group also has a Christmas EP available on iTunes now.

The most wonderful time of the year has arrived, and may Alabama shoppers are gearing up to spend big this holiday season. For Alabamians who have a Christmas list they need to cross off, the National Federation of Independent Businesses and the Alabama Retail Association are encouraging a local approach to this year’s purchasing plan.

“Small Business Saturday” falls on the day after Black Friday. It’s the second busiest shopping day of the year, and provides an extra opportunity for buyers to support locally-owned businesses. While online sales continue to steadily increase over brick-and-mortar stores, experts say locally-spent dollars could have a larger impact on the community.

The Alabama Retail Association says that local retail and restaurant establishments represent one in four jobs in the state, and contributes $19 billion to the economy.

“Spending your money with Alabama retailers creates a powerful ripple effect and returns the most to your local economy,” the Association said in a statement. “By shopping locally, you’re supporting your friends and neighbors – the ones who sponsor your Little League teams, donate to your fundraisers and reinvest their time and money into your community.”

Governor Robert Bentley, who made “Small Business Saturday” official by signing a declaration on Monday, encouraged shoppers to spend their holiday dollars with Alabama-owned businesses.

“Small Business Saturday is a great opportunity for Alabamians to support local businesses on the first Saturday after Thanksgiving,” Gov. Bentley said. “Small businesses are the engines of job growth and a vital part of a stimulated economy. By recognizing Small Business Saturday, we can choose to support the small businesses that contribute to our economy and our communities. As we begin the holiday shopping season, I encourage Alabamians to shop at local small businesses throughout Alabama.”

Very little is known about what caused the death of 21-year-old Pfc. David Winchester, who was found in his barracks at Fort Bragg last week. Known by his loved ones as Shiver, it’s been an emotional week as his family prepares for burial just after the Thanksgiving holiday. Throughout the unexpected grief, they say that the support and prayers they’ve received has been overwhelming.

Shiver Winchester was raised in the small community of Adamsville, Alabama. In a statement, Lt. Col. Aric Bowman, commander of the 261st MMB, described Shiver as an enthusiastic high-performer who touched the lives of those around him. His aunt, Clarissa Winchester, said he was big-hearted, sweet, and respectful.

She says her family has been touched by the response from the community.

“We were all taken aback by the unity that has been shown,” Winchester told Yellowhammer.

In a Facebook post that has been viewed by thousands, she shares the moment Shiver’s body arrived in Alabama for burial. According to her, that was when the family realized how much his service meant to others, including total strangers.

“There was a lady walking on a sidewalk with her children, and when we drove by in a procession, she made all of her young kids stop to show respect. She didn’t have to do that,” she said. “Another man was walking his dog, and removed his baseball cap when he saw us drive by.”

On Thanksgiving Day, another member of the family was working a shift at Cracker Barrel, and heard that a patron was holding an empty seat at his table in Shiver’s honor.

According to Winchester, prayers and well-wishes have poured in from across the state. The American Legion’s Freedom Riders group offered to escort the family from Birmingham-Shuttlesworth Airport to the funeral home, ready to block any sign of protests or anti-military disruptions along the way.

Winchester says that she hopes more media outlets will honor the memory of Shiver and other servicemen like him by showing more examples of supportive communities.

“The media does not show you the respect. The media does not show you the patriotism, or the concern,” she said. “I just hope people know how much it means to us.”

Fewer Alabama veterans are without homes this holiday season, according to a new report released by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

According to HUD, Alabama is home to 373 homeless veterans. It’s a number that has dropped sharply from 2014, when 542 of the state’s former servicemen were without homes.

The new report signals that Alabama is among states with the fewest homeless veterans in the country. California, Florida, and New York, and Texas experience the highest rates of veteran homelessness.

Overall, veteran homelessness across the nation has fallen. HUD’s report says that 17 percent fewer veterans are affected than the year before. Since 2009, that number has dropped by 46 percent.

According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, veterans are more likely to experience homelessness than civilians.

“Veterans often experience difficulty returning to civilian life, particularly those without strong social support networks, and may not have skills that can be easily transferred to employment outside of the military,” the Alliance explains on their site. “Veterans face the same shortage of affordable housing options and living wage jobs as all Americans, and these factors—combined with the increased likelihood that veterans will exhibit symptoms of PTSD, substance abuse, or mental illness—can compound to put veterans at a greater risk of homelessness than the general population.”

Last year, Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson was one local leader who accepted a Veterans Administration challenge to end homelessness in his town. In May last year, the city announced that it had achieved Functional Zero rating for homeless veterans in the area, thanks to a partnership with local charity Housing First. HUD confirmed the news in September of 2015.

Mobile was the first city of its size to effectively end veteran homelessness.

While he is excited at the prospect of representing Alabama in the Senate, he noted that now is the time to focus on the honor bestowed upon Jeff Sessions, the likely next Attorney General of the United States. “I think this is the right thing for me to do,” he told TWS. “There will be a time to decide who will try to fill those shoes, but that is for another day. Today is about Jeff Sessions, the legacy he leaves behind, and the good work for our country we know he is yet to achieve.”

Strange has served as Alabama’s AG since 2011, and he received his B.A. and J.D. from Tulane University. During the past five years, Strange’s office has challenged the Obama Administration on EPA regulations, immigration enforcement, and the President’s transgender directive. He also worked to shut down highly popular fantasy sports sites in the state such as DraftKings and FanDuel by claiming the activities constitute gambling under state law and are therefore illegal.

Several other Alabama public officials have thrown their hat into the ring to claim Sessions’ seat. Three members of Alabama’s Congressional Delegation – Mo Brooks (R-AL5), Robert Aderholt (R-AL4), and Bradley Byrne (R-AL1) – have expressly declared that they would like to fill the vacancy.

(h/t Al.com)

A potentially damaging federal labor regulation proposed by the Obama Administration has just been blocked in court, thanks to Alabama and twenty other states that fought back against the rule. Now, Alabama Congressional leaders are praising the decision as one that will protect jobs.

The reaction surrounds the Department of Labor’s Overtime law, which was set to go into effect on December 1. First announced on May 23, the regulation would have meant that U.S. workers making under $47,500 a year would be required to be given overtime pay for working more than 40 hours a week. The rule was overturned on Tuesday, when U.S. District Judge Amos Mazzant agreed that the rule was unlawful and issued a nationwide injunction.

According to reports, over 46 percent of workers within the state would have been affected. Many business owners claimed it would have forced them to either lay off employees or pass the increased the cost of doing business on to customers.

For months, Republican leaders in Congress have eyed a quick repeal of the mandate, which has been made possible through Trump’s election.

Rep. Bradley Byrne, a former labor lawyer, had been outspoken about the rule since it was first issued. He said that it was “never what the Obama Administration wanted people to believe it was.”

“The rule would have hurt American workers by moving them from salaried to hourly employees and greatly reducing opportunities for advancement. The rule would have been especially damaging for schools and non-profits, who couldn’t just increase costs to offset the added expenses,” Rep. Byrne said.

Senator Richard Shelby anticipates that similar regulations will soon be repealed under a GOP-led Congress.

“Americans spoke loud and clear about their frustration with these types of unilateral executive regulations that stifle economic growth and opportunity,” Sen. Shelby said. “Yesterday’s ruling is a victory for the American people, and I look forward to working with President-elect Trump and my Republican colleagues to reverse this and other job-destroying rules in the coming months.”

As the newly-elected Speaker of the Alabama House of Representatives, I thought it important to take a moment and let readers here know something about my background, my philosophy, and my vision for how the legislative chamber should operate during the upcoming regular session and thereafter.

Though unorthodox, I will begin by letting you know the things I am not.

I am not a career politician. After 25 years in law enforcement, I was elected to the House in 2006 during my first run for office, and I serve solely to give back to the state, community, and neighbors that have been so good to me. My only priority is the office I currently hold I am not guided by a desire for riches, power or the other temptations that elected office sometimes offers. As a retired police officer living on a monthly pension, my future resources are already determined, and my wife and I are quite thankful for all that life has already provided us.

I am not beholden to any special interests groups. As a lawmaker and public servant, I am beholden to the 45,000 citizens in House District 25, to the people of Alabama, to my family, and to my Lord and Savior.

Now let me tell you the things that I am.

I am a man who is humbled by the confidence and trust that my colleagues have offered by electing me as Speaker of the House, especially following such difficult and often controversial times in our government.

I am determined to utilize the talents, ideas, and input of every member of the House whether man or woman, Republican or Democrat, conservative, moderate, or liberal. A legislator’s worth as a member should not be solely determined by whether a D or an R follows their name on the roster, but rather by their work ethic, their commitment to understanding important issues, and the soundness of the ideas and initiatives they have to offer.

Moving Alabama forward is going to require us to adjust the way the House has operated over the past several decades.

I plan to create a system that opens and embraces the legislative process and allows bills to sink or swim based upon their own merits and the sponsors’ ability to convince their colleagues to offer support. Taking a turn from the politics of the past will not be simple or easy because old habits die hard, but we must begin the effort anyway.

The motto of the Alabama House is “Vox Populi” which means “Voice of the People.” This statement serves as my driving force and rulebook for how the body will operate moving forward. We consist of 105 members, with 105 districts, and 105 different constituencies. It is important to me that our Representatives have every opportunity to be the voice of their district, and this will be the defining feature of our House.

I have discussed the ideas outlined above with members of House and Senate leadership, the lieutenant governor, and Gov. Robert Bentley, and all have indicated some level of support for them.

As a result, I am confident that if we work together, lawmakers can improve Alabama’s future by helping to create jobs for the jobless, offering hope to the hopeless, and providing a quality education to the children who are our future and will one day take our places in this Alabama State House.

Evidence of this fact was on display during the September special session when House members of both parties joined together in passing landmark legislation that pays down a significant portion of our state’s debt, provides needed funding for road and bridge projects related to economic development on the Gulf Coast, and shores up funding needs in the Medicaid agency’s budget. And, best of all, we were able to do all of this with no new taxes.

On the day my colleagues elected me Speaker, I stood in the well of the House and asked God’s blessings on every action, every decision, and every vote that takes place in the chamber so that we may fulfill the calling in Peter 4:10, which reads, “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”

I believe that if we simply follow that biblical admonition, House members will succeed in doing our jobs well.

Mac McCutcheon (R-Capshaw) serves as Alabama’s Speaker of the House and represents District 25 which encompasses the communities of Madison City, Huntsville, Capshaw, Monrovia and East Limestone. Follow Speaker McCutcheon on Twitter via @MacDistrict25 and Facebook at www.facebook.com/speakermccutcheon.

Consider this our weekly public service.

For a printable PDF version, click here. Pro tip: Save the image below to your phone for quick and easy access all day.

(Note: All times are Central)

Alabama and Auburn combine for a total of 18 national titles, 33 SEC titles, 5 Heisman Trophies, and countless NFL draft picks. The all time series between the two teams is fairly even at 44-35-1 in favor of the Crimson Tide, currently on a two-game winning streak.

As with any series, some games are more memorable than others. But the Iron Bowl seems to give viewers across the country a good game more often than not, even when the rankings indicate it should not be. For all these reasons, the sports analysis website SB Nation dubbed the game “College Football’s Perfect Rivalry.”

In the interest in preventing anymore division, this top ten list is broken up into two separate top fives: a list of the five best Crimson Tide victories and a list of the Tigers’ best five wins.

Alabama Crimson Tide

1. 1985: Alabama 25 – Auburn 23, “The Kick”
Ray Perkins’ unranked Tide upset Pat Dye’s #7 Tigers at Legion Field in the 50th edition of the Iron Bowl. Earlier in the game, Alabama kicker Van Tiffin missed a 52 yard field goal, but he redeemed himself by nailing the game-winner from the same distance as time expired.

2. 2014: Alabama 55 – Auburn 44, “The Revenge Game”
With a trip to the first-ever College Football Playoff on the line, #1 Alabama first needed to defeat #15 Auburn a year after the painful ‘Kick-Six’ kept the team out of the BCS Title Game. In the highest scoring Iron Bowl ever, Tide quarterback Blake Sims and wide-receiver Amari Cooper helped the team overcome a 33-21 mid third-quarter deficit to avenge 2013’s loss on the plains.

3. 2009: Alabama 26 – Auburn 21, “The Drive”
#2 Alabama went to Jordan-Hare hoping to keep its undefeated season alive and got all it could handle from unranked Auburn. Down a point halfway through the fourth quarter, Tide quarterback Greg McElroy led his team on a game-winning 15-play, 79 yard touchdown drive en route to a BCS National Championship Title.

4. 1967: Alabama 7 – Auburn 3, “The Run in the Mud”
Heavy thunderstorms made the first night game in the series a nasty, low-scoring affair that was frequently stopped by officials to clear debris flying from the stands onto the field. Late in the game, Alabama quarterback Ken “The Snake” Stabler scrambled 47 yards through the mud for the contest’s sole touchdown.

5. 1984: Alabama 17 – Auburn 15, “Wrong Way, Bo”
Down just two points in the fourth quarter, Auburn head coach Pat Dye opted to go for it on fourth down from Alabama’s one yard line. The Tigers’ play was a designed pitch to running back Brent Fullwood, but Heisman Trophy winner Bo Jackson ran to the wrong end of the formation, allowing the Tide to easily make the tackle and seal the victory.

Auburn Tigers

1. 2013: Auburn 34 – Alabama 28, “The Kick-Six”
In the highest combined team ranking Iron Bowl of all time, the #1 Alabama Crimson Tide visited the #4 Auburn Tigers looking to lock-up a third-straight trip to the BCS Title Game. The Tigers had other plans, playing the Tide to a draw with one second left. Alabama Coach Nick Saban opted to go for the 57 yard field goal as time expired, but Adam Griffith’s kick was returned 109 yards for the game-winning touchdown by Auburn’s Chris Davis in one of the most improbable moments in sports’ history.

2. 2010: Auburn 28 – Alabama 27, “The Camback”
With the undefeated #2 Tigers coming to town, the two-loss Tide played like they had nothing to lose. In front of a raucous Bryant-Denny Stadium crowd, Alabama built a solid 24-0 halftime lead. But the second half belonged to Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton, who led Auburn on a 28-3 run en route to Auburn’s second national championship.

3. 1972: Auburn 17 – Alabama 16, “Punt, Bama, Punt”
Down 16-3 in the fourth quarter, things looked pretty bleak for the anemic Auburn Tigers. But things quickly turned around for the underdogs, as the Tigers’ special teams blocked not one, but two Tide punts and returned them both for touchdowns. The scores completed #9 Auburn’s upset over Coach Bryant’s #2 Alabama team, who was favored by 14 points.

4. 1982: Auburn 23 – Alabama 22, “Bo Over the Top”
In Paul “Bear” Bryant’s last Iron Bowl, the legendary coach looked to defend a nine-game winning streak over his in-state rival. Up six with two minutes left, the streak looked secure, but the Tigers methodically drove the length of the field. Auburn capped the drive with victory touchdown scored by running back Bo Jackson, who scaled the Alabama defensive line with a herculean leap.

5. 2005: Auburn 28 – Alabama 18, “Honk If You Sacked Brodie”
Auburn may have scored 28 points, but it was the Tiger defense that stole the show. AU set a school record by sacking Alabama quarterback Brodie Croyle 11 times, with seven different Tigers recording at least one half-sack.

The 2016 edition of the Iron Bowl will be played in Bryant Denny Stadium and broadcasted by CBS at 2:30 p.m. local time.

By Michael Tomberlin

When the Iron Bowl is played in Auburn, an eagle flies over the stadium prior to the game. Airbus is upping the ante in Tuscaloosa this year.

An Alabama-built Airbus A321 commercial airliner will conduct a pregame flyover at Bryant-Denny Stadium Saturday at 2:16 p.m. prior to kickoff of the Iron Bowl.

“This participation in the Iron Bowl, the most-anticipated football game of the year in Alabama, is our way of showing our Alabama pride and showcasing the skills of the men and women of Airbus,” said Allan McArtor, chairman and CEO of Airbus Group Inc.

It is the first A321 that is being produced for Delta Air Lines in the Airbus plant in Mobile. It will be the 15th Airbus A321 delivered from the facility, which opened in September 2015.

Airbus now has more than 370 employees at the Mobile plant, with more than 85 percent of them from Alabama and the Gulf Coast region.

McArtor said many more Airbus employees also look forward to the annual Iron Bowl.

“Airbus is proud to call Mobile home for an Engineering Center, the U.S. Manufacturing Facility and a Defense & Space Military Aircraft facility,” he said. “More than 600 Airbus employees and their families live and work in Alabama and the Gulf Coast region designing, building and maintaining world-class aircraft.”

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — At 101 years old, Willie Rogers, the oldest living member of the valiant Tuskegee Airmen, died in St. Petersburg on Saturday morning. During World War II, Rogers served as the Master Sergeant of the Airmen at a time when the U.S. military was still segregated.

Rogers was primarily based on the ground, and he worked to coordinate the difficult logistics of his fellow Airmen. For his service, he received the Congressional Gold Medal.

His daughter, Veronica, told the Tampa Bay Times that her father always exhibited God’s love to everyone he met.

“He recognized that we as people and he as a black man have come a long way but that there is still more to go,” she said to the Times. “But in God’s eyes there is no color, he’d say. We are all one and he lived by the greatest commandment — to love one another.”

The Tuskegee Airmen, trained at Tuskegee University in Alabama, were the first African-American aviators in the U.S. military. Formed during WWII, the 99th Flying Squadron, which later earned the name “Red Tails” for their distinctively painted plane tails, became one of the most fearsome groups of fighters in the European theater.

In many ways the Tuskegee Airmen and their skill and bravery during WWII began the dismantling of the discrimination and segregation in which the rest of the country was still mired.

Their story was captured in the 2012 film “Red Tails,” executive produced by George Lucas and starring Cuba Gooding, Jr..

“The Tuskegee Airmen overcame segregation and prejudice to become one of the most highly respected fighter groups of World War II,” explains TuskegeeAirmen.org. “They proved conclusively that African Americans could fly and maintain sophisticated combat aircraft. The Tuskegee Airmen’s achievements, together with the men and women who supported them, paved the way for full integration of the U.S. military.”

(h/t Al.com)

It’s been an unconventional election year, so perhaps it’s only fitting that Governor Robert Bentley tap into an equally unusual method for considering his next Senate appointment: Survey Monkey.

The Governor reportedly sent a free survey link to the state’s 400-plus Republican executive committee members, asking for their input on who should replace Senator Jeff Sessions.

Will Edwards, the Governor’s Appointments Director, told the GOP recipients that Bentley is “taking the process seriously.”

“The person who replaces Senator Sessions must uphold the Constitution, value the rights of the Second Amendment, the rights of the states, support pro-life issues, implement a strong national security policy, support domestic job creation and, most importantly, always put Alabama first,” he wrote.

The questionnaire asks recipients to weigh in on what questions should be used to vet potential appointees for the job. Participants also have the opportunity to name their pick for the coveted position.

“The person I choose to serve as U.S. Senator will be making decisions that not only impact Alabama, but the entire country as well,” the governor said in a statement.

“I am seeking the input of the Republican Party because it is important that I begin this selection process with a qualified pool of conservative candidates who can carry out the agenda of President-elect Trump,” he added.

Governor Bentley will take feedback via the online platform until December 1.

Whoever he chooses to appoint will fill the U.S. Senate spot only in an interim capacity. Currently, the Governor’s office says they are researching to determine whether or not a special election must be called quickly or if it can wait until the 2018 regular election cycle.

Several prominent Republican leaders have so far expressed interest in the seat. They include Representatives Robert Aderholt and Mo Brooks, Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh, State Rep. Bill Poole and others.

This Thanksgiving, countless Alabamians well celebrate the holiday by dunking a turkey into a deep fryer to cook the bird to a nice, golden crisp. However, as the number of Alabamians frying their turkeys has risen, so has the number of Thanksgiving day fryer fires.

This year, the Alabama State Fire Marshal’s Office advised against the use of turkey fryers because “the dangers associated with deep-frying a turkey aren’t worth the risk, even by a well-informed and cautious user.” However, the office understands that many people will do so anyway and released a list of precautions for those willing to fry up their thanksgiving meal.

To optimize safety, here are the ten things Alabamians should do to make sure their Thanksgiving experience does not include their local fire department.

• Always use fryers outdoors, on a solid level surface away from buildings and flammable materials
• Never use a fryer on a wooden deck, under a patio cover, in a garage or enclosed space
• Do not overfill the fryer
• Never leave the fryer unattended because, without thermostat controls, the oil will continue to heat until it catches fire
• Never let children or pets near the fryer when in use or after use as the oil can remain hot for hours
• Use well-insulated potholders or oven mitts and wear long sleeves and safety goggles to protect from splatter
• Make sure the turkey is completely thawed before it is placed in a fryer.
• If oil begins to smoke, immediately turn the gas supply off
• If a fire is manageable,use an all-purpose fire extinguisher
• Never use water to extinguish a grease fire – if the fire increases, immediately call the fire department for help

(h/t Alabama News Network)

Since Jeff Sessions was announced as part of Donald Trump’s upcoming administration, jockeying has already begun for the conservative senator’s seat. Though, at least one elected official has said that he would reluctantly take the job, and only if asked.

Baldwin County Congressman Bradley Byrne says that he’s happy with his current position in the U.S. House of Representatives, but would find it hard to turn down Governor Bentley if approached about the open Senate position.

“You never say no to the governor if it’s a high calling like this,” Rep. Byrne said during an interview with WTVM.

“I think this is a very important time for our area,” he added. “I’ve been able to move up a lot in the three years I’ve been in the House- I think I could do more good there.”

The South Alabama representative acknowledged there is already strong competition for the post, adding that he feels a duty to remain in his current office.

“I’ve got the job I like,” Rep. Byrne said. “There are a lot of good people that have put their name in the hat.”

“I think I need to stay really focused on the stuff that matters down here. I have some very important national things that I’m involved in in the House, and the way all these House members keep being appointed to things, if I just stick around, I’ll end up being appointed Speaker one day because I’ll be the only one left,” he joked.

At least two of Rep. Byrne’s colleagues, Mo Brooks and Robert Aderholt, have both expressed
interest in an appointment to fill Sessions’ seat.

Since Jeff Sessions was announced as president-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for Attorney General, many have begun looking to the Alabama Republican for a glimpse of the sweeping changes that may come beginning in 2017.

As the likely soon-to-be leader of the nation’s top law enforcement agency, Sessions will have a platform to act on several pressing issues that he has long worked to draw attention toward. From immigration to terrorism, we now look to items that the he has addressed throughout his career and while on the campaign trail for Donald Trump.

Here are three key actions to watch for upon the completion of Jeff Sessions expected confirmation as Attorney General:

A dramatically shifted focus at the Justice Department

Expect Sessions to lead an effort that will more effectively identify and seek to remove those with ties to terrorism. The key could lie in a thorough probe of the United States’ immigration system.

For those who follow Sessions, this will not come as a surprise. Under President Barack Obama, the Alabama Senator has blasted of a lack of urgency shown toward the need to end threats of terrorism within the United States.

In a 2015 letter to Attorney General Loretta Lynch, Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson, and Secretary of State John Kerry, Sessions urged each department to initiate a coordinated review of immigration records that could link to evidence of terroristic attempts. Though the Obama Administration failed to yield in such information, it’s apparent that Sessions’ focus on national security will likely result in more thorough data that could expose links between a broken immigration system and threats of terrorism.

A prosecution of sanctuary cities

In 2010, the Obama Administration announced that so-called “sanctuary cities” would not face scrutiny under the law. At the time, they claimed that such self-declared cities were not as bad as states that interfere with the enforcement of the law. It’s a claim that was not well-received by Senator Sessions.

The Alabama Senator has attempted to hold President Obama and then-Attorney General Eric Holder accountable over the policy. As the Attorney General, he will have a chance to take action against cities like New York, San Francisco, Chicago, and Los Angeles. This could happen in a couple of ways.

Sessions is expected confront cities that insist on remaining as havens for illegal immigrants. Likewise, he has called on the President to “cut off law enforcement funds to any jurisdiction that violates this responsibility to ensure the deportation of criminal aliens.” As the nation’s top law-enforcer, watch for Sessions to fight so that sanctuary cities do not receive federal dollars.

A more thorough investigation of Hillary Clinton’s emails

Senator Jeff Sessions has sounded an alarm against potentially illegal activities committed by Hillary Clinton, which were revealed throughout investigations into her privately-housed emails. According to him, the former Secretary of State’s actions must be held accountable.

In August, Senator Sessions remarked during a CNN interview Hillary’s emails suggested that foreign governments and wealthy individuals believed they could gain access to the State Department by making donations to the Clinton Foundation. In his eyes, it signaled a clear abuse of power.

“The fundamental thing is you cannot be Secretary of State of the United States of America and use that position to extort or seek contributions to your private foundation,” Sessions said at the time. “That is a fundamental violation of law and that does appear to have happened here.”

Senator Sessions has built a firm reputation on his desire to uphold the law. It could be assumed that, as the U.S. Attorney General, he will apply the same thoughtful dedication toward Hillary Clinton’s scandals.

With the announcement that President-elect Trump was going to nominate Alabama’s own Senator Jeff Sessions, the hysteria from the far left has reached an all-time high. More than 63% of Alabamians voted to elect Donald Trump as our next President, whose win defied all polling and conventional wisdom in the media. The message sent is simple: Alabamians and countless Americans are tired of business as usual and the status quo in Washington. Sadly, the liberal national media just doesn’t seem to get it.

Selfishly, I would like nothing more than to see Jeff Sessions remain in the US Senate and guide that body through the confirmation of one or more Constitutional Conservative Supreme Court justices. However, I am excited for the future of our country to have a conservative stalwart like Senator Sessions taking over as the United States Attorney General – because I know what his leadership on issues such as immigration, protecting the second amendment and going back to respecting the rule of law will mean for our state and our entire nation.

The response from the mainstream media has been, if not predictable, disappointing and a distortion of facts. Since his appointment Senator Sessions has been accused of supporting some of the most despicable moments in United States history. Not only are these accusations false, they are accusations made without merit.

Take for example, the exchange between Fox News host Tucker Carlson and Roll Call columnist Jonathan Allen. Allen calls Sessions “unfit” to be Attorney General and accuses him of being a racist despite providing no evidence to support his claim. Allen goes on to call Senator Sessions views on immigration “fringe” when his views (as Mr. Carlson points out) are shared by a majority of Americans. In fact, many of the views portrayed as fringe are laws already in the books that will simply require enforcement, and as Attorney General I am confident Jeff Sessions will do just that. The Senator Sessions portrayed as an extremist is far from the Senator Sessions I know, and that portrayal is a myth created by the mainstream media.

The truth is that as Attorney General, Sessions will fight to uphold the law – as he always has. His record as a US Attorney is remarkable– he filed cases to desegregate Alabama schools, and successfully investigated and helped to secure the ultimate punishment, the death penalty, against one of the leaders of the KKK for a 1981 murder of an innocent African American man in Alabama.

I have had the honor of working with Senator Sessions and he has always kept an eye on Alabama with his door open and our traditional Christian values firm in hand. He has long been a supporter of the reform-minded Republican Legislature and has remained a solid fiscal and social conservative voice in Washington. In speaking with him personally, his views on immigration reform are based only in the interest of protecting all people whether they are U.S. citizens or those who wish to legally immigrate into this country.

Senator Sessions has devoted his entire life to public service. He has served as a captain in the Army Reserve, as United States Attorney, as Alabama’s Attorney General, and has been our Senator in Congress since 1997. Liberals like Mr. Allen may believe Jeff Sessions beliefs are fringe, but here in Alabama we call him a friend.

I am proud to support Senator Sessions as he continues his next chapter in fighting for our conservative values and defending the Constitution against the liberal special interests.

The political newspaper Politico has reported that President-elect Trumps favorability has risen 9 points while his unfavorability has dropped 15 points. It is clear that the American people are willing to give their newly elected President and his appointees a chance, perhaps now it is time for the far left elites to do the same. Maybe the appointment of a Constitutional Conservative like Jeff Sessions has contributed to the rise in those favorable numbers- I would like to think so.

In Alabama we know the real Jeff Sessions, the media does not. Perhaps if they took the time to investigate the truth, they would also know the Jeff Sessions that you and I know so well.

“I can’t kneel during the anthem,” Kouandjio said to The Buffalo News. “I don’t blame Colin Kaepernick for doing what he did. But for me, I have too much respect for a flag and anthem that represent freedom and liberty.”

NFL players across the country have followed Kaepernick’s lead and have knelt during the National Anthem to symbolize their protest of perceived racial inequalities. The protests have even made their way to The University of Alabama student section, where a group of students known as “#BamaSits” has protested for the same reason.

RELATED: UA students stage ‘sit in’ protest at Bama football game during National Anthem

As for Kouandjio, he was recently naturalized as a citizen and could not be happier to be an American. “I’m a Christian, and I feel like the forefathers of this country build this constitution around Christian values – Christian values like freedom, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” he told the Buffalo media. “And I’m just glad to be a part of it.”

RELATED: Former Crimson Tide star shouts ‘Roll Tide!’ after becoming a US citizen

During his time with the Crimson Tide, Kouandjio racked up an extensive resume that included two BCS National Championships (2011, 2012), one SEC Championship (2012), a consensus first-team spot on the All-American team (2013), and a unanimous spot on the All-SEC team (2013). He has played in the NFL since the 2014 season, and he was selected by the Buffalo Bulls with the forty-fourth overall pick in the draft.

(h/t Breitbart News)

Birmingham, Alabama-based financial guru Jeff Roberts, who was recently named one of the top private wealth advisors in the nation by Barron’s®, came on Yellowhammer Radio to lay out the facts so people can decide for themselves.

The full conversation with Mr. Roberts can be heard on the Yellowhammer Radio podcast or in the video above, and a lightly edited transcript of his interview with Yellowhammer’s Scott Beason can be read below.

Subscribe to the Yellowhammer Radio Podcast on iTunes. Learn more about Jeff Roberts’ private wealth advisory practice at JeffRobertsAndAssociates.com.

Scott:

What are we going to talk about today, Jeff?

Jeff:

I’ve been preparing for our sessions and I started thinking that it might be a good use of our time together to go over issues that I see commonly as clients come in and work with us day in and day out. Bringing to the radio some of the issues that people commonly do wrong or we see people doing incorrectly. So to make it kind of a learning opportunity here on the radio. And Today in particular I thought we might tackle or spend a few minutes talking about rollovers of people’s 401k plans. I had a couple scenarios here recently where we were looking into 401k rollover for clients and saw some opportunities that people were perhaps about to do wrong. We thought, well let’s bring it out and see if we can learn something on the radio today.

Scott:

What are some of those things? I’ll tell you one thing you shouldn’t do, Jeff. Don’t cash out your 401k and use it to campaign for your first political office. Because that’s what I did with my retirement plan and that joker is long gone.

Jeff:

It probably is. I’m sure you had a nice tax bill that year as well.

Scott:

Yes sir, absolutely.

Jeff:

And that just leads into a point. As you know, if you take money out of a retirement plan like you just described, that means the money that comes out of a retirement plan like a 401k is then subjected to ordinary income so it’s taxed as ordinary income which means it could be in a tax bracket as low as 10% or could go up as high as 39.6% depending upon your household income. So ordinary income tax rates are high for individuals. And if you take the money out before you’re 59.5 years of age, not only do you have to pay taxes on that money at the federal and the state level but you have an additional 10% penalty which you have to pay for taking money out of a 401k plan before age 59.5. The reason why this is kind of an opportunity to learn from is we have people that are often times in job transition or career transition between age 55 and age 59.5. People wind down the ladder the later part of their careers and sometime companies come in and lay people off and who knows what other reasons. But we often see people that are in that age group in job transition. So let’s say that you’re over age 55 and you’re under 59.5. And 59.5 is that magical time when you can take money out of you’re retirement plan where you pay taxes but you don’t pay a 10% early withdraw penalty. What happens is, let’s say you’re 56 and you lose your job or you leave you’re company and you’re thinking, “I need to take my old 401k plan. I need to roll that thing over and put it in a n IRA account”. And there’s plenty of financial advisors that might advise you or encourage you to do that but there’s a reason why you might not want to. If you leave the money in the 401k plan at the company where you put the money in and you’re separated from service after age 55, you can take money out of that plan if you needed to, pay taxes but you don’t have the 10% early withdraw penalty. Normally if you take money out earlier than age 59.5 you pay a 10% penalty. You don’t pay a 10% penalty if you stay in the 401k plan, you’re separated from service after age 55 and you have to have $5,000 in the account. My point in all this is that don’t rush to rollover a 401k plan if you think you may be in a situation where worse case scenario you have to tap into that nest egg because of cash flow needs or lack of having a job or income or that sort of thing. Sometimes rolling over the 401k plan might not be a good idea.

Scott:

I hear “roll it over, roll it over”. That’s the kind of thing that’s a mantra out there among a lot of people. So you’re telling me that there are little caveats that I as a regular person and maybe other people, armchair advisors I guess, might be telling people that the reason I should come to you, Jeff, at Jeff Roberts and Associates is because there are these little things. Just like the tax code, there’s little things that may be out there and there’s a special way I can take advantage of it but since I don’t know it I can’t do it. So I could get myself in trouble doing one thing as opposed to doing something else.

Jeff:

True and it’s not that there’s other ways. There’s all types of options that people have and the idea is to set yourself up to where the best options are available for you. If you did roll the money over at age 56 and you put it into an IRA and you need to go get into the money before age 59.5 there is a way via 72T distribution which is a fancy terminology for a section of the Internal Revenue code that allows you to pull money out. If you do it a certain way or a certain period of time it’s less advantageous to people than leaving it in the 401k plan because it has some very strict rules that you have to follow about taking that money out over a period of time. So my point is this, you have options and so when you’re in a situation between age 55 and age 59.5 and you’re looking at a rollover make sure you’re talking to somebody that knows the rules because there’s pros and cons to handling it different ways.

Scott:

I think that’s so important. Talking with someone whose made a career that their business is what is best for the client, what is best for me. Not maybe what is best for the advisor or whatever. And that’s why I tell people to contact you, Jeff. Y’all focus on what is best for me. I know everybody is supposed to but y’all focus on what is best for us. Is there anything else that’s out there people just may or may not understand when we’re talking about retirement?

Jeff:

In referencing the 401k rollovers, we had a situation here recently with a client. We see this often where people have company stock inside their 401k plan so whatever company they may be working for, let’s make up a company ABC Company and you have company stock inside the plan you were given and a matching contribution or something you purchased on your own. When you go to rollover a 401k plan what you can also look at doing in some cases if the stars and moons align correctly, there are some cases where you might want to not rollover that company stock inside the plan into an IRA account. There are some situations where everything has got to line up just perfectly where it may make sense to employ a strategy called “net unrealized appreciation”. And we’re not going to become an expert on this over the radio today but the concept is basically this. If you had a certain dollar amount of stock inside your 401k plan and what you paid for that stock was a low enough amount, meaning the cost basis was low enough, it may make mathematical sense to take the money out in actual physical shares of stock that you can put into a non IRA account. You pay taxes and penalties on the basis of the stock but then the gain of the stock, which hopefully if you were doing the strategy there might be a bunch of gain in there, you would then later pay taxes on them when the stock was sold at longterm capital gains rates which are much lower than ordinary income tax rates. I know when you hear all this you’re thinking, “What in the world”, but the basics is this. If you have company stock inside a 401k plan don’t default to the fact I’m just going to roll all this stuff over into an IRA and sell that stock. There may be a strategy tax-wise where we can coordinate with you, your CPA, and our advisor to make sure that it might make sense to consider net unrealized appreciation. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.

Scott:

Absolutely and the goal of the game is to do what’s best for you and your family. That’s why we need people like you, Jeff. Do you have anything else that you want to tell our listeners before we head to a break?

Jeff:

No but just one last comment on that. Anytime you’re doing rollovers in retirement plans if you have after tax dollars that you contributed into the 401k plan be careful of that as well. Because there’s unique opportunities to use those after tax dollars which you’re actually allowed to stick in your pocket and not pay taxes on or you can roll them into a ROTH IRA. We sometimes see people making mistakes in that direction for another opportunity. Several things with IRAs and 401k rollovers that people need to be thinking about and we’re always willing to help.