Debunking Common Retirement Assumptions
Dec 6, 2019
Financial generalizations are as old as time. Some have been around for decades, while others have only recently joined their ranks. Let’s examine a few common retirement assumptions.
Retirement means I can stop investing. In the past, retirement was viewed as an “end” in many ways. These days though, retirement is often seen as an opportunity to return to one’s passions or just another of life’s many chapters. That doesn’t mean you should stop investing, however. (more…)
Tags: retirement, Retirement Planning
Insurance Needs for Empty Nesters and Retirees
Nov 13, 2019
With the children now out of the house, financial priorities become more focused on preparing for retirement. At this stage, you may very likely be at the height of your earning power and fast approaching peak savings as you lay the groundwork for retirement. During this final leg to retirement – and throughout your retirement period – wealth protection is critical.
The preservation of your assets will not be solely a function of your investment strategy, but will include a comprehensive insurance approach to protect you against an array of financial risks, most especially health care. (more…)
Tags: Insurance, retirement, Retirement Planning
Systematic Withdrawal Strategies
Oct 25, 2019
Some retirees wish they could simplify money management.Estimating investment income, annual retirement plan distributions, and quarterly taxes can be a chore.
This is why some retirees choose to make systematic withdrawals. Just as they contributed a set amount per month to their retirement accounts while working, they now withdraw a set amount from their accounts each month, quarter, or year.
The simplicity of this may appeal to you. The potential drawback is that a systematic withdrawal strategy can risk oversimplifying the complex matter of retirement income distribution. (more…)
Tags: charlotte NC, retirement, Retirement Planning
The Cost of Procrastination
Aug 16, 2019
Some of us share a common experience. You’re driving along when a police cruiser pulls up behind you with its lights flashing. You pull over, the officer gets out, and your heart drops.
“Are you aware the registration on your car has expired?”
You’d been meaning to take care of it for some time. For weeks, you had told yourself that you’d go to renew your registration tomorrow, and then, when the morning comes, you repeat it again.
Procrastination is avoiding a task that needs to be done – postponing until tomorrow what could be done, today. Procrastinators can sabotage themselves. They often put obstacles in their own path. They may choose paths that hurt their performance. (more…)
Tags: retirement, Retirement Planning
The Chapters of Retirement
Aug 7, 2019
The journey to and through retirement occurs gradually, like successive chapters in a book. Each chapter has its own things to consider. (more…)
Tags: retirement
Do Your Investments Match Your Risk Tolerance?
Jul 31, 2019
From time to time, it is a good idea to review how your portfolio assets are allocated – how they are divided among asset classes.
At the inception of your investment strategy, your target asset allocations reflect your tolerance for risk. Over time, though, your portfolio may need adjustments to maintain those target allocations.
Since the financial markets are dynamic, the different investments in your portfolio will gain or lose value as different asset classes have good or bad years. When stocks outperform more conservative asset classes, the portion of your portfolio invested in equities grows more than the other portions. (more…)
Tags: Investment Planning, retirement
Eight Mistakes That Can Upend Your Retirement
Jul 22, 2019
Pursuing your retirement dreams is challenging enough without making some common, and very avoidable, mistakes. Here are eight big mistakes to steer clear of, if possible.
Tags: retirement, Retirement Planning
A Retirement Fact Sheet
Jul 8, 2019
Does your vision of retirement align with the facts? Here are some noteworthy financial and lifestyle facts about life after 50 that might surprise you.
- Up to 85% of a retiree’s Social Security income can be taxed.
Some retirees are taken aback when they discover this. In addition to the Internal Revenue Service, 13 states levy taxes on some or all Social Security retirement benefits: Colorado, Connecticut, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, and West Virginia. (It is worth mentioning that the I.R.S. offers free tax advice to people 60 and older through its Tax Counseling for the Elderly program.)
2. Retirees get a slightly larger standard deduction on their federal taxes.
Actually, this is true for all taxpayers aged 65 and older, whether they are retired or not. Right now, the standard deduction for an individual taxpayer in this age bracket is $13,600, compared to $12,000 for those 64 or younger. (more…)
Tags: financial advisor, retirement
More Insights
Dec 9, 2019
Good credit may open doors. It is vital to securing a loan, a business loan, or buying a home. When you establish and maintain good credit in college, you create a financial profile for yourself that can influence lenders, landlords, and potential employers. Unfortunately, some college students do not have good credit. In fact, Credit … Continue reading “Establishing Good Credit in College”
Dec 6, 2019
Financial generalizations are as old as time. Some have been around for decades, while others have only recently joined their ranks. Let’s examine a few common retirement assumptions. Retirement means I can stop investing. In the past, retirement was viewed as an “end” in many ways. These days though, retirement is often seen as an opportunity … Continue reading “Debunking Common Retirement Assumptions”
Dec 4, 2019
What is a relationship with a financial advisor worth to an investor? A 2019 study by Vanguard, one of the world’s largest money managers, attempts to answer that question. Vanguard’s whitepaper concludes that when an investor works with an advisor and receives professional investment advice, they may see a net portfolio return about 3% higher … Continue reading “Measuring the Value of a Financial Advisor”
Dec 2, 2019
Can your IRA be put directly into a trust? In short, no. Individual retirement accounts (IRAs) cannot be put directly into a trust. What you can do, however, is name a trust as the beneficiary of your IRA. The trust would inherit the IRA upon your passing, and your beneficiaries would then have access to … Continue reading “Can You Put Your IRA into a Trust?”
Nov 29, 2019
We all know the value of a good credit score. We all try to maintain one. Sometimes, though, life throws us a financial curveball and that score declines. What steps can we take to repair it? Reduce your credit utilization ratio. Your credit utilization ratio (CUR) is the percentage of a credit card’s debt limit … Continue reading “Ways to Repair Your Credit Score”
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