Yes, saving for retirement and planning for income is important but so is planning for the unexpected.  It is incredibly easy to get caught up in the present and not think about how much one needs to take care of themselves in the future.  This is why retirement planning is more about planning for all aspects of your retirement years and now just about income.

As one ages, the amount that they have to spend to take care of themselves will likely increase. For those entering the old age, these payments tend to be significantly more. Medical bills and housing costs increase with time. In short, everything becomes more expensive over time, and your earnings in the present need to be able to take care of your needs in the future.

Doing the math and figuring just how much you can save for the future is essential, even as one starts their career. People who are in well-paying jobs and who are more than well situated for their futures to decide to start planning early to take care of their lives in advance. To understand the importance of planning early, here are some of the prominent statistics that have been derived after a thorough analysis of the earnings that people have and the costs associated with them as a result of their savings.

1. 52% of the total population above the age of 65 are in need of specific resources that can aid them with their medical bills and additional care. As a person ages, they tend to encounter a lot more health problems than those who are younger and healthier. This means that when planning for one’s future, they have to take into account certain costs that are associated with medical bills and care costs.

2. 14% of the total population need long-term care for more than five years. This again is because of the prevalent health issues that people within this category tend to face. Persistent health issues and conditions often need a lot more tending to, especially in the later stages of one’s life, and planning for this future is incredibly important for anyone who wants to get treated for their conditions.

3. 10% of Americans over the age of 65 have developed some form of neurological disorders, or have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s. These are disorders in which individuals need round-the-clock care, and a lot of treatments to get better. Since these aren’t cheap by any means, paying for them can burn one’s pocket rather easily.

4. 57.5% of the population who are above the age of 65 years tend to spend around $250,000 on long-term care. As the number of disorders that people face tends to increase, the expenditure on medical costs also tends to go up. Americans generally spend incredible amounts on health care, and these costs are only going to grow over the next few years.

5. 3.8% is the amount of inflation that nursing rooms tend to experience every five years. This means that over the years, the amount that one is going to need to spend on a simple room to take care of themselves is only going to increase. Since these become a necessity in many instances, it becomes important for an individual to plan properly for the future.

We are here to help you plan for the road ahead.  Contact us, today.

You’ve spent the better part of your working years planning for your comfortable retirement. As you celebrated your last official day of work, you already had a pretty good idea of the value of your financial investment portfolio and personal worth. And, you probably had a plan for how much money you would need on a yearly basis to maintain the comforts of life that you were accustomed to. You either would have more than enough for a comfortable retirement or you would have to be careful with spending to maintain your lifestyle. Either way, a budget is always a good idea to make your money last as long as possible.

When budgeting, there’s very little difference in living expenses from month to month with the exception of the holidays. You’ll want to make sure that you consider this extra expense when completing and following your budget. Whether you set aside a certain dollar amount each month or have the amount of money you will need available, you will want to make sure that the money you need is available to avoid adding any credit card debt to your future budget.

Last Friday, many woke up early to catch the “Black-Friday” deals at local stores and just yesterday, “Cyber-Monday” had many spending money online… yes, the season is upon us. Here are some tips to help you have a great holiday without causing you any undue financial stress.

At Least, Have A Basic Plan

Take the time to write down everything you need to have a happy holiday season. While the gifts may big the largest part of your budget, there are many other things that can add extra expenses. Make sure to account for decorating, traveling, food, liquor, as well as any added expenses of having any family and friends spending time with you for a few days. Once you know exactly how much money you will need, you can decide whether to break it down into your monthly budget or plan for it every holiday season.

Think About Trimming Your Budget

As you get older and wiser, you find ways to save money. Retirement is certainly the time to keep honing those skills. You can always find different ways to save money on holiday spending. One way is to watch for sales throughout the year for the things that you know you will need for the holidays and buy them early. If you already know you will spend the money, why not save a little? Even if you have enough money to comfortably retire on, you may want to leave a substantial estate to your friends and loved ones.

Don’t Overspend

Once you’ve decided what your budget is for the holidays, don’t be tempted to overspend. If you see a gift that you know would be perfect for someone, but it’s more than you budgeted, you could think about spending a little less on another gift to compensate for buying it. It’s not always about how much money you spend for a gift. It’s really about the inspiration behind what made you want to give the gift in the first place.

Planning for a successful holiday season while enjoying your retirement is a time of the year to look forward to. You get to see all of your friends and family and celebrate the joy of the season together. There’s no reason why the added expense of the holiday season should cause you any stress as long as you have a budget and keep your spending within that budget.

Planning for retirement will be easier for those contributing to in 2019!  Recent changes to a list of savings accounts are going to yield higher returns for savers in the new year. 

You will be able to take advantage of “Employee-Sponsored Account“, including 401(k) and 403(b)plans. The current limit for contribution is a little over $18,000. In the new year, the contributions are going to exceed more than $19,000. The plan also includes catch-up contributions around $6,000. You need to be 50 years of age or older to qualify. Those whose birthday fall on December 31st of that year also qualify. You should check with your employer to get more information, especially if you plan on leaving the company at some point. There are terms and conditions that apply, but that should make your life a little easier.

If you are self-employed, you can look into a “Self-Employed 401(k) Plan”.   The only difference between this plan and the traditional 401 (k) plan is that you set it up instead of an employer.  The contributions you make will reduce your gross income, but can help you when it comes to tax time.  Keep in mind that this starts next year.

IRA plans are getting a boost, too. The contribution limit was $5,500 but will increase to $6,000.  This plan applies to any IRA plan you have.  You could be making some considerable tax savings with this new increased limit if you are 50 years or older.

The IRS also announced that it increased all income limits used in determining eligibility to make deductible contributions to traditional IRAs, Roth IRAs and even for claiming the Savers Credit.

Finally, there is also a “Health Savings Plan” that can help your financial picture when it comes to medical expenses.  The 2019 annual HSA contribution limit for individuals with single medical coverage is $3,500, an increase of $50 from 2018. The limit is $7,000 for those covered under qualifying family plans (up from $6,900 in 2018). But if you’re 55 or older in 2019, you can contribute an additional $1,000 annually, or $4,500 total to an HSA for singles and $8,000 for families.

If you’re enrolled in a high-deductible health plan, you really should take advantage of this special savings opportunity. Make it a point to set aside pretax money into an HSA because you don’t pay taxes on the earnings, which can also be withdrawn tax-free in retirement when used to reimburse yourself for qualified medical expenses.

Look forward to 2019 and take advantage of the changes to prepare for the retirement road ahead!

Time is almost up for this years Medicare Open Enrollment period.  You have until the 7^th of December to modify your existing Medicare plans. In this period you can enroll in a Medicare Advantage Plan or a Part D drug plan.

Any modification made during this period is effective from January 1st of the following year. Generally, this is the only time of the year when one can opt for a new plan or switch from Advantage plans to Original Medicare plans. A tweak not known to many is to purchase a Medigap policy which compensates for Medicare costs to some extent. The availability of a Medigap Policy completely depends on the place of residence.

Medicare coverage and costs are revised every year. It is recommended to compare the existing package with the new ones for better understanding before making any possible modifications. The members of Medicare Advantage Plans of Part D receive notice of changes and the current evidence of coverage which are to be compared to see if any modification will result in cost and coverage benefits.

Medicare has rolled out a Plan Finder tool for locating the best plans in Part D drug coverage policies. The tool is designed to understand the requirement of drugs, cost of those drugs and the availability in pharmacies often visited based on which it runs extensive comparisons with other plans and end up displaying the best plan to opt for if there is any.

Joining an Advantage Plan is a very simple process. Calling their national toll free number may be the quickest way to know about the plans in that area following which one can choose to opt for a particular package best suited for the requirements. Calling the State Health Insurance Assistance Program can help you understand the available options and is recommended for changes if necessary. After shortlisting a plan, it is a must to check that the doctors and hospitals are included in the network. Speaking to the representative should be followed by noting down the date, the conversation and a cross-check with the current plans for transparency.

Though there are different ways to enroll during the fall open enrollment period, the most hassle-free way of enrolling and protecting yourself is to directly call their toll free number which is 1-800-MEDICARE. One last check to confirm all the details before making payment is suggested.

In case that you are not satisfied with any Advantage Plan opted for during the Fall Open Enrollment period, you can modify the plan in the next window which is called the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period abbreviated as MA OEP. This period starts from 1st January and ends on 31st March of every year. This is the final window for making any sort of changes wished for in the Medicare Advantage Plans and the Part D drug coverage plans.

There lies a distinct difference between Open Enrollment for Federal Marketplaces and the Fall Open Enrollment period. The federal marketplaces are meant to annually offer enrollment periods for American citizens who are not insured or underinsured according to the standards set by the law. Though the duration of both the windows may coincide, the federal marketplaces or exchanges is not recommended citizens with existing membership with Medicare or are eligible for Medicare. For people who can afford and are eligible for Medicare and are looking to modify their current plans or opt for the new membership with the organization, the Fall Open Enrollment Period starting from October and ending on December is the correct time of the year.

Halloween may be an appropriate time for a good scare, we should limit unwanted surprises in retirement!  Generalizations may not necessarily reflect your individual circumstance although there are fact-based reasons why the average woman faces greater hurdles than the average man does in securing her retirement. However, an awareness of the negatives and a proactive plan to take full advantage of some positives should demonstrate that retirement should not scare women.

More years of retirement and with fewer assets

The deck is stacked against some women before they even think about enjoying their first day of retirement. Some of the factors include:

• Longer life expectancy
• Greater likelihood of being the surviving spouse
• Wage gap as compared to male counterparts
• Less working years due to child rearing and caring for aging parents

One factor that may be interpreted as either a positive or negative is risk tolerance. Women tend to invest more conservatively than men, which can lead to lower potential returns. Conversely, conservative investors tend to move money around less often and continuity can lead to more consistent growth in the long term.

Take control

Where one starts is seldom as important as where one ends up. Consider these strategic goals to level the retirement playing field:

• Save – Start early, continue to save and save as much as possible. 20 percent of income is a nice goal but maximizing what is practical is the ultimate goal.

• Know what is needed – In our sunset years, we tend to fear dying less than outliving our retirement money. One way to prevent that is to begin with knowledge of what it costs to live. Be realistic about expenses that are fixed and what will no longer be needed once work is no longer in the picture. Ideally, the fixed expenses of one year of retirement living is generated annually by retirement income.

• Invest the savings – This comes with one caveat – invest savings once an emergency fund for unexpected expenses is established. Most experts recommend six months of living expenses in cash assets as a minimum. Once that is accomplished, an asset allocation plan should be devised based primarily on age and ultimate financial goals.

• Keep working – Other than the satisfaction work can provide as wells as a longer timeline to save, extending work past age 65 pays dividends in social security benefits. Although many women are concerned social security may one day fail, experts predict its pending demise is over exaggerated. One thing that is certain is that the longer a worker waits before taking benefits, the better. Consider that at age 62 a worker receives 70 percent her full retirement benefits, but that number rises to 132 percent at age 70.

Include an estate plan

Careful planning includes what-if scenarios. Take the time to set up a will and more preferably a trust, as well as a financial power of attorney and durable power of attorney for healthcare.

There’s no reason any woman should fear retirement. A realistic analysis, a well-crafted plan and disciplined execution will go a long way towards a secure and serene future.  We are here to help, give us a call, today.

You have worked hard for your money, because you have a bigger goal than just paying the monthly expenses. You have a long term goal that is important to you. For some, that goal is to be able to retire comfortably, while others have other dreams that they are putting away money to be able to achieve. Whatever your goal, your savings are being set aside for a reason.

Savings Are Not Enough

However, if you are just putting your money into savings, you are really not getting the biggest bang for your buck, so to speak. Although rising, interest rates are at very low rates; therefore, having your money in a savings account is really not going to accomplish anything other than having a place to hold your money. Wouldn’t you rather that money WORK for you to reach your goals faster or reach higher goals?

Failing to Plan is Planning to Fail

The market can be a highly effective place for income growth, but it can also be a very scary place for your money. While we all like a good scare in October, your money should not be where you get scared. Unfortunately, that is often the reality.

If you just throw your money into investments without a strategy for that money, it could be hit and miss and full of risk. At the vest best, you could simply be missing the best opportunities out there for you.

As of a Gallup goal in 2015, the reality that they discovered was that a mere 38% of investors like you had a financial plan, while only 18% said they didn’t find financial plans useful. The rest wanted to but didn’t create one. Of those that created a plan, 74% said they created the plan with the help of an experienced investment professional.

Getting Qualified Help

This is where it is important to take time to create an investment plan that will guide your investment growth to reach your goals, but how do you know where those best opportunities lie for you. You spent a lot of time learning your craft and becoming experienced at what you do, and others trust you to do your job. The same peace of trusting a qualified individual can be found in an experienced Financial Advisor that knows the best investments and the risks that can hinder your growth.

National Financial Planning Month

This month is National Financial Planning Month, and it is a good time to meet with a skilled Advisor to communicate your short term and long term goals that you desire to reach. After hearing your dreams and your timeline, they will be able to translate those into options for you to consider.

So, this month is a great time to face the scary market by creating an investment plan with an investor’s steady hand and vision to be able to reach the dreams that have inspired your work for so long. Then, you can rest in knowing you have given your dream the best potential to be what you will need when needed.   We are here to start that conversation with you or take a second look at your current plan.

Retirement should be a time of rest, relaxation, and play. It should be about focusing on those pursuits that you wanted to do when you were younger, but you have yet to cross them off of your bucket list. 

Failing to plan for a comfortable retirement, however, can be a major stressor in the life of someone facing their golden years. Recreational hopes and dreams can quickly be squashed in the wake of news that you haven’t set up things to be nearly as prosperous as you’d hoped. Learning what to do, and what NOT to do, as you plan for this time in your life will be key to being able to enjoy these years. Here are some things to avoid as you plan for this exciting time in your life: 

Don’t Rely Solely On Social Security 

You may have been somewhat misled with regard to social security—it was never meant to replace your original paycheck. Social security will cover approximately 40 percent of your pre-retirement income, and unless you are intending to pare down your expenses in retirement, its best to put other things in place to make sure you can live comfortably. 

Social security funds are also subject to availability, so if market fluctuations affect the overall health of this national account pool, you could also be affected. 

Don’t Assume Cost Of Living Will Be Cheaper

If you think of your day to day living expenses like food, clothing, and utilities, it is likely that these expenses will not go away in retirement. You might even find that certain expenses, like health care and leisure entertainment, actually go up during this time. To plan for a comfortable retirement, you’ll need to take into account all of these potential expenses when you budget what your cost of living will be. 

Don’t Neglect Catch-Up Contributions 

Many people simply don’t prioritize adding to their retirement savings in their early years of contribution to the workforce–most of their income is spent on student loan payments, housing, and supporting their families. 

After 50, people can take advantage of a catch-up contribution option, where you are able to put additional money into an IRA or another retirement account. While a startlingly low percentage of people over 50 do take advantage of the catch-up option, it is strongly recommended that you look into this as an efficient way to expand and grow your retirement portfolio. 

Don’t Forget Those Taxes 

It may seem at first with social security and other avenues of income streaming in that you have a pretty healthy influx of cash at your disposal. Stop and consider whether you have paid Uncle Sam his dues. Most retirement income is still taxable by law; up to 85 percent of social security income is still taxable! Interest and investment income are not immune to tax regulations either, even in retirement. Staying informed and making wise decisions with the counsel of trusted financial advisors will be key to maximizing your profit while minimizing your tax liability. 

An Ounce Of Prevention 

You’ve heard the phrase, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”. It is especially true when planning for retirement. Making smart decisions now and preparing for this time will ensure that your golden years are just that.  We are here to help you create a plan that will help you achieve a successful retirement.

When planning one’s last will and testament, one always hopes that the people they will be passing on their hard-earned wealth to will be responsible enough to handle it well and if possible, carry on their legacy. This is a hope which can be difficult to keep alive, especially in cases where the heirs have issues such as bad spending habits, drug addiction, gambling problems, and other weaknesses which compromise their judgment. When passing your estate to an imperfect heir, you need to make sure that you have put in place measures to control the manner in which they will use the money to prevent wastage. Here are some of the most common approaches.

Creating a trust

A trust is one of the ways in which you can pass on wealth to an heir while at the same time controlling the manner in which they use the money.  You can open a trust fund and appoint someone to play the role of trustee. The trustee is usually an independent and non-partisan party to the agreement. They should also be responsible, trustworthy, firm and principled. There are people who opt to appoint family members as trustees although there are times that these arrangements do not work out because of the possibility that they will cave when pressured by a family member who needs the money.  The ideal features of a trust is that they can specify the circumstances under which the money can be withdrawn. There are also trusts which state that it is only the trustee who will have discretion on when the funds can be disbursed.

Structured ideas

There are other approaches proven to have some success;

· You could decide to only have a lump sum payment made to them after they graduate from college

· You could decide to have chunks of the money offered to them after a specified period of time of sobriety. For instance, you could have money released to them after five years of being sober.

· You could create a will which says that payments are made directly to their utility providers such as their landlords and other utility companies.

There are many other specifications which you can make, but the most important part of to ensure that you are dealing with a professional who understands the rules and regulations of the process.

Dealing with the problem at the present

Another approach that many people never think about, and one that can be more helpful than trying to make safety nets, is dealing with the problem in the present. For instance, if you have a child that has an addiction issue, you can work to correct the issue now. Speak to them in the present and tell them that they need to get help. Create incentives that work in the present and work towards making sure that by the time you are approaching your sunset, the child has tried their best to reform.

Disinheritance

This may sound harsh, but in some circumstances, when you have tried all other approaches and when you are sure that leaving the property to the problematic heir will just be the same as throwing it away, you can choose to disinherit them. However, this is a last resort and usually applied if everything else that you can think about has completely stopped working.

These are just a few of the ways in which you can resolve the inheritance issue when their heirs are less than perfect. Ensure that you start looking for a solution long beforehand so that you can protect the child and/or family member from further destruction.

Life insurance is one of those things that many people prefer to avoid thinking about because it often conjures up dark images.  Many people are jarred into realizing the importance of buying life insurance after a close friend or family member has passed away or even after hearing a news story about a tragic death that hit close to home. The reality is that it is better to be prepared and know that our loved ones will not be left to fend for themselves. Consider these important questions to determine your need for life insurance.

How Will Your Loved Ones Live Without Your Income?

Some households are run on a paycheck to paycheck basis. Some people may have a modest amount of savings, but it may take two incomes to pay the monthly bills. Your spouse and children may quickly run out of money without your income to support them. Life insurance benefits are most commonly used to supplement lost wages and to eliminate debts after an income-producing adult passes away. By eliminating debts with insurance proceeds, your loved ones will need less money to live off of each month. Some people will purchase enough insurance to pay off all outstanding debts including the home mortgage. The surviving spouse may even be able to support the family through his or her income alone after the debts have been eliminated. Others will purchase enough coverage so that the proceeds can be invested to generate supplemental income.

How Will Your Spouse Be Able to Retire?

While some life insurance is needed to help your loved ones to survive on a monthly basis, you also need to think about the future. Your income may currently be instrumental in your spouse’s ability to fund a retirement account. Without your income, your spouse may be forced to work for many years past the traditional retirement age, this can create an unnecessary hardship on him or her. It can be wise to purchase extra coverage to fund a retirement account.

Do Your Kids Need Financial Assistance Getting Their Adult Lives Started?

If you have kids, you may be well aware of their financial dependence on you, and this will often not simply evaporate when they turn 18. Many children need financial assistance buying their first car, paying for their wedding, paying for college and more. Some parents will purchase additional death benefits so that their kids’ lives are not financially impacted by a death.

How Much Coverage Do You Need?

This is a complicated question that often requires you to create a solid financial plan for the future. Funds can be used strategically in different ways, such as to purchase income-producing assets, to pay off debts and more. Your current lifestyle, debts and assets all must be taken into account. It is wise to work with an experienced life insurance expert to review your financial needs.

Remember, life insurance has evolved over the years and there are many benefit programs that can come to your families rescue even if you don’t pass away but are too sick to work.  Now can be a great time to review what coverage you currently have and what coverage is available to you. Some people will live well into their 90s or beyond, but others have a life that is cut short far too soon.