At Financial Finesse, we help people make the most of their employer’s benefits to improve their retirement preparedness. But we recently received a comment on one of our Facebook posts from someone whose company doesn’t offer retirement benefits. If you’re in a similar situation, what can you do? Here are some options: Continue reading “How To Save For Retirement Without Your Employer’s Help”
What are you afraid of this Halloween? Forget ghosts and goblins. According to a report released last year by Bank of America’s Merrill Edge, there’s a 55% chance you fear not having enough money in retirement (versus 37% for losing your job and 25% for gaining weight). Continue reading “What’s Really Scaring Us This Halloween”
As people get closer to retirement, priorities change. The financial resources spent on home improvements and the time and energy necessary to maintain a full-sized home often become a little more of a burden. As kids leave the house and launch into their careers and start building their own families, there’s often a bunch of unneeded space. Continue reading “Downsizing Your Retirement Expenses”
I was recently talking to my parents about Social Security and was surprised to discover that they had no idea they could delay their benefits past their retirement.This is important because it’s usually the best strategy yet most people collect at the earliest age of 62. Here are some reasons why delaying might make sense: Continue reading “Good Things Come To Those Who Wait”
Last week, I had lunch with my good friend Brian who just happens to be a local realtor. Normally when we hang out, it is on the soccer field so as a result, we don’t get to discuss business too often. However, our recent discussion was a little different because we actually had time to talk about some passive income strategies. Continue reading “Passive Income Strategies For Retirement (And Now)”
When do you plan on retiring? When I ask this question during financial wellness workshops and webinars, I find that most people have at least a ballpark idea of when they would like to have the freedom to quit work. In fact, some people completely light up with a lightning fast response of “yesterday, today, or tomorrow” when I ask about that desired retirement date. For most of us, retirement is a top financial priority and there can be a difference between “desired” retirement dates and the actual realistic target date for retirement. Regardless of what your vision of the ideal retirement may look like, here are five basic questions that should be at the heart of all retirement planning activities: Continue reading “5 Retirement Questions You Need To Ask”
Answering calls to our Financial Helpline, I’ve heard some myths or assumptions about retirement and I always enjoy hearing the buzz out there from people contemplating retirement. My thought is – if I’m hearing this from a few people, there are potentially thousands or millions who have the same thought. So, for those who believe some of these things, I’ll share some of the myths/assumptions I’ve heard recently and then give you my $.02. Continue reading “Four Retirement Myths I’m Hearing”
One of the most common questions we get is how to prioritize funding different types of retirement accounts.In an ideal world, we would max them all out but most of us need to figure out which ones should take priority. I recently read this article that attempts to answer that question. While I generally agree with the points, there are three things that this article and many similar articles I’ve read tend to underestimate: Continue reading “3 Under-Rated Retirement Accounts”
As an addict avid watcher of Game of Thrones, I always hope that the series will go on for as long as The Simpsons. But as we’ve all seen in our lives, eventually all things (good and bad) must end.This article discusses the potential end of the run of GoT. I guess we will all have to deal with a series finale at some point within the next few years. The good news is that with Breaking Bad, Walking Dead, Friends, Seinfeld, MASH, etc. (depends on your generation which one will most resonate), we have precedent in watching our favorite show end. Continue reading “All Good Things Must End”
As a financial planner, I find people are pretty predictable about their feelings on income taxes: hardly any of them want to pay more than is absolutely necessary, and they feel like other people don’t pay enough! The US tax code has incentives and rules meant to encourage us to do specific things like buy a home, make charitable gifts and save for retirement. But is there any value in actually paying taxes up front rather than put them off if you can? Continue reading “When Does A Roth IRA Or 401(k) Work Best?”
I’m going to unofficially declare last week as National Social Security Awareness Week as a result of the questions I got in a series of workshops that I facilitated on retirement planning. I don’t think a week of Social Security actually exists on the calendar but with all the confusion surrounding Social Security there probably needs to be one. Here are some common myths I’ve heard: Continue reading “5 Myths About Social Security”
Lately there’s been a lot of criticism of 401k plans in the news and some of it is very valid. A 401k that is poorly designed and/or poorly managed can leave people in a bad place when they want to retire, but traditional pensions aren’t a perfect solution either. Don’t get me wrong. If you have a pension that is a GREAT benefit to have. You just can’t assume that everything will work out as planned. Continue reading “Managing Your Pension In A 401k World”
When our team of financial planners asks others about their top financial concerns and priorities there is a consistent answer – retirement. In fact, our financial wellness reports usually show that every age group with the exception of those under 30 indicate that their top financial planning priority is indeed retirement planning. This probably comes as no surprise because everywhere you look these days financial services companies are bombarding us with clever messages to shift our focus to retirement. The Financial Finesse blog team, which I am a contributing member of, frequently writes about different aspects of the retirement planning process as well. Continue reading “Should You Plan For Retirement Or Seek Financial Independence?”
Once in a while, usually during a long cold winter in the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic area, my thoughts wander into a warmer place. I’ve joked that one of the requirements for my next home is that I have to be able to call the local Home Depot/Lowe’s and when I ask if they sell snow shovels, their answer MUST be… “NEVER! Not a single day during the year do we sell snow shovels.” It was while discussing that philosophy with a friend that she pulled up this article on her phone to discuss her retirement dream. She would like to explore the world for a decade or so and then settle down in whatever place she feels like calling home. That sounds like a pretty cool lifestyle and one that a lot of people would love to experience. Continue reading “Retirement Isn’t All About The Numbers”
If you are divorced and were married for 10 years or longer, did you know you may be eligible for an ex-spousal Social Security benefit? Every time I say this I am amazed at the shocked expressions on people’s faces. Then I typically get the following questions: Continue reading “How Divorce Affects Your Social Security Benefits”
In a conversation I had recently with an employee of a large healthcare company, the topic of retirement planning and investing merged together. She had recently started her job and wanted to be sure that she got off to a good start. Her prior employer had no financial wellness benefits provided so this was her first conversation with a financial planner. The conversation was very revealing about her views of herself, the world of investing and the level of financial knowledge that many people who work in financial services business assume that individuals have when they walk in for a conversation. Continue reading “Small Changes Now Can Mean Big Long Term Results”
Good news! More people are expressing confidence in their ability to meet their income goals during retirement. According to the Employee Benefit Research Institute’s (EBRI) Retirement Confidence Survey, 28 percent of people with a retirement plan are very confident they will be able to retire comfortably. Continue reading “Is the Retirement Savings Gap Closing?”
Earlier in the day, I had a conversation with a couple who were convinced that they didn’t have nearly enough money to retire any time soon and this was a very problematic issue for them.While she loved her job and said she planned to work until she’s the oldest employee ever at her company, he is absolutely miserable. Through a reorganization at his company, he now reports to a manager that he absolutely cannot stand and he said he feels like life is being slowly sucked out of him. The new boss, in his view, is an absolute megalomaniac who makes life miserable for everyone in their department. Nearly half of the staff has left for other opportunities within the last 6 months and the workload for those remaining is overwhelming to the point that he feels like his health is being compromised. Continue reading “Laughter Can Be Retirement Medicine”
Earlier this year, I took a call from Carl who is getting ready to retire within the next few years. His advisor was suggesting that upon retirement, Carl rollover his 401(k) to an IRA and start collecting his Social Security benefit at age 62. Carl wasn’t so sure so he wanted a second opinion. Carl and I talked for a while and determined that it might make more sense for him to draw down his retirement account and allow his Social Security benefit to collect delayed credits. Continue reading “Why Your Advisor May Want You to Take Social Security Early”
As part of the financial education we provide on retirement decisions, we suggest a review of your insurance policies as a means of protecting your accumulated wealth. This includes a review of your homeowners coverage, medical benefits, and long-term care insurance, but we also suggest a review of your need for life insurance. I’ve always taken the stance that life insurance protects against at least three types of risk: loss of income, insufficient liquidity, and high income taxes. Let’s examine all three to see whether or not you need life insurance after retirement. Continue reading “Do You Need Life Insurance After You Retire?”
