Should You Split Up With Your Spouse In Retirement?

August 19, 2014

Some couples could benefit from a split strategy in retirement but I don’t mean breaking up with your loved one.  The Wall Street Journal‘s MarketWatch blog recently highlighted a split strategy for couples when deciding on the best time to take Social Security benefits. One spouse (the lower income earner) takes benefits as early as possible, which is at age 62.  The other spouse would wait until age 70 to take their own benefit but at their full retirement age (66 to 67 – depending on your year of birth) would claim the spousal benefit based on the lower income earning spouse. Continue reading “Should You Split Up With Your Spouse In Retirement?”

Student Loan Debt a Major Threat

August 15, 2014

I read this article about student loan debt resulting in a portion of a man’s Social Security income being garnished. In the article, not only is the garnishment discussed but also discussed is the growing trend of older Americans still having outstanding student loan debt. If that debt is not repaid prior to retirement, Social Security payments may be impacted and the retirement lifestyle that you’re expecting may come up short. It reminded me of a couple of situations I’ve encountered in coaching sessions recently where student loan debt became a central part of the conversation. Continue reading “Student Loan Debt a Major Threat”

In Defense of the Traditional 401(k)

August 14, 2014

Should you make pre-tax or Roth 401(k) contributions? I recently read this article by Penelope Wang called “The Great Retirement Account You’re Not Using” that argues for Roth contributions. However,  I still think pre-tax contributions make more sense for most people. Here is my response to each of her main arguments: Continue reading “In Defense of the Traditional 401(k)”

What to Do When Your Pension is Terminated

July 24, 2014

As traditional pension funds continue to go the way of the typewriter all across America, you may find yourself in the position of having to decide what to do with a pension plan that’s being terminated by your employer. Fortunately, that doesn’t mean the money disappears. It just won’t be added to anymore and you have to choose what to do with the money. While this may sound like the kind of thing you’d rather not deal with, these come with an expiration date and a default option that may not be your best choice. So let’s look at the pros and cons of some common options. Continue reading “What to Do When Your Pension is Terminated”

Why Your Social Security Projection is Probably Wrong

June 27, 2014

When doing retirement planning sessions with people, we often talk about their retirement resources in order to help them plan for the future.  We look at any pension incomes that will come their way.  We look at their savings and investment accounts, their contribution levels and the potential growth of those accounts.  Continue reading “Why Your Social Security Projection is Probably Wrong”

Be an Owner Rather Than a Loaner in Retirement

June 26, 2014

One of the most common pieces of investment wisdom is that you should invest more in conservative “loan” investments like cash and bonds and less in more aggressive “own” investments like stocks and real estate as you get closer to retirement. This may have made sense when bonds were paying 6% or more but with long term bonds rates now closer to 3%, this could actually make it harder to retire comfortably or more likely you could run out of money in retirement. Cash is paying less than inflation. Rather than to low-interest bonds and cash, why not shift towards high-yielding dividend stocks and real estate? Here are some advantages of this approach: Continue reading “Be an Owner Rather Than a Loaner in Retirement”

Should a Roth IRA Be Part of Your Emergency Safety Net?

June 02, 2014

Roth IRAs are increasingly becoming one of the most popular savings vehicles for retirement. The most appealing feature of the Roth IRA is that these type of retirement accounts offer tax-free withdrawals of earnings at age 59 ½ as long as the account has been open for at least 5 years. The term “tax-free” is quite appealing in the current economic environment where higher future income tax rates appear to be a real possibility. Millennials and Gen Xers, who may not be in their peak earning years, may be particularly prime candidates to contribute to a Roth IRA. Perhaps that is one reason why the growth in Roth IRAs far outpaces that in traditional IRAs as more account owners are choosing to use after-tax dollars to save for retirement to receive the tax break during retirement.  Continue reading “Should a Roth IRA Be Part of Your Emergency Safety Net?”

What’s Your Magic Number?

May 16, 2014

By “magic number,” I mean how much money will you need in order to retire comfortably?  Without giving away too much, let me answer briefly.  A WHOLE LOT!!!! Of course, it’s going to be a different number for each of us and there are countless ways to arrive at a number that makes sense for your life  so my goal here is to try to help you figure out a reasonable estimate of what you might need without having to run numbers on a spreadsheet or a website that may or may not be worth the time it takes to prepare the estimate.  I’m not saying it’s going to be super-easy but at least it won’t require much math! Continue reading “What’s Your Magic Number?”

Using Real Estate to Supplement Your Retirement Income (Part II)

May 14, 2014

Real estate can be a great asset for retirement planning. Last week, I explored a couple of ways you can supplement your retirement income using real estate, namely by owning rental property or investing in REITs.  This week, I’d like to take a look at a few other ways you can use real estate to supplement your income by tapping into the equity you may have in the home you are living in right now. Continue reading “Using Real Estate to Supplement Your Retirement Income (Part II)”

When Should You Take Social Security?

May 09, 2014

A question that I get very frequently is “When is the best time to take my Social Security benefits?”  The real answer can only be determined if we know a few minor details. So, if you know these things, we can make a precise calculation. Otherwise, we have to make an educated guess.  Continue reading “When Should You Take Social Security?”

How to Use Real Estate to Supplement Your Retirement Income (Part I)

May 07, 2014

One of the most popular workshops we offer at Financial Finesse is our workshops on retirement planning. That’s probably because retirement is a financial goal common to just about anyone that works for a living. In order to enjoy a comfortable retirement, many financial experts recommend replacing 70-80% of your income in retirement, which begs the question “What are your retirement income sources?” Continue reading “How to Use Real Estate to Supplement Your Retirement Income (Part I)”

What Should You Do With Your Tax Refund?

April 17, 2014

If you’re like the average American, you’re getting a tax refund of about $3k this year. So what should you do with that nice windfall? Here are some things to consider before blowing it all on a random shopping spree. Continue reading “What Should You Do With Your Tax Refund?”

A “Tail” of Two Kitties

March 18, 2014

Cat stories are hard to resist – as evidenced by the media attention last week on the 911 call about an Oregon house cat who attacked a baby, then trapped the family (including the dog) in their bedroom. Mr. Mittens isn’t that ferocious cat, but he does have a “tail” to tell about retirement so take a minute and check out his story, sponsored by the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans (IFEBP): Continue reading “A “Tail” of Two Kitties”

What Obama’s Budget Proposals Could Mean For Your Retirement

March 12, 2014

Earlier this month, a colleague of mine forwarded me this article by Jeffrey Levine. In the article, he outlines some of the changes President Obama is proposing in his 2015 budget. While it is unlikely that these provisions will be enacted anytime soon, it does raise the specter of possible changes in the future so it’s important to understand the short and long term ramifications for you and your retirement plans if they ever do come to pass.  Here are some things to consider, along with my take on each proposed provision: Continue reading “What Obama’s Budget Proposals Could Mean For Your Retirement”

Why I Max Out My Health Savings Account (And You Should Too)

February 19, 2014
Updated June 14, 2017

When I worked as a 401(k) enroller, my regional sales manager (who happened to be my step-dad) used to demonstrate the tax advantages of the 401(k) by ripping a dollar bill into two pieces to show the effect of taxes on income. He would then go on to say that trying to save for retirement with after-tax money was the equivalent of saving only a portion of every dollar we earned and by putting that money in the 401(k), we got the benefit of the whole dollar instead.

Not only did this grab my attention—unless they are a magician you rarely expect someone to voluntarily rip dollar bills in half—but it drove home the idea that tax-deferred saving was better than saving after taxes.  There was only one problem: that money would eventually get ripped, figuratively speaking, when it was withdrawn in retirement. Continue reading “Why I Max Out My Health Savings Account (And You Should Too)”

Go Simple. Go Small. Go Now.

February 03, 2014

A lot of people have asked me how my wife and I are able to live together and travel around on a small, simple boat only 25 feet long. It’s true that it’s not a lot of space and doesn’t have many creature comforts. And when it comes to boats, there’s always something bigger and fancier with more complex systems to tempt you.   Continue reading “Go Simple. Go Small. Go Now.”

Retirement Saving Benchmarks for All Ages

February 03, 2014

How did your team do in the Super Bowl?  If you are a Seattle Seahawks fan (or at least pretended to be last night) the final scoreboard doesn’t tell a lie and your team was victorious in Super Bowl XLVIII (that’s 48 if you’re a bit rusty on the understanding of Roman numerals).  Continue reading “Retirement Saving Benchmarks for All Ages”

Why I’m Investing in Real Estate

January 30, 2014

I recently got a question in one of my retirement workshops about investing in rental properties for retirement. This can be a great idea for some investors. In fact, I just closed on my own first investment property. Here are some of the unique benefits to supplementing your other retirement investments with direct real estate: Continue reading “Why I’m Investing in Real Estate”

Why Gen X Isn’t Doomed

January 20, 2014

Last week, Financial Finesse released our annual Generational Research Report and all I can say is, “I resemble that remark.”  The good news of our findings is that my generation, Gen X, is getting better across all areas of financial wellness.  The bad news is that we were the hardest hit generation by the Great Recession and we are lagging our counterparts in many areas, especially cash management. Continue reading “Why Gen X Isn’t Doomed”