It’s well known within the retirement planning industry that about half of all Americans are having a tough time with their retirement finances. That’s a lot of people. Furthermore, uncertain economic times can push the number of those struggling north of 50%. Considering how many retirees are out there–and it’s impressive due to one of the largest demographics reaching retirement age (*cough* Baby Boomers *cough*) as we speak–that’s a lot of Americans struggling to either save for retirement or stretch out their finances in retirement. With all that said, I want to remind you that you are not alone if you are struggling to either save or make your nest egg last. Many people do and there’s nothing wrong with asking for help in doing so. If you can afford it, a good wealth manager or financial planner can be a huge help. Despite the tone some of my blogposts, I fully understand that saving for retirement is no easy task and it’s been particularly tough over the past 15 years or so. That doesn’t mean you should give up on it, though. In fact, I want to encourage you to save as much as you can and to take steps to maximize your saving, regardless of where you are in your life. Something is better than nothing. So, are you struggling with saving for retirement? You’re not alone, but what are you going to do about it?
Tag Archives: Wealth Management
Getting By With a Little Help From Your Friends
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If you’re serious about saving for retirement, then you’ve probably done a lot of research and reading about the strategies you can use to do it, the tools the use, and things to look out for. Over time, that knowledge can really build up and it can be tough not to want to share it with family and friends. Guess what? There’s nothing wrong with that. After all, knowledge is power. That means the more you–and in this case, others–know the better you can be when it comes to making financial and retirement decisions. Now, before I go any further, I want to caution to you to be careful when it comes to giving advice regarding taxes or particular investments. Furthermore, if you find that you’re gathering a large following or are taking payment in return for financial advice, you should be very careful and maybe should consider becoming a financial advisor or wealth manager so as to protect yourself and get the credentials needed. In regards to taxes or tax-based strategies, you can potentially open yourself up to some legal liability, particularly if you are not properly credentialed to do so and if things go south (in other words…don’t mess with people’s taxes or tell them what to do with their taxes if you’re not a CPA). Anyways, in regards to sharing your knowledge, maybe you’ve learned some really great tips from an financial advisor or maybe you really like crunching numbers and want to help others who aren’t so skilled. Don’t be afraid to share your knowledge and skills to help others obtain a better grasp of their finances and retirement savings. Even if it’s just a matter of helping a friend set up a spreadsheet to track their expenses or helping a family member research an investment opportunity, you can share what you know and help others. Of course, if you aren’t comfortable with helping others with financial planning or preparing for retirement, you could also always just pass on the name of a reputable wealth manager or financial advisor.
Rolling Over to an IRA Can Give You More Investment Options
I want to start out by stating that this post is not meant to knock employer retirement plans. Such plans can be a great way to get started in saving for retirement or as another source of retirement savings. However, if you do reach a point where rolling a 401(k) or other employer plan into an IRA is a real opportunity/thought, then you should strongly consider doing so. First off, if you are still working and your 401(k) isn’t a huge amount, you could save yourself some serious tax money down the road if you convert to an IRA, especially a Roth IRA. That can be a huge boost when you do retire and don’t have to pay taxes when you take a withdrawal. One of the biggest advantages to an IRA, though, over an employer plan or other retirement accounts is the freedom you have to choose what to invest in. With an IRA you can invest in just about any stocks and markets you wish and can also invest in other things such as certain types of real estate (this can be complicated and not many IRA custodians can do this) and, in some instances, bitcoins/cryptocurrency. You also have more say in your investment strategies with an IRA over an employer plan. Since an IRA is yours–and not an employer benefit–you are the sole person who can decide things such as what you invest in, how much you invest in certain stocks, and when to buy and sell. This freedom can be very enticing for some people and can allow for better customization of goals and benchmarks when it comes to saving for retirement. If it’s too much you can also still start an IRA and have a financial advisor or wealth manager look after it too. You can also have an IRA and a employer-sponsored retirement plan. Many people do this as there are strategic advantages to having both. If you have questions about setting up an IRA or whether it’s even a good idea for your situation, you should speak with a certified financial planner or wealth manager.
Is Your Employer Helping You With Retirement Planning?
In recent years, you may have noticed your employer offering “financial wellness” services as part of their benefits package. These services are usually centered around retirement benefits, life insurance plans, and–more commonly among big companies–wealth management tools/resources. Financial wellness resources can include a number of offerings, including: retirement planning advice, financial planning services, debt management, and banking services (usually in the form of a credit union). You will most likely find that the bigger the employer, the more diverse the offerings. However, thanks to advancements in financial planning and modeling technology over the past decade, more and more employers are finding it feasible to offer financial wellness services, even if only on a limited basis. Furthermore, retirement advisory firms that service corporate clients are working these technologies into their services, which in turn is available to corporate clients and their employees. Now, some may be wary about involving employer resources in the managing of their finances, but that doesn’t mean you should write off such services. They can be very helpful, especially if you are working on a budget and don’t want to hire a certified financial planner or if you know what you want to do, but have a few questions. Most financial wellness offerings are not required and you can pick and choose what you want to use. Employers realize that they need to do more to help employees plan for the future and save for retirement and now they can. Does your employer offer financial wellness benefits and do you take advantage of them?