As the world goes increasingly digital, many of us have amassed sometimes large collections of non-physical assets such as digital photos, music, movies, eBooks, cryptocurrencies and more on our computers, smartphones, portable media players, hard drives and other devices. Although they are in an electronic format, these assets often have personal or financial value, which can make them part of your estate. And that means they should be included in your estate planning.
Perhaps your cousin’s best friend is an insurance agent who provides financial planning. Or maybe your neighbor’s brother-in-law was bending your ear at a recent barbeque about how annuities are key to an effective financial plan. So, you may be wondering, what exactly is a “financial plan”? And when different people use that term, are they all describing the same thing?
“Turn! Turn! Turn!” written by Peter Seeger and made famous by The Byrds was released in 1965. If listening to this song on the AM station was part of your early memories, then you are probably thinking about downsizing or soon will be. Downsizing is a time to break things down and a time to cast things away. Hopefully there will be some laughter and dancing and not too much to mourn, but probably some tears are inevitable.
For working parents-to-be, planning for your baby’s arrival means far more than picking out furniture, packing a bag, and having the doctor’s number memorized. There are also a number of work and financial issues to consider. Whether your maternity/paternity leave is for a few weeks or several months, this checklist will help streamline the transition from workplace to home and back again.
The economic and market turmoil during the past year, most of it caused by the pandemic, has brought into sharp focus for many investors the vital importance of dependable, professional advice about investments and financial planning. Especially when emotions are high, having an experienced wealth manager who is ethically and professionally committed to providing counsel that places the client’s best interest ahead of everything else can be a crucial shelter in the storm.
I proudly served in the U.S. Army from 1991 to 1992 as a medic. My time serving makes me appreciate being a U.S. citizen. This holiday, I hope you do something enjoyable with family and friends. Here are ten ideas — I will likely do a mixture of them all!
This checklist was created to help you organize your affairs. Your individual situation will dictate other items which may need to be addressed. We suggest discussing your plans with the executor of your will as well as consulting with your legal, financial, and tax advisors. The time to get these professionals involved is before an event occurs – plan ahead. If you wait, chances are the lack of preparation may cost you and your heirs more money, time, and frustration.
Earned income stops for everyone at some point, and people then need to navigate the transition from saving for retirement to spending from their investment portfolio. From a financial planning standpoint, we generally encourage clients to be debt-free in retirement so that when their earned income stops, so do their debt payments. Exceptions may be made for situations with reasonable levels of debt at extremely low interest rates or for loans with short remaining terms.
When “Ross”, age 62, retired from his full-time job in August, he continued to work as a freelance consultant. During all the years he was employed, Ross typically received a bi-weekly paycheck, from which taxes, insurance premiums, and 401(k) contributions were automatically deducted.
During tax season and the inevitable search for financial records, some of us were frantically searching for that one piece of paper we just couldn’t find, and others had everything organized and ready to go.
