Did You Know?

Your Portfolio

If your investments are spread among a number of firms, who is overseeing the entire portfolio? Without a “captain of the ship” your investments might duplicate or cancel each other out. That could hurt you in the long run. Sue can analyze all your accounts and determine the best strategy for your unique situation.

 Social Security Retirement Benefits

When you claim social security benefits can impact your quality of life in retirement and possibly the lifestyle of your spouse after your death. Claiming later will increase your benefit amount. Claiming earlier will decrease your benefit amount, and claiming too early may leave you with insufficient income to meet the rising costs of living.  We can determine the best claiming strategy to maximize your benefits. 

Charitable Giving and Required Distributions

If you are over age 70 ½, you must withdraw a certain amount from your retirement accounts every year. Did you know there’s a way to avoid paying tax on those distributions? If the money is transferred directly to a charity, it is not taxed. However, you are not allowed to claim a deduction for the charitable contribution.

 Life and Disability Insurance

Life happens. You could get hit by the proverbial bus tomorrow and be disabled or gone. Will your family be okay if you cannot provide for them? Insurance protects against life’s unexpected events. Insurance can help lift the load when two paychecks become only one. Insurance proceeds can be used for daily expenses, to pay off a mortgage, finance higher education costs, etc. How do you decide if you need life or disability insurance, how much coverage you might need, and how long the funds may need to last? Everyone’s situation is different.  Let us know if you want an independent review of your current policies or if you want to discuss the “what ifs” unique to your family finances.

Changing Jobs or Retiring?

What do you need to consider when you change jobs or retire? What are your options for your 401k or retirement plan? How will you replace other employer benefits? If you are retiring, will your new lifestyle align with your new income stream? What will you need to adjust? If you need help dealing with these issues or creating strategies for the next steps in your life, give us a call.  We can help you wade through the myriad of choices you face.

 Inheritance

Receiving an inheritance is great, right? That may depend on the types of assets you receive. For example, rental property requires more work and expense than a stock portfolio does. Will the bequest affect your income taxes, and if so, how? What’s the best use of cash? Should you pay off your mortgage or other debt? How long do you want the inheritance proceeds to last? These are just a few of the considerations you’ll face. We have helped many people in this situation. If you’d like some assistance sorting through your options and their potential impacts, please let us know. 

 Financial Decisions

We can help you make financial decisions, such as:

• How to finance a home purchase.
• Whether to refinance your current mortgage.
• Whether to buy or lease a car.
• Which “bucket” you should take money from to fund a vacation or other expense.
• When to claim social security benefits.

 We can walk you through the pros and cons of your options. 

 If your question includes a need for services we don’t provide, such as debt consolidation, preparing estate documents, or filing for bankruptcy, we will refer you to other professionals who can help you.

 Small Business

Are you considering buying or investing in a small business? Do you know your rights and responsibilities as an owner? Will you hire employees? What are the tax ramifications of different types of businesses: C corporation, S corporation, sole proprietorship, partnership, or LLC? Which is best for your particular business?

If you've owned your business for many years, is it time to sell? How would you find and select the right buyer? How should you structure the sale? What documents are needed?

We have worked with many types of businesses in a variety of industries.  We can help you with these and other questions.  Call us. 

Saving for College

Are you saving enough for your loved ones’ future education?  Each year, the cost to obtain a college education increases.  As the cost grows, so does your need understand the many options for saving and distributing funds. Whether you are a parent investing for your child’s future, a student trying to navigate financial aid, or an adult looking for a career change, Sue can assess your goals and help create a plan that works for you. 

 Retirement Income Planning

As retirement nears, your financial situation may become more complex and require more analysis and decision-making.

• How much money will you need every month? Do you know where that money will come from?
• How long will your funds last? What is the best way to balance current income needs and long-term growth of resources?
• Do you have multiple sources of funds? What is the best utilization strategy to make your funds last longer?
• Do you have specific goals you would like to fund, such as travel or home improvement projects?
• How will your income strategies and distributions affect your taxes?

We can help you create a plan for your retirement income that can be updated as your situation changes. Contact us for an appointment today!

Retirement

As retirement nears, your financial situation may become more complex and require more analysis and decision-making. That’s where we come in. We’ll help you decide which “bucket” to access when you need money. That can make a big difference in how long your funds last. We also consider the tax effects of distributions as well as the impact on your long-term plans.

Beneficiary Designations

When was the last time you reviewed the beneficiary designations on your IRA, 401K, or other retirement accounts? What about any annuity and life insurance policies you have? These assets are not affected by your will. If there has been a change in your family situation (e.g marriage, divorce, birth, or death), these documents should be reviewed. Life can throws you a curve ball; ensure your wishes are followed by regularly reviewing your beneficiary designations