If you're a Modern Family fan, you should enjoy today's episode.
Today, we're diving in the mistakes made when we make assumptions about our IRA beneficiary forms.
Many people don’t realize this but their IRA has the opportunity to be the star player of their estate plan. In this episode, we walk through real world examples, to help you take steps now to avoid similar pitfalls in your own lives.
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The behavioral and emotional side of financial planning takes precedence when planning for our future.
I see this play out frequently in the form of anchoring to a perceived value we’ve grown accustomed to, based on prior experience.
This “value”; however, can unfortunately lead to decisions that damage the success of our financial plan.
Summer is here! That means it’s time to brush off the bookshelf and get reading. We have a few book ideas to enhance your reading list. If you are looking to improve your financial life or even just enjoy a light beach-read you won’t want to miss this list.
Are you the type of person who loves surprises? One surprise you probably don’t enjoy is having to pay more taxes than you anticipated.
Unfortunately, taxes are a necessary part of life. The best thing you can do to ensure that you aren’t caught off guard at the end of the tax year is to prepare throughout the year.
On this episode of Financial Symmetry, Allison Berger and I review 9 ways to prevent taxes from catching you off guard. Don’t let the next tax season take you by surprise. Listen in to hear how you can improve your tax situation so that you can rest easy come tax time.
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As you plan to live your ideal retirement, you may want to share your good fortune with others who are less fortunate.
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Giving is incentivized through the tax code, so being charitably inclined can also help to reduce your tax liability.
In retirement, there are many ways to map out your charitable giving to take full advantage of the tax benefits. This is why, we discuss ways to capitalize on those opportunities while meeting your charitable goals.
Listen in to learn how to enhance your today and enrich your tomorrow while giving intentionally.
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If you have been watching the news lately you may be wondering if your cash is safe. Watching the country’s 16th largest bank collapse causes people to question whether the banking system is set up to ensure that funds are accessible.
On this episode of Financial Symmetry, we’ll discuss what happened to Silicon Valley Bank, examine how much cash you really need, and explore options for managing your emergency fund. Listen in to learn how to safely manage your emergency fund.
As International Women’s Day approaches, we wanted to get together to explore ways to improve the financial outcome for women across the globe.
In this episode, Allison Berger, Grace Kvantas, Haley Modlin and Darian Billingsley, break down the four Cs of women’s personal finance.
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DOWNLOAD the Sudden Money Financial Transition Journal here
Retirement is one of the most significant changes that you will manage in your life. It takes not just careful financial planning, but also careful life planning as well.
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Our guest today, Susan Bradley, is the author of Sudden Money and the founder of the Sudden Money Institute. She is also a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) and a Certified Financial Transitionist (CFT). We discuss how best to prepare for the retirement transition
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In today’s video, we discuss several questions of what we can learn from last year’s investing experience and what we could expect for 2023.
Listen in to see how lessons from last year can help you move forward with confidence.
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The Secure Act 2.0 was recently passed bringing in hundreds of new retirement and investment account changes.
In this episode, we detail some of the most impactful changes for you. We’ll break down these changes to explore planning opportunities for your retirement planning strategies.
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As we come to the end of 2022, we reflect on some of our favorite reads and podcasts that we have highlighted in our monthly newsletter. If you’d like to check out what we’ve been reading or listening to on a more regular basis, sign up for our monthly newsletter to get the information delivered straight to your inbox.
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How often do you go back and question your retirement and investment decisions?
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When thinking through your personal financial decisions, it is common to be swayed by emotions rather than rational thoughts. However, your emotions could derail your wealth-building journey.
Today, we explore five of the most common behavioral financial biases and ways to combat them. If you are ready to get serious about making better financial decisions to build wealth, you won’t want to miss this episode.
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What if one of these ten tax tools could be the tax opportunity that you’ve been missing?
If you are looking to increase your wealth over your lifetime, you’ll want to ensure that you have the best tax planning strategies in place for long-term success.
Paying more taxes now to lower your lifetime tax rate may seem unconventional, but if you are serious about building wealth, this episode could include steps to help you get there.
From donor-advised funds, QCDs to Roth conversions and more. See if any of these 10 could benefit you.
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So many conversations today are tied to the news. Hard to not find someone talking about the troubled economy, inflation, and the tumbling stock market.
How should you change your investments in light of all these issues? You may be wondering if you are invested too aggressively, or you might even be considering pulling out of the market and waiting out the storm.
Before you rush in to change your investment tactics, listen to this episode to compare our 10 investing principles to your investing blueprint.
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None of us know how long we will live, so it is important to prepare for the inevitable. Unfortunately, all that we have earned in this life won’t transfer into the next, so it is important that we have our wishes laid out appropriately.
An estate plan is a critical component of the retirement planning journey.
Estate attorney, Adam Tarsitano joins the Financial Symmetry podcast again today to discuss spooky estate planning tales from the crypt that he has seen in his experience.
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How do you deal with a major financial transitions?
Video recap: https://youtu.be/2tWrduVAS14
When this happens there can be many choices that you need to make. Without the right decision-making framework, navigating these choices can lead to analysis paralysis.
Allison Berger joins me today to share some of what she has learned while studying for the CFT designation (Certified Financial Transitionist). The coursework for this professional title combines financial planning with cutting-edge research in neurology, sociology, and psychology. With her newfound knowledge, Allison will help us learn how to navigate the technical and personal side of major life decisions.
Listen in to learn how to build a framework that can help you navigate major financial decisions.
In a bear market, it can be easy to panic and forget that investor behavior drives results more than choosing the right investments. People tend to be their own worst enemy during these trying times. That’s why it is important to learn from those that have gone before you.
Video Recap: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VePid5UlQ1Y
Your Playbook to Market Volatility: https://www.financialsymmetry.com/staying-the-course-even-during-volatile-markets/
Check out this episode to discover the 4 typical investors that we encounter during market declines. As you listen consider who you have been like in the past. Which one are you feeling like now? Which one do you want to be in the future?
Most of us believe we’ll always have more time with our spouse, but when that time is cut short, we’re often left with too many questions and not enough answers.
Video recap: https://youtu.be/2jFmLDB3Xks
On today’s show, we tackle the emotionally challenging subject of losing a spouse.
Between planning a funeral, notifying people, and taking calls, it’s hard to find time to grieve, much less think about the financial consequences and tax changes you have to deal with in the coming weeks. Part of our responsibility during this difficult time is to walk you through the steps of navigating the administrative part of handling a loved one’s resources.
Listen to this episode to learn about the tax changes to consider when dealing with the death of a spouse.
Read more in the show notes here: https://www.financialsymmetry.com/tax-changes-to-consider-after-the-death-of-a-spouse-ep-166/
Do you have an estate plan?
Is it up to date?
Was it prepared by an estate planning professional?
Video link: https://youtu.be/c7XO462BOcg
If you answered "no" to any of these questions, this episode is for you.
On the show this week, we welcome Adam Tarsitano, an estate planning attorney in Raleigh, NC, to discuss why it is so important to have a professionally prepared estate plan in place.
Listen in to hear the difference between a professional estate plan and a DIY estate plan and what could happen to your assets if the state decides what to do with them.
Video recap: https://youtu.be/4FjSIJw8a6A
Listen in to discover how you can accelerate women’s equality by overcoming or breaking through these biases.
This first bias is simply untrue. Actually, women are more likely to take calculated risks than men. Women are also more likely to hold an appropriate amount of investments when compared with their cash savings.
Men and women are equally fearful at the beginning of their investing journeys. However, since women are more cautious about things that they are unfamiliar with they often become more educated about investing so that they feel more comfortable.
In the long term, women’s investments often outperform those of men. This could be due to women having more intentionality, self-control, and a higher savings rate than men. Since women are often playing catch up with their investing, they are usually excited to get started. Investment and retirement planning is especially important for women since there are so many preconceived notions that surround women and money.
On average, women make about $0.84 to a man’s dollar. This is often due to the way compensation is structured. Women often ask for less, negotiate less, or don’t negotiate at all. This means that women have less to contribute to their retirement savings.
Knowledge is the power to overcome this bias. To improve your salary it is important to understand the average salaries for your area of the country and, specifically, for your field. Use websites like Glassdoor or Salary.com to help you research. Don’t be ashamed to discuss this topic with friends, family, and colleagues to learn more.
Once you’ve done your research, consider your next salary negotiation. Set a range that works well for you and shoot for the top of that range. Remember that you are selling yourself, so consider the value that you have added to your role. Come up with a list of your accomplishments. Listen in to hear all the tips that this bright group of women brings to the table. With a bit of preparation, you may be pleasantly surprised by your next salary negotiation.
We’ve all heard this myth perpetuated; however, spending doesn’t have a gender. Either partner in a relationship can be the big spender, but since women are often the ones buying for the family, it can seem like they spend more than men.
Budgets are an important part of the financial health of any relationship so that both partners understand how much they can safely spend. Typically, one partner is more of a saver and the other is more of a spender, but the ideal is to strike a balance between the two.
Since women have been shut out of the financial conversation for so long, they often don’t know where to begin the conversation. Here at Financial Symmetry, we encourage both partners to come to the table, even if it takes an extra conversation to understand and address all of the issues or concerns.
As you approach International Women’s Day, consider whether any of these financial biases have come up in your life. You can research more biases surrounding women by using the hashtag #BreakTheBias.
Do you have concentrated stocks in your portfolio?
Video recap: https://youtu.be/g5oDev7Ns84
You may have inherited stocks from a loved one or maybe you receive stock options as part of your pay structure or a compensation package. Whatever the reason you have concentrated stocks, if you own more than you think you should of one company, it is important to understand what you could do with it. You may be surprised to hear all of the options that you have available, so listen in to hear what your choices are.
You may be wondering if any of the stocks that you own would be considered concentrated stocks. Deciding whether you own any is easy. You don’t need to look at the percentage of the stock in your portfolio. It doesn’t matter if that stock is 5%, 10%, or even 50% of your portfolio. What matters is what would happen if that stock went to zero. If that would affect your financial life then you do own a concentrated stock.
You may argue that the richest people in the world gained their wealth through concentrated stocks, but you don’t hear about all those that have lost their wealth from putting all their eggs in one basket.
Individual stocks are volatile. Over a 40 year time period, 40% of individual stocks experienced negative absolute returns. The reason we choose to have a balanced portfolio is to balance the winners with the losers.
There are different reasons that people choose to hold on to stocks for longer than they should. If the stock is from their employer, they may have a bit of bias thinking that they know their company and it will outperform the rest. Some people got into a position early and rode the wave. Others feel an emotional attachment to the stock and are hesitant to let it go.
Whatever the reason you may be hanging on, it is important to analyze your holdings to see if they fit into your overall financial plan. If not, it is time to find a strategy to divest from your position.
Coming up with a strategy that fits into your overall financial plan requires some thought. The easiest thing to do when you aren’t sure of the right choice is to do nothing, but that, of course, is the worst thing you can do.
There are 4 options available to you when you own concentrated stocks: sell, hedge, diversify, or transfer the wealth.
This episode has some advanced strategies to consider, so if you are wondering what you should do with your concentrated stocks you may want to listen twice or take notes as you listen so that you can discover what to do with your concentrated positions and how it could fit into your overall financial plan.
If you still think you need help coming up with a strategy, reach out to us so that we can help you come up with a financial plan that is right for you.
2021 has been a wild ride! But like with any roller coaster, we've learned that the most important thing to do is to stay in your seat so that you don't get hurt.
Video recap: https://youtu.be/4fuYYZNDALQ
On this episode, we recap our views on the top 10 economic stories from 2021 and the lessons they hold going forward.
Social Security remains a critical component of retirement income for most senior citizens. To ensure retirees maintain purchasing power through their golden years Social Security benefits are subject to an annual Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) based on the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W). Due to rising prices and persistent inflation concerns, the COLA for 2022 will be 5.9%, the highest upward adjustment in decades.
If you are 62 or above and delaying benefits for your higher FRA or age 70 payment, you will also benefit from this adjustment. The Social Security COLA applies to estimated future payouts for anyone who is 62 or older in 2022, even if you have not yet filed for benefits.
While the higher COLA for 2022 is positive news for today’s Social Security recipients, retirees also need to consider how inflation may impact their other retirement income sources. Maintaining an investment portfolio with a healthy allocation to assets likely to outpace inflation over the long term remains critical to sustaining your standard of living.
Along with the rapid increase in energy and food prices, housing costs have contributed to an inflation rate that is at its highest level in more than 30 years. Low interest rates, low inventories and a strong increase in demand are driving home prices to record highs. The Raleigh housing market has been one of the hottest in the country. According to Zillow, the price of a home in Raleigh has gone up by 26% over the last twelve months! Large employers like Apple and Google have announced plans to expand their operations in the Triangle area which will add thousands of high paying jobs and bring even more demand to the local housing market. The last time housing prices were rising like this was in 2007 before the housing bubble popped. However, there are fundamental differences this time – lower interest rates, stricter loan underwriting standards and homebuyers with stronger balance sheets. Nonetheless, it’s likely that home price increases will stabilize, especially if we get a spike in interest rates. This will be a story to watch closely in 2022.
Almost every year there seems to be substantial concern over the amount of US government debt and 2021 was another one. It is notable that concerns tend to become louder when there is pending legislation or upcoming elections, but the concerns tend to involve some fundamental misunderstandings.
One of the most common arguments is that the US government should operate like a household and not have so much debt. Two of the problems with that argument are:
Another misunderstanding is that high government debt leads to hyperinflation. We can see that the argument is weak since Japan has had much higher government debt than the US for the last 20+ years with extremely low inflation.
But there are cases where high government debt and hyperinflation occurred and looking at the difference in those cases compared to Japan demonstrates the misunderstanding.
In Japan’s case, their debts are denominated in their own currency, the Yen. In the hyperinflation cases, the debt is owed in some other country’s currency. When a nation owes debts in another currency, if their own currency declines, the debt becomes bigger when translated back to their own currency.
This can lead to a spiral where the debt becomes harder to pay, which causes more loss of confidence in the borrower’s currency, which leads to falling currency and this spiral can continue until the borrower’s currency becomes effectively worthless and the foreign currency debt cannot be repaid.
Fortunately, the US government is a very reliable borrower, so all US government debt is denominated in US dollars.
Starting all the way back on the run on toilet paper to the shortages at your local Chick-Fil-A , supply chain scares have existed since the beginning of the pandemic. COVID outbreaks at various distribution centers and manufacturing plants sent ripple effects throughout the supply chain system which are continuously being felt to this day. Auto dealers lots have been empty of new cars for over a year now with the chip shortage, loaded cargo ships sit backed up off the coast of California, and basic items at your local grocery randomly seem out of stock (no individual packaged gold fish snacks is really bugging my two toddlers 😊). Of course with high demand and low inventory, prices have risen as you’ve seen if shopping for a car, or even just the increase in value of your current used car sitting in the driveway. The supply chain system that once seemed so smooth is now unpredictable and impacting every aspect of the lives of consumers.
Ahead of his inauguration, President Joe Biden proposed legislation that addressed funding for COVID-19 relief, social services, welfare, infrastructure, and the reduction of climate change effects – coined the Build Back Better Plan. The underlying components of this plan were much debated in Congress throughout 2021, with some parts of the plan passing through legislation after extensive negotiations from both sides of the political aisle. In March, Congress passed the American Rescue Plan, a COVID-19 relief package. In November, The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act was passed and included funding for broadband access, clean water, electric grid renewal and additional infrastructure maintenance and improvements. The Build Back Better Act, seen as the final component to the Build Back Better Plan, was passed by the House in November and now heads to the Senate to debate. In its current form, the Act includes additional funding for climate change provisions, increased funding for childcare, home care, housing and child tax credits, paid family leave, and extended Affordable Care Act subsidies. Much of this proposal would be paid for via a minimum corporate tax of 15% and increased taxes on the wealthiest taxpayers. As has been the case throughout the year, this Act will likely be much debated and revised in the Senate, and if passed, would then head back to the House for a second vote.
Inflation was the subject of many conversations in 2021 as well as one source of financial stress for many households. During the summer, monthly inflation started creeping higher, and many economists believed that the higher inflation would be short-lived. By October, 12-month inflation of 6.2% was at the highest rate since 1990 and higher than the Federal Reserve’s target of 2%. Some top contributors to this higher-than-desired inflation include supply chain issues, post-lockdown demand for goods and services, and increased prices on fuel and used cars. The effects of inflation will vary from household to household, with some feeling it more acutely than others. Inflation is a fact of life; no one can avoid it completely. Thankfully, stock growth has outpaced inflation over time. This is why it’s important to have your long-term savings invested in a well-diversified investing strategy to help your money grow faster than inflation.
GameStop is a company that sells video games, consoles, and assorted merchandise. It made headlines earlier this year when the stock price went from ~$20 to ~$483 in less than a month (January 2021). As of December 2, 2021, the stock down ~63% from earlier highs. What happened? Short story is a group of retail traders worked together (Redditt forum) to force professional money managers to buy the stock to cover their short position. This resulted in significant demand which drove the price up to levels no one expected. The summary is markets can be crazy and feel unfair in the short-run. The best way to reach your financial goals is not to avoid the markets, but to act and think long-term. Investment success is driven by patience and discipline, not gambling.
Yes, all-time stock market highs aren’t all that uncommon. In fact, we’re in the 9th year where the S&P 500 has set at least 10 new all-time highs during each of those years. In 2021, we’ve now seen 68 new highs as of November 20th. But, for many investors, all-time high prices can be a cause for concern. They worry if they’ve missed the run up. Or shy away because what goes up, must come down. While that tends to happen every six to seven years in the markets, what’s most important to remember is that all declines up to this point have been temporary. This is where evidence can help. Looking at the S&P 500 94 year history, even if you invested at all-time highs, you’d have enjoyed double-digit annualized returns one, three, and 5 years later. Another great example of how a durable, disciplined, and diversified portfolio can help you fight the temptation to try and time the markets based on headlines. We addressed this idea in a recent podcast and video here.
As we entered round two of the pandemic, headlines of yet another COVID-19 mutation known as the Delta variant took over our news and media feeds and quickly became a major economic topic of discussion for the year.
First detected in March of 2021 the highly infectious Delta variant became the predominant strain, eventually accounting for over 90% of confirmed cases across the globe this year. The variant's impact stretched across multiple economies causing businesses to scale back staffing capacity, delay workers returning to the office, and experience widespread supply chain disruptions worldwide.
Navigating an unprecedented pandemic remains a factor of concern for economic interruption as we adjust to new headlines daily. We look onward into 2022 for signs of improvement as our world economies adapt to strengthen economic resilience.
Bitcoin and Ethereum, the two largest cryptocurrencies, recently set new all-time highs in 2021. Although they’ve since experienced substantial drops in price, there is no argument that cryptocurrencies have continued to increase in popularity among investors, pop culture, institutions, as well as criminals. The first Bitcoin linked ETF made its debut on the NYSE in October and BlackRock, a global asset manager, added Bitcoin futures to two of its funds in January. Mainstream companies such as AMC will begin to accept Bitcoin payments and others like PayPal and Square are allowing users to buy it on their platforms while a number of companies have added it to their balance sheets. Lawmakers around the world and in the US continue to try to tackle laws and guidelines to make cryptocurrency safer for investors and less appealing to cyber criminals which could have varying effects on crypto in the future. One could speculate on the value of cryptocurrency could possibly hold for its investors in the short or long term but as a relatively new and speculative investment, its extreme volatility could take investors on a wild and bumpy ride.
Everyone is talking about inflation. You can’t open a newspaper, look at your phone, or go to a barbecue without hearing about it. With all this talk, it can be easy to worry about your financial future.
Video recap: https://youtu.be/iZoqhqEVR1I
On this episode of Financial Symmetry, we’ll explore the causes of inflation, historical inflation, and what you can do to hedge against this silent enemy. Press play to educate yourself and ease your worries.
Inflation is different from market risk: it doesn’t show up in your bank or investment accounts. Instead, inflation presents itself at the gas station and the grocery store, so you do feel it in your pocketbook. Since it eats away at your buying power, inflation is often referred to as retirement’s silent danger.
If you recall your college economy class, you’ll remember that inflation is caused by supply and demand. When there is a limited supply and a high demand, then prices go up. We see that happening now with auto sales due to the offline chip manufacturers and supply chain issues. During inflation, people worry that prices will continue to rise, so they want to rush out and make their purchases now.
Although it is frustrating to see your purchasing power erode so quickly, it is important to remember that there are worse things that can happen in the economy. Deflation is actually worse for the economy than inflation. Stagflation is a type of inflation that occurs when prices go up but the economy is slow and there is high unemployment. Thankfully, we have the opposite happening now since employers are having a hard time finding workers. Even though it is difficult to watch your purchasing power erode, there could be a worse economy.
The question on everyone’s mind is: will this inflation last? Over the past 10 years, we have had historically low inflation that averaged about 2%. When comparing that average to this past year’s average of 6%, it's easy to understand why people are concerned.
One way to contemplate the future is by looking at the past. In the 70s the US experienced some of the highest prolonged inflation rates that were punctuated by the shock in oil supply. After WWI Germany experienced crippling inflation when it had to repay its debts in foreign currency.
The good news about our current situation is that the supply chain issues will eventually be resolved. The bad news is that higher prices are often the best solution to higher prices. Listen in to see how that works out in the long run.
The reason we invest in companies is to hedge against inflation. A varied investment portfolio with global stocks is one way to ensure that you retain buying power down the road. In addition to creating a diversified portfolio, you should limit the amount of money that you retain in cash. Try to keep your cash to emergency savings since your purchasing power erodes over time. Another way that you can protect against this silent risk is by investing in TIPS, real estate, commodities, or crypto currency.
Whatever you do to protect your wealth, don’t let the media dictate your financial decisions. Stick to your financial plan. If you don’t have a financial plan, reach out to us to see how we can help you weather all kinds of financial storms.
Welcome to this bonus episode of Financial Symmetry with Allison Berger and Grace Kvantas. Grace and I bring you this episode as a special preview to the upcoming Women: A Force in Business Conference in Raleigh, North Carolina.
This episode and our presentation are targeted toward women professionals looking to build their retirement nest egg. Our goal is to help women achieve success and financial wealth. So if you are a woman or if you love a woman, listen in to hear how women can achieve more success and improve their financial well-being by harnessing their financial superpowers.
A recent study has shown that women are more worried than ever about their finances. ⅔ of women worry about money at least once per week and 40% suffer physically due to their financial stress. This is no surprise when you discover that the top emotion that women feel about money is overwhelm whereas for men it is confidence.
The pandemic has made women’s financial worries worse than ever since they were the hardest hit by layoffs. Once you compound women’s stress with the gender pay gap, a longer life expectancy, and a predominantly male financial industry then you realize that the odds are stacked against us.
It is a common misconception that men are better investors than women, however, this isn’t true. Women simply don’t talk about money in the same way that men do. Women are actually more likely to do well in the markets for several reasons.
Women typically spend more time researching investment choices which leads to better selections. Women also tend to buy and hold equities longer than men, this leads to less trading costs and fewer taxes on their investment income. Overall, women are more intentional investors than men.
You don’t have to carry so much financial worry. One way to ease that worry is by using your inner investing superpowers. Grace and I are here to help you to implement these superpowers so that you have a better investing experience and feel less stress when it comes to finances. If you can implement these superpowers you can come ahead financially and position yourself for a more secure retirement.
Listen in to hear what action items you need to take now to improve your financial well-being.
With Grandparents day around the corner, we're breaking down helpful financial planning strategies for grandparents. Many grandparents have dreams of sharing the fruits of their labor with their families. However, sharing your wealth effectively takes careful planning.
YouTube recap here: https://youtu.be/eGYLeS_8hNw
Listen to this episode to hear the best ways to plan effectively for your kids and grandkids.
Grandparents love spoiling the grandkids. One of the more memorable ways to do this, is by taking care of planning and paying for the whole family to take a bucket list vacation. After working and saving for years, retirement brings an excellent opportunity for grandparents to take everyone on this epic family trip.
Before taking your trip, understanding how much you have to spend and whether it will be a one-time event or an annual tradition. This is where financial planning can provide priceless perspective to help you understand how much you have to spend and at what level.
Another common planning strategy many grandparents begin to consider is direct gifting to their children and grandchildren. In 2021, the gift tax exemption is $15,000 per person, which means $30,000 per couple. This provides a more meaningful way for grandparents to enjoy seeing their children and grandchildren benefit from their hard work vs. waiting to inherit monies after they were to pass.
If you want to do even more to provide for the grandkids’ education you could contribute to their 529 plan or even start one of your own with the grandchild as the beneficiary. Many grandparents choose to pay the fees directly to the school.
Have you thought about ways to contribute to your grandkids' education?
Too many people put off their basic estate planning documents in place. Before planning anything else, make sure that you have a will, power of attorney, and healthcare power of attorney.
Once you have the basics in place then you can think more strategically about specific ways you can plan your estate.
One way to directly leave your wealth to those you love is by naming them as beneficiaries on your accounts. It’s important to remember that named beneficiaries supersede your will, so check your beneficiaries periodically to assure they still align with your wishes. Listen in to hear about trusts, per stirpes, and whether it’s better to give cash or appreciated stocks.
There is a common misconception that you can plan for a long-term care event by giving away your assets and waiting 5 years to be eligible for Medicaid. What many people don’t realize is that your household income could disqualify you from Medicaid. To qualify for Medicaid care, your household income must be less than $17,000 per year in NC and most people’s Social Security benefits would be higher than that.
Listen in to hear how important it is to create a plan to put in place and communicate your wishes to your family.