46% of Americans are Guessing

Did you know that a survey released in 2019 found 46% of Americans are guessing at how much money they need for retirement? With increasing life expectancies and financial uncertainties leading up to retirement, it would seem that guesswork plays a big part in determining whether or not we have saved enough to make the decision to stop working and cross over to retirement. We can help in this area by telling you about a product that can remove one part of that guesswork because it provides a guarantee income you can’t outlive, and which won’t decrease if the market goes down. Call us, we’ll tell you all about it. We’re always here to help.

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The Best Day

This week’s article tells us “The best day to start saving is today, even if you can save only a little bit.” The math is very interesting. “If two people put the same amount of money away each year ($5,000), earn the same return on their investments (6 percent annually) and stop saving upon retirement at the same age (67), one will end up with nearly twice as much money just by starting at 22 instead of 32. Put another way: The investor who started saving 10 years earlier would have about $500,000 more at retirement. It’s that simple.” Call us, we have some ideas for where you might put that annual savings. We too will keep it simple.

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Let’s get down to the nitty-gritty

Commentary:
I came across an article written in the Harvard Law Review and thought to share it with you. Sometimes we have conversations with those who say, “Let’s just get down to the nitty-gritty”. That’s what this article does. Written at the end of April it discusses rethinking retirement savings and puts in context how much money we have in retirement accounts, where it comes from and what ‘buckets’ exist that provide any economic security of American workers facing retirement. Take a look. It may provide food for thought, and finding safer rather than riskier places for putting saving for retirement has always been our priority. Call us, we’re always here for you.

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Starting to worry again?

Are you holding your breath starting to worry about the market again? Fortunately, you can build a diversified portfolio with principal protection in a way that distributes risk and prepares your retirement savings for growth in a variety of economic environments. If you include Fixed Index Annuities it’s even possible to guarantee income over a period of time — even over a lifetime. FIA Insights tells us “unlike a 401(k), with an FIA the insurance company absorbs the risk of market downturns, guaranteeing a minimum floor, and protecting contract holders from market losses.” If you are starting to worry again, call us. We may be able to provide options that make you feel more comfortable about your retirement savings.

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Life-is-Short

This week’s article tells us that affluent Americans are rushing to retire in a new ‘Life-Is-Short’ Mindset. “The unprecedented surge in shares and home values during an economic crisis is easing the retirement path for those who have savings”, yet, even if we now think that life is short, we still live longer and need income that we can’t outlive. Regardless if you think of yourself as affluent or not, there are options that will help you feel more comfortable with your retirement strategies. Call us, we have some ideas for you and we’re always here to help.

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Is your social security check going to be enough for you?

Commentary:
According to a Gallup poll, 85% of investors “strongly agree that it’s important to have a guaranteed income stream in retirement to supplement Social Security.” At the same time, “61% strongly or somewhat agree they are willing to give up access to some money in order to provide for a guaranteed retirement income stream,” adds Lydia Saad for Gallup. Whether you’ve recently retired or are some years out, an annuity can help build tax-deferred savings. Why’s that important? They provide a guaranteed lifetime income that can supplement your social security. If this is of interest to you, call us. We can review with you what your options are. We are always here to help.

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Some Annuities even offer a Bonus

As a reminder when you are considering where you can place your hard earned savings to generate a guaranteed income, remember that FIAs are insurance products that can guarantee income over a period of time — even over a lifetime. Unlike a 401(k), the insurance company absorbs the risk of market downturns, guaranteeing a minimum floor, and protecting contract holders from market losses. In other words, an FIA offers the potential for interest based in part on the performance of an external index without the risk of market loss. Your principal amount is guaranteed, subject to any withdrawals you take or any surrender charges incurred due to early termination of the contract. Any growth in annuities is tax-deferred and most compound annually, meaning gains are locked in and added to your principal, with future interest earned on that compounded amount. Some Annuities even offer a bonus – call us if you’d like to learn more about this. We’re always here to help.

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As we emerge

Now that we are starting to emerge with no masks, we see that “COVID-19 has accelerated many of the trends that were already challenging the outdated study-work-retire model, as individuals and families, financial services institutions, and policymakers grapple with the issues — and explore the opportunities — of funding lives that now routinely stretch for twenty, twenty-five, or thirty years after traditional retirement age.” We know that a result is “many people are now feeling less secure about their finances and future medical costs due to the pandemic” because of its impact on many facets of the economy. Call us if you are having concerns about your income during retirement, we have some ideas about ways to turn your savings into an income you won’t outlive. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

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Calculating for your retirement

We’re often asked what kind of information is needed to determine if you are successfully targeting what you need for a secure retirement. Use the retirement calculator in today’s article to create your retirement plan. “View your retirement savings balance and calculate your withdrawals for each year”. It even includes information about Social Security which is calculated on a sliding scale based on your income, and how to allocate for a non-working spouse in your plan. In addition, factors like household income, the age you wish to retire, and when you may and may not make contributions to your savings are factored in. Call us when you’ve crunched your numbers. We may have some ideas to provide you with better opportunities to have an income you won’t outlive in your retirement years. We’re always here to help.

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It’s That Time Again

This week’s article offers up a good recap to the changes in the tax laws that have come into play for the first time with 2020 returns whose filing deadline is now May 17, and also changes that acknowledge that COVID impacted the finances of many of us. You might want to take a glance at the list in this article just in case they bring to mind topics you will want to talk to your tax preparer about, or questions you have about money you’ve withdrawn. You can also call us if you have any questions about your income during retirement. We are always here to help.

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