PPROPERLY PLANNING FOR FINANCIAL RETIREMENT

The vast majority of people reading this will never receive the benefit of social security for the purpose of retirement-unless of course serious adjustments are made in the current system. There are simply too many people living much longer than anticipated. At the same time, regardless of how much you've managed to pay into social security over time it is doubtful that anyone could live on the amount of money they would receive in social security benefits even if they had no other significant bills to pay such as house notes, car notes, or insurance on a home or automobile.

It amazes me that my grandparents managed to live on the modest sum that was earned from my grandfather's retirement and social security. They were never wealthy but in the last decade or so I understood just how little they had and yet they managed somehow to have all the things they absolutely needed in order to survive. I know that in the world of today, their meager incomes would not even begin to make ends meet for groceries let alone utilities and other necessities in life.

It is because of the struggles my grandparent's faced that I have devoted a good deal of time and effort into making sure that we do not go through those same challenges and struggles upon retirement. We have taken steps today to insure that we will have income throughout our retirement as well as a few carefully crafted investments to pull us through. I do not believe that I have all the answers and for this reason we have relied heavily upon the advice of our financial planner. He has helped us discover avenues for investing money and methods of doing so that have been nothing short of amazing for us as we watch our holdings grow year after year in preparation for retirement.

If you haven't taken the time to find a financial advisor for your investments there is no time like the present to do so. Even if you are nearing that magical number you might be amazed at the guidance and advice that can be offered by a competent financial planner to maximize your short and long-term investment and retirement planning needs. I believe you will be amazed at the financial miracles a good financial planner can work with even the most modest of investments with which to work.

You should also make sure that you take care of as many of the recurring bills as possible before you retire. It helps greatly if you have your home paid off and do not have the worry of a monthly mortgage payment. Another thing that is good to keep in mind is that you will want to downsize rather than upsize at retirement. Eliminate the second car and ride together when possible (this also eliminates an insurance payment as well).

If you are planning to move to a particular area of the country for your retirement you may want to begin now, as early as possible, seeking property in that area at a much lower price than you will pay ten to twenty years down the road when you actually get around to retiring. This will increase the likelihood that you either have your retirement home paid for or are very close to having it paid for. Another thing to remember is that you will want to get a smaller home for your retirement rather than a larger home that you will need to care for. This means you can eliminate some of the utility costs, which may prove substantial.

The most important thing to remember when planning for retirement is that it is your retirement for which you are planning. Make sure you set aside funds to make your retirement worth retiring for. Don't merely exist throughout your retirement because you can't afford to live, take the steps now to insure that this is not going to be a problem for your retirement years.

SERIOUS CONSIDERATIONS FOR FINANCIAL RETIREMENT

There are a few things you should keep in mind when planning for your retirement. First of all, you probably shouldn't hold your breath when it comes to social security being able to cover even a small portion of your retirement if the service even exists in any form of its former self by the time you are facing retirement. The second thing you need to keep in mind is that your needs upon retirement depend greatly on how you live your life now and how you plan to live once you retire.

There are many who live very conservatively now in an effort to save up their money for retirement and really live it up at that point. The problem is that they are basing their retirement living on their current lifestyle, which is not a good comparison. The problem is that the vast majority of Americans are earning just enough money through their jobs in order to make ends meet. The idea of finding any money to sock away for retirement for most Americans is difficult at best and absolutely impossible in some situations.

The first step when it comes to successful financial retirement planning is to map out how much money you are going to need in order to maintain your current lifestyle upon retirement and go from there. Most estimates are that you will need to bring home on average 75% of your current take home salary in order to maintain your current lifestyle. The understanding is that you will eliminate many monthly expenses by no longer working however some find that this simply isn't enough so you should be careful when relying on this figure.

You should also plan for inflation when planning your retirement as well. It will take more money in the future in order to have the same standard of living. You should also consider that our expectations tend to increase over time and you need to be able to live within the limits of your budget when the time comes. It will be difficult to take out additional funds once you've reached retirement age. For this reason it is in your best interest to plan ahead and plan carefully. The more modestly you live today in an effort to invest more money for your retirement the better chances you will have to enjoy a better lifestyle upon retirement.

You should also be careful that you do not sacrifice the moment in search of a better retirement. You need to be able to take vacations, save money for the things you want and need, in addition to covering the necessities of today. We aren't guaranteed that we will be here for retirement though that is hardly a reason not to invest and save for that day. However, we should never sacrifice the moment and the childhood of our children for the sake of an eventual retirement. As long as you are making significant progress you are doing better than a large section of the population and you can opportunities later to invest greater amounts of money towards you retirement.

The problem is that most people do not begin growing concerned over their retirement picture until it is too late to make significant progress. Begin early making plans for your financial retirement in order to insure the greatest possible success. Pay off your major debts such as student loans, home loans, doctors' bills, car notes, and credit cards whenever possible. These are constant drains on your income that you do not need once you've limited or 'fixed' your income. In addition to your 401 (k) or IRA funds you can start your own investment account by having the bank automatically draft a portion of your check each pay period. You can also 'pay yourself' an extra bonus by depositing extra funds anytime you get extra money like a bonus check at work or payment for services outside of work. Take every opportunity you have to boost your retirement account.

WHY A FINANCIAL ADVISOR?

Many people will readily and admittedly seek the services of legal professionals, medical professionals, tax professionals, even domestic professionals but when it comes to financial planning, they rarely seek the assistance of financial professionals. Perhaps it's the result of our grand parents generation and a fundamental lack of trust when it comes to sharing our financial situation with others. But could it be that this is one area where we are simply afraid to admit that we do not hold the answers? It's money after all; we should be able to control it, where it's going, and what it will do when it gets there right? I'm afraid the answer to that would be, "Not exactly."

Just as the tax codes in this country have become so complicated that you need a magic decoder ring in order to sort through them and actually pay your taxes, so have the rules and regulations when it comes to setting aside funds for the specific purpose of financial retirement planning. One of the reasons they are so complicated is because that many of the plans have very unique and very specific tax benefits either before or after the money is received. In other words, don't put away those magic decoder rings too quickly. You may need them in a few years.

The bottom line is that a good financial planner can help you navigate your way through the treacherous territory of taxes in relation to your financial planning and so much more. Most importantly however, a good financial planner can clue you in to opportunities that you may not know about or may not know enough about. It is their business to know about the many opportunities that exist to set aside and make money for you and your family.

A good financial planner can help you plan for so much more than retirement. In fact, a very good financial planner can help you plan for your retirement, the college funds for your children, emergency funds for life's little mishaps, and a little bit to put towards those special purchases we like to make along the way.

They can do all the things mentioned above by assessing your current situation, your future needs, your current means, and your future goals. They will discuss spending issues that may be problematic, make suggestions, and help you come up with a realistic plan for meeting your goals. Their work doesn't stop there however. They will monitor your progress and when necessary make adjustments that will help you get back on track with your financial planning.

Many people feel that they are perfectly capable of doing this on their own and the truth of the matter is that some people are. The vast majority of us however, lack the discipline, willpower, and the knowledge of investment strategies to make nearly the return on our investments that a good financial planner will yield. When planning your financial retirement and the future of your family you should keep the bottom line in mind at all times. If a good financial planner can net you $100,000 or more in retirement funds over time, he's well worth the price you pay for his service.

Some of the best things about a financial advisor is that you won't have to pay the sometimes high price that comes with learning from your mistakes. You will have his or her knowledge and experience working for your money rather than your own inexperience risking it. He or she can also help you with estate planning and tax guidance so that you aren't left floundering in these matters. He or she can also help you determine your insurance needs in order to protect those you leave behind. There are many ways that a decent financial planner can help you maximize your retirement money the hardest part for you as the consumer is making the call.

WHAT ARE IRAs?

With all the three letter names floating around our society what is one more? Really? It's not like we don't have enough to worry about without adding this burden. However, when it comes to real life, these three letters will have a greater noticeable affect on people than many of the other three letter names that we here on a regular basis such as the CIA, FBI, NSB, ATF, and countless other abbreviations that are hidden behind three little letters. The good news is that an IRA isn't nearly as insidious as its name would imply. This is a useful tool to most Americans who hope to someday retire from their life of work and life out a somewhat comfortable existence.

There are actually many different IRAs, which is the abbreviation for individual retirement account.

A Traditional IRA is the most common. The only requirement for this particular IRA is that you are employed and that you invest no more than 100% of your income or $4,000 per year, whichever is greater up to the age of 49. At the age of 50 your maximum investment is 100% of your income or $5,000 whichever happens to be greater. If you meet the requirements of the IRS to their satisfaction your contributions to your traditional IRA will be tax deductible. As a result, the funds are not taxed while in your IRA account but once the funds are withdrawn they are subject to federal income taxes.

This is not necessarily a bad thing, particularly for those who plan to be in a lower tax bracket when the funds are withdrawn. However, there is a growing number of people who are interested in the benefits that Roth IRAs and similar funds present by paying the taxes now when the rates are known rather than risk an even higher rate of taxation in the future, even in a lower tax bracket. The best advice I can give is to discuss the matter thoroughly with your financial planner and listen to their advice.

This is a case where only you can ultimately decide which decision is best for your needs but he or she can provide valuable guidance. You should also keep in mind that though laws favor non-taxation for Roth contributions that could change between now and the time you are ready to withdraw your funds, which will have you paying double taxes on those funds and is the primary reason that many people elect to stick with Traditional IRAs instead.

There are several distinct disadvantages to the traditional IRA funds. One of those would be the requirements in order to qualify for tax deductions. First of all, if you have the opportunity to invest in another retirement option through your employer you must be below a certain income level in order to qualify for the tax deduction. If you do not meet that qualification all the funds that are deposited into your IRA fund are subject to federal income tax. You will need to seriously discuss your stock buying strategies before determining if this is the best choice for you as those who buy and hold tend to be penalized when it comes to capital gains.

As things are currently, a Roth IRA is often preferable as the money isn't immediately tax deductible but not only is the investment not taxed upon withdrawal but neither are the gains that were earned on the investment. Another serious setback when it comes to the traditional IRA is that you are required to begin receiving payments at age 70.5. As we are seeing more and more people work well beyond the traditional retirement age this is becoming more and more of an issue.

There are advantages and disadvantages to traditional IRAs. It is important that you decide which of these you are prepared to live with and which you would rather live without. These differences will matter a great deal when retirement comes. Take the time to discuss your goals for the future with your financial advisor and see what he or she recommends.

WHAT IS A 401(K)?

When searching and sifting through copious amounts of confusing and conflicting information concerning financial retirement savings and plans it is quite likely that you have come across the term 401(k). You may have wondered if that was the newest robot in the Star Wars saga but the truth of the matter is that it is a type of retirement savings plans that is designed so that employees and employers alike can contribute to a fund that is set aside for your future retirement.

Many people invest pretax earnings into their 401(k) funds, which they then have the option to invest in mutual funds of many options. You will find these mutual funds in a wide array of choices from money market accounts to very aggressive and risky stock portfolios. If you work for one of the many companies across the country that offers the option of a 401(k) plan you would be literally robbing your future self not to take advantage of this offering.

There are 3 general types of contributions to 401(k) plans: matching contributions, elective contributions, and non-elective contributions.

Matching contributions are very nice from the standpoint of the employee as the employer matches a predetermined amount of the funds invested by the employee towards this fund. Different companies will offer different amounts for their matching contributions. If your company will match up to a certain percentage of what you invest into your 401 (k) you should take them up on their offer. This is money that will benefit you later in life and should not be thrown away without a darn good for doing so.

An elective contribution is money that you invest before taxes are taken out of your salary. This means that you aren't paying income taxes on these funds at today's rate of taxation. Many people believe this is a good plan because the assumption is that you will be in a lower tax bracket upon retirement though there are no guarantees that that will be true. This money is money that you have elected to invest in your 401 (k) plan, rather than bring home in the form of salary, thus the name of elective contribution.

Non-elective contributions are money that employer deposits into your account. In most cases you cannot opt to take this money as cash rather than an investment in your 401 (k) plan.

There are limitations for how much you can invest into your 401 (k) plan on a given year. You should check with the IRS to get the actual numbers as they have changed over time and are likely to continue doing so as the cost of living increases across the country. Once you reach the age of 50 you are allowed to make extra contributions to your plan in order to 'catch up' and better prepare for retirement.

When studying your options for retirement financial planning you should carefully consider taking your employer up on any type of assistance they offer in this endeavor. If they offer to match the funds you invest in your retirement you can bet that money has already been deducted in their calculations of your salary. In other words, they are giving you the money you've earned in a different manner. The good news is that when the time comes to retire you will be able to appreciate every dollar that has been invested along the way.

We could never hope to simply save the money that we will need in order to retire. Even investments are tricky for the vast majority of the population. For this reason, it is a wise investment plan to take advantage of any opportunity to increase your funds by employers matching your contributions. Take the maximum benefit they will match and if you are seriously worried about your financial future more than your current financial situations, invest the maximum allowable amount each year in your 401 (k) plan.

MONEY MANAGEMENT FOR FINANCIAL RETIREMENT

Learning to manage your money while you have more disposable income is one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself when it comes to your retirement. One of the best things you can do in order to prepare yourself for living on a 'fixed' income that goes along with retirement is to establish a budget and spending limit each month and live within that budget. In fact, you might wish to establish a smaller budget than you actually think you will need in order to maximize the effect and add a little padding to your savings account. Over time, the little savings can either provide a nice boost to your retirement fund or a great night on the town as an occasional treat.

Living on a budget is one of the most difficult things that many Americans will ever face. As a matter of fact we have the nasty tendency to live at the very edge of our abilities and over extend ourselves heartily. A good method for learning to create and establish a budget is to make a list of all your monthly spending right down to your miscellaneous expenses and convenience store and break room snacks and stops. Then add up the totals and see where you believe you can cut costs. Of course it isn't enough merely to say you want to cut costs in certain areas, you need to create a plan of action for doing so.

If you are creating greater costs by having an afternoon coffee or snack at work see if you can bring them from home in order cut costs. Cook one extra casserole per week and freeze it in order to eliminate those last minute fast food runs when you simply don't feel like cooking. Take baby steps when it comes to cutting costs and over time you will find that you have learned to live with even less than you thought possible. In fact you can make it fun by making it a challenge. See who can eliminate the most money from the budget each week and actually stick to it.

The thing you do not want to do is deprive yourself to the point that you will eventually go out and undo all the good by splurging. You need to reward yourself along the way for the small steps you have taken. Set goals for saving as well as your budget and you will find that you are much better prepared to budget your money you are confined within that budget. While you were at it, you just might find that you've saved enough to increase your investments enough to bump your budget a good bit when the proper time comes.

You do not have to have an all or nothing approach when you begin learning to manage your money, especially if you are making the effort before you reach the point of retirement. Little things we do on a daily basis that help us make more responsible decisions about our money will become habits over time. Those habits will serve you well throughout life and retirement. They will also help you prioritize your spending once you are living with limited means in order to decide what you can and cannot sacrifice in order to get the most out of life.

DIVERSITY IS KEY IN RETIREMENT PLANNING

When it comes to planning your financial retirement diversity really is the key to turning a significant profit. You do not want to have all your eggs in one basket. For this reason it is an excellent idea to have a number of fingers in a number of pies, financially speaking of course, at any given time. There happen to be a lot of interpretations, unfortunately, of what it means to truly diversify your investment portfolio. There are those who believe that to diversify your portfolio you only need to choose stocks in various sectors rather than focusing on one. This was a huge problem when the Dot Com boom went Dot Bust. Many people learned valuable lessons during this time frame and have taken it a little bit to heart. However, there is nothing to say that we will never again experience a significant stock market crash. If this were to happen and your entire retirement hopes, dreams, and funds rested on the stock market for salvation you would be in deep and shark infested waters financially as a result. I do not mean to imply that a stock market crash is probable or imminent by any means. The closest we've come as a nation to a stock market crash in recent memory was immediately after 9-11. The good news is that safeguards were put into place years ago to prevent a crash of the scale that we all know as "The Crash". This means that while you may take heavy hits, chances are the market will recover if you are willing and able to wait it out. However, if you are putting yourself in a position to rely solely on stocks you need to take a serious look at your overall investment plan and see where changes can be made. It goes without saying that no decision in regards to your financial future should be made without first discussing them with your financial advisor. My purpose here is to bring up questions and ideas you might wish to consider or at the very least discuss with your advisor. My personal preference is to have some money tied up in mutual funds and other money tied up in real estate, which can provide some form of continuous income month after month. I'm not much of a gambler however and have chosen a low risk path to retirement financing and funding. There are those who are far more adventurous than I when it comes to investing in their financial futures. For those of you who are willing to take the risks there are securities as an investment in order to provide a wildly speculative ride. Securities are very risky for investors; particularly those who are novices and even some seasoned investment veterans tend to shy away from this sort of investment. If you do invest in securities, I strongly urge you not to risk your entire investment on them. Mutual funds provide a little safer bet when it comes to your financial future. Again there are no guarantees but these are much safer bet than securities. The problem with mutual funds for many is that there are so many from which to choose that it is still a difficult decision for beginning investors to make. These decisions are the reason that a good financial advisor is so terribly important when mapping out your financial destiny. All in one funds are essentially collections of mutual funds. These provide a safe bet for those who wish to find an easy investment possibility that is a fairly safe (if not wildly conservative) to place your money and watch it slowly grow over time. All in one funds do tend to become less aggressive in time. This means that as you age, they will become more conservative in the placement in your money in an effort to best protect it while still growing your money. By placing a little of your money in many different places, you will see a much greater safety net when it comes to protecting your profits. Discuss your plans with your financial advisor and any concerns that you may have. Chances are they can help clear up any questions or doubts that you may have.

CONSOLIDATION OR MULTIPLE ACCOUNT

When working with those planning financial retirements one question keeps coming up. Should I consolidate all my accounts or keep them separate? Chances are that you have several different types of retirement accounts from different companies you've worked for along the way. This is not necessarily a bad thing but can be frustrating to try and keep track of. Combining these funds can be a rather tricky endeavor as many of them are designed to only mate with like accounts. For this reason most 401 (k) plans can only be combined with another 401 (k) the same holds true for many other common retirement accounts including a 403 (b). The one type of account that can accept them all and consolidate them together is a rollover IRA. Having only one account can simply so many aspects of your retirement that most people wonder why on earth they didn't do this from the very beginning. There are many more benefits than mere ease that goes along with consolidating your accounts and eliminating those extraneous accounts. One of which is the fees that are often charged simply for having the account. These fees can add up over the course of several different accounts and consolidating them into one lone account will eliminate the fees of all the others. One misconception that people have when it comes to rolling over their accounts is that they will lose their investment options. This is especially a misconception when it comes to a 401 (k) program as if you own a particular investment while it is a 401(k) you will still own the same investment when its within your IRA account. In other words a rollover IRA account offers the ultimate flexibility when it comes to your financial retirement needs. You can consolidate all your accounts into one, have all the information in one location and still enjoy the freedom that all the different accounts allowed you to experience in your investing. Diversity is a key ingredient when it comes to successful financial investing procedures. If you are looking for the best when it comes to financial freedom for your retirement investments you should take the first available opportunity to consolidate your investments into a rollover IRA. Of course you should discuss this with your financial advisor first in order to see if there is a better situation for your unique and personal needs however in many cases the convenience factor of this process is far too tempting to overlook unless there is a very big and specific reason for doing so. In other words consolidation by and large is very much the way to go when it comes to your retirement funds. You do not however want to sacrifice the diversity of your plan in the process. You should keep your actual investments as diverse as possible in order to insure a well-balanced portfolio that is designed to maximize your profit potential while minimizing your risks. The decision of whether or not to consolidate your many retirement accounts is as personal as your decision to wear brightly colored socks and ties. There is no absolute right or wrong answer and it quite literally comes down to a matter of preference. If you thrive in chaos then by all means keep five or six accounts going at any given time. If you need neat lines and nice rows that balance out in a glance then consolidation might be the very best thing you can do for your retirement fund.