Life happens fast, and the truth is there’s nothing as valuable as peace of mind. Our goal is to protect you from the unexpected through top quality insurance coverage that works for your needs, as well as your budget.
Our insurance advisers take time to understand your unique needs, identify and eliminate gaps in coverage that might leave you exposed and create custom plans that fit your life. From IRAs to annuities, we’re in the business of helping people protect what they value and have worked so hard to build.
Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs)
IRAs are a powerful resource in helping you reach your retirement savings goals. Our experts will show you how an IRA can help you reach your retirement goals and which IRA type may best help you save on your taxes. No matter how near or far off your retirement is, the tax advantages of an Individual Retirement Account can be too great to pass up. Using both an IRA and an employer-sponsored plan (such as a 401(k) if you have access to one) provides the opportunity to invest more for your retirement.
There are two common types of IRAs available to individuals—the Traditional IRA and the Roth IRA.
Traditional IRA
If you’ve earned income and are younger than age 70½, a Traditional IRA may be right for you.
Contributions to a Traditional IRA may be tax-deductible depending on your income, your tax filing status and whether or not you’re covered by an employer-sponsored retirement plan like a 401(k). The key benefit of a Traditional IRA is the annual tax benefits during your earning years.
Roth IRA
If you’ve earned income below a certain threshold set by the IRS, a Roth IRA may be right for you.
Contributions to a Roth IRA are not tax-deductible. The key benefit of a Roth IRA is that qualified withdrawals (made after retirement) are tax-free depending on the age of the account owner and length of time the account has been in place.
Contact us today to discuss your IRA options.
Annuities
Annuities can be a valuable investment, but there are risks to consider. Our experts will help you decipher the different types of annuities so you can decide whether this type of investment is right for you.
Annuities are the main way of turning a pot of cash into an income stream. In very simple terms, they work like a life insurance policy in reverse–you pay them a lump sum up front, then they pay you regularly until you die.
There are two specific types of risk with annuities:
- The first is the risk that you die early and, thus, don’t receive as much money back as you paid up front.
- The second risk only applies to some forms of annuities. You can get annuities that pay a fixed amount, often based on factors such as your age, gender and health status when you buy the annuity. However, you can also get variable annuities in which the insurer invests the money, meaning the amount you receive depends on the performance of the investments. To mitigate this risk, you can opt for the middle-ground of an index-linked annuity.
Whether annuities are right for you and what level of risk is appropriate will depend on your financial circumstances. You’ll also need to carefully consider the tax implications, particularly if you want to retire early.
Contact us today to discuss your annuities options.
Debt to Wealth
Imagine the Family Feud Game …The question: “When will people be out of debt?” … The number one answer is… “When I die.” Unfortunately, that is not too far from the truth for most people.
Interest paid on debt
Everyone knows that interest is money paid to another for the use of money. Every fixed loan has a lending statement showing how much will be paid if minimum payments are made on time. Revolving credit accounts simply charge interest on unpaid balances.
Why pay more than you have to pay?
Other websites have simple calculators to discover what adding a small amount to the minimum payment will do to reduce the length of a loan, and the amount of interest paid to the finance company.
Want to see how the sum of debts and paying them all early impacts your future retirement?
Contact our team for a written solution to paying all debts more quickly, building security, simplifying your life along the way and saving lots of interest.
IRS Taxes
While some wish taxes could be avoided, taxes are collected from each paycheck or quarterly from those self-employed.
There are pages and pages of strategies a good accountant can implement to decrease the amount owed, or increase the refund. We are not accountants.
The average tax-return is almost $4000. This represents an over-payment. If that were not taken from your family during the course of the year, could it be used to pay debts? What impact will that have on how soon debts are eliminated?
Wow, that’s great. And once the debts are paid, payments can go into saving for the future! Yes the future.
Contact our team for a complimentary blueprint to strategically convert debt into wealth, for your security.
Inflation – the silent killer
Like heart attacks, inflation is often silent. Remember to consider the plans you have for the future will seem more expensive. The dollars value, and your time may have a lower value in the future. It’s important to have your money working to both grow in value, and outpace rising costs.
Many savings accounts are paying less than 3%, and real inflation, should major repairs or expenses be incurred, are growing over 4%. College tuition has exceeded 6-7% inflation per year.
Careful planning is necessary to lay a strong foundation. With salary and social security increases being around 2%, it’s easy to discover how people seem to be falling behind especially with medical expenses dramatically increasing!
Win the game by considering the long-term expense of interest, inflation, insurance costs, investment costs, inflation and impulsive spending.
Keep and “eye” on the “I.”
Contact us for a no-obligation collaborative discovery to plan a secure future.
Investment Fees
When considering where to save some money, or earn a little more, remember that everything has a cost. Once that cost is given up, it can never be used again, because someone else is using that money.
In some instances, though a financial product was charging 2% per year, the adviser was also charging an additional fee. Or, when the buying and selling of the investment costs a sum of 3%, the adviser still charged another 2%.
If every year these expenses are added to the sum or your other expenses, they can reduce your future resources.
A careful plan can help prevent emergency selling, and help you end up with more.
For a free review of both the obvious and hidden fees, contact us.
Insurance Premiums
Insurance is a great way to plan for things that might happen when it’s not expected.
Some insurance companies create packages which could have a discount. Other times, you may be paying extra for something in the package without a benefit to you. Beware of marketing agencies where every client gets the same product solution, according to “the budget.”
Insurance should be built around the things which interest you. Insurance is personal. Many insurance programs were created with the idea of protecting people who think the same way, making the agreement mutual.
Let us help direct your search, so your time is well spent. Why search and search only to find out the company you pick and apply for isn’t well suited for your specific needs? Plan with your life in mind.
Protect what is in place. It has been wisely said: “The only good insurance, is the insurance in force, when you need it.” Sometimes “impulsive spending” knocks out opportunities.
Contact us for your interactive financial blueprint so you are adequately prepared for difficulty and to take advantage of future opportunities.
Impulsive Spending
Sometimes impulsive spending is a big ticket item, or something you started on and did not realize all the expenses associated with it.
Like who can have a big-screen TV, without also having all the cable channels, a video recorder and a home security system to protect it from thieves?
Other times, it’s just the norm. You’re at a hotel and order breakfast. It’s $23 on the bill. However, you can go across the street and get a coffee for $5, and a bagel for $4. With a little planning, you can be satisfied with the drip coffee maker in the room and an apple or banana, and granola bar. A little planning saves lots of money.
How much does it add up to? This little video reminds us that a few things could “eat” up my retirement.