Saving for retirement is particularly challenging for those living on a modest income. You may feel as though there isn’t any money left after covering your basic expenses each month. Even if you manage to put away a few dollars, investing in an IRA often involves an initial deposit of at least $1,000. Low- to moderate-income earners do have some tools available to help them get started, however. If you have found it difficult to begin saving for retirement, these tools and incentives can help.
Retirement is one of the most important milestones in a person's life. It is a time when you can finally relax, travel, and enjoy your hard-earned savings. However, retiring with confidence and financial stability requires careful planning. Retirement planning is a crucial aspect of personal finance. It is the process of setting goals, developing strategies, and making decisions to ensure you have enough income and assets to sustain you throughout your retirement. Many people today face the prospect of retiring without adequate planning and preparation. As a result, they risk running out of money in their golden years.
Annuities are attractive to many who are looking to create a secure retirement plan. The reasons are clear: annuities can provide a guaranteed income for life, and income earned on annuities is tax deferred. Additionally, because many annuity products allow you to select from a variety of mutual fund subaccounts, you can often change your investment direction within an annuity at little or no cost.
As with all financial products, however, it’s important to weigh the pros and cons of annuity investment. While annuities can provide tremendous benefits for some investors, the costs involved can be tricky to fully understand. If you own an annuity or are considering purchasing one, be sure to look closely at its real costs.
If you're thinking about retirement and the money you'd like to save up ahead of time, there are a few tips on when--and how--to get started.
If you have access to a 401(k) plan, contributing at least the amount for which your employer will provide matching funds is one of the best ways to save for retirement. That has been true for some time. However, the IRS has just given you more incentive to pack money into your 401(k).
How to claim your Social Security benefits can be a critical and complex decision. Making this choice without understanding the factors that can influence the amount you will ultimately be able to collect in Social Security benefits can cost you tens of thousands of dollars in retirement. Before you make a choice about claiming benefits, it is wise to speak with a retirement planning professional to be sure you are making the most advantageous choice.
Boelman Shaw Tax & Financial Planning offers a specialized blend of expertise in multiple aspects of financial planning. We provide our Des Moines area clients with well-rounded advice to create an optimized financial plan that provides for the needs of individuals and their families. We advise families just starting their financial journey with their first steps toward securing their child’s college tuition and individuals nearing retirement who worry that they have not saved enough. Wherever you are on your financial path, we can help.
From bursting the real estate bubble, skyrocketing income gap, the stock market plunge, AND massive student loan debt...generation X has had a lot of economic hurdles to overcome.
If you own a small business, chances are that it is tying up the majority of your wealth at the expense of your personal financial security. That is what a recent survey by CNBC and the Financial Planning Association (FPA) found. The poll sampled 178 financial advisors across the U.S. who provide services to small business clients aged 35-70 and found that on average, 70% of small business owners’ wealth is invested in their companies. Many of the advisors expressed that this creates a high degree of financial risk for these business owners and their families.
Annuities have seen a rise in sales in recent years. While some financial advisors endorse them heartily, others are cautious, if not outright hostile toward this entire class of investments. The appeal of annuities is the guaranteed income stream they promise. Many investors are more hesitant to invest in equities in the shadow of market volatility that unsettled and even decimated many Americans’ retirement plans in too-recent history. Guaranteed long-term income, even at modest rates of return, can be incredibly appealing.