YOUR TOP ASSET: TIME
I read a flyer the other day that caught my eye. It said “Losses can be recuperated but time cannot.” So true. What to do when losses have been incurred but you are later on in years can be a stressful situation to confront. We can help explain the role that a Fixed Index Annuity can play in helping you to move on from this stress. In the meantime, we thought you might want to look at some charts that show historically “the power of protection and value of time saved in recouping from index volatility.” Call us, we’re always here to help.
WHAT CHOICES WILL YOU HAVE?
This week’s article poses a familiar scenario and then tells us our choices in a very simple way: “Let’s say you have built up a retirement fund of $250,000 by the time you are age 65. Few of us realize that we have to make that money last for perhaps 20 or 30 years after we stop working” The author tells us that there are two ways to make your fund last for the rest of your life: you can make withdrawals that you guess and hope will last for the rest of your life, or you can take some of your money and buy an annuity that will provide you with guaranteed income payments for the rest of your life. Which are you thinking of doing? Call us if you’d like to talk about some options you may not have considered. We’re always here to help.
DIFFERENT FOR WOMEN
This week’s article discusses three retirement savings factors relating to why it is different for women in retirement. While many of us may already have reflected on a female being projected to live longer than a male, we may not have noted that “women often face bigger challenges in retirement because of leaving the workforce to raise children or care for elderly relatives.” This challenge is often compounded by the reported likeliness of women who “place general costs, paying off debts and housing costs as a higher priority” than saving for retirement. These are issues that may effect all of us. Call us if you would like to discuss coming up with some ideas to better integrate savings into your retirement planning. We’re always here to help.
YOUR MONEY AND YOUR LIFE
“An annuity can be a very smart retirement investment for many people. That’s not just because an annuity can provide a secure revenue stream — a monthly check — for the rest of your life, no matter how long you live.” The author of this week’s article tells us that “in general, most people should avoid “variable” annuities because they have high costs and their tax benefits are often overstated.” “But true lifetime ”fixed” annuities do make a lot of sense” and there are criteria to educate you on how to purchased them. If you’d like to learn more, let us know. We’re always here to help.
ASSETS VERSUS INCOME
I came across an article in the Harvard Business Review where the author discussed a concept we have touched on in the past – the idea that when you “ask someone what her pension is worth, she will reply with an income figure: “two-thirds of my final salary,” for example. Yet, if you ask someone what their 401K is worth, they will probably lament about the value lost in the financial crisis. The article goes on to state that “the safe, risk-free asset today that guarantees your objective is an inflation-protected annuity…” and “If you had enough money in your retirement account and wanted to lock in that income, the obvious decision is to buy an annuity.” If your goal is to lock in income, give us a call. We’re always here to help.
UNDERSTANDING THE KEY ELEMENTS
I thought you would want to read this week’s article because it discusses that “while annuities and life insurance both have similarities, they are not the same. Before you can understand the differences and determine which plan may be right for you relating to a retirement income plan, you have to first understand the key elements of each.” We agree, and we like to make sure that explanations are clear and understandable. Call us if you have any questions. We’re always here to help.
DIFFERENCES
This week I thought to share with you a chart that I found informative because it provides an easy to read explanation of the differences between Annuities and Life Insurance. Because one’s needs may change over time, it is important to be able to understand how each product might fulfill our objectives both in the present day, and in planning for the future. Call us if you have any questions. We’re always here to help.
UNLESS YOU ARE WARREN BUFFET
This week’s author, formerly with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and the National Bureau of Economic Research writes that while not applicable to Warren Buffet’s retirement plan, “Retirees with limited resources face the risk that if they live too long, and/or their assets earn less than expected, they will run out of spendable funds. There is also the risk that if they die too soon, and/or their assets earn more than expected, they will leave financial assets to their estate that they would have preferred to spend on themselves. Retirees exposed to these risks can reduce or eliminate them in only one way: by using some of their assets to buy an annuity, which pays them as long as they live.” Call us if you’d like more information on a product that might help you in this situation. We’re always here to help.
WHAT IF THE MARKET GOES UP?
The author of this week’s article provides an explanation for “Why an FIA is better than stocks” and asks us “Which is better? Having to time the market right or not having to worry about that? Risking principal to achieve gains or achieving gains without risking principal? Having to worry about which stocks, bonds or funds to sell, or not having to worry about that? For many, the advantages of an FIA become overtly attractive.” Take a look at what he says and call us if you’d like to know more about the FIA. We’re always here to help.
AFTER A VOLATILE END TO 2018
“Wary investors may be searching for stability in 2019.” So what should people consider? The author of this week’s article states that “Risk tolerance and time horizon play big roles in deciding how to allocate your investments. Conservative investors or those near retirement may be more comfortable allocating a larger percentage of their portfolios to less-risky investments to minimize risk. These are also great for people saving for short term (about five years or fewer) or intermediate (around a decade) goals.” We prefer products that minimize risk. Call us if you feel the same way. We’re always here to help.