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Executive
Catch-up Plans
Executives and small business owners face many challenges in saving for retirement. In life there are many priorities like houses, education, braces and vacations that get in the way of saving for retirement. When cashflow allows the limits on what you can save often keeps you from saving enough to meet your retirement objectives. This is where Executive Catch-Up plans can help. Technically they are premium financed life insurance. Premium Financing is borrowing money from a lending institution to pay premiums on a life insurance policy that can provide tax free retirement income and pass the death benefit to beneficiaries’ income tax free. Using leverage is nothing new. We use it every day to buy our cars and homes. The concept is the same except with this the bank puts up some of the money. For Small Business owners it allows you to use your capital more efficiently while providing both safety for your family and a retirement plan for your future. These plans are not for everyone. In order to qualify you must be in good health and have income over $200,000 and a net worth of at least $1,500,000. But if you qualify the benefits to you and your family are substantial.
Long-Term Care Planning
Long Term Care planning is one of the largest challenges that most face in retirement. Unfortunately, it is typically addressed too late to utilize traditional plans. This is not always a bad thing. With new products in the marketplace, some of your resources can assist in providing Long Term Care funding. Are they ideal? No, but they are much better than nothing. Depending on the resources available, I may reallocate some of the assets to be set aside to provide care and leverage the amount so it can pass tax free to beneficiaries of your estate if it is not used. If income is the primary objective, we may utilize products that provide additional benefits should Long Term Care be needed. Finally, we may choose to utilize features in Life Insurance policies to provide benefits for care instead of death benefits. The reality is that everyone is different, and I work very hard to find solutions that met your situation. All of these are much better than trying to self-fund a Long Term Care event.
You cannot have a retirement plan without considering and creating a plan for how to deal with Long-Term Care. The reality is that 75% or 3 out of 4 people will have a long-term care event in their lifetime. The cost for this can exceed $100,000 a year and statistically it is about 3 years on average for most people. It is estimated that 90% of Long-Term Care is provided by family and friends. While this is admirable, it does take a toll on family members and friends. In addition to the toll, it takes on the family the cost is also a big concern. Long-Term Care has changed as the need for care has increased. With the recent pandemic I think we can all agree that staying in a Skilled Care center (Nursing Home) is not ideal. I help people plan for and implement Long Term Care plans. Knowing the different options and how to structure them is critical to your retirement plan. For most clients I help them see the value in having a strategy for dealing with the cost in the most efficient way. This can be by properly allocating resources for care or creating a strategy for covering the cost in conjunction with other cashflows. In any case, not having a plan will cost you more than you had to pay. I provide free initial consultations on Long-Term Care planning, so schedule your time via the contact page.
Retirement Tax Planning
This is the fastest growing part of my practice and an area where I believe my expertise an provide significant benefit to my clients. With the majority of retirement resources held in what is known as qualified plans like 401(k), 403(b), and IRAs, it is critical to understand how and when they will be taxed. With the government debt exceeding 30 trillion dollars, it is a target of the government for the revenue that they need to fund their spending. I help people understand ways to minimize the taxes that they pay in retirement and create income plans that meet their current needs and pass most of their assets to beneficiaries’ tax free. I back this up with an analysis that shows the impact of each decision and the long term savings to them and their family. Everyone owes a certain amount to the government in taxes for the ability to save tax deferred. I help you avoid paying more than you have to in retirement. The bottom line is that you have a choice on how much you want to pay in taxes. The money can go to your or the government. It really is that simple. If you would like to learn more about mandatory vs voluntary taxes, I have a couple free books that can help you. You can find them in the section labeled “Books” at the top of the page.
Annuities
For some the word Annuity causes a chill to run up their spine. The reality is that Annuities are often oversold. I believe that creating income that you cannot outlive is an important part of your retirement plan. Years ago, the previous generation had pensions that they could not outlive. In the 1990’s companies began to shift from these Defined Benefit Plans to Defined Contribution plans. This shift was from the company providing the actual benefit to just allocating the money upfront and thus transferring the responsibility of income to the employee. The challenge today is how to recreate the income that employers used to provide. I philosophy is that you cover fixed expenses with guaranteed income and primarily this comes from Social Security and a fixed immediate annuity. There are some strategies to get more out of these products, but it gives my clients what they need and that is a baseline for their plan. There are many other products that can be used for future income and I help with understanding these products as well. What I do not believe is that an Annuity is an investment. The costs often exceed the benefit. Annuities are a commodity. What I mean is that they change on a regular basis. For this reason, I remain independent and for my clients I research which carrier provides the greatest benefit for the money. I believe that income is the name of the game in retirement and because of this you need to understand how annuities work and how to best use them. This is where I can help. Click the link below to learn more about Annuities! Below is the “Quotables” by 25 Notables article with information on Annuities from 25 financial experts!
Social SEcurity Optimization
98% of people do not get all they can out of their Social Security benefits. Did you work your entire life and get to retirement age and say I want to get less? For 8 years I have traveled the country educating both financial professionals and individuals on how to get the most out of their Social Security Benefits. The analysis I provide gives you the facts you need to make decisions on when and how to utilize your Social Security in your retirement plan. I provide your detailed analysis of how to optimize benefits using all the rules that apply to your unique situation. This allows you to see clearly what impact different filing strategies have on your retirement plan. There are many moving parts in retirement but knowing how to file for Social Security is the foundation of your plan. It is the easiest to control and this optimization can be hundreds of thousands of dollars difference in benefits over your lifetime. For $100 you can have all the facts to make the best decision for you and your retirement. To make your appointment, head to the contact page.
Retirement Income Planning
In retirement, it is all about income. In the past, people had pensions that provided for their needs, along with Social Security. Today, most people rely on savings in retirement plans to get them through the rest of their life. This is not without risk and challenges. I help people create income strategies that meet their needs today and in the future. I start with helping people understand how to optimize their Social Security benefits. I am recognized as one of the experts in Social Security optimization and I can help you get the most out of the benefits. That is only the first part of a retirement income plan. The second is protecting your plan from market downturns. It is bad enough when the market drops, but when that impacts your income it creates another challenge. The third part of retirement income planning comes from that taxation of your assets. Smart planning can minimize this risk and help you with more predictable income. I specialize in helping clients create these income plans to get all they can out of their resources so they can enjoy their retirement.
Still Have Questions?
Need a little guidance from a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™? Get in touch and I will be glad to help you determine if we’re the right option for your needs —no obligation, no commitment.