retirement financial planning
Steps to a retirement financial plan
Step 1: Get organized. You'll have an easier time conducting your financial
affairs and writing your financial plan if you take some time now to organize
your financial papers. That way, all your important documents will be at your
fingertips when you need them.
Step 2: Set your financial goals. Maybe you're dreaming of a European vacation
or planning to buy a new house. Maybe a child's college years - or your own
retirement - loom in your future. Now is a good time to start thinking about
the financial choices you'll want to make in the future. http://www.retirement-financial-advisor.com/over_60.htm
Step 3: Evaluate your cash flow. It's very difficult to develop a financial
plan unless you know how much income you receive now and where you spend your
money. This information will help you decide if you need to earn more in the
future and how you'll want to spend that additional cash.
Step 4: Calculate your net worth. Your regular income and expenses are only
part of your financial picture. You also need to identify everything you own
(assets) and everything you owe (liabilities) before you can tell how realistic
your financial goals are.
Step 5: Make assumptions about the future. Change is inevitable. That's why
it's important to anticipate and plan for changes - like inflation, retirement,
illness, or divorce - that could affect your financial status.
Step 6: Adopt a financial strategy. For each of your financial goals, you'll
need to determine how much money you'll need to reach your goal, where you will
get the money, and how long it will take to earn it. http://www.retirement-financial-advisor.com/safe_money.htm
Looking for Professional Help
As you begin to take the steps necessary to reach financial security, you may
need to rely on some professional partners to help you, including financial
advisers and stockbrokers. Learn what these professionals can offer you and
how you might use their services.
Choosing a financial planner may appear to be a daunting task, especially when
you don't know the qualities that make a good financial planner. But there is
help, because there are some signs that indicate you are working with a quality
financial planner. You should expect a financial planner to perform the following
tasks.
Examine your financial history thoroughly. This includes your tax returns,
investments, outstanding debts, retirement documents, wills, and insurance policies.
Based on this analysis, the planner should:
- Develop an accurate balance sheet and income statement for you and your
family.
- Obtain a complete understanding of you and your family's personal goals
and priorities.
- Analyze your employee benefits, insurance, investments, wills, and trusts.
- Review your net worth statement.
- Suggest ways you could consolidate, pay off, or refinance your debts.
- Help you develop an individualized financial plan.
The financial planner should put this plan in writing. Don't sign off on the
plan until you fully understand and agree with it. http://www.retirement-financial-advisor.com/senior_citizen.htm
Identify areas where you may need help. A financial planner should be able
to tell you if you need to:
- Build up your retirement nest egg.
- Improve your investment returns.
- Buy or sell an insurance policy.
- Reduce your tax payments.
- Help you implement your financial program.
The financial planner should be prepared to refer you to specialists, like
lawyers or accountants, who provide services that he or she cannot.
Review your financial plan periodically. The planner should also suggest changes
in your program when needed.
Practices That Should Make You Nervous http://www.retirement-financial-advisor.com/retirement_planner.htm
Be wary of financial planners who make recommendations that reflect how they
get paid. For example, let's say a planner makes most of his or her money through
commissions on investments. Be cautious if this planner spends most of his or
her time recommending places where you can invest your money, especially if
investing is not your only priority. Likewise, be cautious if a planner with
an insurance background spends most of his or her time talking to you about
insurance and annuities.
Be wary of a financial planner who encourages you to "buy on margin."
If you buy investments in this way, you'll be borrowing money from the planner
in order to buy stocks that he or she recommends. High interest rates should
discourage you from this practice. In addition, when you buy on margin you can
lose money that's not your own.
Think twice before giving "discretionary authority" to a financial
planner. This gives your planner the power to make trades for you without your
express permission. Planners with this power may buy and sell stocks for you
more often than you would choose. This practice will cause your transaction
fees to rise.
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