Actionable New Year’s Financial To Dos

Yes, it’s time to turn the page on 2011 and start anew!  There’s nothing like a fresh calendar to begin making plans for your envisioned future.  Last week, we provided you with some of our Center best ideas for creating financial planning based resolutions.  Here, we provide you with some very specific and actionable steps you can take now to get a start on improving your financial health: 

1. Take score: review your net worth as compared to one year ago
2. Review your cash flow: how much came in last year and how much went out (hint: it is better to have less go out than came in). 
3. Be intentional with your 2012 spending: also known as the dreaded budget – so think “spending plan” instead.
4. Review and update beneficiaries on IRA’s, 401k’s and life insurance: raise your hand if you want your ex spouse to receive your 401k
5. Review the titling of your non retirement accounts: consider a “transfer on death” designation, living trust, or joint ownership to avoid probate.
6. Revisit your portfolio’s asset allocation:
7. Review your Social Security Statement: if not yet retired you will need to go online – everyone’s trying to save a buck on printing and mailing costs
8. Check to see if your retirement plan is on track: plan your income need in retirement, review your expected sources of income, and plan for any shortfall.
9. Set up a regular review schedule with your advisor: an objective third party is best – but at a minimum set aside time on your own, with your spouse, or trusted friend to plan on improving your financial health.

So, after you promise to exercise more and eat less, get started on tackling your financial checklist!

In subsequent posts, we will elaborate on a few of these suggestions. Wishing you a prosperous New Year!

You Know You're from Michigan If...

As Jeff Foxworthy so eloquently phrased it, “You know you’re from Michigan if”:

You’ve ever had your heat and air conditioning on in the same day.

You can use your hand as a map.

You can drive 65 mph through 2 feet of snow and a raging blizzard…without flinching.

During Michigan/Michigan State week at least one member of your household disowns you.

To people who live and work in Michigan it has always been with a sense of pride that we talk about our State.  In fact, we have one of the highest percentages -- over 76% -- of people who were born in Michigan that still live in Michigan.  However, this may not be by choice alone.   Over the past few years, the state of Michigan has come upon harder times than most.  Michigan lost 860,000 jobs from 2000 to 2009, almost half in the final two years.  Add to that the fact that real estate prices are depressed, and you may have a lot of people feeling stuck. 

Unfortunately, much of our state hinges on the health of automotive production. 

When the automotive companies are struggling, so is the economy of the state.  While it may seem like the downswing is here to stay, there are several signs pointing to better times ahead.  Recently, a Bloomberg index that tracks the pace of state growth shows the pace of Michigan’s recovery surpassing all but North Dakota -- thanks mostly to automotive industry recovery.  While our unemployment average is still well above the national levels, it has improved a full percent over this time last year.   

And you never know with Michigan. This past summer, while ratings agencies were downgrading US Government debt, they were making positive comments about Michigan debt, citing a balanced budget and an improving economy as the catalyst.

While the last decade has indeed been a lost decade for Michigan, there is hope on the horizon.  So next time you are driving coast-to-coast -- that is Muskegon to Port Huron -- remember how wonderful life in Michigan can be.

Sources:  The Geography of Stuck, http://www.theatlanticcities.com/housing/2011/11/geography-stuck/534/

The Holidays – A Great Time for a Family Board Meeting

If your family is like most, the holidays are one of the few times during the year that the entire family gets together in the same place at the same time.  If you happen to be an adult child serving as a caregiver for an elderly parent (or parents), now is the perfect time to take charge as CEO of your “family care corporation” and schedule your annual board meeting.

Typically, if children are caring for aging parents, one of the children shoulders the burden more than the others.  If you are in this position, do what any corporate CEO would do…schedule a board meeting and do some strategic planning.  Manage the business of family caregiving by working with other members of the board (your siblings and your parents, if they are able) to make sure all parts of the business are being managed efficiently and that all parties are contributing to its success. 

Make sure the following job duties are covered by members of the board:

• Managing the finances.  Making sure that someone is overseeing the finances and making sure that bills are being paid.  With online bill pay and access to bank accounts from remote locations, this may be the perfect job for the out-of-town sibling that is demographically unable to handle other duties. 
• Managing the care.  If you are working with a Geriatric Care Manager or in-home care company, someone needs to be the primary contact for these services and communicate any developments to the rest of the family.
• Managing the day-to-day operations.  This is likely the job for the sibling that lives nearest. It includes running errands and accompanying elderly parents to medical appointments and getting groceries, amongst other things.

Once duties have been delegated, be sure that each sibling has the tools he or she needs to do their job.  Make sure necessary authorizations are in place, which may include legal documents including Durable Powers of Attorney for General/Financial and Durable Powers of Attorney for Health Care.  Schedule frequent reporting sessions so everyone can stay on the same page.  And make it a point to schedule family meetings with your parents’ professional advisors – financial planner, CPA, estate planning attorney, etc.  This group of professionals can serve as a crucial advisory board for you and your family.

A business cannot be successful if one person is trying to fill every position.  As the sibling who has chosen to take charge, make sure you empower your siblings to contribute to the success of your family care corporation.

A Holiday Shopping Three-Step Challenge

If you’re like millions of Americans, one of your after Thanksgiving dinner activities tomorrow will be making your holiday shopping list and browsing the Black Friday savings deals that are published in advance.  Your excitement will build as you anticipate the first store door opening on Friday morning.  You will prepare to feel the adrenaline rush as you dash in for the best buys of the season.  You are ready to save!  Or are you?

For most of us, we feel a great sense of accomplishment in finding great deals during the holidays.  In fact, many of us will buy an item that isn’t even on our list because the deal is just too good to pass up.  So, are we actually saving or just spending?  Wouldn’t it be a better strategy to find good deals on those items actually on our list, and save the rest?

My three step challenge for you this Black Friday (and the entire holiday shopping season) is this:

1. Make a list of those items you wish to buy for each person on your shopping list – before you leave home – and set a limit on what you can afford to spend.
2. Find the best deals you can find on those items you have listed, but avoid buying additional items just because the deal is too good to pass up.
3. If you find that you have money left over in your budget after your shopping list is completed, invest in yourself.  Put the extra dollars towards either a short-term savings goal (like a car) or a long-term savings goal (like retirement).  Add the cash to a savings account, investment account, or to your IRA or ROTH IRA (if you haven’t already contributed the maximum amount allowable this year).

Meeting the three step challenge will help you to cross of all of the items on your gift list, feel the accomplishment of finding great deals, and invest in yourself all at the same time!  So get ready, get set, and SAVE!

What Does a Social Security Raise Mean to You?

You may have heard that the Social Security Administration recently announced a 3.6% cost of living increase for Social Security recipients starting in 2012. This is good news for those receiving Social Security benefits, as the last increase came two years ago (5.8% in 2009).  If you are not yet drawing Social Security, you may be wondering what this raise means for you. 

While a PhD in Social Security benefits might be needed to calculate how, a fact that is less known is that those aged 62 or older who are not receiving benefits just yet also receive benefit of the 3.6% increase.  Essentially, Social Security benefits before age 60 are based on wage increases, but at age 62 they are based on price increases, i.e. the 3.6% cost of living adjustment. 

Other Social Security related changes courtesy of Horsesmouth.com include:

• The maximum taxable wage base rises to $110,100 in 2012, up from $106,800 in 2011.  This means that you do not pay Social Security tax on any wages over $110,100 next year.
• The earnings test before full retirement age rises to $14,640 in 2012, up from $14,160 in 2011.  If you are drawing Social Security before your full retirement age, you can earn $14,640 next year before your Social Security benefits will be reduced.
• The maximum Social Security benefit for a maximum earner retiring in 2012 will be $2,513/month, up from 2,366/month in 2011.

The bottom line is that Social Security benefits can have a meaningful impact during retirement and it is important to maximize those benefits to the extent possible.  Careful analysis based on your particular situation is therefore critical to your financial health.  Consult your financial advisor about maximizing your Social Security benefits.

The information has been obtained from sources considered to be reliable, but we do not guarantee that the foregoing material is accurate or complete.

The Gift that Keeps on Giving

As the holiday shopping season approaches, many of us struggle to make our gift lists.  This can be a frustrating exercise, particularly when it comes to you adult children and grandchildren.  What can we possibly give them that will be appreciated and not be sitting on the dresser in a week when the next new gadget comes along?  Why not consider a gift that will keep on giving long after your gone?

If your children or grandchild had earned income from employment during 2011, you can contribute up to $5,000 or 100% of their total earnings (whichever is less) in a ROTH IRA in the child’s name.  [Remember that what you put in to the ROTH IRA counts toward the $13,000 annual gift exclusion; $26k if your spouse contributes to the gift].

Why is the ROTH IRA such a great gift?

• It grows tax-free over time.  A $5k contribution to a 16 year-old’s ROTH IRA earning 8% each year will grow to $217,000 by age 65*.  If the child works summers during high school and college and contributes each year, the future balance in the account will likely be significantly larger.
• ROTH IRAs provide tax-free withdrawals after age 59 ½**.
• In some specific situations, the child can pull out contributions (not earnings) free of tax (i.e. for the purchase of a first home).

A Roth IRA can be one of the best gifts you can give…one that will be giving for years to come.

*This is a hypothetical illustration and is not intended to reflect the actual performance of any particular security.  Future performance cannot be guaranteed and investment yields will fluctuate with market conditions.

**Unless certain criteria are met, ROTH IRA owners must be 59 ½ or older and have held the IRA for five years before tax-free withdrawals are permitted.

Financial Fitness is a Family Affair

Improving our health – physical or financial – may mean changing the habits we  learned as children.  What was your family’s attitude about money?  Is yours still the same?  Financial health is so much more than how much money you make or save: it’s about who you are and what you want from life.  The bottom line is that it’s “All About You.” 

As soon as kids begin to handle money, it’s time to start teaching them how to handle it wisely.  Concepts like saving for something valuable, financial goal setting, and basic money management are all important lessons that generations of children have learned from parents and extended family members.   

Here are five fundamental exercises that will develop financial muscles for kids as they move through the various stages of money maturity. 

1. Allowance.  Giving children an allowance is a good way to begin teaching how to save money and budget for things they want.  Allowances can be coupled with opportunities to earn extra money by doing chores that fall outside normal household responsibilities.
2. Saving.  Piggy banks are a great way to introduce the concept of a savings account.  By elementary school the next step is to open a savings account at a bank or credit union. This teachable moment can highlight the value of earning interest on your savings.
3. Critical Thinking.  As kids get older, television commercials and peer pressure are constant temptations to spend money.  Teach them how to compare items by price and quality and encourage care thinking about purchases they make.
4. Part-time Job.  Teens that have part-time jobs begin to experience greater financial independence.  This is an opportunity to show how withholding for FICA and federal and state taxes take a bit out of their paychecks.
5. College bound.  When young adults head off to college a prepaid spending card can offer an opportunity to learn about using credit responsibly without accumulating bad debt. 

In many ways, financial health is like physical health.  Both of them require:  knowledgeable advice, a long-term view and proactive participation.

It's Just Math...

Let’s say Samantha invests $100,000 in the stock market and in a gigantic downturn, she loses half. Not great for Samantha, since she was planning on sending her son to college soon and now she has $50,000. Perhaps it’s time to pick a new school, but first let’s do the math. 

Quick question:  How much does she need to gain to get back to even? 

Did you guess 50%? 

Wrong! When you lose 50% and you then gain 50%, you end up at 75%. If Samantha gained 50% after her bad run of luck, she’d be up to $75,000 … not the 100-grand she invested from the get-go. 

To get back to where she started and get her son packed off to college, Samantha’s going to need a whopping 100% return! So remember, the greater the losses … the greater the needed rebound just to get back to even. 

                   If you lose …        You’ll break even with …

                   10%                      11%

                   20%                      25%  

                   50%                      100%

                   80%                      400%

Medicare Open Enrollment Starts October 15th

As if Medicare and all of the changes in plans and formularies aren’t enough, you know have to make your choices sooner!  Beginning October 15, 2011, and ending December 7, 2011, you can make changes to your enrollments for:

• Medicare Part D plans
• Medicare Advantage *
• Medigap Plans

*Medicare Advantage plans can also be changed from January 1 to February 12, 2012.

Making the wrong Medicare choices can cost you hundreds of dollars per month.  It is important that during this limited period of time you carefully evaluate your needs and the available plans to make sure that you are in the most cost-effective plan for your situation.   You can do your own analysis by using the online tools provided by Medicare or look for the help provided by local senior organizations or independent Medicare consultants. 

 Taking the time to find the right plan for you can be financially life changing.  Contact your financial planner for resources in your area.

The Best Tool for Retirement Readiness

If you're like most Americans, you're dreaming of the day of retirement.  When you can set your own schedule and do all the things you couldn't do when you were working.  But will you be financially ready when  the time comes?

A recent study (July, 2011) by Brightwork Partners concluded that individuals who receive professional advice are much more likely to be prepared for retirement, no matter what their income level might be.  The survey polled 3,290 workers aged 18 to 65 and assigned a “lifetime income score” projecting the percentage of current income each person could expect in retirement , including investments, Social Security and other sources.  Those using advisors, not surprisingly, scored higher than those who didn’t.   The gap between the two, however, was significant: the median lifetime income score for those using an advisor was 82%, versus 61% for those who did not have a paid advisor, with the gap being most significant at higher income levels.   A major conclusion from the study is that retirement readiness is mostly about a person’s set of practices (behaviors), use of available tools (knowledge and skills), and partnerships (professional relationships). 

October is Financial Planning Month -- now is the time to take action to plan for your retirement readiness.  If you don't currently work with a planner, go to the Financial Planning Assocation website (www.fpanet.org) to use their free planner search tool to find a Certified Financial Planner™ in your area.