A ROTH IRA Strategy for High Income Earners

Do you have a 401k Plan from your current employer?  Does it allow you to make after tax contributions (these are different than pretax contributions and Roth 401k contributions)?  If the answer to both is “yes”, a recent IRS notice may present a welcome opportunity.  IRS Notice 2014-54 has provided guidance (positive guidance) allowing the splitting of after tax 401k contributions to a ROTH IRA. Although I believe that ROTH IRAs are used in many less than ideal situations, this is one strategy that can make sense for higher income earners; tax diversification and getting money into a ROTH without a big upfront tax cost. 

After answering “yes” to the first two questions, the next question is, “Are you making maximum contributions on a pretax basis?”  That is, if you are under 50 years old, are you contributing $17,500 and if you are over 50 (the new 30) $23,000? If you are making the maximum contribution, then a second look at after tax contributions should be considered.  Whew – that’s three hoops to jump through – but the benefits might just be worth it.

Putting Notice 2014-54 to Work

For example, Teddy, age 50 has a 401k plan and contributes $23,000 (includes the catch up contribution) and his employer matches $5,000 for a total of $28,000.  Teddy’s plan also allows for after tax contributions and he may contribute $29,000 more up to an IRS limit of $57,000. 

The new IRS Notice makes it clear and simplifies the process allowing this after tax amount at retirement to be rolled into a ROTH IRA.

The bottom line:  It is more attractive to make after tax contributions to your 401k with the flexibility of converting the basis to a ROTH at retirement or separation of employment without the tax hit of an ordinary Roth conversion.

As usual, the nuances are plentiful and your specific circumstances will determine whether this strategy is best for you.  To that end, we are here to help evaluate the opportunity with you.

Timothy Wyman, CFP®, JD is the Managing Partner and Financial Planner at Center for Financial Planning, Inc. and is a frequent contributor to national media including appearances on Good Morning America Weekend Edition and WDIV Channel 4 News and published articles including Forbes and The Wall Street Journal. A leader in his profession, Tim served on the National Board of Directors for the 28,000 member Financial Planning Association™ (FPA®), trained and mentored hundreds of CFP® practitioners and is a frequent speaker to organizations and businesses on various financial planning topics.

This material is being provided for information purposes only and is not a complete description, nor is it a recommendation. Any opinions are those of Center for Financial Planning, Inc. and not necessarily those of Raymond James.

The information has been obtained from sources considered to be reliable, but Raymond James does not guarantee that the foregoing material is accurate or complete. C14-033701

Want to be a Genius when it comes to Retirement?

My friend* and fellow professional Marc Freedman, CFP® recently published his first book Retiring for the Genius®. The two subtitles capture the essence of the book: “Your Blueprint for Planning a Comfortable Retirement” designed “For the Genius in All of Us™”. I had the honor of providing a peer review during editing and, according to the Author’s Acknowledgement, provided “invaluable and honest insights.” Writing a book is an admirable undertaking and it was truly an honor and pleasure playing a very small role.

Retiring for the Genius® is very comprehensive, covering almost 400 pages of text. Marc addresses an enormous amount of content including social security, income taxes, designing retirement income, estate planning; Marc covers it all. Fortunately there’s an array of summaries, examples and “inspiration” tips to keep the material interesting and practical.  Marc accomplished his goal of providing meaningful content that we all can understand and implement. Give it a read.

*In the spirit of full disclosure, I need to define “friend”.  Marc and I are Facebook friends, and according to my three kids, that means in 2014 we are almost like family.  More importantly, we both served the Board of Directors of the Financial Planning Association and its 25,000 members about a decade ago. I came to honor his knowledge and passion for serving his clients and the financial planning profession. Congrats my friend!

Timothy Wyman, CFP®, JD is the Managing Partner and Financial Planner at Center for Financial Planning, Inc. and is a frequent contributor to national media including appearances on Good Morning America Weekend Edition and WDIV Channel 4 News and published articles including Forbes and The Wall Street Journal. A leader in his profession, Tim served on the National Board of Directors for the 28,000 member Financial Planning Association™ (FPA®), trained and mentored hundreds of CFP® practitioners and is a frequent speaker to organizations and businesses on various financial planning topics.

Any opinions are those of Center for Financial Planning, Inc. and not necessarily those of Raymond James. Links are being provided for information purposes only. Raymond James is not affiliated with and does not endorse, authorize or sponsor any of the listed websites or their respective sponsors. Raymond James is not responsible for the content of any website or the collection or use of information regarding any website’s users and/or members. C14-026543

Factoring the Cost of Living in a Post-Retirement Relocation

Your retirement plan may involve a move. You could be moving some place warm so you don’t have to put up with the wonderful Michigan winters or perhaps moving to be closer to your kids and grandkids.  Whatever the motivation, there is always a financial component in the decision-making process.

Paying for what you want vs. what you need

The cost to live in other areas of the country can be higher or lower, but some people don’t know the specific figures you will probably pay after you make the move.  Is a dollar in Michigan the same as a dollar in California or Utah? A recent conversation with a client evaluating relocating placed focus on this specific issue. His thinking was that it didn’t matter where you lived, you can always find a way to spend money.  While I certainly have to agree with him on that point, I think the bigger point is that there is a difference between spending money on things you want versus spending money on things you need.

Comparing Expenses

Let’s take a look at the cost of different goods and services in the two cities. These figures were taken from www.costofliving.org and they are an average estimate taken from people who live in Salt Lake City and San Francisco. The list of goods and services has more than 75 commonly purchased or used items but we’ll look at just a sampling of expenses.

As you can see, everything in San Fran is more expensive except the T-Bone steak. Unfortunately, after you pay for your basic living expenses, you might not have any money left over for that T-Bone! According to the living expense calculator on www.costofliving.org someone living on $70,000 of net income in Livonia, Michigan would need approximately $120,000 net in San Francisco.  In Salt Lake City, that same person would only need $69,000 to maintain the same standard of living. 

If you think a move might be in your future, talk to your financial advisor to weigh the costs associated with the new location and make sure it fits within your retirement income goal.

Matthew Trujillo, CFP®, is a Certified Financial Planner™ at Center for Financial Planning, Inc. Matt currently assists Center planners and clients, and is a contributor to Money Centered.

Any opinions are those of Center for Financial Planning, Inc. and not necessarily those of Raymond James. The information has been obtained from sources considered to be reliable, but Raymond James does not guarantee that the foregoing material is accurate or complete. C14-022592

Is Retirement Too Late to Find a Financial Planner?

Let’s say you are approaching retirement or you have already taken the plunge. Let’s also say you have not worked with a financial planner along the way. Is there a reason to consider forming a relationship at this stage of the game? 

Even at this stage in life, it may help to seek out a financial planner to be a thinking partner leading up to and along your retirement journey. But finding the right fit may not be easy. A successful financial planning engagement starts with you figuring out what is most important.  Details about your money are equally as important when put in context with your envisioned life. 

Here are two steps that will help you pull together your overall financial picture:

1. Create a financial plan: This will be a roadmap to help you see your financial picture in one coordinated view. 

• This plan is all about you, your priorities and needs.  The goal is to help you feel secure and at ease about your financial future.

• It will show you how you are currently invested and make suggestions for appropriate changes.

• Analyze how your investments could be working to supplement your income, either on a regular basis or as needs arise.

• Make sure that your estate plan is the way you want it. 

2. Consolidate: If your accounts are spread around with many different companies, it may come with a financial and organizational cost.

• With consolidation you can easily access all of your information in one place.

• You’ll simplify the ongoing paperwork you receive and streamline information gathering at tax time and when you must take required distributions.

• It provides more consistent management and ongoing monitoring in a cohesive framework.

Even if you have the individual areas of your finances under control, it is still important to pull all the pieces together.  Perhaps you have multiple IRA’s that too closely mirror each other, investments you have inherited that aren’t worked into your overall strategy, or your life circumstances have changed and your investments have not. 

The right fit might take some trial and error.  You don’t have to settle.  A financial planner that truly understands your financial story will be able to guide you to think about areas of your financial life you may not have considered up to this point. If you’re nearing, at, or past retirement and need help exploring your financial planning options, don’t hesitate to contact me about building a relationship and shaping your plan.

Laurie Renchik, CFP®, MBA is a Partner and Senior Financial Planner at Center for Financial Planning, Inc. In addition to working with women who are in the midst of a transition (career change, receiving an inheritance, losing a life partner, divorce or remarriage), Laurie works with clients who are planning for retirement. Laurie was named to the 2013 Five Star Wealth Managers list in Detroit Hour magazine, is a member of the Leadership Oakland Alumni Association and in addition to her frequent contributions to Money Centered, she manages and is a frequent contributor to Center Connections at The Center.

Five Star Award is based on advisor being credentialed as an investment advisory representative (IAR), a FINRA registered representative, a CPA or a licensed attorney, including education and professional designations, actively employed in the industry for five years, favorable regulatory and complaint history review, fulfillment of firm review based on internal firm standards, accepting new clients, one- and five-year client retention rates, non-institutional discretionary and/or non-discretionary client assets administered, number of client households served.

Any opinions are those of Center for Financial Planning, Inc. and not necessarily those of Raymond James. You should compare your current and prospective account features, including any fees and charges, before making consolidation decisions. This material is being provided for information purposes only and is not a complete description, nor is it a recommendation. C14-022519

Making the Most of your Empty Nest Years

 In a recent meeting, I asked a client how their year had been and they exclaimed:

“It’s like being in college, only with money!”

The words struck a chord. After raising two children, educating them, and seeing them move away (fully employed) my clients were busy starting their empty nest years.  As they explained, after years of doing the right things financially, they were ready and excited for the next chapter in their lives before retiring.  Fortunately, they are healthy, both physically and financially, and have begun weaving more leisure and travel into their schedules.  Their new lifestyle is a fine reward for years of delayed gratification in some areas and I couldn’t be happier for them. 

Planning for the Empty Nest

Here are some of the keys to living well during the empty nest years:

• Make time to plan – ideally over multiple years
• Spend less than you earn – this may be financial planning 101 but it takes commitment and discipline
• Save for college – it is not always necessary to save 100% of the costs, but going into the college tuition years with substantial savings (i.e. 529 plan) will allow you and your kids to avoid significant debt
• Save for your own retirement – systematically contribute to your 401k, 403b or other tax advantaged plan

My client’s story also gave me reason to pause and reflect, or plan, on what might be “next” for our family.  While I am used to dispensing advice for a living and helping others plan an ideal life, I am fortunate to have so many clients and meetings like the above to inspire me to continuously think about and plan for a life well lived.  While my wife Jen and I (we celebrated our 22^nd wedding anniversary this month) are not quite empty nesters, two of our three children will be full time college students living on their own for most of the year.

Wyman Nest Dwindles

Our oldest Matt will be in his third year at The University of Kansas.  Matt, a soccer player in high school, walked on to the football team and won the starting position last season.  His year was highlighted by kicking a game-winning 52-yard field goal as time expired.  Matt will return to KU in the fall for his second season after interning here at The Center this summer. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HyYWj5lsFmk

Our middle child, Jack, just graduated from Bloomfield Hills High School, the first ever class at the merged high school.  Jack finished a stellar baseball season as his team won their district and he was named team MVP, All League and All District as a pitcher and third baseman.  Jack is undecided on his college choice but has been accepted to Albion College and Belmont University in Nashville.

http://www.miprepzone.com/oakland/results.asp?ID=13633

Our youngest, Kacy, just finished 5^th grade and continues to be an inspiration as she manages a rare disease called Cystinosis.  A highlight of Kacy’s year was being to be Principal for the Day at Bloomfield Hills Middle School where extra lunch time and recess was the call of the day! Kacy also enjoys swimming year round with a little dance thrown in for variety.

Words of encouragement from our principal....

"Good morning BHMS! Please excuse this interruption. This is your Principal for the Day, Kacy Wyman. I just wanted to wish you a great day - have fun and work hard!"

Jen and I look forward to our empty nest years and living the “college life” like my clients described.  However, for now, we are mostly excited to be traveling to Kansas and other parts of the country for football and baseball as well as being with friends at Wing Lake beach or Kacy’s swim meets. 

From our family to yours, have a great summer and take pause to plan what’s “next” for you and yours :)

Timothy Wyman, CFP®, JD is the Managing Partner and Financial Planner at Center for Financial Planning, Inc. and is a frequent contributor to national media including appearances on Good Morning America Weekend Edition and WDIV Channel 4 News and published articles including Forbes and The Wall Street Journal. A leader in his profession, Tim served on the National Board of Directors for the 28,000 member Financial Planning Association™ (FPA®), trained and mentored hundreds of CFP® practitioners and is a frequent speaker to organizations and businesses on various financial planning topics.

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This material is being provided for information purposes only and is not a complete description, nor is it a recommendation. Any opinions are those of Center for Financial Planning, Inc. and not necessarily those of Raymond James. Links are being provided for information purposes only. Raymond James is not affiliated with and does not endorse, authorize or sponsor any of the listed websites or their respective sponsors. Raymond James is not responsible for the content of any website or the collection or use of information regarding any website’s users and/or members. C14-019071

Tax Update: Borrowing from Retirement to Buy a Home

There may come a time in your life when you simply need some money. As a general rule, taking money from an IRA, 401k, or other retirement plan for “non-retirement” purposes is ill advised.  However, there can be some exceptions.  Perhaps you bought a home without selling your current one and need funds to bridge the closing dates.  The IRS allows you to withdraw funds from an IRA and avoid income taxes and a 10% penalty (if under age 59.5) by rolling the money back into the IRA within 60 days.  This can be done once every 12 months. The gray area had been whether the 12-month rollover applies to each separate IRA or to all of your IRAs. In February 2014 a court ruling stated that this rule applies on an aggregate basis for all of your IRAs.  Therefore, the strategy can still be used, but proper planning will be even more important in order to make sure the transaction is nontaxable.

Timothy Wyman, CFP®, JD is the Managing Partner and Financial Planner at Center for Financial Planning, Inc. and is a frequent contributor to national media including appearances on Good Morning America Weekend Edition and WDIV Channel 4 News and published articles including Forbes and The Wall Street Journal. A leader in his profession, Tim served on the National Board of Directors for the 28,000 member Financial Planning Association™ (FPA®), trained and mentored hundreds of CFP® practitioners and is a frequent speaker to organizations and businesses on various financial planning topics.

The information has been obtained from sources considered to be reliable, but we do not guarantee that the foregoing material is accurate or complete. Any information is not a complete summary or statement of all available data necessary for making an investment decision and does not constitute a recommendation. Any opinions are those of Center for Financial Planning, Inc. and not necessarily those of RJFS or Raymond James. You should discuss any tax or legal matters with the appropriate professional. C14-011297

Elder Care Planning: Is It Time to Start?

 The truth is, we all will think about retirement planning – we all want to retire someday to enjoy the fruits of our working life labor.  We plan for where we will live, what we will do with all of our free time, and how we will pay for all of those things as we enjoy our non-working years.  What we don’t often plan for, or even want to think about, are those things that we don’t plan for – things like health care issues or the need for change in living arrangements that may happen as we age.  There is a need to plan for this part of retirement, as well.

How do you know if you have planned well for ALL of your retirement; that you have planned for the “what-ifs” to help ensure that your future retirement – all of it – remains on track and can be successful?  You might consider starting with our Future Care Strategies Checklist. By taking 5 minutes to consider issues relating to your estate planning, financial planning and future care preferences and plans, you can determine if there are additional areas that need to be addressed in your future retirement planning. 

We believe that it is important for all individuals to have as much control over their lives – for their whole lives – as possible.  Work with your financial planner to make sure that all of your future planning needs – not just the financial aspects – are in place before a crisis occurs.  Take a few minutes today to make sure that your planning is complete.

This is the first in a monthly post (2^nd Thursday of each month) that will address Elder Care planning topics.  If you have a specific question or issue you’d like addressed, please contact me at Sandy.Adams@CenterFinPlan.com.

Sandra Adams, CFP® is a Partner and Financial Planner at Center for Financial Planning, Inc. Sandy specializes in Elder Care Financial Planning and is a frequent speaker on related topics. In 2012 and 2013, Sandy was named to the Five Star Wealth Managers list in Detroit Hour magazine. In addition to her frequent contributions to Money Centered, she is regularly quoted in national media publications such as The Wall Street Journal, Research Magazine and Journal of Financial Planning.

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Five Star Award is based on advisor being credentialed as an investment advisory representative (IAR), a FINRA registered representative, a CPA or a licensed attorney, including education and professional designations, actively employed in the industry for five years, favorable regulatory and complaint history review, fulfillment of firm review based on internal firm standards, accepting new clients, one- and five-year client retention rates, non-institutional discretionary and/or non-discretionary client assets administered, number of client households served.

C14-005523

Health Care Costs: The Retirement Planning Wildcard

Planning ahead for retirement income needs, we typically think about how much it will cost us to live day-to-day (food, clothing, shelter) and to do those things we want to do, like travel and helping grandkids pay for college.  The costs we don’t often think about, those that could potentially wreak havoc on retirement income planning, are health care costs.  According to an October 2012 article from the Employee Benefits Research Institute, an average 65 year-old couple will need $283,000 to have a 90% chance of having enough money to cover health care expenses over their remaining lifetimes (excluding long-term care).

Longevity is a critical factor driving health care costs.  According to the Social Security Administration’s 2020 study, for a couple, both 66 years of age, there is a 1 in 2 chance that one will live to age 90 and a 1 in 4 chance that one will live to age 95.  Add to these longevity statistics the fact that Medicare is now means-tested, so the more income you generate in retirement, the higher your Medicare premiums.

So, what can you do to proactively plan for this potential large retirement cost?

1. If you plan to retire early, plan on the costs of self-insuring from retirement to age 65.  Some employer’s may offer retiree healthcare, or you can purchase insurance on the Health Insurance Exchange through the Affordable Care Act (these are still dollars out of your pocket in retirement).

2. Consider taking advantage of Roth 401(k)s, Roth IRAs (if you qualify), or converting IRA dollars to ROTH IRAs in years that it makes sense from an income tax perspective.  This will give you tax-free dollars to use for potential retirement health care expenses that won’t increase your income for determining Medicare premiums in retirement.

3. Work with your financial planner to determine if a vehicle like a non-qualified deferred annuity might make sense for a portion of your investment portfolio, again dollars that can be tax advantaged when determining Medicare premiums.

4. Most importantly, work with your financial planner to simulate the need for future retirement income for health care expenses.  Although you will never know what your exact need will be, providing flexibility in your planning to accommodate for these expenses may help provide you confidence for future retirement.

Contact your financial planner to discuss how you can plan to pay for your retirement health care needs.

Sandra Adams, CFP®is a Partner and Financial Planner at Center for Financial Planning, Inc. Sandy specializes in Elder Care Financial Planning and is a frequent speaker on related topics. In 2012 and 2013, Sandy was named to the Five Star Wealth Managers list in Detroit Hour magazine. In addition to her frequent contributions to Money Centered, she is regularly quoted in national media publications such as The Wall Street Journal, Research Magazine and Journal of Financial Planning.

Five Star Award is based on advisor being credentialed as an investment advisory representative (IAR), a FINRA registered representative, a CPA or a licensed attorney, including education and professional designations, actively employed in the industry for five years, favorable regulatory and complaint history review, fulfillment of firm review based on internal firm standards, accepting new clients, one- and five-year client retention rates, non-institutional discretionary and/or non-discretionary client assets administered, number of client households served.

The information has been obtained from sources considered to be reliable, but we do not guarantee that it is accurate or complete, it is not a statement of all available data necessary for making an investment decision, and it does not constitute a recommendation. Any opinions are this of Center for Financial Planning, Inc. and not necessarily those of Raymond James. Every investor’s situation is unique and you should consult with your financial advisor about your individual situation prior to making an investment decision. Please discuss any tax or legal matters with the appropriate professional. C14-005524

Old Habits Die Hard: Are You Spending Enough?

 I received an intriguing question from a client recently.  His query: “We who are savers struggled initially as young earners to develop the discipline to pay ourselves first.  We have spent the first two thirds of our lives making spending decisions based on debt avoidance rather than conspicuous consumption; all with the goal to make sure we would achieve financial independence in our retirement years.  But now that we’re retired, that deep-rooted discipline comes back to haunt us as we transition into our spending years.  I'm finding it difficult to spend the money now, even though we are financially secure.  Any advice?”

Actually, this is not an uncommon issue with our retired clients at the Center.  There is an element of self-selection that occurs for our long-time clients—they tend to be both forward-thinking “planners” by nature and they have generally demonstrated excellent self-discipline over the years.  It is not unusual that this results in having more financial resources than they might have expected or imagined, and the careful spending habits developed over decades don’t change quickly.

For many, many years, I have defined “financial planning” as the process of finding an appropriate balance between spending now and investing for the future to ensure that all of your financial goals are accomplished throughout your life.  Most people tend to err on one side or another—they either spend so much now that they jeopardize their future goals; or they have far too aggressive savings goals, giving up current quality of life unnecessarily.  In planning, we can quantify what it takes to meet future financial goals, and making sure that we are doing what is needed to help reach those goals—whatever is left can be spent freely and without guilt on those things that are of highest priority.

There are some that find themselves in the enviable position of having more than they need at retirement. Here again, we can quantify what it takes to maintain financial security with some cushion for unforeseen contingencies—

The excess is available for other priorities, which can include:

• Gifting: to family members or to charities
• Creating a meaningful financial legacy
• Increasing one’s annual income to incorporate some “luxury” items or experiences
• Pursuing passionate interests such as collecting art, fine wine, or extensive travel

My advice to you, if you are in this position, is not to “deny yourself” if there is something you would like to do.  This is not to recommend spending money frivolously; but on the other hand, if there is an expenditure that would improve the quality of your life or the lives of those you care about, don’t hesitate to spring for it—even if it seems “unnecessary”.  The ultimate goal here is to pursue those areas of interest because they are meaningful and important to you, unconstrained by financial concerns.  That, friends, is true financial freedom.

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Any information is not a complete summary or statement of all available data necessary for making an investment decision and does not constitute a recommendation. Any opinions are those of Center for Financial Planning, Inc., and not necessarily those of RJFS or Raymond James.

What Women can do to Create more Retirement Confidence

 Spending a weekend with girlfriends I have known since high school is a can’t-miss opportunity that rolls around once a year. Not only do I eagerly anticipate this get-together, this year it gave me a chance to not only laugh and commiserate with my girlfriends, but to also share some important knowledge on a topic that women don’t talk about enough … money. Women should have more open, meaningful conversations that focus not just on financial assets, budgets and credit scores, but also include stories about value and worth that are created by our individual experiences, communities, family, friends, career and legacies.

The financial risks that women run are distinct from men because of real cultural, psychological and biological differences. Women live longer, earn less and do not have complete control over either of these factors. Combine that with a general aversion to investment risk, and females (my friends included) can find themselves questioning how they are going to achieve financial confidence in retirement. 

Here are 3 conversation starters you might use next time you're with your girlfriends:

• How can we pursue human capital potential during all life stages?
• How can we maximize our workplace salary and benefits?
• Would we continue to work past retirement age if we are still healthy and able?

Every weekend isn’t a girlfriends get-away, so these topics aren’t for the back-burner. Don’t you want those in your circle of friends to realize full potential in the workplace, negotiate a competitive salary and benefits package, and choose a unique and custom pathway to retirement? If so, maybe its time to get a meaningful girls weekend on the books and get ready for it by talking with your financial advisor about all these approaches and how they can work for you.

Laurie Renchik, CFP®, MBA is a Senior Financial Planner at Center for Financial Planning, Inc. In addition to working with women who are in the midst of a transition (career change, receiving an inheritance, losing a life partner, divorce or remarriage), Laurie works with clients who are planning for retirement. Laurie was named to the 2013 Five Star Wealth Managers list in Detroit Hour magazine, is a member of the Leadership Oakland Alumni Association and in addition to her frequent contributions to Money Centered, she manages and is a frequent contributor to Center Connections at The Center.

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Five Star Award is based on advisor being credentialed as an investment advisory representative (IAR), a FINRA registered representative, a CPA or a licensed attorney, including education and professional designations, actively employed in the industry for five years, favorable regulatory and complaint history review, fulfillment of firm review based on internal firm standards, accepting new clients, one- and five-year client retention rates, non-institutional discretionary and/or non-discretionary client assets administered, number of client households served.

The information contained in this report does not purport to be a complete description of the securities, markets or developments referred to in this material.  Any opinions are those of Center for Financial Planning, Inc., and not necessarily those of RJFS or Raymond James.