At Peak Financial Freedom Group, we believe there are a distinct set of seven rules to live by in order to create retirement security. Today, we’re sharing the first lesson, which is that there are two stages in retirement planning when it comes to money. We detail all seven rules in our book, Momma’s Secret Recipe for Retirement Success.
It’s no secret that about half of first marriages end in divorce, meaning many people will get married more than once during their lifetimes. If you find yourself getting ready for your second marriage, congratulations! Getting remarried offers a fresh start, a new opportunity to learn from the past, and time to build a life with someone new.
Before you walk down the aisle for the second time, however, there are several important financial steps you should take with your partner. Communication is always important in a relationship, but in some ways, it’s even more important in a second marriage because you will both be bringing more complexity and baggage with you – some of it financial.
Below are five steps you should consider before saying “I Do” for the second time.
When it comes to retirement, the most common worry among workers tends to be whether they’re saving enough. However, with new reports showing that the average retirement debt is on the rise, many workers nearing retirement have an added concern to consider. According to the Federal Reserve Bank, Baby Boomers are carrying more debt into retirement than ever before.
Debt is often a serious source of contention and stress and carrying debt into retirement could be quite detrimental to achieving retirement dreams and goals. It can affect a retiree’s ability to pay necessary living expenses, keep their home, and even influence whether or not they can afford independent- or assisted-living facilities, should their health prevent them from living alone.
If you’re concerned about bringing debt with you into retirement, here’s how to tackle it ahead of time so that your retirement dreams can become your retirement reality.
Though it may seem that family and finances are two words that don’t belong together, it’s important to make sure that you’re occasionally combining the topics despite how awkward it may feel. Talking about money can be incredibly difficult, but it’s equally important to make sure you and your loved ones are on the same page. Having conversations about money and retirement matters because, like it or not, your finances and current or future retirement plans will impact your children, too.
Furthermore, discussing money can ultimately end up strengthening everyone’s finances – and your relationships. Below you’ll find tips to help inspire you to begin having those hard conversations.
A common error in financial planning is to assume that you can do it once and be finished. In truth, though, even a well-conceived plan built with the help of a financial advisor should be reviewed annually. This allows you to stay on top of what you have and have not accomplished so that you can ensure you’ve covered all the bases on both your short-term and long-term goals.
Creating an annual financial planning checklist is a useful way to track your progress, as well as to ensure you remain vigilant about making adjustments if your circumstances or your goals should change.
Everyday household expenses can quickly add up and, if you’re not paying attention, they can end up consuming a large portion of your income. When this happens, saving enough for financial goals like buying a house, paying for a college education, or saving for retirement can become difficult. Below are eight ways you can reduce your monthly household expenses.
Losing a spouse is an especially painful time. Unfortunately, many people find their grief compounded by the complexities of figuring out their finances. The process for collecting Social Security Survivor Benefits can be particularly confusing, but we hope this primer will help you wade through the confusion and better understand the benefits you may be eligible for.
It’s tempting to think about retirement savings in black and white: there’s a “right” number you need to reach, at which point you have enough money saved to sustain your retirement. The trouble is, there is no right number because every retiree has a different picture of what their ideal retirement looks like. That means the amount of money you’ll need to retire could be vastly different – either far more or far less – than others your age, or even in your social circle. In order to truly understand what your retirement savings goal should be, you need to forget arbitrary numbers and come up with you own personal estimate.
In our many years working with clients, we have noticed a disturbing trend: most people are investing based upon two faulty premises, both of which are pervasive myths and neither of which are in an investor’s best interest:
Have you heard these? Are you investing based upon them? If so, you’re not alone. However, we’re here to tell you that these myths are old-school and outdated, and they aren’t serving you as well as you may believe.
All retirees have their own unique beliefs about what a successful retirement looks like, yet too many are unable to answer important financial questions about achieving that success. And, when you can’t find answers to your most pressing money questions, it’s difficult to feel financially secure.
In our 50+ years of experience, we’ve come to realize that there are nine specific questions you need to be able to answer about your money in order to plan – and achieve – a successful retirement:
If you can’t answer these nine questions, it means your retirement planning is based on hope and luck – not the best recipe for success. Read on to learn Momma’s Secret Recipe, instead.
