How to Better Track Your Financial Assets as You Enter Retirement

After working hard for decades, you are finally entering your retirement. While you may be focused on moving to a new location or preparing to take one of many trips to different parts of the world, you should also be paying attention to tracking your financial assets. 

By doing so, you can avoid unexpected surprises that may derail your plans. If you are trying to figure out the best ways to track your financial assets, here are some suggestions.

Tracking Apps

Since there is an app for virtually anything anymore, it should be no surprise that numerous financial tracking apps exist. By taking advantage of these, you can simply pull out your smartphone and instantly view your financial picture. 

One of the best is Mint.com, where you can enter various types of financial data and have it all displayed on a single screen. Also, you can track investment fees, compare individual accounts, and set budgets for yourself based on how much you may be spending in various categories, such as dining and entertainment.

Hiring Financial Professionals

While apps are great, nothing can replace a face-to-face meeting with an experienced financial professional you know and trust. Therefore, always arrange to hire the services of a financial planner to help you during retirement. 

Since you will have various types of life insurance and possibly long-term care insurance as part of your retirement financial package, meeting with professionals from The Lofrumento Agency, Inc. and other financial offices can help you get the advice needed to make well-informed decisions.

Desktop Software

Even if you use apps, it is likely they may not have as many features as you need for certain areas of your financial planning process. Because of this, you may want to purchase desktop software that can go into more detail. 

For example, you can use QuickBooks Pro to monitor the assets of your estate, track the interest that accrues on municipal or corporate bonds in which you have invested, and track the yield to maturity.

Company Retirement Plans

Just as you are entering into retirement, take advantage of your company's retirement plans to help you track your financial assets. 

While you can make many decisions on your own, you can also take advantage of your company's HR department and others within the company to help give you advice on how to roll your money into an IRA, how to rearrange investments to reduce taxable income, and much more.

By taking an active role in tracking your financial assets when beginning your retirement, your later years can be filled with plenty of money and lots of fun.

How Smart Seniors Budget and Manage Their Money

Retirement gives you the freedom to experience life in a way that you may not have been able to when you were working full time. 

Creating a good budget and managing the money coming in each month allows you to get the most out of your golden years. Consider a few ideas on how smart seniors budget and manage their money.

Make Good Use of Free Online Tools

Knowing where your money goes is the first step to managing your money. Keeping up with spending on paper can be daunting and hiring a personal accountant can be expensive. 

Free websites like Mint.com can securely give you a complete view of your finances. All of your accounts will be connected on one easy-to-read page. Bills, credit cards, checking accounts, and subscriptions can be monitored so that they do not get out of hand. 

Mint will track your spending, give you insights on smarter spending, and even give you a daily snapshot of your net worth. If you like to have paper files, you can easily print reports for your records.

Find a Medicare Specialist

Fear of the cost of healthcare is one of the factors that keep people from retiring early. Health insurance options available to seniors in today’s market offer comprehensive healthcare without eating up a huge amount of your monthly budget. 

Getting help finding the right plan is as easy as looking for a broker who specializes in Medicare plans. Brokers who sell Medicare plans are usually paid by the insurance company. Helping you purchase a plan should not cost you any consultation fees. 

If a broker wants an upfront consultation fee, look for another one. An experienced broker will know which plans are accepted by your current doctors, cover your prescription medications, and give you coverage for health expenses wherever you travel on a regular basis. 

Some companies, like Optimized Health Plans, know that if you purchased a plan when you turned 65, you may not be locked into that plan for the rest of your life. If you have pre-existing health conditions, a Medicare specialist can direct you to plans that have little or no health screenings to change health plans.

Talk to other seniors about how they budget their retirement income. Seniors who are five to ten years older than you may be able to help you avoid pitfalls and extend your savings by informing you of what has and has not worked for them. 

Being on a fixed income does not mean limiting your freedom. Creating a detailed budget and managing every dollar that you spend will help you to enjoy every moment of retirement.

4 Different Ways to Retire Comfortably in a Location You Love

Your retirement years should be as happy and fulfilling as possible. A big part of fulfilling your dreams is landing in the perfect location. The good news is that there's more than one way to cross the finish line of location perfection. 

In fact, depending on what your goals are, there could be two, three, four, or even more ways to retire comfortably exactly where you want to be. To help you plan well, here are some variables to consider.

Consider a Second Home

You might find that one location by itself isn't enough to contain the excitement of your retirement years. If that's the case for you, then a second home is the best way to go. For example, you can choose a home in a warm and sunny location to complement your other home that's closer to family. 

Since you'll likely be enjoying plenty of leisure activities while you're at your second home, you may be able to choose something smaller to save some money.

Find a Local Escape

If you like your current location, it's totally fine to simply stay in the area and make the most of your locale. By searching for new homes in your area that take advantage of great views of the local landscape, you can stay where you're comfortable while still feeling like you're on a retreat. 

This will prevent you from having to make a potentially expensive move and give you extra money to allow you to go on new adventures.

Go Maintenance-Free

Once you hit retirement age, the last thing that you want to be thinking about is maintaining a home. In addition to being time-consuming, many types of home maintenance can be downright expensive. 

That's why moving to a condominium or senior living community can make a great option. In addition to being zero maintenance, these housing options tend to offer plenty of activities that allow you to make new friends and make the most of your time.

Stay Mobile

If you have a strong sense of wanderlust, the idea of being tied to one or two fixed locations may sound like a terrible way to spend retirement. To satisfy your thirst for adventure, you can consider RV or travel-trailer living. 

This option allows you to take your home with you wherever you go so that you can explore all that this country has to offer without worrying about staying in a run-down hotel. 

Plus, once you make the initial investment in the RV or trailer, the costs of living on the road are fairly low compared to other housing options.

No matter which housing option you choose for your retirement, the most important thing that you can do is plan ahead. If you don't have enough money saved to afford one of the above options, you could find that your retirement is rather lackluster. 

With good planning, though, you can finally make your dreams come true and live in the location that brings you the most happiness.

4 Monthly Expenses You Can Plan for Beforehand

 
Some expenses, like emergency medical bills and unexpected home repairs, come out of the blue. These are the costs that hurt the most, since you never have a chance to plan for them in your budget. Other expenses are a routine part of everyday life. 

They come around every month without fail, so it’s your responsibility to prepare for them. Here are four such monthly expenses that you should account for in your general budget.

Rent or Mortgage Payments

One of your biggest monthly expenses comes from your constant need to keep a roof over your head. Unless you bought your house via cash purchase or you’ve already paid off your mortgage, then you’re going to need to make some sort of monthly payment, either to your landlord or the bank. Make sure you have a clear idea of exactly how much you pay each month.

Utility Bills

Not everyone pays for the same utilities (since every property functions differently and has different agreements), but you probably have to pay each month for some combination of gas, water, and electricity. 

The payments will fluctuate slightly based on monthly usage, but they should stay relatively consistent. Take a look at your utility bills for the last few months so you can determine a general average. Then, incorporate this average expense into your monthly budget.

Internet

If you have the internet at your home, then you have to pay for it on a monthly basis. The total amount paid to internet providers each month will depend on the specific company and the type of service. 

Some providers combine internet and cable in a single package. Examine your most recent bill so you’ll know how much you’re paying.

Food

This expense isn’t as easy to calculate as the others on this list, since it is never presented as a single monthly charge. All the same, you can determine how much you typically spend by keeping records and doing some basic math. 

For ten days, write down how much you spend on food. This should include visits to restaurants, snacks from convenience stores, and trips to the supermarket. Add up the total after ten days, then multiply by three. This final answer will be your approximate monthly food bill.

Personal finance is all about understanding your financial reality and then acting accordingly. These four expenses are among the facts of life, so you’d better account for them when considering your finances. By including these costs in your budget, you’ll make it easier to stay financially healthy.

Looking Into Investment? Here are 4 Great Avenues You Might Not Have Considered

If you're interested in the investment world, you're certainly already aware of stocks and bonds as investment assets. There are, however, many other types of assets you may not have thought about yet. 

These non-traditional investments can help to diversify your portfolio and improve your overall returns. Here are four great investments you might not have thought about adding to your portfolio.

Shipping Containers

Believe it or not, many of the shipping containers that are used to transport goods around the world aren't owned by transportation companies. 

These companies instead lease them from owners, often at very generous rates. Owning and renting out shipping containers can be a great way to put your money to work, especially since they are always in demand.

Peer-to-Peer Loans

If you don't mind a higher-risk investment, peer-to-peer lending may be a good addition to your portfolio. This is a type of lending in which individuals lend money to other individuals, then collect a return on their investment in the form of interest paid on the loan. 

Interest rates on these loans vary by the creditworthiness of the borrower, but they can often range well above 10 percent. There is, however, a risk that the borrower will default. As a result, peer-to-peer loans are usually best reserved for investors with somewhat higher risk tolerance.

Wines and Spirits

Over the last several years, the collector demand for wines and spirits has gone up tremendously. Prices on limited-edition whiskies, hard-to-find wines, and other beverages have also soared, producing outsized returns for the few investors specializing in this market. 

Although it can be a tricky and volatile market to navigate, there's definitely money to be made by buying and holding certain types of alcoholic beverages.

Campgrounds

Although you may never have thought of a campground as an investment before, owning one can produce generous cash flows over time. 

To get into this market, you'll need to find a campground or RV park broker who can help you find the right piece of property. Once you acquire the property, you can begin earning a relatively passive income as campers rent out parts of it.

Even though they're far removed from the traditional stock and bond markets, these four non-traditional investments can help you realize your financial goals and build up your portfolio. 

Be sure to thoroughly research any investment before putting your money into it to ensure that you have a complete picture of the risks and rewards of your chosen asset.

5 Reasons Why You Should Have a Will

Creating a will is a crucial consideration that can save your loved ones from many unfavorable situations. It gives an easy time for the people you leave behind when you die. Some people often fail to write a will earlier enough, which leads to many complications. Below are reasons why you should create a will.

Reduced Disputes

The will gives a clear image of what should happen with your money and property. There will be disputes among your loved ones because the will states who should inherit after you. If you don't write a will, some people can move to court, seeking to inherit your property against your wish.

The law can decide how to pass on the estate, and this can be unfair to some of your family or partners who had the right to inherit your property. If you find yourself in a situation where you've been deprived of your right of ownership, you can seek help from a will attorney to handle the case for you in court.

Protects Your Business

A will protects your business against individuals who may have no right over it. It shows who should take over your company when you're gone. It could be your family members, friends, or business partners.




Failure to write a will has been a major contributing factor to the collapse of many family businesses because those who get ownership rights often end up mismanaging it. You can choose the right person to take over your business in the will.

Nominate a Guardian for Your Children

You've been taking care of your children when you're alive, but when you're gone, it may be challenging for your kids to survive if you do not write a will.

A will shows that you've left something for your kids, and whoever becomes your children's guardian has a right to access your property to take care of your children.

Identify a Property Manager

When you leave a will for your kids to inherit your property, it should also indicate a property manager who should be an adult. The person is responsible for ensuring that the property is well-managed to avoid misuse that could lead to your business's collapse.

Decide Who Inherits Your Stuff

A will shows the right person to take over your assets when you die. If you die before creating a will, your state law rules out who to take over your property, or it'll be distributed among your descendants. It could be your spouse, children, parents, friends, or mentors.

Some people may take advantage of the situation and claim your property against your wish. This can be unfair to your close associates who'd have taken over the estate.

Ensure you close all gaps concerning your will when you're still alive. You do not want to leave frustrations to your family, friends, or business partners. It'd be best to work with a professional who understands how a will is written.

Financial Steps to Take When You Are Ready to Retire

Retirement is an exciting proposition for many people, but it requires meticulous planning and considerable financial responsibility. In order to set yourself up for retirement, you need a sound financial strategy. Here are the financial steps to take when you’re thinking about retiring in the near future.

Commit to a Budget

Budgeting has long been the central component of financial planning. In order to save up for retirement, you’ll need to spend the coming years earning significantly more than you’re spending. While you’re likely used to maintaining at least a loose budget, your pre-retirement years call for a renewed commitment to rigid spending limits.

Check How Much You’ll Have to Pay in Taxes

When considering how much money you have invested for retirement, don’t forget to account for the taxes that you’ll have to pay down the road. Some accounts will allow you to withdraw money without paying taxes. 

Others, like a traditional IRA, will see your withdrawals taxed as regular income. If you fail to acknowledge these future taxes, you could make some dangerous miscalculations regarding your retirement finances.

Calculate Your Post-Retirement Spending

In order to determine if you’re ready for retirement, you need to calculate how much money you’re likely to spend in your twilight years. If you’re committed to a costly mortgage or severely in debt, then you’ll have to take this into account. Only when you know exactly what your expenses will be can you make a confident plan for retirement.

Pay Off Your Debts

Eliminating any outstanding debts is a great way to set yourself up for a steady retirement. Interest rates can seriously cut into your retirement savings. By paying everything off before you stop working, you give yourself a clean slate. This will give you a wonderful sense of freedom as you embark on your retirement.

Save Up for Unexpected Expenses

Don’t forget to account for unforeseen expenses that could crop up after retirement. You never know when an accident or unexpected incident could force you to dig deeper into your savings. Even if you’re on Medicare, there are some medical care options that your insurance won’t cover. To play it safe, it’s best to have a sizable rainy day fund set aside.

Planning for retirement is all about safeguarding your financial health. If you take the steps mentioned above, you should be able to ease into a carefree retirement.

Plan Ahead: Strategies to Help Ensure That You're Ready for Retirement When It Comes

Retirement is a time to quit working and start to enjoy life at a leisurely pace. If you want to have enough money for retirement, it's important that you prepare as soon as possible. Here are some strategies that you should utilize to help ensure that you're ready for retirement.

Cost-of-Living Projections

You really won't know how much you'll need for retirement until you do some sort of cost-of-living projections. You need to think about what your expenses maybe during that time. 

You will need to factor in things like whether or not you'll have a mortgage and if you plan on traveling. This analysis will give you a more accurate picture as to how much money you will need to save in total before you retire.

Budget Money From Every Paycheck

You will most likely need a substantial amount of money before you can retire. Because of this, you should set aside money from every single paycheck to put towards retirement. 

This will keep you from having to come up with a large sum of money all at once later in life. Even setting aside a small amount of money can really have a huge impact if you are consistent.

Pay Off Debt

It's also a good idea to put aside as much money as you can to pay off debt. It will be difficult to live off a smaller income in retirement if you have debt that you are still paying for. You should strive to have the smallest amount of bills possible once you retire.

Smart Investing

If you won't be retiring for a while, it's a great time to start investing. You might want to consider putting some money in the stock market or buying some investment property. While it is always a risk to invest, you can grow your money and come out financially ahead when it comes time to retire.

Financial Planning

You can get help with all these things by looking into financial planning. A financial planner will meet with you to discuss your needs and concerns about your future. 

After taking a look at your current financial situation and your goals, they will help you determine the best steps for you to take in order to accumulate the amount of money that you'll need in order to retire comfortably.

Planning for retirement can be overwhelming when you consider the amount of money you might need. Fortunately, there are some strategies that you can start to utilize in order to ensure that you're ready for retirement when the time comes.

This is Why a Financial Advisor is Necessary

Whether an individual or company, every entity looks to secure the future, which can only be made possible through financial planning. Determining how the entity will achieve its strategic objectives and goals is what financial planning is all about. 

For this purpose, finance professionals come up with financial plans, which show the equipment, resources, materials, and activities necessary for the fulfillment of objectives.

It is the duty of a Financial Advisor to provide financial advice or guidance to customers about various financial services. Areas that require help from a Financial Advisory firm in Mumbai include the following:

• Estate planning
• Tax planning
• Investment management
• Portfolio management

Not all advisors work on an individual basis; there are some aligned to top financial companies as well. However, being in a position of knowledge, it is important for professionals to be responsible and provide information in an unbiased manner.

Managing busy schedules

Work and personal schedules have become very busy these days, with many people working from home and trying to manage their careers, kids, and marriages at the same time. Since every person already has a number of worries to take care of, it makes sense for a professional to handle the financial bit.




Speaking of clients, the investment portfolio of each client is different, with the primary difference being in terms of risk appetite, which is the ability to take risks. While the client will decide the amount of money to be invested, the Financial Advisor can decide how to invest them. 

A large number of financial instruments, including mutual funds, gold, shares, ETFs, bonds, and others are available. The best professionals to do this job are available in Mumbai, the financial capital of India. In other words, the best financial planning services will be available here.

Team of financial professionals

Financial Advisors usually work in teams where they look to coordinate with other financial professionals as well. The team contains people like investment bankers, Chartered Accountants, and Chartered Financial Analysts. Also, in such teams, the client does not have to pay a huge retainer fee. No commission is charged from the company.

The role of a Financial Advisor, especially for a high Net Worth individual, can be summarized through the following points:

1. Not just investment- Financial Advisors toil hard to rebalance investments, and also help with estate planning and tax planning. They can also develop long-term care plans for their clients.
2. Professionals need help themselves- Other financial professionals who plan the finances of others are unlikely to be able to do the same for themselves, which is why they must get help.
3. Reduced stress- A client who leaves the financial worries to the advisor would have to deal with lesser stress in life. It’s this assurance that really matters most for high worth individuals.
4. Exercising control over emotions- It is not a good idea to make financial decisions with an emotional bent of mind. The Financial Advisor will prevent emotions from clouding one’s judgment.
5. Clients remain on track with their goals- An advisor also tells his or her client about how to modify investment portfolios with age and risk appetite

Implementation of financial plans is made possible through monitoring by the experts. Financial Advisors make sure that they monitor the financial actions on a weekly basis and guide clients accordingly. Of course, the plan will not work if clients do not follow the given advice.

Principles of wealth management

Financial planning may appear to be the same as wealth management at the outset, but it isn’t. There is a fundamental difference between the two- while one looks to amass wealth in the case of financial planning, one already has wealth and looks to consolidate it through wealth management.

One does not have to look at wealth management while accumulating financial wealth. However, it may be required at later stages after a client has accumulated significant assets. Also, wealth management is meant for high net worth individuals. The role of a wealth manager is to preserve the wealth of a rich businessman or company and then look for opportunities to make more.

Wealth management mistakes by physicians

A physician often faces unique situations with respect to financial planning and wealth management. The earning potential of a physician is tremendous, and it is important for them to make the most. Unfortunately, the truth is far from that. Here’s a look at their common mistakes:

1. Delays in savings- One may be faced with student loans and already be in debt before commencing practice. For this, individuals must start saving as soon as possible.
2. DIY mentality- High earners can afford the mistake to make mistakes while investing, but not everyone
3. Spending too much- Society has many expectations in terms of homes, cars, and more. A lot of physicians get trapped in the same. 

4 Financial Options to Kickstart Your Retirement Savings

Even if you enjoy the job you currently do, chances are that you don't want to do it for the rest of your life. This means that if you've gotten behind in saving for retirement, it's important to find ways to kickstart your retirement savings so that you don't spend the rest of your life working. 

While many good options are available, there are a few options that stand out for their effectiveness and relative security.

Max-Out Your Retirement Contributions

If you have the financial means, it's important to max-out your retirement contributions every year that you work. For most people, the retirement contribution limit is $19,500, which is plenty to help most people reach their savings goals. 

Another key aspect of this is to ensure you're working for a company with generous matching contributions to help your money go even further.

Invest in a Home

Although it's not the most direct way to invest in your retirement, investing in a home can actually be a great step to help you achieve your retirement goals. If you buy a home when you're young, you'll likely have quite a bit of equity built up by the time you reach retirement age. 

This will allow you to take out a reverse mortgage that can provide a major cash infusion to help you live more comfortably when you retire.

Don't Take Raises for Granted

Rather than seeing a pay raise as a way to buy more stuff, it's good to see this extra cash as a way to invest more in your future. If you use all or some of an annual pay increase to contribute more to your retirement accounts, you will be able to retire sooner and live more comfortably, even if it requires some sacrifices in the present. 

Plus, when you consider the tax advantages of contributing to a retirement account, you can help your raise go further than the actual amount that your pay increased.

Start a Side Job

If you have a hobby that you enjoy, you may want to consider turning that hobby into a lucrative side business. Countless websites exist to allow you to market just about any skill or product, allowing you to bring in extra cash to augment the pay of your full-time job. 

This extra cash can be used entirely to quickly fill your retirement coffers so that your regular paycheck can go to saving for a rainy day.

Whatever you do to kickstart your retirement savings, the key is to avoid wasting time whenever possible. The longer you wait to start investing in your retirement in earnest, the harder it will be to reach your savings goals. Therefore, even if you only have a little to invest in your retirement, there's no time like the present to get started.

Handling Finances: How to Plan For Your Estate

You don't need to own a lot of property or have a great deal of money to need an estate plan. In fact, if your possessions are limited but those you want to give to are in serious need, you'll want a plan that will disperse your assets quickly. Making a list of what you want to accomplish, what you have, and how you want things parsed out is critical.

What's Your End Goal?

Do you have a charity or family member that holds your heart? Then you have a reason to create an estate plan. Carefully consider the people to whom you want to leave your hard-earned possessions and ready cash. 

While making this list, pay special attention to your remaining dependents, including pets. You want to know that if something happens to you, others are covered.

Define Your Assets

To start, make a list of all your bank accounts. What funds do they have, and where will this money go? Then, make a list of your possessions of value. This can be a home, a car, art, or jewelry.

If you own any of these things jointly, sit down with your spouse or partner, and define how you want these possessions to track. If you're married, generally your surviving spouse and offspring will immediately receive the assets. 

If you're divorced, there will likely be legal limitations to be overcome before your asset dispersion can be securely defined.

Stay aware of the laws in your state. Consider a conversation with a Los Angeles estate law firm to protect your California home and assets, for example, from probate or other asset-draining stages in dispersal.

Proper Valuation

Bank balances, retirement accounts, and other monies, stocks, and bonds are fairly straightforward as far as determining their value. However, real estate values change over time. 

Additionally, if you own art that you purchased early in the career of an artist, it may be worth much more as that artist builds a following.




Proper valuation of your assets is particularly important if you're splitting your estate between heirs upon your death. Hire a professional to give you a valuation on anything that may be of fluid value in the future, and get it reappraised in the event of a sizable market change.

Covering Your Assets

If you know that you're leaving behind someone who will need what you intend to give them, it's critical that you invest in the insurance you need to avoid end of life costs. 

A basic long-term care policy, taken out while you're hearty and healthy, can be of manageable cost as you age and make it possible to pass on your legacy.

Additionally, it's important to remember that it's not only age that can lead to needing long-term care. If you have children, it's crucial that you have a plan in place in case you are incapacitated by illness or injury.

Speeding Up the Process

Create vehicles in which to place your assets for long term needs. If the person you want to give to has special needs, consider setting up a special needs trust. Work with an attorney so you can be sure that your assets go in the right vehicle.

For example, if you have a dependent child who will always need support, the right trust will allow them to receive disability insurance as well as your contribution. 

The wrong trust will block them from receiving any disability until the trust has been completely wound down. Each state is different, so do this right the first time to protect your loved one.

Avoiding Probate

If you only have a will, chances are extremely good that your goods and monies will have to go through probate. Depending on the state you live in, avoiding probate will take multiple steps unless you have a surviving spouse. If you are divorced or your spouse has passed on, probate is likely the next step.

Probate is time-consuming, frustrating, and sometimes costly. Don't rely on your will to protect your loved ones from this process, especially if they need those assets to thrive. Address this while you have the ability to make good decisions.

Nobody likes to think about estate planning, but it's an important part of your legacy that needs to be addressed. Do the right thing now to protect the people and causes you want to support in the future.

Ways to Make Sure Your Finances Are Organized As You Age

As you age, you need to ensure you are protecting yourself from financial errors. A great way to do this is to ensure you are taking care of your finances at a younger age. Many financial scams focus on reaching out to older people, which makes it extra important to keep your finances in check.

Follow these steps to remain organized financially:

Keep Your Estate Planning Documents Updated

It is important to make sure you have all of your estate documents organized and updated as you start getting older. You will want to ensure your will, power of attorney, health care directives, living trust, and even funeral home preferences are all up to date. This will ensure your business continues once you’ve passed on.

Organize Papers and Make Sure Someone Knows Where They Are

Make sure your important documents, passwords, and lists of assets are in a secure location. These important papers should be kept in a waterproof box or safe within the home. Make sure the children, spouse, or confidante know where these papers are located if you become incapacitated.

Keep Your Accounts Simple

When you consolidate your bank accounts and brokerage, you will have less to manage. Keeping fewer accounts makes it easier to stay organized and will give you less to manage.

Have an Emergency Fund

It is important to have an emergency fund because there are big expenses that can pop up without any warning. Expensive home repairs, emergency health issues, or other emergencies can cause a lot of stress if you do not have an emergency fund. Having an emergency fund is a top priority at any age, but it is especially important during your golden years. 

There is more you could lose if a big bill came along that you struggled to take care of. There should be enough to cover at least six months of living expenses, but having a financial cushion that can provide a year’s worth of living expenses is ideal.

Life Insurance

Most will already have health insurance for the family, but it is important to have life insurance as well. Life insurance creates a death benefit for the beneficiaries that can take care of education, household expenses, mortgage, and funeral expenses.

Disability Insurance

Disability insurance will give you a little wiggle room if there is an event that causes injury or illness. Most companies have a policy that will provide disability, but it is important to increase your coverage or get your own disability insurance if you’re self employed.

With age, your finances may become more complicated. Make sure you are always organized and prepared by following the above tips.

Financial Organization Skills You Should Know After Retirement

When it comes to your financial well-being, there is a lot that goes into it. Over the years, you'll be sure to develop more and more knowledge on how to properly take care of yourself in a financial sense. When it comes to the organization of your financial well-being, here are some of the things you should know after you retire.

Budgeting

The basis of all your financial organization skills should be budgeting. This is recording how much income you have coming in each month and what you'll be spending it on. Your budget should include things like rent or mortgage, insurance, groceries, and so forth. 

When you have budgeting skills, you can ensure that you make your payments on time and you don't go into unnecessary debt.

Bill Payment Calendar

Apart from building a good credit score and being able to sleep at night, making your payments on time can help you to avoid costly overdraft fees. Some credit card companies may even increase your interest rate if you don't pay your bill on time. Having a calendar system to ensure that you pay your bills on time is a necessity. 

Some retirees may find it easier to set up automatic payments for things like their mortgage and car insurance so they don't have to worry about paying for them manually each month.

Determining Asset Delegation

As you get older, you're more pushed into thinking about what will happen to all of your assets in the event that you die. Apart from getting insurance to help cover the costs associated with your funeral expenses, it's vital that you get your estate planning figured out. 



While most states will allow you to create wills yourself, it's highly advisable to seek out professional legal help. This way, you can ensure that your estate is delegated the way you intended it to be.

Financial Literacy

There are many financial terms out there that we have all heard of. But, how many of them do you actually understand and can utilize in your financial planning strategy for the future? 

It's a good idea to take some time to learn in-depth about things like annual percentage rates, CDs, mutual funds, trust funds, and so forth. This way, you can properly plan out your financial future using mediums that make sense to you.

Just because you're retiring from your day job doesn't mean that you have to stop learning. In fact, the years after retirement give you a great opportunity to capitalize on the wealth you've created. To get started, you should hone in your skills on the topics of the financial organization listed out above.

Figuring Out Your Finances Before You Choose a House to Retire In

When it's time to retire, you need to consider where you want to spend your retirement. You need a final home where you are comfortable and safe. Of course, you also need to be able to afford the home. Here are some tips on figuring out your finances before you choose a house to retire in.

Living Within Your Means

Ultimately, you want to pick a home that you can afford easily. You don't want to stretch out your finances in your golden years. You want to have money to spend on vacations, dinners, and spoiling the grandchildren. For that reason, you need to pick a place that is in your budget.

Take the time to look at your retirement plans and income. It may be helpful to sit down with a financial advisor so that you set up a solid budget. They will be able to help you understand what money you have, what income you can get, and where you might be able to grow your money a little more. With all this information, you’ll be better able to set a
 manageable budget. Then you can figure out what you can afford to pay for your home.

Consider Additional Expenses

As you probably know by now, a home comes with a lot more expenses than just the sale price. You need to consider all of the additional costs you will have with your new home including HOA fees, home repairs, landscaping, taxes, and cost of living. These costs can add up quickly, so you need to include them in your budget every month. Make sure you have money for repairs, and good insurance, too.




When you start the purchasing and closing processes, you might consider consulting a real estate law firm. They can help you make a contract that protects you from paying too much or making too many concessions on a house that may need work to be up to your standards. They can also help you with other issues that might come up during the buying process.

Think About Medical Expenses

As we get older, we are more likely to run into serious medical issues. These medical problems are draining on the body, but they are draining on the bank account, too. You need to save plenty for any medical expenses that might come your way, including in-home care when you get to your final years. These things do not come cheap, so be prepared.

Your final home is an important decision. While you want to be comfortable in your golden years, you also want to have money to spend and give to the people you love. Before you pick a home, consider these aspects of your finances to help you make the right decision.

A Financial Advisor Can Help You Make Smart Financial Decisions

Selecting a financial adviser is no small decision, it can benefit or harm your chances for a comfortable retirement for many years.

The benefits of working with a financial adviser vary by individual as well as advisors are legitimately prohibited from promising returns. Yet, the study suggests average extra investment returns can range from 1.6% to 4.1% even more yearly.

SmartAsset's new tool makes it easy to locate the right financial adviser near you in just a few minutes. The no-cost device matches you with up to three regional fiduciary economic experts that have actually passed a strenuous screening procedure. They make sure each is registered with the U.S. Stocks and Exchange Compensation (SEC) or the appropriate state regulatory authority, have the proper licenses, and also have no pending or legitimate regulatory disclosures within the past decade.

Check out these 7 tips when picking a financial adviser. It can help you to find peace of mind and prevent years of anxiety.

1. A Fiduciary is the Best Kind of Financial Advisor

A fiduciary is a person who is bound to act in the individual's best interest. This obligation gets rid of the conflict of interest worries as well as makes an advisor's advice extra trustworthy.

Every one of the financial advisers on SmartAsset's matching platform is signed up fiduciaries. If your consultant is not a fiduciary and also continuously pushes investment items on you, use this no-cost tool to find a consultant who has your benefit in mind.

2. Don't Employ the First Expert You Meet

While it's tempting to hire the financial adviser closest to the house or the very first consultant in the yellow pages, this decision requires more time. Make an effort to meeting a minimum of a few advisors before choosing the very best match for you.

3. Do Not Select a Financial Adviser with the Wrong Background

Some financial advisers focus on retired life planning, while others are best for a local business owner or those with a high net worth. Some could be best for young professionals starting a family. Make sure to recognize an expert's strengths and also weaknesses - before signing the dotted line.

4. Do not Select an Advisor with an Inappropriate Strategy

Each advisor has a one-of-a-kind strategy. Some advisors may recommend hostile financial investments, while others are a lot more traditional. If you want only stocks, an expert that favors bonds, as well as index funds, is not an excellent match for your style.

5. Always Ask About Credentials

To offer investment recommendations, financial experts must pass an examination. Ask your advisor concerning their licenses, examinations, and credentials. Financial advisor examinations consist of the Series 7, as well as Series 66 or Series 65. Some advisors go an action better as well as come to be a Certified Financial Planner or CFP.

6. Understand Exactly How Advisors are Paid

Some financial advisers are "fee-only" and bill you a flat rate. Others bill a percentage of your assets under management. Some advisors are paid commissions by mutual funds, a significant conflict of interest. If the expert earns more by overlooking your best interests, do not hire them.

7. Do Not Hire an Expert by Yourself

Opportunities are, there are several very certified financial advisers in your town. Nevertheless, it can seem discouraging to pick one.

A no-cost tool makes it simple to locate the appropriate economic expert for you. Now you can be matched with up to 3 local fiduciary financial advisors that have actually been rigorously screened for regulatory disclosures and also to verify their licenses. The whole matching process takes just a few minutes.