I wanted to write something that stood out from the noise. I’m not a cynic. I believe in resolutions, and I really trust that 2019 can be your best financial year yet. But in order to achieve that, we need to talk about bite-sized, actionable steps that will help to get you there.
The gig economy is a relatively new concept, but research shows that by 2020 nearly 40% of the workforce will be involved in “gig” work in some capacity. While this can be intimidating for some who have been exclusively full-time corporate employees, it’s actually a trend that has some huge benefits for pre-retirees (and current retirees!).
The holiday season often pushes us to take time for gratitude in many areas of our lives. There’s more time spent with family and friends. There are more opportunities to take time to truly think about the things in life that you’re grateful for.
As an executive, you may be feeling the pressure when it comes to putting together an estate plan. Although this financial “to do” is on everyone’s checklist, you’re in a unique situation because of the unique way many executives are compensated. Your wealth may be tied up in equity – whether that means a stock option compensation plan, RSUs, RSAs, etc. This form of wealth can be tricky to transfer to your beneficiaries when you die without being forced to pay 40%+ in taxes to the IRS.
Did you know that almost 60% of Americans don’t have an estate plan? This presents a huge financial problem for anyone who wants to continue to grow their wealth, create family wealth, or to use their money in a way that leaves a legacy long after they’re gone.
Most of the articles you read about finding a financial planner today discuss whether or not the advisors you’re interviewing are “fee only.” These articles typically come to the same conclusion – the advisors you’re interviewing should be fee-only. As a fee only advisor myself, I couldn’t agree more with this.
Earlier this year, the Federal Reserve cited Wells Fargo’s “pervasive and persistent misconduct” as reasoning for doling out one of their harshest punishments ever – that Wells Fargo was no longer allowed to expand their business until they took actionable steps to right the many wrongs they’ve done in the past several years. Let’s go over a few reasons that Wells Fargo has endangered their account holders, and what you need to watch for if you’ve chosen to work with them in any capacity in the past.
Target date funds are a go-to retirement investment for many 401(k) plans when an employee doesn’t elect where they’d like their funds to be allocated. Some individual investors looking for an easy way to invest according to their retirement timeline use target date funds, as well. Most people want to simplify their retirement savings as much as possible. The more you can automate your investments to align with your desired retirement date and risk tolerance, the better. Although a target date fund may look like the perfect solution to this dilemma on the surface, it’s important to do a little bit of digging before you commit.
Making partner. It’s the dream for many executives. When you first were hired, you looked at the owners of the company and dreamed about sitting where they sit, and now your company has offered to bring you into the fold as an owner of the company. A wide range of emotions can be experienced during this period. You’re probably excited about the opportunity, possibly worried about the colossal shift in responsibility, and, of course, concerned about the financial ins and outs of the whole situation.
As an executive, a key element to your financial planning is income tax planning. The end goal is for you to keep as much of your hard-earned money as possible, which can be challenging when you fall into a tax bracket that reflects your high compensation. Many of the tax strategies that are commonly found online work well for people with moderately high incomes, but you may find that it’s time to amp up your game.
Many executives at the Director level have multiple stock plans as part of their compensation. While this seems fantastic at first glance, it can complicate your retirement plan in the long-run – and make it harder for you to create a flexible strategy that helps you meet your goals.
When your income has climbed to a certain point and you’re saving based on a percentage of your income, then your contribution amounts will increase as your salary increases. However, there is a hidden risk with aggressively saving to your 401(k) - you run the risk of maxing out too early.