Planning | Live a Life By Design

Strategies for Using Your Stimulus Check

Posted on April 17, 2020April 17, 2020 by Jimmy J. Williams, CPA/PFS, CFP®

Have we secretly transported to another universe? We can’t sit in a restaurant and eat dinner. We can’t attend a movie theatre. We can’t even visit our friends. All of these changes in life because of one thing – a virus. Have we experienced a paradigm shift in our lifestyle in the United States? I say NO WAY!

The United States Treasury has begun the process of issuing stimulus payments to qualified American citizens. Checks and direct deposit payments started crediting the checking and savings accounts of my fellow countrymen earlier this week. Most of us will receive a benefit of $1,200, some will receive a lesser amount and others will receive nothing. What do you do with this sudden inflow of money?

One of the most basic strategies of using your stimulus benefit is to establish a plan that addresses your most critical needs. For example, if you are in need of shelter, food or medicine, you should utilize the funds for these purposes. What if your mortgage is a federally-backed loan (such as FHA loans)? You may be granted payment relief for 6 – 12 months! If you are renting, perhaps your landlord will allow you to defer a month or two so that you can focus on the more important matter of your health. Any medicines you may require to maintain your health would be the focus for using your stimulus check.

If your basic living needs are met, you should consider saving the stimulus funds to enhance your emergency funds. It is vital that you maintain a minimum of 60 – 90 days of living expenses in a readily available account for emergencies. Guess what? The current pandemic we are living through is one of the emergencies for which this fund would be utilized! By maintaining access to funds that will allow you to live your life as you desire, at least for a period of time despite the ever-changing world around you, is both comforting and empowering. To know that your lifestyle can continue through times of struggle gives you the mental confidence to meet other challenges that may arise in life.

Let’s assume that you accumulated ample savings in your emergency fund. You may wish to review your debts and pay down, or even better pay off, certain high interest debts such as credit cards. I am not a big fan of credit cards due to the ease of abuse of such unsecured credit that allows individuals to live beyond their means. The phrase my father often tells me come to mind pertaining to credit cards – “give a man enough rope and he will hang himself”. During times of economic distress, many credit card companies will lower your interest rate for a period of time, if you contact them, and have been making your payments consistently and on time. Once the card is paid in full, place it in a zip-lock bag, then place the bag in a plastic container of water. Next, place the container in your freezer. This will require some effort on your part to free the card from the ice causing you to expend energy and time thinking about the use of the card.

Should you have none of the above needs, consider yourself a lucky person! The use of your stimulus benefit could be a very positive act such as contributing to an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) for a tax deduction. By saving for your future with an IRA, you will be preparing for the future in a bold way. Your needs are met today, for the next 90 days and for your future!

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The Millennial Perspective: Starting Late, Retiring Fearless

Posted on March 13, 2020March 13, 2020 by Ashley Stieb

According to Pew Research Center, Millennials are individuals born between 1981 and 1996. We grew up in a time before the internet was a part of everyday life and playing outside or playing video games were the best options to keep us occupied. We grew up in the rapidly changing age of technology and social media. We also, unfortunately, grew up and are still facing the ramifications of the Great Recession of 2008. This has brought on a number of financial concerns among Millennials and has caused delay for many milestone events, such as buying a home and starting a family. The average Millennial makes $35,592 a year and has a net worth of less than $8,000 according to Business Insider. The average Millennial also has a student loan balance of roughly $30,000 for four years of college. The lower income and high cost of student loan debt on top of the cost of living makes it hard to start a life and save for the future.

As any Millennial would do, I took to social media to gather the opinions of my fellow Millennials about what concerns they faced regarding their financial future. Much to my surprise, several people joined in the conversation. Some said that their biggest concern was paying off student loans, others said buying a home, saving for their children’s futures, or starting a family in general. We will touch more on those subjects later, but one of the most popular answers I received was saving for retirement. Many of us are told to start saving for retirement as early as possible and many of us fear about the future of Social Security. However, when it comes time to set up our 401(k), 403(b), or whatever kind of retirement plans are available, if any, from our employers we find that the suggested amount to invest in the plan is far more than we can afford and still have a comfortable lifestyle. I remember when it came time to sign up for the retirement plan at one of my jobs which I thought paid fairly well for someone my age. The suggested investment each month was a third of my total gross pay, or in other words, the pay before any taxes or deductions. This would have left me with just enough money to pay my rent, my car note, and utilities each month. I, unfortunately, opted out of saving for retirement at that time.

So, how do we start to save for our futures when we can hardly afford the present? Balance. It is important to find a good balance between what you need to live, what you can save for the future, and still have some funds left over to pay yourself, even if that means setting aside more savings. How do you find this balance? Planning. Sit down and look at how much you are making and how much you are spending, and create a budget that works for you and stick to that plan. Even if you are not investing in a retirement plan with your employer, you can start to save for your future. It doesn’t have to be much to start, but we have to start somewhere. Talk to a Certified Financial Planner™, get a second opinion if you have to, do whatever you need to do to feel comfortable when making these kinds of decisions and ensure that you are making the right choices to plan for your future. Retirement doesn’t have to be a lost cause or a fantasy for Millennials. As Jonas Salk said, “Hope lies in dreams, in imagination, and in the courage of those who dare to make dreams into reality.”

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Should I Change My Investment Approach In Retirement?

Posted on February 7, 2020February 6, 2020 by Jimmy J. Williams, CPA/PFS, CFP®

While accumulating assets for retirement, many people utilize an employer retirement plan that allows consistent contributions while investing in a growth model. Their approach is to maximize the matching contribution from their employer and, perhaps, assume more risk than they would otherwise assume because of continued contributions. Let’s review the process of investing during retirement and the differences one will encounter throughout the distribution phase of the portfolio.

The most prevalent concern of any retiree is running out of money. To confront this fear, most retirees make the most critical mistakes with their investments. First, to seek safety in the portfolio, the retiree will change from a balanced portfolio of equities and bonds to a bond-dominant portfolio. Thinking the cash balance approach secures their cash during the contraction of the markets, the larger peril to the portfolio is the lack of participation in the expansion phase of the market cycle. In layman’s terms, the rate of return on most bonds will not be sufficient to maintain the retiree’s purchasing power during retirement. Rising costs of living expenses such as medical care, housing, food and other basic needs will preclude the portfolio from providing excess cash flow to the retiree unless the total portfolio is significant.

To resolve the concern of running out of money, we work with our clients to develop a sound investment approach that addresses inflationary pressure, periodic cash distribution requirements and market risk. One of the most effective tools to combat risk is to diversify. At the time of retirement, many of our clients will participate in an economics lesson. Albeit a short lesson, we simply ask, “how would you feel to be out of money and healthy?” This question is one that causes their face to wrinkle and the eyebrows to furrow. Typically, the answer given us is “I would not feel comfortable at all!”

Obviously, we knew their answer but the exercise is one that makes them confront what risk truly is in their lives. So many people believe risk to be simply the loss of principal in their account. However, the greatest risk is outliving your means of support to where your longevity is not rewarded with peace and tranquility but rather anxiety. Our independent research has proven that most retirees sleep better at night knowing they will not be subjected to the need for family or state support. Independence is the reward for investing properly.

Seek out the advice of an independent financial advisor that specializes in retirement planning. You deserve a specialist for this phase of life just like your cardiovascular surgeon if you have health issues with your heart. If you have questions regarding your financial future, why not gain assurance that you are making the right decisions for your family? A visit with a Certified Financial Planner™ practitioner may give you the confidence you need to live your life in a manner you desire instead of simply existing.

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Post-Retirement Considerations

Posted on January 31, 2020January 30, 2020 by Jimmy J. Williams, CPA/PFS, CFP®

Nursing home costs in the United States can easily top $70,000 per year! Assisted living centers may cost as much as $4,000 per month for a one-bedroom private-pay facility. We discuss these lifestyle changes as part of our planning process for retirees. It is not always a popular subject to broach with newly-retiring people because they think of it as a negative. However, as specialists in retirement planning, we believe in educating our clients about all facets of the future that they might control.

Let’s think about the options and find a few methods of mitigating these possible future costs. For one, by maintaining an active lifestyle and sensible diet, one may escape these options or, at least, delay them. Many of our clients have seen the impact on their families’ and friends’ budgets from admissions to a nursing home. These facilities are of great assistance when transitioning our loved ones that experience a period of life in which continual support is warranted.

Another option to utilizing these types of facilities is to accumulate sufficient funds that will allow you to remain in your own home with assistance provided by nurses’ aides and other medical providers. This option appeals to most of our clients that may simply have mobility issues and cannot provide for all aspects of their daily lives. We evaluate each client’s capabilities to accomplish their activities of daily living (ADL) and assist them in analyzing the impact of potential nursing care in their future financial planning budgets.

The six routine activities of daily living are: eating, bathing, getting dressed, toileting, transferring and continence. Each of us participate in these activities daily. To lose your capability to perform one of these activities may not be the deciding factor to start searching for an alternative to remaining in your home. However, when you lose the ability to conduct three or more of these activities, it is critical that the family consider nursing providers in the home of the individual or seek a nursing home.

To determine the appropriate level of support for a loved one, it is critical that the level of care replaces the daily activities that are not being performed by the individual. It may mean that you simply require an aide in your home for twelve hours per day. As the person’s abilities become more impaired, additional support and possible relocation may be needed.

One of the greatest ramifications of assigning a loved one to a nursing home is the emotional effect on the person. Too often this process is decided without input from the impaired person and the children simply need some relief from the care being required of them. Those of us deciding the fate of any person must consider the infirmed person’s wishes and desires. These decisions are some of the most difficult to make. By keeping the person informed of each step and soliciting their acceptance with the process, you may experience a better transition.

These types of decisions can have a significant impact on your retirement plans. Seek out a Certified Financial Planner™ practitioner who understands all aspects of retirement. It is too important of a decision to simply guess.

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Retiring On Your Own Terms

Posted on January 17, 2020January 16, 2020 by Jimmy J. Williams, CPA/PFS, CFP®

“I want to live by the beach,” said his wife. “I want to live in the mountains,” said the husband. Differences of retirement plans typically exist within the same family. One person may wish to retire in a different environment than the other. Many of our clients come to their complimentary initial consultation without a complete understanding of their spouse’s desires for retirement. Simply because someone is married to another person for many years does not translate to an understanding of that person’s long-term goals and dreams. Communication is critical in all relationships, in a couple pondering retirement plans it is vital.

To help our clients resolve differences of opinion, and desires about retirement, we developed an approach that addresses the three “E’s”: Environmental, Economic and Emotional. To fittingly address the needs of each of the partners, these three “E’s” provide a comprehensive background for each to gain a deeper understanding of the other. This article will provide you considerations for each of the three components of retirement planning.

Environmental considerations are critical due to the impact your surroundings play in the overall happiness and health of a person. For example, scientists have proven that environment affects a person’s overall satisfaction in life attributed to their surroundings. Some people are happier in sunny, warm climates while others enjoy the cold, harsh tundra. By understanding your partner’s thoughts on environment, each of you will gain knowledge about the type of surroundings desired by the other. We work with a client who enjoys mild weather and sandy beaches. To compromise, we divided the year into quarters and accommodated her wish for salty water in the winter and his mountainous terrain for game hunting in the fall of each year. They remain content at their primary residence for six months of the year during seasons that are not extreme. Compromise is the key and extending understanding with a mindset of flexibility helps with the creation of a joyful retirement.

Economic factors contribute to the retirement quality of all of us. Considering that you have accumulated more than a sufficient amount of assets to live anywhere you wish, economic factors play less of a role in the retirement decision process. However, lets assume you have saved but may have some cash flow difficulty in the future. It is necessary to consider all means of support and the term in which that support will be available. As presented in our last article, the location of your retirement home will be a considerable outcome based on your economic means.

After considering environmental and economic factors, the most influential of these three factors, emotional, must be broached. To illustrate the power of emotions in decision making, we will share this short story. Tom and Linda decided to retire. Tom had his mind made up that he would retire in the mountains with a cabin and enjoy the land around him for his ideal retirement. Linda, often submitting to Tom’s decisions, was in misery in the mountains. Her asthma, allergies and other minor health conditions only worsened in the humid, hot summers in the mountains. She tolerated the first couple of years in the mountains and simply decided to make her wishes known to Tom. After a deep discussion of all the desires for her retirement, it was decided that they would share their time in retirement between the mountains and her beachfront condo she had been dreaming about for many years.

Compromise and consideration of the environmental, economic and emotional factors of retirement will yield the most effective choice for couples. The transition time to retirement is difficult for many people. Seek out someone who understands the needs and desires of retirees as well as possesses the expertise to help design and execute a plan that is pleasing to both partners. Life is short. Focus on these three factors and live life on your own terms!

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How To Avoid Common IRA Mistakes

Posted on December 27, 2019December 27, 2019 by Jimmy J. Williams, CPA/PFS, CFP®

Most retirees have heard the word “IRA” and may not fully understand this retirement savings plan. An IRA, or Individual Retirement Account, is merely a type of account that allows for the owner to grow, tax-deferred, the underlying investments within the account. I often hear people say that “I have an IRA for each year to diversify my investments.” It is often misunderstood that the IRA owner can own one IRA and maintain many different investments within the account. This article will help you avoid some of the common mistakes made by IRA owners.

Mistake Number 1: Avoid ineligible rollovers.

Under the current federal tax code, owners of IRA may rollover the IRA once-per-year. The confusion, and resulting taxable event, occurs when the owner interprets, incorrectly, the “once-per-year” requirement. This descriptor of time means literally one year from the date of the last rollover, not the calendar year. For example, if you performed a rollover on March 1, 2018, and performed another rollover on February 28, 2019, you would be subject to a penalty.

Mistake Number 2: Missing the 60-day deadline.

A gentleman came to our office recently with a concern about his IRA. After much discussion, we provided him several alternatives to resolve his issue. His concern was due to advice he received from a friend that he could withdraw money from his IRA to purchase a piece of property and then seek financing from his bank to return the withdrawn funds. However, the friend, not a licensed financial adviser, failed to mention the strict timeline for such transactions. The Internal Revenue Code allows 60 days to accomplish the rollover to prevent taxation of the event. In this instance, the man was informed by his bank the process of underwriting the loan would take longer than 60 days. To illustrate the tax cost of this transaction, the man had withdrawn $200,000. The penalty of 10% assessed to the distribution, the man was under 59½ years of age, and the income taxes due now cost the man approximately $80,000! We quickly worked with his local bank to structure a lending arrangement that would allow him to return the withdrawn funds to his IRA within the 60-day mandatory deadline. We solved the problem but the stress it created was unbearable for the gentleman.

There is no IRS relief for missing the 60-day rollover deadline unless you file for a Private Letter Ruling with the IRS which will cost thousands in filing fees and you may not receive relief if your facts do not warrant such. The simple mitigation strategy is to not use your IRA as a lending source. Congress meant for these accounts to be long-term in nature and for retirement purposes.

Mistake Number 3: Failing to Meet a Hardship Exception.

One of the greatest contentions of angst to individuals is when hardship is being experienced by the family and funds in the IRA can’t be utilized for the particular relief needed. Unless the IRA owner experienced a natural disaster that is described in the Internal Revenue Code, the hardship distribution received from the IRA will be taxable and subject to a possible penalty for early withdrawal if the owner is less than 59½ years of age.

The confusion that causes this mistake to occur is that employer plans generally provide for a hardship distribution. IRAs do not. By statutory language, few exceptions to the penalty application to the distribution apply. Two of the primary exceptions we have seen are higher education expenses for a dependent and a first-time home purchase by the IRA owner.

This area of the U.S. tax laws is very complex. It is vital you seek appropriate guidance before potentially committing the mistake. If you are concerned about your investments and/or your IRA account, you may qualify for a Complimentary Stress-Test. Seek out a Certified Financial Planner™ practitioner and CPA to give you the confidence you are in compliance and meeting your retirement objectives.

For additional, free information about investing and tax planning, go to compasscapitalmgt.com where you will find a wealth of information to help you navigate life!

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Simplifying Tax Filing Status

Posted on December 13, 2019December 20, 2019 by Jimmy J. Williams, CPA/PFS, CFP®

Every year taxpayers that experience marital change, during the year, are confused about their proper filing status. The Internal Revenue Code (IRC) provides guidance on the qualifications of each of the individual taxpayer filing statuses.

Confusion arises when there has been a marriage or divorce during the tax year. Dependents are no longer allowed as a personal exemption but are utilized for certain credits of the tax code. Who is a dependent for tax filing purposes? What status do I use if my spouse dies during the tax year? How long can I claim a certain filing status? To say the IRC is complex is to say the Mona Lisa is simply another painting!

The basic guidelines for filing status for an unmarried individual will be one of the following: Single or Head of Household. You are considered unmarried for the whole year if, on the last day of the tax year, you are either unmarried or legally separated from your spouse under a divorce decree. State law, not the IRS, governs whether you are married or legally separated under a divorce decree.

Some nuances in the IRC, and its regulations, regarding divorced taxpayers create additional challenges to those individuals attempting to avoid taxation through the legal means of divorce. For example, if you obtain a divorce for the sole purpose of filing tax returns as unmarried individuals, and at the time of divorce you intend to remarry and do so in the next tax year, you and your spouse must file as married individuals for both tax years.

If you are considered unmarried on the last day of the year, paid more than half the cost of maintaining a home and a qualified child lived with you more than half of the tax year, you may file as Head of Household. This filing status will allow a greater standard deduction than that available to an unmarried taxpayer.

Life sometimes creates difficulty for us. For example, if you were married for only one day of the tax year and your spouse dies, you may continue to file as a Married Filing Joint taxpayer for the year. Further, if your spouse dies in 2019, you may file as a joint tax filer for 2019 and use qualified widow(er) status for the succeeding two years. To claim qualified widow(er) filing status you must have a dependent, child or stepchild, you can claim during the tax year.

Don’t allow life to cause you confusion and distress. Seek out a Certified Financial Planner™ practitioner and CPA that can help guide you through the maze of laws and regulations. You will be glad you did!

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Want Less Stress at Tax Time? Do This!

Posted on December 6, 2019November 27, 2019 by Jimmy J. Williams, CPA/PFS, CFP®

Are you one of those people who lose sleep at night, suffer anxiety and, generally, feel miserable when it is time to file your individual income tax returns? One of the best methods of experiencing a better way of life is to take charge of the activity. Don’t allow yourself to procrastinate on this important task and create stress in your life.

By performing the following three steps, you will find the upcoming filing season to be less of a burden and, dare I say, even enjoyable. First, start collecting your tax reporting information before January 1, 2020. Gather all receipts, bank statements, investment statements, paystubs, etc. that may be required for the complete and accurate filing of your returns. Organize the expense receipts by topic and total the topics to make it easier for you (or your paid preparer) to complete your filings. We recommend performing this same procedure each month. You will find the process takes very little time and saves a tremendous amount of stress when January rolls around.

The second step is to review your investment statements to see if any of your positions should be sold to capture losses and offset your investment gains. This is the process for accounts that are not IRAs known as nonqualified accounts. The act of reviewing your accounts to perform this task is known as tax harvesting. Your goal is to simply sell enough positions with losses to allow you to sell an equal amount of positions with gains and no tax effect. As a side note, this would be a great time of year to review your retirement plans and other holdings with a Certified Financial Planner practitioner to confirm you are on track with your goals.

This third step is very helpful to reduce your taxable income. Review your itemized deductions for 2019 thus far. If you are needing additional deductions, you should consider charitable contributions, payment of your state income tax estimated tax payment, donation of non-cash goods to a qualified charity and other means of accelerating deductions into 2019. With the changes in standard deduction because of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, it may be beneficial to “bunch” deductions every other year to allow yourself a larger deduction on your returns.

As a bonus, contact your tax preparer and inform them that you are bringing your information to them earlier this tax season. If you want to make them smile, tell them you have burned the paper sack you usually bring and will be dropping off an organized list of income, deductions and other pertinent information.

For additional, free information about preparing for your tax preparation appointment, go to the Compass Capital Management Website. You will find a wealth of information to help you navigate life!

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Time is Running Out

Posted on December 6, 2019December 6, 2019 by Jimmy J. Williams, CPA/PFS, CFP®

As a calendar-year, cash-basis taxpayer, you will have fewer opportunities to reduce your 2019 income tax burden once the calendar rolls over to 2020. By taking a few simple steps today, you will see a better result when you file your income tax return in April, 2020.

If you participate in a Flexible Spending Health Plan, referred to as a “cafeteria plan”, through your employer, it is critical that you utilize (spend) your elected deferral amount for 2019. The IRS has liberalized the rules regarding the ability to claim qualified medical expenses and you may carry over a small portion of your elected deferral amount to a following year. Discuss your options with your company’s Human Resource Officer for your particular plan.

Consider paying your total advalorem tax assessment in full prior to December 31, 2019. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 increased the amount of standard deductions to such levels that most individuals will not incur sufficient qualified itemized deductions to file a Schedule A – Itemized Deductions Form – with their returns. Analyze your current level of qualified deductions to determine if you exceed your standard deduction of $12,200 for individuals or $24,400 for married filing joint taxpayers. A lowered state tax may be an added incentive to itemize deductions on your federal return.

What if you could take a deduction on your tax return for something that doesn’t require your current cash? You may receive an increased benefit by donating appreciated stocks to qualified charities. The process requires that a donor (you) physically donate the certificate of the shares to the charity instead of selling the stock and donating the proceeds. You will receive a tax deduction based on the fair market value of the stock on the date of the donation (transfer). Since the charity is generally exempt from federal and state income taxes, the charity will sell the stock and receive the much needed cash it desires to run its programs. For example, you may have basis in the stock of $1,000 and the fair market value has risen to $10,000. Your charitable deduction is $10,000 (your deduction is limited to 30% of your adjusted gross income). You do not realize the $9,000 capital gain that would be taxed if you sold the stock. It is a win-win situation!

Lastly, review any employee benefit elections for 2020 that are required this month. Most employer-provided retirement plans utilize an enrollment period in November or December of the current year to elect the amount of contributions for the next year. One of the most effective and efficient tax deductions is the contribution to your retirement. Maximizing this election will save federal and state income taxes as well as receives growth via the employer matching contribution. We advise clients to defer at least the matching percentage provided by the employer so that you literally “double” your money notwithstanding market conditions.

Be proactive in your finances and retain more discretionary income for your family. If you want additional information on the above tax strategies and other financial planning methods to help your family reach its goals, go to the Compass Capital Management Website. You will find a wealth of information to help you navigate life!

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3 Mistakes Most People Make With Their Retirement

Posted on November 15, 2019November 15, 2019 by Jimmy J. Williams, CPA/PFS, CFP®

During my thirty year career of guiding individuals to realizing their retirement goals, I have reduced the most critical of mistakes people commit when accumulating retirement assets in their employer’s plan. These mistakes can be overcome and people have a higher probability of reaching their intended goals.

Mistake #1: Making Decisions through Fear

Investing should be performed with a clear mind and thoughtful research being the driver for change. Too often people accumulating for retirement commit the mistake of making changes to their retirement plan account after the negative impact has occurred. This is the equivalent of turning on the hydrant and spraying water on your house after the structure has completely burned to the ground.

We believe everyone should self-assess their goals for retirement. These goals should be attainable. For example, everyone uses the same phrase when thinking about investments: “High return on my investments with no risk.” This, of course, is a fantasy. Risk is present in every facet of life including your employer-provided retirement plan.

To correct for this mistake, learn to keep calm during temporary market disruptions. With the volatility of our current markets, you would be buying and selling all the time and miss the opportunities to meet your goals for long-term growth.

Mistake #2 – Timing the Market

One of our clients informed us that a former colleague of his was constantly buying and selling in his Thrift Savings Plan. His friend thought this approach would prevail for better growth in his account. However, just the opposite has been proven true by economists and researchers of behavioral finance. To believe a long-term perspective can be maintained with such a short-term approach to finances is not a valid one.

To overcome this mistake, each investor should realize he doesn’t possess all of the knowledge of the market and may turn his retirement plan assets into a speculative investment. This does not have to be the case. We firmly believe proper allocation and diversification of your portfolio will keep risk at acceptable levels while obtaining long-term potential for your assets.

Mistake #3 – Borrowing from Your Retirement Savings

As individuals it becomes difficult for us to look at this bucket of money and experience struggle in our lives. Instead of adjusting our lifestyle and budgeting within our means, we use loans from our retirement plans with the understanding that we are “borrowing from ourselves so it isn’t hurting my account”. The fallacy of this statement is that you’re, in fact, providing for a shortfall in your retirement account during possible peak earnings or growth seasons.

Your plan will require interest to be paid on your “loan”. The rate of interest is usually lower than your market returns and the smaller payments returned to your account may grow but your overall compounding effect will be diminished.

The overall solution to these critical mistakes is to ask for advice from someone that can hold you accountable to a plan that you design for your future. We serve as an advisor as well as life coach for our clients. To be that calming voice of assurance when you are making progress or the soft correction needed when you attempt to deviate from your plan allows us to help you achieve success on your terms.

If you are concerned about your current ability to reach your retirement goals in your TSP, IRA, 401(k) or other employer plan, contact a CPA/PFS or Certified Financial Planner™ practitioner for a complimentary consultation. You may find the answers you need.