Financial Information

The economy has been hitting your retirement fund hard.  Between the fluctuating market to the threat of inflation, it’s no wonder that you’re worried about the health of your retirement savings – and are possibly tempted to just put off saving for retirement until the recession disappears.  However, now is not the time to give up! 

We’ve got four of the easiest yet most effective weapons you can use in the battle against a downturn economy – so you can spend more time planning your dream Florida retirement and less time worrying about the current bear market.

Buy More Bonds.  Now that stocks are wildly fluctuating, it’s time to chuck some of your riskiest stocks in favor of safe investments, like bonds, TIPS and CDs.  Ask your investment advisor which investments will best balance out any losses you may incur due to shaky stocks. 

Become An Entrepreneur.  For many retirees, quitting their day jobs just isn’t an option.  If you want to look for something to do during your retirement, why not dabble in a bit of entrepreneurship?  Sell your crafts online, write articles for newspapers or invest in real estate – whatever you choose, make sure it can make you money!

Keep A Constant Check-up.  It’s important to talk to your investment advisor about the health of your investments every year, no matter what kind of condition the market is in.  Make sure your portfolio is continually updated so that you’re taking on the appropriate amount of risk for your age.  Remember, you want your investments to be more conservative the closer you get to your retirement age. 

Consider Moving Up Your Retirement Age. If you saw a sharp decline in your 401(k) retirement fund as a result of the recession, consider retiring between the ages of 65-67.  It’s going to take just under two years in order to recoup any losses that you may have experienced, so working just a few more months can make a huge difference.

For more information on smart retirement planning, visit www.kenhimmler.com, the IRA and 401K experts!

Authored By Kenneth Himmler, Sr.

We’ve heard the story before.  As the credit crunch tightens its grip, you’re finding it much more difficult to pay for those bills and meet your basic needs.  You’re desperate to find a way out of the mess without having to take a second job or sell an organ on the black market – so it comes as no surprise that your 401(k) retirement fund and savings are looking pretty tempting right now.  You figure that you can put off retirement planning for a couple of years, just until the economy straightens out; what’s the harm in that?

No matter what you’ve heard, we’re here to tell you to leave that 401(k) retirement fund alone!  We’ve got four smart reasons why you should leave your savings and investments for when it’s actually time to retire:

You’ll Lose Out On Free Money.  Nothing in life is free, right? Not when it comes to your retirement.  If your employer makes matching contributions to your 401(k) retirement fund, then you’ll lose out on a significant amount of money by halting contributions, even for just a couple of years.  Time is truly the most critical factor for a comfortable retirement; if you miss out on a couple of years of investment opportunities, you risk losing thousands of dollars.

You’ll Miss Out On Incredible Growth Potential.  Investment advisors everywhere are telling fearful clients that they’ll be kicking themselves if they pull out of the market now.  Why is that?  It’s a simple history lesson: the markets follow a cyclical effect, and will inevitably straighten out again.  If you pull out of the market now, you’ll miss the opportunity to gain a whole lot of income when the economy improves – so take a deep breath, calm your nerves and just ride out the storm.

You’ll Be Penalized. It’s no secret that touching your 401(k) retirement fund before your retirement age will result in severe taxes and penalties.  If financial hardship is causing you to turn to your retirement savings for support, can you really afford to fork over a large portion of your hard-earned money to the government?

Didn’t think so. 

Your Retirement Is Your Number One Priority.  No matter what you think you need to pay off with your retirement savings – be it credit card debt or your child’s tuition bill – it all takes a backseat to your retirement plans.  Student loans can see your child through and credit card debt can be tackled through smart budget planning; don’t jeopardize you and your family’s future by dipping into your savings and investments before your retirement.

For more information on smart retirement planning, visit www.kenhimmler.com, the IRA and 401K experts!

Authored by Kenneth Himmler, Sr.

Let’s face it – unless you’re a savvy saver, you’ve probably lost sleep over your impending retirement at some point or another.  Maybe you’re worried that inflation will eat away at your 401(k) retirement fund, or you won’t be able to afford rising medical costs in another decade or two.  Whatever the case may be, it’s time to acknowledge some ingenious solutions that will improve the health of your retirement savings – not to mention help you to sleep better at night!

When it comes to a smart and comfortable retirement, you’ll want to pay off any toxic debt before you hit your retirement age; this means that any credit card debts you have will need to be tackled before you can give that retirement speech.  If you’re approaching your estimated retirement age, devote a larger portion of your income to paying off those credit cards; you don’t want your hard-earned savings and investments going towards toxic debts instead of the possibility of a Florida retirement, do you?

It’s easy to give in to worry if you don’t have a firm idea of what your retirement assets include; if this sounds familiar, then schedule a meeting with your investment advisor and get a hold on where you are at this current point in time.  Additionally, if you’re worried about Medicare, make sure that you have a health insurance policy that will cover long-term hospital stays, which Medicare doesn’t cover.  If you’re still worried about healthcare costs in your retirement, take a proactive stance by taking care of both body and mind.  Eat a healthy diet and get plenty of exercise, and you’ll hardly have a need for those health insurance worries!

Additionally, make sure you plan ahead for that transition from employee to retiree.  In many cases, it can take some time before your savings and investments become cash in your bank account, so don’t let this transition knock you out of your stride.  Your registered investment advisor should be able to help you with this all-important transition.

For more information on smart retirement planning, visit www.kenhimmler.com, the IRA and 401(k) experts

Authored by Kenneth Himmler, Sr.