Your retirement and estate plan can be as simple or detail oriented as you’d like. However, this is not something you should venture into alone…. a certified financial advisor could not only save you a lot of time, but they can also save you and your heirs a lot of money, taxes, and / or assets. With your financial plan, you should chart out your financial situation as of date (what funds, investments, etc.you currently have), your future goals (buying house, sending child through college, etc.), your retirement goals (at what age, cost of lifestyle, etc.) and a timeline for all of the aforementioned goals. This will help you when you talk with a financial planner, so they know where you are, and where you want to be and by when. With this information they can advise you on what you need to do to meet your goals.

ESTATE TAXES
An estate tax is a charge upon the your entire estate at time death before disbursement and regardless of how it is… MORE>

WILL
If you have personal and/or business assets that you want to go to specified friends, family or organizations upon your… MORE>

INHERITANCE GUARDIANSHIP
The inheritance guardianship is the legal age adult or attorney in charge an inheritance disbursement… MORE>

EXECUTOR(s) & TRUSTEE(s)
An executor manages your estate after your death, a trustee will manage your estate during your life and after death… MORE>

WHAT IS MEDICAID?
Medicaid is a federally-funded, state-run program that provides medical assistance for those with… MORE>

401(K) SAVINGS PLAN
Two elements make the 401(k) a good retirement solution: one, many employers match contributions and… MORE>

WHOLE LIFE INSURANCE
You’ve spent a lifetime building your dreams. If the unthinkable happens, what happens to that dream?… MORE>

FUNERAL PLANNING
By arranging for and paying for you burial in advance, you can save your estate and your beneficiaries monetary… MORE>

LIVING TRUSTS
Even though trusts are not for everyone, it can be a great way to leave your assets to family, friends and organizations without going through… MORE>

PROBATE
Probate, in no uncertain terms, is something every estate owner wants to avoid at any cost. Probate is the… MORE>

MEDICARE
Medicare is a health insurance program funded and operated by the federal government. Medicare is a “Fee-for-Service” plan for… MORE>

SOCIAL SECURITY
If you’ve been a member of the working force or married to someone who was, and Social Security taxes were paid to the government, then when you retire… MORE>

HEALTH INSURANCE?
You and every member of your family! Let’s face it, one hospital stay could wipe out your savings, and cause… MORE>

LONG-TERM CARE INSURANCE?
Long Term Care Insurance is an insurance coverage that’s designed to help you pay … MORE>

FIRST STEPS

Visit the pages above and then:

Get Organized
Gather all important papers together, such as:

• loan documents (mortgage auto, personal, etc.)
• insurance policies (health, auto, home/renter, life, etc.)
• Trust documents
• Will documents
• Banking / savings account statements (Last 12 months)
• Investment statements with balances (if applicable)
• Proof of current income (check stubs, tax returns, bank statements, etc.)
• Any legal paperwork on income received (including childcare, assistance, court payment, any other type of income)

Set your financial goals

Whether you want to take a dream vacation in 5 years or plan the rest of your life (and beyond with Trusts) setting these goals down on paper helps you to organize your thoughts and plans. It will also help your financial advisor to see what immediate and future goals you have, so they can help you get there!

Evaluate your income
Gather you taxes for the last few years and note any trends, how much money came in, what was the percentage of fluctuation, etc.

Calculate your expenses
Calculate how much it costs you to just live, then calculate any “fun” or “unnecessary” expenditures. This will give you an idea of what you would HAVE to earn to retirement, if you kept your expenses the same.

Calculate your net worth
Identify everything you own and everything you owe. This will give you your current starting point. This will help you keep your financial goals realistic.

Play devil’s advocate
Make assumptions, ask a lot of “what-ifs”. Change is inevitable, so know what could happen if _______ happened. In other words, anticipate and calculate changes like inflation, illness, divorce, retirement home costs instead of staying in your home. All of which could happen, no matter how much we don’t want them to. So plan for them, at least know what would happen to your retirement if one or more life change did happen to you or your spouse.

Create your plan
Now with a little hard work and the help of financial advisor, you can not only make your future retirement plans but meet other more immediate financial goals as well.

Look through this web site for more details on financial planning and fill out our on-line form to receive a FREE, NO-OBLIGATION phone call from a certified financial advisor in your area.

A financial advisor can ensure you’re saving enough to meet all your immediate and retirement needs. Find out what’s best for you and your retirement goals! Learn more about the different asset allocation types, explore the areas above and fill out our online form to find a certified financial advisor in your area.