I refer to those in their 40’s and early 50’s as the “financial sandwich generation.” Many are paying off student loan debt, possibly saving money for children’s education, maybe even helping aging parents – all while trying to save for their own retirement. Talk about a squeeze! Here is some advice to help put a little more jelly on that sandwich.
Now that we’ve passed the mid-year mark, many economists and self-declared financial pundits are reviewing investment performances of the first 6 months and predicting the next 6. The most frequent question seems to be whether we’re headed toward a bear market, followed by a recession. This, despite the fact the economy is strong with unemployment at historical lows and companies reporting earnings growth.
Most of our clients hire Moneywatch because they are consumed with their careers and busy with their families and they want us to plan for their financial independence and manage their investments to achieve that goal. And, for many, words like inverted yield curve and budget deficits make their eyes roll back in their head. So, if the term zero term premium means you’ve had a bad semester, read here for what you need to know about your retirement investments if the market declines…or doesn’t.
There’s a new movement, inspired by millennials, to supercharge one’s efforts to acquire enough money to retire early. And when I say early, I mean in their late 30’s and 40’s. This starts with a foundation with which we’re familiar: live beneath your means; save money; invest in a diversified portfolio of growth and income funds, etc. But, FIRE takes this a step further – actually an Evil Knievel jump further – and adds super saving through extreme steps to achieve an extraordinary goal. That goal is not to just retire early, like by age 55, but WAY early, when most of our careers are only just beginning. Here is how some are living their life. Is it for you?
I recently completed the IRS On-line Calculator and was surprised to find we are scheduled to owe tax in April because we are under-withholding. With the federal tax law changes, many middle-Americans will see their taxes decrease this year. When the IRS directed employers to change withholdings to the new tax brackets, however, many of us saw a bump in our paychecks in February. As a result, you may be under-withholding and would benefit from taking 15 minutes to check. Don’t worry, it’s surprisingly easy.
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