Kim Bolker 8/27/18 Kim Bolker 8/27/18

The Details More People Should Know About Medicare

Before you enroll, take note of what the insurance does not cover and the changes ahead.

Misconceptions about Medicare coverage abound. Our national health insurance program provides seniors with some great benefits. Even so, traditional Medicare does not pay for dental care, vision care, or any real degree of long-term care. How about medicines? Again, it falls short.1

Original Medicare (Parts A & B) offers no prescription drug coverage. You may not currently take prescription medicines, but you may later, and can you imagine paying out of pocket for them? Since 2013, the prices of the 20 most-prescribed drugs for seniors have risen an average of 12% annually. Will Social Security give you a 12% cost-of-living adjustment next year?1

To address this issue, many seniors sign up for Part D (prescription drug) plans, which may reduce the co-pays for certain generic medicines down to $1 or $0. As private insurers provide Part D plans, the list of medicines each plan covers varies – so, carefully check the list, also called the formulary, before you enroll in one. Keep checking it, as insurers are permitted to change it from one year to the next.1,2

You may want a Medigap policy, considering your Part B co-payments. If you stick with original Medicare, you will routinely pay 20% of the cost of medical services and procedures covered by Part B. If you need a hip replacement or a triple bypass, you could face a five-figure co-pay. Medigap insurance (also called Medicare Supplement insurance) addresses this problem with supplemental Part B coverage. Premiums and services can vary greatly on these plans, which are sold by insurers.1

If you want dental and vision coverage (and much more), you may want a Part C plan. Around a third of Medicare beneficiaries enroll in these plans, also called Medicare Advantage programs. The typical Part C plan includes all the coverage of Medicare Parts A, B, and D, plus the dental and vision insurance that original Medicare cannot provide. Medicare Advantage plans also limit beneficiary out-of-pocket costs for the services they cover.1

Part C plans may soon offer even more benefits. They will be allowed to include services beyond normal medical insurance beginning in 2019. Starting in October, they can reveal what new perks, if any, they have chosen to offer. Some of the new benefits you might see: coverage for the cost of home health aides, adult day care, palliative care, the installation of grab bars and mobility ramps in the home, and trips to and from medical appointments. The list of potential benefits could expand further in 2020.3

Few seniors who enroll in Part C plans switch out of them. If you enroll in one, you should realize that these plans are regional rather than national – so, if you move, you may have to find another Part C plan or return to traditional Medicare, with or without Medigap coverage.1,3

The Medicare Advantage Disenrollment Period is disappearing. A recently passed federal law, the 21st Century Cures Act, does away with this annual January 1-February 14 window. Beginning in 2019, there will simply be an annual Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period from January 1-March 31. During these three months, Medicare recipients will have the chance to either switch Part C plans or disenroll from a Part C plan and go back to original Medicare.4

Some Medicare Cost plans are being phased out. These plans, which offer some features of Medigap policies and some features of Medicare Advantage programs, are ending in certain counties within 15 states and in the District of Columbia. Enrollees are being left to search for new coverage.4

If you are financially challenged, you may have options. State subsidies and Medicare savings programs are available to help households handle co-payments and deductibles under original Medicare. Some non-profit groups offer pharmaceutical assistance programs (PAPs) to help Medicare beneficiaries pay less for medicines.4

Lastly, diabetics who use insulin pumps sometimes find they are better off with original Medicare as well as a Medigap policy, rather than a Part C plan. Some Medigap plans cover the entire cost of insulin. Many infusion treatments (such as chemotherapy) are also 100% covered by Medigap policies.4

Rep disclosures: Kim Bolker may be reached at kim@bolkercapital.com or 616-942-8600.

This material was prepared by MarketingPro, Inc., and does not necessarily represent the views of the presenting party, nor their affiliates. All information is believed to be from reliable sources; however we make no representation as to its completeness or accuracy. Please note - investing involves risk, and past performance is no guarantee of future results. The publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting or other professional services. If assistance is needed, the reader is advised to engage the services of a competent professional. This information should not be construed as investment, tax or legal advice and may not be relied on for the purpose of avoiding any Federal tax penalty. This is neither a solicitation nor recommendation to purchase or sell any investment or insurance product or service, and should not be relied upon as such. All indices are unmanaged and are not illustrative of any particular investment.

Citations.

1 - forbes.com/sites/nextavenue/2018/07/10/avoid-these-big-medicare-mistakes-people-make [7/10/18]

2 - money.usnews.com/money/retirement/medicare/articles/2018-06-25/prescription-drug-costs-retirees-should-expect-to-pay [6/25/18]

3 - nytimes.com/2018/07/20/health/medicare-advantage-benefits.html [7/20/18]

4 - rd.com/health/healthcare/things-medicare-wont-tell-you/ [7/6/18]

Kim Bolker 8/24/18 Kim Bolker 8/24/18

Tax Moves to Consider in Summer

Now is a good time to think about a few financial matters.

Making changes earlier rather than later. If you own a business, earn a good deal of investment income, are recently married or divorced, or have a Flexible Savings Account (FSA), you may want to think about making some tax moves now rather than in December or April.

Do you now need to pay estimated income tax? If you are newly self-employed or are really starting to see significant passive income, you may need to quickly acquaint yourself with Form 1040-ES and the quarterly deadlines. Every year, estimated tax payments to the Internal Revenue Service are due on or before the following dates: January 15, April 15, June 15, and September 15. (These deadlines are adjusted if a due date falls on a weekend or holiday.) It might seem simple just to make four consistent payments per year, but your business income may be inconsistent. If it is, and you fail to adjust your estimated tax payment per quarter, you may be setting yourself up for a tax penalty. So, confer with your tax professional about this.1

Has your household size changed? That calls for a look at your pre-tax withholding. No doubt you would like to take home more money now rather than wait to receive it in the form of a tax refund later. This past April, the I.R.S. said that the average federal tax refund was $2,864 – the rough equivalent of a month’s salary for many people. Adjusting the withholding on your W-4 may bring you more take-home pay. Ideally, you would adjust it so that you end up owing no tax and receiving no refund.2

Think about how you could use your FSA dollars before the end of the year. The Tax Cuts & Jobs Act changed the rules for Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs). The I.R.S. now permits an employer to let an employee carry up to $500 in FSA funds forward into the next calendar year. Alternately, the employer can allow the FSA accountholder extra time to use FSA funds from the prior calendar year (up to 2.5 months). Companies do not have to allow either choice, however. If no grace period or carry-forward is permitted at your workplace, you will want to spend 100% of your FSA funds in 2018, for you will lose those FSA dollars when 2019 begins.3

You could help your tax situation by contributing to certain retirement accounts. IRAs and non-Roth workplace retirement plans are funded with pre-tax dollars. By directing money into these retirement savings vehicles, you position yourself for federal tax savings in the year of the contribution. If you make the maximum traditional IRA contribution of $5,500 in 2018, and you are in the 24% tax bracket, that translates to a $1,320 federal tax deduction for 2018.4

While Summer may seem far from April, this is an excellent time to think about tax-saving possibilities. You and your tax professional have plenty of time to explore the options.

Rep disclosures: Kim Bolker may be reached at kim@bolkercapital.com or 616-942-8600.

This material was prepared by MarketingPro, Inc., and does not necessarily represent the views of the presenting party, nor their affiliates. This information has been derived from sources believed to be accurate. Please note - investing involves risk, and past performance is no guarantee of future results. The publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting or other professional services. If assistance is needed, the reader is advised to engage the services of a competent professional. This information should not be construed as investment, tax or legal advice and may not be relied on for the purpose of avoiding any Federal tax penalty. This is neither a solicitation nor recommendation to purchase or sell any investment or insurance product or service, and should not be relied upon as such. All indices are unmanaged and are not illustrative of any particular investment.

Citations.

1 - irs.gov/faqs/estimated-tax/individuals/individuals-2 [2/20/18]

2 - fortune.com/2018/04/16/tax-day-2018-refund/ [4/16/18]

3 - cnbc.com/2017/12/29/how-to-use-your-flexible-spending-account-funds-at-the-last-minute.html [12/29/17]

4 - usatoday.com/story/money/taxes/2018/07/20/70-of-households-are-missing-out-on-this-important-tax-break/36835905/ [7/20/18]

Kim Bolker 7/31/18 Kim Bolker 7/31/18

Save & Invest Even if Money Is Tight

For millennials, today is the right time.

If you are under 30, you have likely heard that now is the ideal time to save and invest. You know that the power of compound interest is on your side; you recognize the potential advantages of an early start.

There is only one problem: you do not earn enough money to invest. You are barely getting by as it is.

Regardless, the saving and investing effort can still be made. Even a minimal effort could have a meaningful impact later.

Can you invest $20 a week? There are 52 weeks in a year. What would saving and investing $1,040 a year do for you at age 25? Suppose the invested assets earn 7% a year, an assumption that is not unreasonable. (The average yearly return of the S&P 500 through history is roughly 10%; during 2013-17, its average return was +13.4%.) At a 7% return and annual compounding, you end up with $14,876 after a decade in this scenario, according to Bankrate’s compound interest calculator. By year 10, your investment account is earning nearly as much annually ($939) as you are putting into it ($1,040).1,2

You certainly cannot retire on $14,876, but the early start really matters. Extending the scenario out, say you keep investing $20 a week under the same conditions for 40 years, until age 65. As you started at age 25, you are projected to have $214,946 after 40 years, off just $41,600 in total contributions.2

This scenario needs adjustment considering a strong probability: the probability that your account contributions will grow over time. So, assume that you have $14,876 after ten years, and then you start contributing $175 a week to the account earning 7% annually starting at age 35. By age 65, you are projected to have $1,003,159.2

Even if you stop your $20-per-week saving and investing effort entirely after 10 years at age 35, the $14,876 generated in that first decade keeps growing to $113,240 at age 65 thanks to 7% annual compounded interest.2

How do you find the money to do this? It is not so much a matter of finding it as assigning it. A budgeting app can help: you can look at your monthly cash flow and designate a small part of it for saving and investing.

Should you start an emergency savings fund first, then invest? One school of thought says that is the way to go – but rather than think either/or, think both. Put a ten or twenty (or a fifty) toward each cause, if your budget allows. As ValuePenguin notes, many deposit accounts are yielding 0.01% interest.3

It does not take much to start saving and investing for retirement. Get the ball rolling with anything, any amount, today, for the power of compounding is there for you to harness. If you delay the effort for a decade or two, building adequate retirement savings could prove difficult.

Rep disclosures: Kim Bolker may be reached at kim@bolkercapital.com or 616-942-8600.

Citations.

1 - nerdwallet.com/blog/investing/average-stock-market-return/ [2/28/18]

2 - bankrate.com/calculators/savings/compound-savings-calculator-tool.aspx [7/26/18]

3 - valuepenguin.com/average-savings-account-interest-rates [7/26/18]

Kim Bolker 7/24/18 Kim Bolker 7/24/18

Should You Use 529 Plan Funs on K-12 Education?

Federal law says you can, but you may want to think twice about it.

When President Trump signed the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act into law late in 2017, new possibilities emerged for the tax-advantaged investment vehicles known as 529 college savings plans. Funds from these accounts may now be used to pay for qualified elementary and secondary school expenses under federal law.1

Unfortunately, some state laws for 529 college savings plans are just catching up with federal law or treat such withdrawals differently from a tax standpoint. Hopefully, these differences will be resolved with time.2

Federal law permits you to spend up to $10,000 of 529 funds on K-12 tuition per year. Under the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act, you can use these funds to pay tuition at private and public elementary and secondary schools. If you do this, the withdrawal from your 529 plan is tax free or at least free from federal taxation.1

The question is how the state hosting the 529 account treats the withdrawal. Some states, such as Missouri and Tennessee, quickly indicated they would allow 529 plan withdrawals for qualified K-12 education expenses and treat the withdrawals in the same fashion as the new federal law. Other states took a different approach. Louisiana’s state legislature, for instance, complemented the state’s 529 college savings plan with new K-12 education savings accounts in June.3

While your state’s 529 plan may allow you to withdraw funds to pay for qualified K-12 education expenses, the state and federal tax treatment of the withdrawal may differ. The distribution could be taxed at the state level, even if untaxed at the federal level. That is the case in Oregon, for example.2,4

You may or may not want to use 529 plan funds in this way. The Tax Cuts & Jobs Act basically redefined 529 savings plans as education savings accounts rather than solely college savings accounts. The added versatility is nice, but chances are, you have been saving money for a college education in a 529. Do you really want to draw down a tax-favored account capable of compounding to pay K-12 education expenses today instead of college costs tomorrow? Like an early withdrawal from a retirement account, this may be a decision that you come to regret.

If you are independently wealthy or anticipate having the financial ability to cover college costs in some other way, then partly or wholly reducing your 529 plan balance might be bearable. If your household is middle class, it could simply be a bad idea.

Of course, 529 plans are just one of the ways available to save for college. You should explore your options to build education savings. A chat with a financial professional well versed on the topic may give you some ideas.

Rep disclosures: Kim Bolker may be reached at kim@bolkercapital.com or 616-942-8600.

Citations.

1 - cpapracticeadvisor.com/news/12416531/section-529-plans-can-now-be-used-for-private-elementary-and-high-schools [6/12/18]

2 - forbes.com/sites/megangorman/2018/03/08/navigating-the-new-529-rules-the-land-of-wealth-transfer-piggy-backs-and-donor-advised-funds/ [3/8/18]

3 - nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2018/06/new_law_creates_k-12_savings_a.html [6/14/18]

4 - oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2018/03/oregon_wont_allow_529_tax_brea.html [3/8/18]

Kim Bolker 7/19/18 Kim Bolker 7/19/18

Should You Leave Your IRA to a Child?

What you should know about naming a minor as an IRA beneficiary.

Can a child inherit an IRA? The answer is yes, though they cannot legally own the IRA and its invested assets. Until the child turns 18 (or 21, in some states), the inherited IRA is a custodial account, managed by an adult on behalf of the minor beneficiary.1

IRA owners who name minors as beneficiaries have good intentions. Their idea is to “stretch” a large Roth or traditional IRA. Distributions from the inherited IRA can be scheduled over the (long) expected lifetime of the young beneficiary, with the possibility that compounding will partly or fully offset them.2

Those good intentions may be disregarded, however. When minor IRA beneficiaries become legal adults, they have the right to do whatever they want with those IRA assets. If they want to drain the whole IRA to buy a Porsche or fund an ill-conceived start-up, they can.2

How can you have a say in what happens to the IRA assets? You could create a trust to serve as the IRA beneficiary, as an intermediate step before your heir takes possession of those assets as a young adult.

In other words, you name a trust as the beneficiary of your IRA, and your child or grandchild as a beneficiary of the trust. When you have that trust in place, you have more control over what happens with the inherited IRA assets.2

The trust can dictate the how, what, and when of the income distribution. Perhaps you specify that your heir gets $10,000 annually from the trust beginning at age 30. Or, maybe you include language that mandates that your heir take distributions over their life expectancy. You can even stipulate what the money should be spent on and how it should be spent.2

A trust is not for everyone. The IRA needs to be large to warrant creating one, as the process of trust creation can cost several thousand dollars. No current-year tax break comes your way from implementing a trust, either.2

In lieu of setting up a trust, you could simply name an IRA custodian. In this case, the term “custodian” refers not to a giant investment company, but a person you know and have faith in who you authorize to make investing and distribution decisions for the IRA. One such person could be named as the custodian; another, as a successor custodian.2

What if you designate a minor as the beneficiary of your IRA, but fail to put a custodian in place? If there is no named custodian, or if your named custodian is unable to serve in that role, then a trip to court is in order. A parent of the child, or another party who wants guardianship over the IRA assets, will have to go to court and ask to be appointed as the IRA custodian.2

You should also recognize that the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act reshaped the “kiddie tax.” This is the federal tax on a minor’s net unearned income. Required minimum distributions (RMDs) from inherited IRAs are subject to this tax. A minor’s net unearned income is now taxed at the same rate as trust income rather than at the parents’ marginal tax rate.3,4

This is a big change. Income tax brackets for a trust or a child under age 19 are now set much lower than the brackets for single or joint filers or heads of household. A 10% rate applies for the first $2,550 of taxable income, but a 24% rate plus $255 of tax applies at $2,551; a 35% rate plus $1,839 of tax, at $9,151; a 37% rate plus $3,011.50 of tax, at $12,501 and up.3,5

While this is a negative for middle-class families seeking to leave an IRA to a child, it may be a positive for wealthy families: the new kiddie tax rules may reduce the child’s tax liability when compared with the old rules.4

One last note: if you want to leave your IRA to a minor, check to see if the brokerage holding your IRA allows a child or a grandchild as an IRA beneficiary. Some brokerages do, while others do not.1

Rep disclosures: Kim Bolker may be reached at kim@bolkercapital.com or 616-942-8600.

Citations.

1 - investopedia.com/articles/retirement/09/minor-as-ira-beneficiary.asp [6/19/18]

2 - kiplinger.com/article/retirement/T021-C000-S004-pass-an-ira-to-young-grandkids-with-care.html [5/17]

3 - forbes.com/sites/ashleaebeling/2018/05/08/the-kiddie-tax-grows-up/ [5/8/18]

4 - tinyurl.com/y7bonwzx [5/31/18]

5 - forbes.com/sites/kellyphillipserb/2018/03/07/new-irs-announces-2018-tax-rates-standard-deductions-exemption-amounts-and-more/ [3/7/18]

Kim Bolker 7/12/18 Kim Bolker 7/12/18

Why Do People Put Off Saving for Retirement?

A lack of money is but one answer.

Common wisdom says that you should start saving for retirement as soon as you can. Why do some people wait decades to begin?

Nearly everyone can save something. Even small cash savings may be the start of something big if they are invested wisely.

Sometimes, the immediate wins out over the distant. To young adults, retirement can seem so far away. Instead of directing X dollars a month toward some far-off financial objective, why not use it for something here and now, like a payment on a student loan or a car? This is indeed practical, and it may be necessary. Even so, paying yourself first should be as much of a priority as paying today’s bills or paying your creditors.

Some workers fail to enroll in retirement plans because they anticipate leaving. They start a job with an assumption that it may only be short term, so they avoid signing up, even though human resources encourages them. Time passes. Six months turn into six years. Still, they are unenrolled. (Speaking of short-term or transitory work, many people in the gig economy never get such encouragement; they have no access to a workplace retirement plan at all.)

Other young adults feel they have too little to start saving or investing. Maybe when they are further along in their careers, the time will be right – but not now. Currently, they cannot contribute big monthly or quarterly amounts to retirement accounts, so what is the point of starting today?

The point can be expressed in two words: compound interest. Even small retirement account contributions have potential to snowball into much larger sums with time. Suppose a 25-year-old puts just $100 in a retirement plan earning 8% a year. Suppose they keep doing that every month for 35 years. How much money is in the account at age 60? $100 x 12 x 35, or $42,000? No, $217,114, thanks to annual compounded growth. As their salary grows, the monthly contributions can increase, thereby positioning the account to grow even larger. Another important thing to remember is that the longer a sum has been left to compound, the greater the annual compounding becomes. The takeaway here: get an early start.1

Any retirement saver should strive to get an employer match. Some companies will match a percentage of a worker’s retirement plan contribution once it exceeds a certain level. This is literally free money. Who would turn down free money?

Just how many Americans are not yet saving for retirement? Earlier this year, an Edward Jones survey put the figure at 51%. If you are reading this, you are likely in the other 49% and have been for some time. Keep up the good work.2

Rep disclosures: Kim Bolker may be reached at kim@bolkercapital.com or 616-942-8600.

Citations.

1 - bankrate.com/calculators/savings/compound-savings-calculator-tool.aspx [6/21/18]

2 - forbes.com/sites/kateashford/2018/02/28/retirement-3/ [2/28/18]

Kim Bolker 6/27/18 Kim Bolker 6/27/18

How Much Do You Really Know About Long-Term Care?

Separating some eldercare facts from some eldercare myths.

How much does eldercare cost, and how do you arrange it when it is needed? The average person might have difficulty answering those two questions, for the answers are not widely known. For clarification, here are some facts to dispel some myths.

True or false: Medicare will pay for your mom or dad’s nursing home care.

FALSE, because Medicare is not long-term care insurance.1

Part A of Medicare will pay the bill for up to 20 days of skilled nursing facility care – but after that, you or your parents may have to pay some costs out-of-pocket. After 100 days, Medicare will not pay a penny of nursing home costs – it will all have to be paid out-of-pocket, unless the patient can somehow go without skilled nursing care for 60 days or 30 days including a 3-day hospital stay. In those instances, Medicare’s “clock” resets.2

True or false: a semi-private room in a nursing home costs about $35,000 a year.

FALSE. According to Genworth Financial’s most recent Cost of Care Survey, the median cost is now $85,775. A semi-private room in an assisted living facility has a median annual cost of $45,000 annually. A home health aide? $49,192 yearly. Even if you just need someone to help mom or dad with eating, bathing, or getting dressed, the median hourly expense is not cheap: non-medical home aides, according to Genworth, run about $21 per hour, which at 10 hours a week means nearly $11,000 a year.3,4

True or false: about 40% of today’s 65-year-olds will eventually need long-term care.

FALSE. The Department of Health and Human Services estimates that close to 70% will. About a third of 65-year-olds may never need such care, but one-fifth are projected to require it for more than five years.5

True or false: the earlier you buy long-term care insurance, the less expensive it is.

TRUE. As with life insurance, younger policyholders pay lower premiums. Premiums climb notably for those who wait until their mid-sixties to buy coverage. The American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance’s 2018 price index notes that a 60-year-old couple will pay an average of $3,490 a year for a policy with an initial daily benefit of $150 for up to three years and a 90-day elimination period. A 65-year-old couple pays an average of $4,675 annually for the same coverage. This is a 34% difference.6

True or false: Medicaid can pay nursing home costs.

TRUE. The question is, do you really want that to happen? While Medicaid rules vary per state, in most instances a person may only qualify for Medicaid if they have no more than $2,000 in “countable” assets ($3,000 for a couple). Countable assets include bank accounts, equity investments, certificates of deposit, rental or vacation homes, investment real estate, and even second cars owned by a household (assets held within certain trusts may be exempt). A homeowner can even be disqualified from Medicaid for having too much home equity. A primary residence, a primary motor vehicle, personal property and household items, burial funds of less than $1,500, and tiny life insurance policies with face value of less than $1,500 are not countable. So yes, at the brink of poverty, Medicaid may end up paying long-term care expenses.4,7

Sadly, many Americans seem to think that the government will ride to the rescue when they or their loved ones need nursing home care or assisted living. Two-thirds of people polled in another Genworth Financial survey about eldercare held this expectation.4

In reality, government programs do not help the average household pay for any sustained eldercare expenses. The financial responsibility largely falls on you.

A little planning now could make a big difference in the years to come. Call or email an insurance professional today to learn more about ways to pay for long-term care and to discuss your options. You need to find a way to address this concern, as it could seriously threaten your net worth and your retirement savings.

Rep disclosures: Kim Bolker may be reached at kim@bolkercapital.com or 616-942-8600.

Citations.

1 - medicare.gov/coverage/long-term-care.html [6/5/18]

2 - medicare.gov/coverage/long-term-care.html [6/5/18]

3 - fool.com/retirement/2018/05/24/the-1-retirement-expense-were-still-not-preparing.aspx [5/24/18]

4 - forbes.com/sites/nextavenue/2017/09/26/the-staggering-prices-of-long-term-care-2017/ [9/26/17]

5 - longtermcare.acl.gov/the-basics/how-much-care-will-you-need.html [10/10/17]

6 - fool.com/retirement/2018/02/02/your-2018-guide-to-long-term-care-insurance.aspx [2/2/18]

7 - longtermcare.acl.gov/medicare-medicaid-more/medicaid/medicaid-eligibility/financial-requirements-assets.html [10/10/17]

Kim Bolker 6/20/18 Kim Bolker 6/20/18

Should Couples Combine Their Finances?

To consolidate or not: that is the question.

Some couples elect to consolidate their personal finances, while others largely keep their financial lives separate. What choice might suit your household?

The first question is: how do you and your partner view money matters? If you feel it will be best to handle your bills and plan for your goals as a team, then combining your finances may naturally follow.

A team approach has its merits. A joint checking account is one potential first step: a decision representing a commitment to a unified financial life. When you go “all in” on this team approach, most of your incomes go into this joint account, and the money within the account pays all (or nearly all) of your shared or individual bills. This is a simple and clear approach to adopt, especially if your salaries are similar.

You need not merge your finances entirely. That individual checking or savings account you have had all these years? You can retain it – you will want to, for there are some things you will want to spend money on that your spouse or partner will not. Sustaining these accounts is relatively easy: month after month, a set amount can be transferred from the joint account to the older, individual accounts.

A financial plan may focus the two of you on the goal of building wealth. Investment and retirement plan accounts are individual by design, but a plan can serve as a framework to unite your individual efforts.

You may want separate financial accounts. Some couples want to pay household bills 50/50 per partner or spouse, and some partners and spouses agree to pay bills in proportion to their individual earnings. That can also work.

This may have to change over time. Eventually, one spouse or partner may begin to earn much more than the other. Or, maybe only one spouse or partner works for a while. In such circumstances, splitting expenses pro rata may feel unfair to one party. It may also impact decision making – one spouse or partner might think they have more “clout” in a financial decision than the other.

Even if you staunchly maintain separate finances throughout your relationship, you may still want to have some type of joint account to address basic monthly household costs.

What else might you consider doing financially? Well, one good move might be to consult and retain a qualified financial professional to provide insight and guidance as you invest and save toward your goals.

Think about how your tax situation might change if you marry. Some people marry and correspondingly change their withholding designation from single to married on their W-4 form. In return, they are shocked to find their income taxes are much more than they ever expected – or they discover they have an enormous refund coming their way. Adjusting your withholding earlier in a calendar year makes more of a difference than if you do so later.1

If marriage means a name change, be sure to update bank account, investment account, Social Security account, and insurance policy data with time to spare. Marrying couples will probably want to redo beneficiary forms on accounts and policies and make various accounts joint tenants with right of survivorship (JTWROS) accounts or Totten trusts (also known as payable-on-death accounts). A JTWROS or POD account allows the assets involved to pass to a surviving spouse without probate.2,3

Take a look at the auto and health insurance coverage each of you have. You might notice some overlap, and you may want to address that.

The Knot, the wedding planning website, says that the number one priority for 55% of marrying couples is uniting personal finances. Agreeing how to handle your household finances can be a goal whether you marry or not.4

Rep disclosures: Kim Bolker may be reached at kim@bolkercapital.com or 616-942-8600.

Citations.

1 - turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tips/tax-refund/top-5-reasons-to-adjust-your-w-4-withholding/L8Gqrgm0V [5/31/18]

2 - legalzoom.com/knowledge/last-will/topic/totten-trust [5/31/18]

3 - legalzoom.com/knowledge/last-will/topic/joint-tenancy [5/31/18]

4 - forbes.com/sites/investor/2018/05/08/the-most-important-conversation-newlyweds-need-to-have/ [5/8/18]

Kim Bolker 6/4/18 Kim Bolker 6/4/18

Retirement Planning Weak Spots

They are all too common.

Many households think they are planning carefully for retirement. In many cases, they are not. Weak spots in their retirement planning and saving may go unnoticed.

Couples should recognize that they may face major medical expenses. Each year, Fidelity Investments estimates how much a pair of newly retired 65-year-olds will spend on health care throughout the rest of their lives. Fidelity says that on average, retiring men will need $133,000 to fund health care in retirement; retiring women, $147,000. Even baby boomers in outstanding health should accept the possibility that serious health conditions could increase their out-of-pocket hospital, prescription drug, and eldercare costs.1

Retirement savers will want to diversify their invested assets. An analysis from StreetAuthority, a financial research and publishing company, demonstrates how dramatic the shift has been for some investors. A hypothetical portfolio split evenly between equities and fixed-income investments at the end of February 2009 would have been weighted 74/26 in favor of equities exactly nine years later. If a bear market arrives, that lack of diversification could spell trouble. Another weak spot: some investors just fall in love with two or three companies. If they only buy shares in those companies, their retirement prospects will become tied up with the future of those firms, which could lead to problems.2

The usefulness of dollar cost averaging. Recurring, automatic monthly contributions to retirement accounts allow a pre-retiree to save consistently for them. Contrast that with pre-retirees who never arrange monthly salary deferrals into their retirement accounts; they hunt for investment money each month, and it becomes an item on their to-do list. Who knows whether it will be crossed off regularly or not?

Big debts can put a drag on a retirement saving strategy. Some financial professionals urge their clients to retire debt free or with as little debt as possible; others think carrying a mortgage in retirement can work out. This difference of opinion aside, the less debt a pre-retiree has, the more cash he or she can free up for investment or put into savings.

The biggest weakness is not having a plan at all. How many households save for retirement with a number in mind – the dollar figure their retirement fund needs to meet? How many approach their retirements with an idea of the income they will require? A conversation with a financial professional may help to clear up any ambiguities – and lead to a strategy that puts new focus into retirement planning.

Rep disclosures: Kim Bolker may be reached at kim@bolkercapital.com or 616-942-8600.

Citations.

1 - marketwatch.com/story/youre-probably-going-to-live-longer-what-if-you-cant-afford-it-2018-04-23 [4/23/18]

2 - nasdaq.com/article/how-to-prepare-your-income-portfolio-for-volatility-cm939499 [3/26/18]

Kim Bolker 5/29/18 Kim Bolker 5/29/18

Beware of Lifestyle Creep

Beware of Lifestyle Creep

Sometimes more money can mean more problems.

“Lifestyle creep” is an unusual phrase describing an all-too-common problem: the more money people earn, the more money they tend to spend.

Frequently, the newly affluent are the most susceptible. As people establish themselves as doctors and lawyers, executives, and successful entrepreneurs, they see living well as a reward. Outstanding education, home, and business loans may not alter this viewpoint. Lifestyle creep can happen to successful individuals of any age. How do you guard against it?

Keep one financial principle in mind: spend less than you make. If you get a promotion, if your business takes off, if you make partner, the additional income you receive can go toward your retirement savings, your investment accounts, or your debts.

See a promotion, a bonus, or a raise as an opportunity to save more. Do you have a household budget? Then the amount of saving that the extra income comfortably permits will be clear. Even if you do not closely track your expenses, you can probably still save (and invest) to a greater degree without imperiling your current lifestyle.

Avoid taking on new fixed expenses that may not lead to positive outcomes. Shouldering a fixed mortgage payment as a condition of home ownership? Good potential outcome. Assuming an auto loan so you can drive a luxury SUV? Maybe not such a good idea. While the home may appreciate, the SUV will almost certainly not.

Resist the temptation to rent a fancier apartment or home. Few things scream “lifestyle creep” like higher rent does. A pricier apartment may convey an impressive image to your friends and associates, but it will not make you wealthier.

Keep the big goals in mind and fight off distractions. When you earn more, it is easy to act on your wants and buy things impulsively. Your typical day starts costing you more money.

To prevent this subtle, daily lifestyle creep, live your days the same way you always have – with the same kind of financial mindfulness. Watch out for new daily costs inspired by wants rather than needs.

Live well, but not extravagantly. After years of law school or time toiling at start-ups, getting hired by the right firm and making that career leap can be exhilarating – but it should not be a gateway to runaway debt. According to the Federal Reserve’s latest Survey of Consumer Finances, the average American head of household aged 35-44 carries slightly more than $100,000 of non-housing debt. This is one area of life where you want to be below average.1

Rep disclosures: Kim Bolker may be reached at kim@bolkercapital.com or 616-942-8600.

Citations.

1 - time.com/money/5233033/average-debt-every-age/ [4/13/18]

Kim Bolker 5/22/18 Kim Bolker 5/22/18

Wealth Management with Memory Disorders

What steps can a family take?

Besides impacting lives and relationships, dementia can also impact family finances. It may call for another family member to assume money management responsibilities for a parent, grandparent, or sibling. It may increase the risk of financial exploitation, even as we do our best to guard against it.

Just how many older adults have memory disorders? Well, here are two recent estimates. The Chicago Health and Aging Project figures that nearly a third of Americans 85 and older have Alzheimer’s disease. The National Institute on Aging sponsored a study, which concluded that 14% of Americans age 71 and older have dementia to some degree.1

Older women may be the most vulnerable to all this. A new Merrill Lynch and Age Wave study notes that after age 65, women have twice the projected risk of Alzheimer’s that men do.2

In the best-case scenario, parents or grandparents acknowledge the risk. They lay out financial maps and instructions, telling adult children or grandchildren who love them dearly about the details of their finances. They involve the financial professional they have long known and trusted and introduce them to the next generation. All this communication occurs while the elder still has a sound mind.

Absent that kind of communication and foresight, some catching up will be in order. The kids will have two learning curves in front of them: one to understand the finances of their elders and another one in which they discover the degree of care they can capably provide. The stress of these two learning curves can be overwhelming. Asking professionals for help is only reasonable.

The earlier the basic estate planning elements are in place, the better. This means a will, a durable power of attorney, a health care proxy, and possibly a revocable living trust. In cases of significant wealth or a complex personal history, more sophisticated estate planning vehicles may be needed. If a durable power of attorney is in place, another person has the ability to act financially in the best interest of the person with dementia.1

Children and grandchildren must also confer about major decisions. What kind of assisted living facility would be best for dad? How much of mom’s retirement savings should be used for her eldercare? How do we convince dad that he should not manage his investments day-to-day anymore? What do we do now that mom seems totally unaware she has to make an IRA withdrawal? These will be hard conversations, trying decisions. If they never occur, however, the household financial damage may grow worse.1,3

Financial inattention or incompetence may be one of the first signals of Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia. The National Institute on Aging explains that difficulty paying for an item in a store or figuring out a tip at a restaurant could amount to early warning signs; trouble counting change or reading a bank or investment statement may also reflect cognitive impairment. These instances may be harbingers of problems to come – unpaid bills, impulsive and questionable investment decisions, and unwise credit card purchases.4

Should a household sign up for Social Security’s representative payee program? This may be a good idea. Many retirees have never heard of this option, which lets a designated, approved second party receive and manage monthly Social Security benefits on their behalf. The monthly benefit is sent to that representative, who must document to Social Security that the money was spent in the senior’s best interest. According to the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College, just 9% of Social Security recipients older than 70 with dementia were enrolled in this program in 2017.2,3

Elders suffering from such disorders often resist relinquishing financial control. Allowing limited financial independence (credit cards with lower limits, access to some cash for discretionary spending) may make the transition easier. Loved ones can also emphasize that seniors are so often victims of fraud and other forms of financial elder abuse.

Rep disclosures: Kim Bolker may be reached at kim@bolkercapital.com or 616-942-8600.

The time to think about these things is now. We have all read horror stories of elders owing years of back taxes, facing lawsuits from creditors, or falling prey to investment scams. Your parents, grandparents, or siblings should not be left to experience such crises.

Citations.

1 - forbes.com/sites/nextavenue/2017/10/31/managing-finances-for-a-loved-one-with-dementia [10/31/18]

2 - barrons.com/articles/the-stubborn-wealth-gap-between-men-and-women-1524099601 [4/18/18]

3 - usatoday.com/story/money/columnist/powell/2017/09/16/financial-help-retirees-cognitive-impairment-dementia/627326001/ [9/16/17]

4 - nia.nih.gov/health/managing-money-problems-alzheimers-disease [5/18/17]

Kim Bolker 5/17/18 Kim Bolker 5/17/18

Why Life Insurance Matters for New Homeowners

It addresses a significant financial risk.

If you buy a home and you have no life insurance, there is a financial risk. It may not be immediately evident, but it must be acknowledged – and it should be addressed.

What if you die, and your spouse or partner is left to pay off the mortgage alone? This possibility may seem remote, and it may be hard for you to contemplate. It deserves consideration regardless.

Imagine your loved one having to handle that 15-year or 30-year debt by themselves. (Or the debt on an adjustable-rate loan or jumbo mortgage.) Additionally, how would that heavy financial burden come to impact your children’s lives? These tragedies do occur and do bring these kinds of emotional and financial challenges. A life insurance payout may provide some help for a homeowner in the event of such a crisis.

When you buy life insurance, the coverage amount should reflect your mortgage debt. You will need enough coverage to help your spouse, partner, or heirs deal with the outstanding home loan balance, should you pass away prematurely.1,2

Term life insurance may meet the need. If you are the typical homeowner, you will stay in your current home for about ten years. (Back in 2006, the average homeowner tenure was just six years.) As you may move up, move to another region with different home values, or even rent in the future, a term policy that lets you renew or modify coverage could suffice.1

On the other hand, permanent life insurance may be more suitable. The reality is that inflation decreases the value of term life coverage over time. Suppose you buy a 20-year term policy offering $250,000 of coverage today. At just 4% annual inflation, that coverage will be worth 56% less in 2038 – and your home may be worth much more in 2038 than it is now.2

Moreover, the cost of term life insurance rises as you age. A term life policy is cheap when you are young, but if you want a new one after your initial term policy sunsets, you may find the premiums dramatically more expensive. In contrast, premiums on a permanent (whole) life policy are locked in, effectively becoming more manageable as time goes by. You may want permanent life for other financial reasons as well, reasons that have nothing to do with your home. A permanent life policy has the potential to accumulate cash value in the future; a term life policy does not.2

A homeowner should carefully consider life insurance coverage options. If you lack coverage today, talk to a qualified insurance professional about your options, so that you can insure yourself for tomorrow.

Rep disclosures: Kim Bolker may be reached at kim@bolkercapital.com or 616-942-8600.

Citations.

1 - themortgagereports.com/26307/homebuyer-tenure-how-long-are-people-staying-in-their-houses [3/17/17]

2 - entrepreneur.com/article/310731 [3/22/18]

Kim Bolker 5/7/18 Kim Bolker 5/7/18

Set Goals as You Save & Invest

Turn your intent into a commitment.

Goals give you focus. To find and establish your investing and saving goals, first ask yourself what you want to accomplish. Do you want to build an emergency fund? Build college savings for your child? Have a large retirement fund by age 60? Once you have a defined motivation, a monetary goal can arise.

It can be easier to dedicate yourself to a goal rather than a hope or a wish. That level of dedication is important, as saving and investing usually comes with a degree of personal sacrifice. When you dedicate yourself to a saving/investing goal, some positive financial “side effects” may occur.

A goal encourages you to save consistently. If you are saving and investing to reach a specific dollar figure, you likely also have a date for reaching it in mind. Pair a date with a saving or investing goal, and you have a time horizon, a self-imposed deadline, and you can start to see how you need to save or invest to try and achieve your goal, and what kind of savings or investments to put to work on your behalf.

You see the goal within a larger financial context. This big-picture perspective may help you from making frivolous purchases you might later regret or taking on a big debt that might impede your progress toward reaching your target.

You see clear steps toward your goal. Saving $1 million over a lifetime might seem daunting to the average person who has never looked at how it might be done incrementally. Once the math is in place, it might not seem so inconceivable. The intimidation of trying to reach that large number gives way to confidence – the feeling that you could realize that objective by contributing a set amount per month over a period of years.

Those discrete steps can make the goal seem less abstract. As you save and invest, you may make good progress toward the goal and attain milestones along the way. These milestones are affirmations, reinforcing that you are on a positive path and that you are paying yourself first.

Additionally, the earlier you define a goal, the more time you have to try and attain it. Time is certainly your friend here. Say you want to invest and build up a retirement fund of $500,000 in 30 years. If you save $500 a month for three decades through a retirement account returning 7% annually, you will have $591,839 when that 30-year period ends. If you give yourself just 20 years to try and save $500,000 with the same time frame and rate of return, you may need to make monthly contributions of about $975. (To be precise, the math says that over two decades, monthly contributions of about $975 will leave you with $501,419.)1

When you save and invest with goals in mind, you make a commitment. From that commitment, a plan or strategy emerges. In contrast, others will save a little here, invest a little there, and hope for the best – but as the saying goes, hope is not a strategy.

Rep disclosures: Kim Bolker may be reached at kim@bolkercapital.com or 616-942-8600.

Citations.

1 - bankrate.com/calculators/savings/compound-savings-calculator-tool.aspx [4/26/18]

Kim Bolker 5/2/18 Kim Bolker 5/2/18

Using a Roth IRA as a College Savings Tool

A tax-advantaged option too many families overlook.

At first glance, a Roth IRA might seem an unusual college savings vehicle. Upon further examination, it may look like a particularly smart choice.

A Roth IRA allows you to save for college without the constraints of a college fund. This is an important distinction, because you cannot predict everything about your child’s educational future. What if you contribute to a 529 plan or a Coverdell ESA and then your child decides not to go to college? Or, what if you save for years through one of these plans with the goal of paying tuition at an elite school and then a great university steps forward to offer your child a major scholarship or a full ride?

If you take funds out of a Coverdell ESA or 529 college savings plan and use them for anything but qualified education expenses, an income tax bill will result, plus a 10% Internal Revenue Service penalty on account earnings. (The 10% penalty is waived for 529 plan beneficiaries who get scholarships.)1,2

You gain flexibility when you save for college using a Roth IRA. If your child gets a scholarship, elects not to attend college, or goes to a cheaper college than you anticipated, you still have an invested, tax-advantaged account left to use for your retirement, with the potential to withdraw 100% of it, tax free.3

You can withdraw Roth IRA contributions at any time, for any reason, without incurring taxes or penalties. When you are an original owner of a Roth IRA and you are age 59½ or older, you can withdraw your Roth IRA’s earnings, tax free, so long as the IRA has existed for five years. From a college savings standpoint, all this is great: parents 60 and older who have owned a Roth for at least five years may draw it down without any of that money being taxed, and younger parents may withdraw at least part of the money in a Roth IRA, tax free.4

You probably know that the I.R.S. discourages withdrawals of Roth IRA earnings before age 59½ with a 10% early withdrawal penalty. This penalty is not assessed, however, if the early withdrawal is used for qualified higher education expenses. Occasionally, parents roll over money from workplace retirement plans into Roth IRAs to take advantage of this exemption.5

With a Roth IRA, your investment options are broad. In contrast, many 529 college savings plans give you only limited investment choices.1

You can even save for college with a Roth IRA before your child is born. No doing that with a 529 plan – you can only start one after your child has a Social Security Number.6

Admittedly, a Roth IRA is not a perfect college savings vehicle. It has some drawbacks, and the big one is the annual contribution limit. You can currently contribute up to $5,500 to a Roth IRA per year, $6,500 per year if you are 50 or older. That pales next to the limits for 529 college savings plans (though it certainly exceeds the yearly limit for Coverdell ESAs).2,7

Some families earn too much money to open a Roth IRA. Joint filers, for example, cannot contribute to a Roth if they make in excess of $198,999 in 2018. There is a potential move around this obstacle: the so-called “backdoor Roth IRA.” You create a “backdoor Roth IRA” by rolling over assets from a traditional IRA into a Roth. That action has tax consequences, and once the rollover is made, you are prohibited from putting the assets back into the traditional IRA.4,7

Lastly, there is a bit of an impact on financial aid prospects. When funds are distributed from a Roth IRA and used to pay for college costs, those distributions are defined as untaxed income on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Fortunately, the total asset value of the Roth IRA is not reported on the FAFSA.7

Roth IRAs may help families who want to save for retirement and college. If you already have a good start on retirement savings and want to open one with the intention of using it as a college fund, it may be a superb idea. If you like the potential of having tax-free retirement income and may need a little more college funding for your kids, it may be a good idea as well. Talk to a financial professional to see how well it might fit in your overall financial or retirement strategy.

Rep disclosures: Kim Bolker may be reached at kim@bolkercapital.com or 616-942-8600.

Citations.

1 - fool.com/retirement/2018/03/25/3-reasons-not-to-rely-on-529-plans.aspx [3/25/18]

2 - quicken.com/rules-withdrawing-education-savings-accounts [4/17/18]

3 - tinyurl.com/yd4mjdbh [3/28/18]

4 - investor.vanguard.com/ira/roth-ira [4/17/18]

5 - budgeting.thenest.com/can-use-rollover-ira-finance-sons-college-education-23928.html [4/17/18]

6 - bankrate.com/banking/savings/529-college-plan-downsides/ [2/27/18]

7 - thebalance.com/is-it-okay-to-use-a-roth-ira-to-pay-for-college-expenses-4009940 [1/31/18]

Kim Bolker 4/25/18 Kim Bolker 4/25/18

Smart Financial Steps After College

A to-do list for the twentysomething.

Did you recently graduate from college? The years after graduation are crucial not only for getting a career underway, but also for planning financial progress. Consider making these money moves before you reach thirty.

Direct a bit of your pay into an emergency fund. Just a little cash per paycheck. Gradually build a cash savings account that can come in handy in a pinch.

Speaking of emergencies, remember health insurance. Without health coverage, an accident, injury, or illness represents a financial problem as well as a physical one. Insurance is your way of managing that financial risk. A grace period does come into play here. If your employer does not sponsor a health plan, remember that you can stay on the health insurance policy of your parents until age 26. (In some states, insurers will let you do that until age 29 or 31.) If you are in good health, a bronze or silver plan may be a good option.1,2

Set a schedule for paying off your college debt. Work toward a deadline: tell yourself you want to be rid of that debt in ten years, seven years, or whatever seems reasonable. Devote some money to paying down that debt every month, and when you get a raise or promotion, devote a bit more. Alternately, if you have a federal college loan balance that seems too much to handle, see if you qualify for an income-driven or graduated repayment plan. Either option may make your monthly payment more manageable.3

Watch credit card balances. Use credit when you must, not on impulse. A credit card purchase can make you feel as if you are buying something for free, but you are actually paying through the teeth for the convenience of buying what you want with plastic. As Bankrate.com notes, the average credit card now carries a 16.8% interest rate.4

Invest. Even a small retirement plan or IRA contribution has the potential to snowball into something larger thanks to compound interest. At an 8% annual return, even a one-time, $200 investment will grow to $2,013 in 30 years. Direct $250 per month into an account yielding 8% annually for 30 years, and you have $342,365 three decades from now. That alone will not be enough to retire on, but the point is that you must start early and seek to build wealth through one or more tax-advantaged retirement savings accounts.5

Ask for what you are worth. Negotiation may not feel like a smart move when you have just started your first job, but two years in or so, the time may be right. It can literally pay off. Jobvite, a maker of recruiting software, commissioned a survey on this topic last year and learned that only 29% of employees had engaged in salary negotiations at their current or most recent job. Of those who did, 84% were successful and walked away with greater pay.6

Of course, you also have the power to negotiate your pay when you change jobs. That ability is not always acknowledged. Robert Half, the staffing firm, recently hired independent researchers to poll 2,700 U.S. workers employed in professional environments. The pollsters found that just 39% of these workers attempted to negotiate a better salary upon their most recent job offer. The percentage was higher for men (46%) than for women (34%).7

Financially speaking, your twenties represent a very important time. Too many people look back over their lives at fifty or sixty and wish they had been able to save and invest earlier. These are the same people who may face an uncertain retirement. Rather than be one of them years from now, do things today that may position you for a better financial future.

Rep disclosures: Kim Bolker may be reached at kim@bolkercapital.com or 616-942-8600.

Citations.

1 - tinyurl.com/y7nne8bd [11/7/17]

2 - money.cnn.com/2017/10/20/pf/health-insurance-first-time/index.html [10/21/17]

3 - fool.com/investing/2018/03/22/your-2018-guide-to-federal-student-loan-repayment.aspx [3/22/18]

4 - bankrate.com/finance/credit-cards/current-interest-rates.aspx [4/5/18]

5 - investor.gov/additional-resources/free-financial-planning-tools/compound-interest-calculator [4/5/18]

6 - cnbc.com/2017/05/25/most-employees-dont-negotiate-their-salary.html [5/25/17]

7 - smallbiztrends.com/2018/02/salary-negotiation-statistics.html [2/8/18]

Kim Bolker 4/18/18 Kim Bolker 4/18/18

Money Habits That May Help You Become Wealthier

Financially speaking, what do some households do right?

Why do some households tread water financially while others make progress? Does it come down to habits?

Sometimes the difference starts there. A household that prioritizes paying itself first may end up in much better financial shape in the long run than other households.

Some families see themselves as savers, others as spenders. The spenders may enjoy affluence now, but they also may be setting themselves up for financial struggles down the road. The savers better position themselves for financial emergencies and the creation of wealth.

How does a family build up its savings? Well, money not spent can be money saved. That should be obvious, but some households take a long time to grasp this truth. In the psychology of spenders, money unspent is money unappreciated. Less spending means less fun.

Being a saver does not mean being a miser, however. It simply means dedicating a percentage of household income to future goals and needs rather than current wants.

You could argue that it is harder than ever for households to save consistently today; yet, it happens. As of May, U.S. households were saving 5.3% of their disposal personal income, up from 4.8% a year earlier.1

Budgeting is a great habit. What percentage of U.S. households maintain a budget? Pollsters really ought to ask that question more often. In 2013, Gallup posed that question to Americans and found that the answer was 32%. Only 39% of households earning more than $75,000 a year bothered to budget. (Another interesting factoid from that survey: just 30% of Americans had a long-run financial plan.)2

So often, budgeting begins in response to a financial crisis. Ideally, budgeting is proactive, not reactive. Instead of being about damage control, it can be about monthly progress.

Budgeting also includes planning for major purchases. A household that creates a plan to buy a big-ticket item may approach that purchase with less ambiguity – and less potential for a financial surprise.

Keeping consumer debt low is a good habit. A household that uses credit cards “like cash” may find itself living “on margin” – that is, living on the edge of financial instability. When people habitually use other people’s money to buy things, they run into three problems. One, they start carrying a great deal of revolving consumer debt, which may take years to eliminate. Two, they set themselves up to live paycheck to paycheck. Three, they hurt their potential to build equity. No one chooses to be poor, but living this way is as close to a “choice” as a household can make.

Investing for retirement is a good habit. Speaking of equity, automatically contributing to employer-sponsored retirement accounts, IRAs, and other options that allow you a chance to grow your savings through equity investing are great habits to develop.

Smart households invest with diversification. They recognize that directing most of their invested assets into one or two investment classes heightens their exposure to risk. They invest in such a way that their portfolio includes both conservative and opportunistic investment vehicles.

Taxes and fees can eat into investment returns over time, so watchful families study what they can do to reduce those negatives and effectively improve portfolio yields.

Long-term planning is a good habit. Many people invest with the goal of making money, but they never define what the money they make will be used to accomplish. Wise households consult with financial professionals to set long-range objectives – they want to accumulate X amount of dollars for retirement, for eldercare, for college educations. The very presence of such long-term goals reinforces their long-term commitment to saving and investing.

Every household would do well to adopt these money habits. They are vital for families that want more control over their money. When money issues threaten to control a family, a change in financial behavior is due.

Rep disclosures: Kim Bolker may be reached at kim@bolkercapital.com or 616-942-8600.

Citations.

1 - ycharts.com/indicators/personal_saving_rate [6/29/16]

2 - gallup.com/poll/162872/one-three-americans-prepare-detailed-household-budget.aspx [6/3/13]

Kim Bolker 4/9/18 Kim Bolker 4/9/18

Why You Want a Retirement Plan in Writing

Setting a strategy down may help you define just what you need to do.

Many people save and invest vaguely for the future. They know they need to accumulate money for retirement, but when it comes to how much they will need or how they will do it, they are not quite sure. They will “wing it,” hope for the best, and see how it goes. How do they know they are really contributing enough to their retirement accounts? Would they feel less anxious about the future if they had a written plan?

Make no mistake, a written retirement plan sharpens your focus. It can refine dreams into goals and express a strategy to pursue them. According to a Charles Schwab study, just 24% of Americans plan their financial futures according to a written strategy. Here is why you should join their ranks, if you are not yet among them.1,2

You can figure out the “when” of retirement planning. When do you think you will retire and start drawing income from your taxable and tax-advantaged accounts? At what age do you anticipate you will start to collect Social Security? How long do you think you will live? No, you cannot precisely know the answers to these questions at this point – but you can make reasonable assumptions. Your assumptions may be altered, it is true – but a good retirement plan is an evolving document, one that can be revised with changing times.

You can set a target monthly or annual savings rate. Once you have considered some of the “whens,” you can move on to “how.” Assuming a conservative rate of return on your invested assets, you can specify how much to defer into retirement accounts.

You can decide on a risk tolerance and an investment mix that agrees with it. Ultimately, you will invest in a way that a) makes sense for your objectives and b) makes you comfortable. The investment mix that you decide on today may not be the one you will favor ten years from now or even three years from now. Regular portfolio reviews should complement the stated investment approach.

You can think about ways to get more retirement income instead of less. Tax reduction should be part of your retirement strategy. Think about the possibility of part of your Social Security income being taxed. Think about tax on your Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) from your IRAs and employee retirement plan. What could you do to manage, or even minimize, the income and capital gains taxes ahead of you?

You can tackle the medical expense question. That is, how will you fund the medical care that you will inevitably need to greater or lesser degree someday? Should you assign part of your savings to a special account or form of insurance for that purpose? Retiring before 65 may mean paying for some private health insurance in the years before Medicare eligibility.

You can think about your legacy. While a retirement plan should not be equated with an estate plan, the very fact of planning for your later years does make you think about some things: where you want your money to go when you are gone; your endgame for your company or professional practice; whether part of your accumulated wealth should go to causes or charities.

A written plan promotes confidence and a degree of control. A 2017 Wells Fargo/Gallup survey determined that those with written retirement plans were nearly twice as confident of having sufficient retirement income in the future, compared to those with no written plan.3

If you lack a written retirement plan, talk to the financial professional you know and trust about one. Writing it all down may make a difference in planning for your second act.

Rep disclosures: Kim Bolker may be reached at kbolker@sigmarep.com or 616-942-8600.

Citations.

1 - kiplinger.com/article/retirement/T023-C032-S014-do-you-have-a-written-financial-plan.html [10/25/17]

2 - aboutschwab.com/images/uploads/inline/Charles_Schwab-Modern_Wealth_Index-findings_deck.pdf [6/17]

3 - time.com/money/4860595/how-to-retire-wealthy/ [7/18/17]

Kim Bolker 4/3/18 Kim Bolker 4/3/18

A Retirement Gender Gap

Why a middle-class woman may end up less ready to retire than a middle-class man.

What is the retirement outlook for the average fifty-something working woman? As a generalization, less sunny than that of a man in her age group.

Most middle-class retirees get their income from three sources. An influential 2016 National Institute on Retirement Security study called them the “three-legged stool” of retirement. Social Security provides some of that income, retirement account distributions some more, and pensions complement those two sources for a fortunate few.1

For many retirees today, that “three-legged stool” may appear broken or wobbly. Pension income may be non-existent, and retirement accounts too small to provide sufficient financial support. The problem is even more pronounced for women because of a few factors.1

When it comes to median earnings per gender, women earn 80% of what men make. The gender pay gap actually varies depending on career choice, educational level, work experience, and job tenure, but it tends to be greater among older workers.2

At the median salary level, this gap costs women about $419,000 over a 40-year career. Earnings aside, there is also the reality that women often spend fewer years in the workplace than men. They may leave work to raise children or care for spouses or relatives. This means fewer years of contributions to tax-favored retirement accounts and fewer years of employment by which to determine Social Security income. In fact, the most recent snapshot (2015) shows an average yearly Social Security benefit of $18,000 for men and $14,184 for women. An average female Social Security recipient receives 79% of what the average male Social Security recipient gets.2,3

How may you plan to overcome this retirement gender gap? The clear answers are to invest and save more, earlier in life, to make the catch-up contributions to retirement accounts starting at age 50, to negotiate the pay you truly deserve at work all your career, and even to work longer.

There are no easy answers here. They all require initiative and dedication. Combine some or all of them with insight from a financial professional, and you may find yourself closing the retirement gender gap.

Rep disclosures: Kim Bolker may be reached at kbolker@sigmarep.com or 616-942-8600.

Citations.

1 - forbes.com/sites/karastiles/2017/11/01/heres-how-the-gender-gap-applies-to-retirement/ [11/1/17]

2 - money.cnn.com/2017/04/04/pf/equal-pay-day-gender-pay-gap/index.html [4/4/17]

3 - forbes.com/sites/ebauer/2018/03/16/how-should-we-make-social-security-fairer-for-moms/ [3/16/18]

Kim Bolker 3/28/18 Kim Bolker 3/28/18

Could Social Security Really Go Away?

Just how gloomy does its future look?

Will Social Security run out of money in the 2030s? For years, Americans have been warned about that possibility. Those warnings, however, assume that no action will be taken to address Social Security’s financial challenges.

Social Security is being strained by a giant demographic shift. In 2030, more than 20% of the U.S. population will be 65 or older. In 2010, only 13% of the nation was that old. In 1970, less than 10% of Americans were in that age group.1

Demand for Social Security benefits has increased, and the ratio of retirees to working-age adults has changed. In 2010, the Census Bureau determined that there were about 21 seniors (people aged 65 or older) for every 100 workers. By 2030, the Bureau projects that there will be 35 seniors for every 100 workers.1

As payroll taxes fund Social Security, the program faces a major dilemma. Actually, it faces two.

Social Security maintains two trust funds. When you read a sentence stating that “Social Security could run out of money by 2035,” that statement refers to the projected shortfall of the Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) Trust. The OASDI is the main reservoir of Social Security benefits, from which monthly payments are made to seniors. The latest Social Security Trustees report indeed concludes that the OASDI Trust could be exhausted by 2035 from years of cash outflows exceeding cash inflows.2,3

Congress just put a patch on Social Security’s other, arguably more pressing problem. Social Security's Disability Insurance (SSDI) Trust Fund risked being unable to pay out 100% of scheduled benefits to SSDI recipients this year, but the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 directed a slightly greater proportion of payroll taxes funding Social Security into the DI trust for the short term. This should give the DI Trust enough revenue to pay out 100% of benefits through 2022. Funding it adequately after 2022 remains an issue.4

If the OASDI Trust is exhausted in 2035, what would happen to retirement benefits? They would decrease. Imagine Social Security payments shrinking 21%. If Congress does not act to remedy Social Security’s cash flow situation before then, Social Security Trustees forecast that a 21% cut may be necessary in 2035 to ensure payment of benefits through 2087.3

No one wants to see that happen, so what might Congress do to address the crisis? Three ideas in particular have gathered support.

*Raise the cap on Social Security taxes. Currently, employers and employees each pay a 6.2% payroll tax to fund Social Security (the self-employed pay 12.4% of their earnings into the program). The earnings cap on the tax in 2016 is $118,500, so any earned income above that level is not subject to payroll tax. Lifting (or even abolishing) that cap would bring Social Security more payroll tax revenue, specifically from higher-income Americans.3

*Adjust the full retirement age. Should it be raised to 68? How about 70? Some people see merit in this, as many baby boomers may work and live longer than their parents did. In theory, it could promote longer careers and shorter retirements, and thereby lessen demand for Social Security benefits. Healthier and wealthier baby boomers might find the idea acceptable, but poorer and less healthy boomers might not.3

*Calculate COLAs differently. Social Security uses the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Workers and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) in figuring cost-of-living adjustments. Many senior advocates argue that the Consumer Price Index for the Elderly (CPI-E) should be used instead. The CPI-E often gives more weight to health care expenses and housing costs than the CPI-W. Not only that, the CPI-E only considers the cost of living for people 62 and older. That last feature may also be its biggest drawback. Since it only includes some of the American population in its calculations, its detractors argue that it may not measure inflation as well as the broader CPI-W.3

Social Security could still face a shortfall even if all of these ideas were adopted. The Center for Retirement Research at Boston College estimates that if all of these “fixes” were put into play today, the OASDI Trust would still face a revenue shortage in 2035.3

In future decades, Social Security may not be able to offer retirees what it does now, unless dramatic moves are made on Capitol Hill. In the worst-case scenario, monthly benefits would be cut to keep the program solvent. A depressing thought, but one worth remembering as you plan for the future.

Rep disclosures: Kim Bolker may be reached at kbolker@sigmarep.com or 616-942-8600.

Citations.

1 - money.usnews.com/money/retirement/articles/2014/06/16/the-youngest-baby-boomers-turn-50 [6/16/14]

2 - fool.com/retirement/general/2016/03/20/the-most-important-social-security-chart-youll-eve.aspx [3/20/16]

3 - fool.com/retirement/general/2016/03/19/1-big-problem-with-the-3-most-popular-social-secur.aspx [3/19/16]

4 - marketwatch.com/story/crisis-in-social-security-disability-insurance-averted-but-not-gone-2015-11-30 [11/30/15]

Kim Bolker 3/8/18 Kim Bolker 3/8/18

Why You Should Have an Online Social Security Account

In monitoring your Social Security profile, you may help to thwart fraud.

Could your personal information soon be stolen? The possibility cannot be dismissed. Sensitive financial and medical data pertaining to your life may not be as safe as you think, and thieves may turn to a vast resource to try and mine it – the Social Security Administration.

Consider three facts, which in combination seem especially troubling. One, Social Security’s databases contain sensitive personal information on hundreds of millions of Americans, both living and dead. Two, more than 34 million Americans interact with the SSA online. Three, nearly 100% of Social Security benefits are disbursed electronically.1

The more you reflect on all this, the more you realize that cybercrooks could take advantage of you by creating a bogus online Social Security account in your name, in order to steal your benefits and/or your personal data.

Creating and maintaining a MySSA account may lessen the threat. Last year, Social Security advised all current and future benefit recipients to set up and actively use an online profile. The agency’s blog noted that this simple move could “take away the risk of someone else trying to create [an account] in your name, even if they obtain your Social Security number.” This is a case where you want to be first rather than second.1

Setting up a MySSA account is easy; the first step is to visit ssa.gov. Whether you have an existing account or not, you will want to review your mailing address, date of birth, and other essential pieces of information. If they are not correct, they demand attention.

Are you working full time in your late sixties? Then be vigilant. If you have reached Full Retirement Age (66 or 67) without filing for retirement benefits, your Social Security profile may be especially tantalizing to a cyberthief. In this circumstance, you are eligible to receive up to six months of benefits retroactively, as a lump sum. That could mean a payday of more than $10,000 for a criminal who assumes your identity.2

Make no mistake, cybercrooks have exploited Social Security accounts. While the SSA told Reuters this year that the incidence of fraud is “very rare,” a 2016 audit by the Office of the Inspector General found that during 2013, around $20 million in Social Security payments were directed to the wrong parties. That swindling involved about 12,200 MySSA accounts – less than 2% of the total in 2013, but certainly enough to raise eyebrows.1,2

The SSA tightened authentication standards in 2017. It added security codes to help certify the legitimacy of MySSA account users. It regularly analyzes MySSA transactions for fraud.1

What should you do if you suspect fraud? If you log in and it appears your monthly benefit has not been sent to you, contact the SSA at 1-800-772-1213 or call your local SSA field office. In addition, you can activate the “Block Electronic Access” option on your MySSA account; that will prevent anyone, you included, from accessing your Social Security records via computer or phone. Electronic access is only restored when you get in touch with Social Security to confirm your identity.1

Establish an online Social Security account and keep checking it. In logging on regularly, you may do your part to help the SSA detect and ward off criminals who could use your identity to collect or file for benefits.

Rep disclosures: Kim Bolker may be reached at kbolker@sigmarep.com or 616-942-8600.

Citations.

1 - reuters.com/article/us-column-miller-socialsecurity/social-security-online-accounts-safe-from-identity-theft-idUSKBN1FE296 [1/25/18]

2 - tinyurl.com/yb4wqgka [2/8/18]

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