We’re moving into vacation time when many of us start slowing down and enjoying the summer months. Couple that with people exploring options that allow them to work from anywhere and that means people might be considering purchasing a vacation home.
My parents were in the same boat 30 years ago as they looked for ways escape winters in Chicago. Eventually, after visiting different areas, they decided that St. Thomas was the right fit for them. They loved to swim and snorkel, and the weather and water is always warm enough to do so. It is also a United States territory which makes traveling and living there easy.
While my parents knew they wanted to be regular “snowbirders” in St. Thomas, they also hesitated to purchase a second home. Once they retired and were able to spend multiple weeks at a time at the beach, they opted to rent a condo.
Even though they have spent decades going to the same place, they were never interested in buying a vacation home in St. Thomas. The annual hurricane insurance alone is about what they spent renting. Beyond that, they have no worries about finding renters when they were not using it, dealing with the repairs, and many other headaches that come with owning property.
Less important, but part of the equation for my parents at least: the family from whom they have been renting for the last 20 years have not raised the rental rates; my parents were guaranteed income for them, and they treated the home like their own.
For example, one time the refrigerator broke during their stay, and they called the owners in New York. The owners asked if my parents could go buy a new one and they would pay them back. My parents said “Sure!” and took care of it. Having that relationship is a win for everyone.
How we want to spend our leisure time becomes more and more important as we age and start thinking about retirement.
When we work on a financial plan, many of my clients have purchasing a vacation home on their “wishes” portion and that’s great! For some people it’s a good fit. But I always like to make sure my clients know their options. I want their retirement to be as “headache-free” as possible – so that might mean considering renting rather than purchasing a second home.
One of the perks of my mom spending every January thru March in St. Thomas is joining her there! Family and friends visit when they can and I’m no different. This March I was able to work from her condo for 10 days and sneak in time to snorkel each day.
The best part? I was there at the end of my mom’s trip and when we left, all we needed to do was pack. We didn’t need to clean out the fridge, change the sheets, or anything.
We just packed our bags and headed home.
The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual.
With everything going on in the news these days, it can be hard to keep up. But one thing that has been on everyone’s mind is how these world issues could affect their personal finances.
So, let’s take a quick look at each one and discuss what you should consider when it comes to your money.
As we watch the news unfold, it puts things into perspective for all of us. We’re seeing firsthand how families are struggling with basic needs and human rights issues. Our thoughts continue to be with those who are being displaced and going through this life-changing crisis.
When it comes to the financial world, uncertainty breeds market volatility, and right now the geopolitical situation is very unclear. Historically, conflicts of this nature have only a short-term impact on the stock market, but it is impossible to predict how this will play out. It is important to remember that this situation is impacting the markets, but it does not change your long-term goals. Making short-term decisions regarding long-term goals is never a winning strategy.
MY RECOMMENDATION: Stay the course. If you have questions about your accounts, contact your trusted advisor. That’s what they’re for!
This is a doozy. Inflation is higher than it has been in nearly 40 years. (Many current investors were not even alive the last time we had high inflation!) Last year, it seemed that inflation was only due to short-term supply issues related to Covid. Now there is a spike in energy costs due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and inflation is proving persistent.
It may seem counter-intuitive to invest more money right now but keeping too much money in a savings account is particularly harmful in periods of high inflation. (CLICK HERE for my blog about real rate of return.)
MY RECOMMENDATION: Talk to your financial advisor about investments that are designed to keep up with inflation, like Treasury-Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS).
The Fed has planned aggressive interest rate increases in 2022, and the first of those is scheduled to take place this month. Whether or not the geopolitical situation changes this plan remains to be seen.
It can be frustrating when something out of your control like fluctuating interest rates impacts your finances and can make planning difficult. But there are a couple of moves you can make that will help you.
MY RECOMMENDATION:
I realize that watching the news might make you feel a little out of control. Remember that it’s okay to tune out every once in a while and it’s REALLY okay to ask for help and guidance. I love hearing from my clients and working on solutions that let them sleep a little better at night.
The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual.
All investing involves risk including loss of principal. No strategy assures success or protects against loss. There is no guarantee that a diversified portfolio will enhance overall returns or outperform a non-diversified portfolio. Diversification does not protect against market risk.
Okay, the title might have been a little misleading; I don’t know if checking off financial tasks will make you feel as spoiled as a trip to the Bahamas…but I do know it will make you feel like you’ve taken care of yourself.
While self-care is often thought of as getting a massage or taking time to meditate, sometimes it involves doing things that might not feel like you’re pampering yourself…but rather doing something that will alleviate stress in the long run.
I can’t tell you how often something is on my to-do list FOR MONTHS and when I inevitably get around to it, it only takes 15 minutes and I feel SO much better. I always think “I shall learn from this!”
Do I? Not really. I truly am working on this, because I really do feel great when I finally get rid of that task that has been hanging over my head.
In an article in Psychology Today, they even discuss why this makes us feel so good.
It’s possible to manipulate your dopamine levels by setting small goals and then accomplishing them. For instance, your brain may receive a spike in dopamine if you promise yourself that you’ll clean out the refrigerator, and then you do. This is one reason people benefit from to-do lists: The satisfaction of ticking off a small task is linked with a flood of dopamine.
So, what do you say? Let’s do some “feel good finance!”
Again, none of these tasks are meant to be overwhelming. But envision how you’ll feel by taking care of just one. To quote a study by Wake Forest University, “While tasks we haven’t done distract us, just making a plan to get them done can free us from this anxiety.”
The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual.
When the market is volatile it can be tempting to hide your cash under a mattress until it passes. But hang on before you decide to cash out.
Inflation is the increase in prices over time, or a decrease in purchasing power. If inflation is 3% a year, an item that cost you $1.00 today, will cost $1.03 in a year.
It might be hard to believe because the news makes it seem so dire all the time, but inflation in general isn’t a bad thing and is considered healthy for an economy. It’s when inflation is too high that it is cause for concern.
That still doesn’t mean you should hold on to a bunch of cash.
Anyone who is a client of mine or reads my blog will know that I think everyone should have an emergency fund in a savings account. However, too much cash, especially in times of high inflation can have a detrimental effect on your long-term financial health.
Cash that is parked in a savings account (please don’t tell me you have huge amounts of cash in your house!) right now is earning a half percent at best, and the purchasing power of that money is rapidly decreasing. Earning a rate of return higher than inflation is the only way to maintain the purchasing power of your money.
What we’re talking about here is what is known as “real rate of return.” According to Investopedia, “Real rate of return is the annual percentage of profit earned on an investment, adjusted for inflation. Therefore, the real rate of return accurately indicates the actual purchasing power of a given amount of money over time.”
The math on real returns is quite simple: The return on your investment minus the rate of inflation is your real return. If your investments grew by 7% in a year and inflation was 4% that year, your real return is 3%.
Seeing or hearing everywhere that inflation is out of control or that we are doomed to “70s level inflation” can be nerve-wracking or downright scary.
It’s important to keep in mind that news outlets want to scare you so that you’ll click or tune into their channel. But there are strategies you can implement to help you feel in more control during times of high inflation.
Something to keep in mind as you work on planning for the future: an advisor isn’t just there to help you put money in the right place. We’re also available to answer your questions when you feel unsure about what’s happening in the market. Dealing with money can be emotional and it’s important to have a resource you can turn to when things feel uncertain.
The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual.
In a recent article released by Financial Advisor IQ, the news about personal finance in 2022 wasn’t all bad.
Shocking, I know.
Yes, there are the worries that many people across the country have about their finances:
However, according to the article, 62% of Americans are “more hopeful about the new year” and “feel optimistic about the future.” Seventy-two percent are “confident that they’ll be better off financially in 2022.” In fact, most Americans say they developed better money habits in 2021.
That’s what my financial planning ears like to hear.
While the study mentioned in the article was full of helpful statistics, it wasn’t as helpful when it came to suggestions about keeping financial resolutions many people are making at the beginning of the year. Let’s take a look at the top three financial resolutions and see if we can’t come up with a plan.
It’s almost impossible to know where you stand financially if you don’t have at least a basic budget and track where you are spending. It doesn’t have to be overly complex and there are lots of tools out there to help you. US News & World Report has outlined 10 tools here – from old school pen and paper to free apps and banking tools!
When it comes to having an emergency fund, enough to cover 3-6 months expenses is a good rule of thumb starting place - but that can vary and depending on many factors including if you have a partner who works, how stable the industry you work in is, etc.
From the Financial Advisor IQ article, “…unexpected non-health emergencies and family health emergencies are the top setbacks Americans anticipate in 2022, cited by 26% of respondents and 22% of respondents respectively.”
In other words, if you don’t have enough in an emergency fund, this should be a top financial goal.
When we think of setting and achieving financial goals, that can sometimes feel like an overwhelming task. However, once they’re identified you can start taking small steps in the right direction. And if you’ve set goals in the past, this could be a good time to look at what you’ve achieved, what you still need to work on, and what needs to be altered (we all change; our financial plan might need to as well).
Here are some tips from Principal.com to get you started:
1. Give your money a “job.”
2. Categorize each financial goal as short-, mid- or long-term.
3. Set a target date for each financial goal.
4. Prioritize each financial goal: critical, need, or want.
5. Know how much you have vs. what you still need to save.
After the last couple of years, we could all use a bit of good news and the fact that more Americans are being thoughtful about their financial goals is certainly something to celebrate.
Remember that small tweaks can lead to some big changes; don’t look at these as enormous goals that need to happen RIGHT NOW – that’s the easiest way to get overwhelmed.
Need an accountability partner or someone to help you figure out your next step? Shoot me an email at [email protected].
