Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Research Director’s Monthly Commentary - May 2016


 The Beatles and Financial Planning
 

My favorite group growing up was The Beatles. I remember listening to (and loving) so many of their songs. Thinking back, it occurred to me The Beatles wrote a few tunes about the topic of “money”. See, you thought The Beatles had nothing to say about financial planning and this would be a corny article. In fact, they said a lot about the topic.
 

“Money can’t get everything, it’s true, but what it don’t get I can’t use”…..is a famous line from the song “Money”, a Beatles cover written by Barrett Strong. So while it is true that money can’t buy everything, good financial planning and sound investing can help what you have go further and improve your lifetime financial security. In fact, a study done a couple of years ago found that people who work with a financial planner significantly improved the odds of achieving higher income during retirement, potentially by as much as 40% higher income*. Doing a financial plan has many benefits including better organization of your financial affairs, better discipline and goals for savings, and a disciplined investment strategy. All of these factors play an important role in improving the odds of financial success and greater lifetime financial security.

 
“Taxman”, written by George, is a searing criticism of the tax system in England in the 1960s (in which the top rate could reach 98%). Fortunately for us in the U.S., we do not have to face tax rates they did in England in the 1960s. But taxes are very important from a financial planning standpoint. Good tax management can have a significant impact on one’s life savings and the success or failure of a financial plan. A comprehensive tax analysis is an integral part of any financial plan we do for a client. A thorough tax analysis provides us and the client with ideas and avenues for reducing taxes or pursuing strategies that may preserve capital in an estate.  


“When I’m Sixty Four” was a fun, (obviously) McCartney tune written about an idealistic retirement some 40 years hence. Most people hold an idealistic vision for a comfortable retirement. Financial planning can greatly improve the odds of achieving a comfortable retirement. By analyzing one’s expenses, income prospects, assets, and financial goals, we create plans/projections that provide clients with a much clearer vision and improved probability of achieving those goals. Like the song implies, it has to do with looking forward in many cases multiple decades. The process best starts in the 30s and 40s and goes a long way in improving the odds of having more “money” in retirement and greater peace of mind knowing one has a plan to improve the odds.

 

* “Working With An Advisor Important To Retirement Savings”, Financial Advisor Magazine, April 25, 2013