For clients of Erick Conway, please CLICK HERE to see important details related to the Strong Valley transition.
Call Our Office
(559) 384-2900 | Fresno
(619) 480-1413 | San Diego
Your Money
Your Life
Your Way
Article

Resolutions in the Heat of Summer

Resolutions in the Heat of Summer

Amid the draining heat of mid-summer, do you remember your New Year’s resolutions regarding your personal financial planning? How are you coming with your to-do list? Now is the time to check in and see how you’re really doing. Time passes quickly. August is just around the corner and then the year is half over. This is a great time to take action to keep your resolutions on track.

July 13, 2023
Resolutions in the Heat of Summer
Important Disclosure: Content on our website and in our newsletters is for informational purposes only. The information provided may (or may not) directly apply to your situation. We recommend that readers work directly with a professional advisor when making decisions in the context of their specific situation.

Amid the draining heat of mid-summer, do you remember your New Year’s resolutions regarding your personal financial planning? How are you coming with your to-do list?

Time passes. Our children grow up and we get older. Sand keeps passing through the hourglass of our earthly sojourn. The year is over half gone. Soon children will start back to school and traffic will worsen. The summer break for most will be over. So, it’s high time to get done what you need to get done.

As a financial planner, it’s amazing to see the number of people with no wills or obsolete wills. Such a lapse in planning is especially critical in a marriage with minor children in the mix. An old will is better than no will, but it carries potential problems for minors, especially if both parents die at once, or a single parent passes on.

Often the bulk of a couple’s savings, or that of a single parent, resides in retirement plans. There too, money passing to a minor presents problems. Have you checked both the primary and contingent beneficiary designations on retirement accounts, and personal and group insurance policies?

For those with young children, have you funded a 529 college savings plan? Anyone, a parent or a grandparent, annually may gift to such a college plan. Gifts are made with after-tax dollars but the money grows tax-free and may be spent tax-free to meet qualified college and graduate school expenses.

How are you coming with plans to pay down debt and build savings outside of your retirement plans? Think about creating Your Personal Freedom Fund – a pool of liquid capital equal to at least one-year’s worth of living expenses. Living paycheck to paycheck is motivation-draining stress. Liquid and available capital creates peace of mind and freedom to roll with the punches or pursue opportunities.

If you are a key breadwinner in a family or household, are you adequately insured against the consequences of disability or death? The same question goes for key persons of an enterprise, including business owners. Is there a succession plan? Is it up to date?

August is almost upon us. In less than three short months, Christmas and holiday decorations will pop up in your local mall.

And if you haven’t made progress on your New Year’s Resolutions, don’t worry – you still have time.

Other content you may like

  • Afraid of a Market Correction? Get a Plan

    Afraid of a Market Correction? Get a Plan

    February 8, 2022
    A Market correction is on many people’s minds, especially in times of global uncertainty. It may be best to stick to your plan. Of course, if you’re worried that the plan you have in place is not the best, that’s a different conversation. And be careful about what you read and hear. It’s good to have information, but what you see in the media isn’t necessarily tailored to your specific needs. Here are a few steps to consider.
    Read this Article
  • Historic Tandem Stock and Bond Returns

    Historic Tandem Stock and Bond Returns

    July 21, 2021
    We’ve only seen 4 other time periods since 1926 with back-to-back calendar years of both stock returns above 16% and bond returns above 7%. This Student of the Market for July looks at those stats, along with the top 20 best starts to a year for stocks, long-term equity cycles, taxable bond fund flows and interesting inflation disconnects.
    Read this Article
  • After a Federal Reserve Pause

    After a Federal Reserve Pause

    June 2, 2023
    With a focus on how the Market responds to a Federal Reserve pause, this month we examine the effect on Stocks and Bonds. Also included is a deeper look at Money Market assets and their recent historic peaking, along with U.S. debt ceiling concerns and an overview of what’s driving the market these days.
    Read this Article
  • Avoidable Mistakes of the Suddenly Wealthy

    Avoidable Mistakes of the Suddenly Wealthy

    March 8, 2024
    The newly wealthy may find themselves in the golden glow of prosperity as well as on a path riddled with pitfalls. In order to turn your fortune into a legacy that lasts, you need to be aware of your choices. Here are some of the most common blunders and ways to sidestep them.
    Read this Article
  • The link you have selected is located on another server. The linked site contains information that has been created, published, maintained, or otherwise posted by institutions or organizations independent of this organization. We do not endorse, approve, certify, or control any linked websites, their sponsors, or any of their policies, activities, products, or services. We do not assume responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of the information contained therein. Visitors to any linked websites should not use or rely on the information contained therein until they have consulted with an independent financial professional. Please click “Continue to Link” to leave this website and proceed to the selected site.
    phone-handset