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The #1 Concern for Retirees – And Why They’re Getting It Wrong

One of the big eye-openers of adulthood is when roles reverse and the child must care for the parent. It’s one of the toughest problems we face as we get older – especially when our parents don’t have any long-term care plans or money set aside.

A Painful Balancing Act: Long-Term Care Choice and Budget

Finding the balance between securing safe, comfortable care for elderly parents and paying for it can be almost impossible. Many people are surprised to discover that Medicare doesn’t cover long-term care costs, also known as custodial care.

This type of service includes daily living assistance such as:

  • Bathing
  • Eating
  • Chores and housework
  • Going to the bathroom
  • Moving around

If you’re working full-time, raising children and responsible for your parents’ daily needs, this can be an overwhelming load. Now imagine you’re the parent – and your children have to make these decisions for you.

The #1 Concern: What Will Happen When I Can’t Care For Myself?

According to a recent survey by the Society of Actuaries, long-term care is tied for first place as the number one concern of retirees. The other concern is inflation.1

It’s not a big surprise that most people rank this as their chief worry. If you have had to make long-term care plans for a loved one, then you know how expensive it can be. Not to mention, the better facilities cost more money.

This comes with another set of questions: Will my loved one be properly cared for? Will my mother be neglected? Will my dad be happy and stimulated? What will their quality of life be like?

These questions are naturally applied to ourselves, too. We want to receive great care when we can no longer care for ourselves. We recognize that just because our bodies aren’t working optimally, our minds still crave stimulation and engagement. We want to retain as much control over our lives as possible.

The reverse is also true. How will we be cared for if we are unable to make decisions? These are not things we want to think about – especially while we’re young, healthy and active… but that’s precisely when we should be thinking about them.

For Women, Planning Is Particularly Important

Women more than men should consider preparing for long-term care. A gender gap in health means that figuring out how to pay for custodial and medical services is especially important for females. There are three major reasons for this:

➢ Women live, on average, 5 percent longer than men.2
➢ Because women outlive men, widowed women can’t depend on spouses to care for them.
➢ Women suffer from chronic diseases more than men do.3

The Worry Is There, But Not the Preparation

The staggering result of all this worry is that most people do little to nothing to prepare. In addition to not preparing, the Actuary survey showed that pre-retirees underestimate life expectancy. In 2015, the median of pre-retirees stated that they will live until 85, despite the fact that 55 percent of those reported at least one family member living past 90.

As far as a financial strategy for long-term health care, only 33 percent of those surveyed purchased a guaranteed lifetime income product.

“In terms of a planning horizon, 17 percent of pre-retirees plan for five to nine years, and 19 percent plan for ten to 14 years. By comparison, 38 percent of pre-retirees have either not thought about their planning horizon or do not plan ahead.”
– 2015 Risks and Process of Retirement Survey

More Expensive Than a Mortgage

In 2016, the average cost of a private room in a nursing home was $7,698.4 This is almost six times the amount of the average monthly mortgage payment.5

Although assisted living facilities are about half as much as a nursing home, they’re still expensive at $3,628 per month, especially if you’re on a fixed income.

Will You Need Long-Term Care?

There are no guarantees when it comes to health – which means you should plan on needing it and try to live a healthy lifestyle so that you don’t.

The numbers, however, point to the fact that more than half of us will need some form of assistance as we get older.

➢ In 2012, nine million Americans over the age of 65 required long-term care. That number is projected to jump to 12 million by 2020. 6

Considering Your Options

1. Long-term Care Insurance

Long-term Care Insurance is one of the most popular options as it drastically reduces the cost of care if you need it.

The American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance reports that the average married couple, age 55, would pay $1,816 per year for a policy with $162,000 in coverage for each. A 3-percent inflation protection rider is also available for about $1900 more per year.7

The earlier you lock in a rate, the better. A good time to invest in this insurance is around age 52.

2. Life Insurance With a Long-term Care Rider

This might be a good option as there are a couple more benefits with this option than a traditional long-term care insurance policy. Basically, you will get the death benefits that come with a life insurance policy, you will pay about the same – or less – in monthly payments – and enjoy approximately the same coverage you would receive with long-term care insurance through the rider.

3. Fixed Index Annuity

A fixed index annuity with a single premium is yet another route to take on your way to long-term care preparation. Some annuities offer a long-term care doubler benefit which pays twice as much per month as it would if you were not in long-term care. This is an amazing perk and one that could save you tons of money down the road.

Bottom Line

Don’t wait to get ready for long-term care. Even if you are running marathons in your 60s, the time might come when you need some form of assistance. It’s better to have a plan in place now than to rely on your children or social services to help you later.

If you need help deciding if long term care is for you or your parents, we are here to help. Click here to request a call or call us at 310-824-1000 and ask for Caroline. She’ll be happy to set up a time in our calendar.

 

1https://www.soa.org/press-releases/2016/survey-examines-retirement-concerns/
2http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20151001-why-women-live-longer-than-men
3http://www.cwhn.ca/en/resources/primers/chronicdisease
4https://www.genworth.com/about-us/industry-expertise/cost-of-care.html
5http://themortgagereports.com/20589/freddie-mac-mortgage-payments-homeownership-costs-may-2016
6http://www.forbes.com/sites/jrose/2016/03/22/long-term-care-insurance-alternatives/#1af57501a192
7http://www.cnbc.com/2016/03/15/long-term-care-coverage-peace-of-mind-at-a-price.html

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Getting Divorced Checklist

General information Yes No N/A
1. Has relevant personal information been gathered?
• Each spouse’s name, date of birth, and Social Security number
• Names and birth dates of children
• Date and place of marriage and length of time in present state
• Information about prior marriages and children
• Date of separation and grounds for divorce
• Current occupation of spouses and name/address of employers
• Education and degrees of each spouse
• Name, address, and telephone number of attorney
2. Has financial situation been assessed?
• Each spouse’s name, date of birth, and Social Security number
• Names and birth dates of children
• Date and place of marriage and length of time in present state
• Information about prior marriages and children
• Date of separation and grounds for divorce
• Current occupation of spouses and name/address of employers
• Education and degrees of each spouse
• Name, address, and telephone number of attorney

PROPERTY SETTLEMENTS Yes No N/A
1. Does prenuptial agreement exist?
2. Do spouses reside in a community property state?
3. Have all assets been listed, valued, and classified as joint or
separate?
4. Have the tax bases of all assets been determined?
5. If assets will be transferred or sold, have tax consequences been
calculated and explained to client?
6. Have loans and other liabilities on the properties (or otherwise) been
listed and considered?
7. Is there a family business?

ALIMONY AND CHILD SUPPORT Yes No N/A
1. Have tax consequences of classifying support as alimony or child support been reviewed?
2. Has physical custody of children been determined?
3. Has legal custody of children been determined?
4. Have visitation parameters been established for the noncustodial parent?
5. Will alimony be paid?

MARITAL HOME Yes No N/A
1. Will home be transferred to either spouse as part of settlement?
2. If yes, has cost basis been reviewed for improvements?
3. Has amount of outstanding mortgage been calculated?
4. Will the principal residence be sold to a third party?
5. If yes, has the tax cost (if any) been computed?

RETIREMENT PLANNING Yes No N/A
1. Have retirement plans been listed and interests in retirement plans been reviewed?
2. Will the divorce decree provide a payout from the plan? If so, will a qualified domestic relations order (QDRO) be used?
3. Should beneficiary designations be changed?
4. Will any IRS penalties apply?
5. Can retirement money be rolled over to IRA?

TAX PLANNING Yes No N/A
1. If already divorced, was divorce finalized by year-end?
2. If still married at year-end, agree to file jointly?
3. Have joint filing risks been discussed?
4. Has separate maintenance decree been obtained to permit filing as unmarried or head of household?
5. Have head of household conditions been met?
5. Has it been decided which spouse will get dependency exemption?

other Yes No N/A
1. Should will and trust be changed?
2. Should insurance policy beneficiaries be changed?
3. Should banks and other creditors be notified of divorce and signatures changed?
4. Will either spouse’s health insurance plan cover the children post-divorce? Cover spouse?
5. Has budget been revised to account for changes in income and liabilities?
5. Does credit need to be repaired or established?
Confidence Wealth & Insurance Solutions 3 Comments

If You’re Getting a Divorce, You NEED to Do This Now

Put Emotions Aside and Avoid These Four Common Traps

Jen and Steve have been married for eighteen years. They have two children, 16 and 14, a beautiful home, good jobs, vacations every year and money saved. In short, their life looked picture-perfect. Until Steve asked for a divorce. Blindsided, Jen was unable to function normally. Her emotions were turned to 100. It was as if her world had been t-boned by a semi-truck – driven by her husband. At least that’s how it felt.

Jen was stuck in a whirlpool of anger, sadness, confusion and guilt. Why? What did I do wrong? What could I have done better? What if…?

Jen and Steve are examples of the, approximately 813,000, couples who get divorced every year.1

The 4 Major Mistakes Women Make

But here’s the deal: if you’re a woman who is faced with divorce, you must avoid making these four common mistakes – for your future well-being.

  1. REACTING EMOTIONALLY

Of course you’re emotional, the most important relationship of your life is about to end. This is totally normal.

But you can control how much damage it causes by getting your head together. This is especially important during divorce proceedings.


Here is something you should think about when you’re in the thick of divorce: what do I want my life to look like in two years?


Tap into your innermost desires to paint a picture of your new life, post-divorce.

► Do you want to have financial security?

► Do you want to be able to enjoy all the same things you do now?

► Do you want your children to live in the same neighborhood or go to the same schools?

This picture of your new life is your map for navigating negotiations of finances and assets. Because if one thing is certain: men usually treat divorce like business deals. They leave their emotions outside of the lawyer’s office. And you should, too!

This means if your soon-to-be ex tries to convince you that you don’t need a lawyer, you must put your emotions aside. You should definitely get a lawyer – and one that comes with high recommendations. Also, make sure you don’t empty your bank accounts paying attorney fees.

 You might be tempted to stick it to your husband by taking him to court until he hands over his left kidney – but that may cost you and your family.

So keep cool and look at this like a chess game. You want to the most you can get without hurting yourself.

  1. NOT KNOWING WHAT YOU HAVE OR OWE

This is a biggie. Many women have no idea what they have or what they owe. Here’s a very important piece of advice: if you are thinking about filing for divorce, find out what you have before you do.

 This is why: as soon as the word divorce comes up, your husband will have a head start at hiding assets that might have gone to you and your children. Not all partners will do this, but it happens.

You can either do the detective work yourself (open those bank statements) or hire a forensic accountant to do it for you. The more you know, the better off you will be when it comes time to divide assets.

  1. SETTLING TOO SOON
You might not believe this, but many women walk away from a lot of money – millions even – out of guilt or emotional fatigue.

Let’s talk guilt first. As women, we often try to please. We don’t want to hurt anyone and we don’t want to be judged poorly. Because of this, so many women feel guilty about asking for what they are entitled to.

If they were stay-at-home moms they might feel like they don’t deserve half of the assets. And guess what?

 When they do walk away from their fair share, they often regret it later. The simple reason for this is that emotions clouded their judgment (see #1).

After the dust settles and you begin to see things clearly, it is too late to redo divorce proceedings.

So be smart. Make sure you get the maximum you are entitled to by law.


Remember, many men treat divorce like a business transaction – and you should, too.


Make your partner aware of your intentions: you want what is legally owed to you – nothing more and nothing less. If he bullies or harasses you into settling for a lesser amount, you can avoid talking to him and use a mediator instead.

  1. MISMANAGING MONEY

Once the divorce is over you are now left with your assets. For women who have relied on their spouses for financial support and guidance, this can be a very intimidating situation. This is when many women make irreversible mistakes.

First of all, you might still be emotionally vulnerable. It could take two years (or more) to get over a divorce.2 What does this mean? You could trust the wrong people to help you heal your wounds.

 Predators are very good at spotting potential victims who are often emotionally fragile, hungry for love and companionship.

Predators can come in many forms. They can be a new boyfriend. An unethical financial advisor or attorney. Someone who wants to sell you their business.

Whatever the case may be, you need to secure a financial advisor you can trust. Why is this so important? Easy. It’s important because your advisor will help you manage your assets to achieve the lifestyle you want.

You want to avoid paying tons of fees or locking money into investments that might not match your current situation.

Make sure the advisor comes with excellent recommendations and is a fiduciary.

Click here to visit out our affiliate company PLJ Advisors. And yes, they are fiduciary!

Bottom Line

Divorce is not the end of the world, ladies. You will survive it! The difference between women who handle it rationally and those who let their emotions take the wheel is enormous.

Don’t be afraid to get support from women who have been through it. Make sure you trust the right people. And, finally, don’t short change yourself!

To learn more about what to ask a prospective advisor, read this article: If You Don’t Know What a Fiduciary Is… NOW Is the Time to Find Out

 

1https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/marriage_divorce_tables.htm
2http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/30/how-to-move-on_n_3679198.html

 

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Long-Term Care Insurance as a Protection Planning Tool

What is Long-Term Care Insurance (LTCI)?

In return for your payment of premiums, a long-term care insurance (LTCI) policy will pay a selected dollar amount per day (for a selected period of time) for your skilled, intermediate, or custodial care in nursing homes and, sometimes, in alternative care settings, such as home health care.

Because Medicare and other forms of health insurance do not pay for custodial care, many nursing home residents have only three alternatives for paying their nursing home bills: their own assets (cash, investments), Medicaid, and LTCI.

In general, long-term care refers to a broad range of medical and personal services designed to provide ongoing care for people with chronic disabilities who have lost the ability to function independently. The need for this care often arises when physical or mental impairments prevent one from performing certain basic activities, such as feeding oneself, bathing, dressing, transferring, and toileting.

Long-term care may be divided into three levels:

  • Skilled care–Continuous “around-the-clock” care designed to treat a medical condition. This care is ordered by a physician and performed by skilled medical personnel, such as registered nurses or professional therapists. A treatment plan is drawn up.
  • Intermediate care–Intermittent nursing and rehabilitative care provided by registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and nurse’s aides under the supervision of a physician.
  • Custodial care–Care designed to assist one perform the activities of daily living (such as bathing, eating, and dressing). It can be provided by someone without professional medical skills, but is supervised by a physician.

Tip: Note that the preceding terms may be defined differently by Medicare.

How is LTCI useful as a protection planning tool?

The risk of contracting a chronic debilitating illness (and the resulting catastrophic medical bills incurred) is considered by many to be one type of risk best transferred to an insurance company through the purchase of LTCI.

A number of factors can increase your risk of requiring long-term care in the future. Naturally, your health status affects your likelihood of incurring a long stay in a nursing home. Indeed, people with chronic or degenerative medical conditions (such as rheumatoid arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, or Parkinson’s disease) are more likely than the average person to require long-term nursing care.

And because women usually outlive the men in their lives (if any), females stand a greater chance of requiring long-term nursing care. However, if you already have a primary caregiver (like a spouse or child), your likelihood of needing a long stay in a nursing home will be less–particularly if you’re a man.

Because the cost of long-term care can be astronomical and may exhaust your life savings, purchasing LTCI should be considered as part of your overall asset protection strategy.


Example(s): Irene is a 75-year-old widow with two children, Donald and Maria. Irene owns her condominium apartment and has $200,000 in liquid assets. After enjoying independence much of her life, Irene suffers a stroke and now needs help with such things as bathing, dressing, and eating.

Donald and Maria look into home health care and discover that it will cost $1,500 per week (or $78,000 per year). The money that Irene had hoped to pass on to her children will instead be spent on expenses that may otherwise have been covered by an LTCI policy.


Tip: Bear in mind, also, that purchasing an LTCI policy while you are still healthy helps you to maintain control over your assets until such time as you actually require care. This stands in contrast to most Medicaid planning tools.

Medicaid planning can also enable your nursing home bills to be subsidized by a third party (the state); however, it often involves transferring your assets promptly to avoid Medicaid penalties. With LTCI, there is no need for you to divest yourself of assets years ahead of time.

If you transfer some of your assets to your children while your LTCI is paying your nursing home bills, will you be subject to any penalties?

This depends on a number of factors, including the duration of benefits you selected in your LTCI policy. As mentioned, LTCI can be employed as part of your overall Medicaid planning strategy if your goal is to qualify for Medicaid at some point. If you are very wealthy and have no intention of ever applying for Medicaid, transferring your assets will make no difference.

If you do envision receiving Medicaid assistance with your nursing home bills at some point, however, then transferring your assets within a few years of the time you apply for Medicaid could pose a real problem.

In general, if you transfer certain assets for less than fair market value within what’s known as the look-back period, the state presumes that the transfer was made solely to qualify you for Medicaid. Therefore, the state will impose a waiting period or period of ineligibility upon you before you can start to collect Medicaid benefits.

Purchasing an LTCI policy allows you to transfer your assets to your loved ones after you enter a nursing home. If you select the proper duration of benefits provisions in your policy, your LTCI policy should cover your nursing home bills during the ineligibility period caused by the transfer.

Thus, you can give your assets away, enjoy paid nursing home bills during the ineligibility period, and qualify for Medicaid when the insurance policy runs out.


Example(s):Marge is a 75-year-old widow who purchased a five-year LTCI policy a few years ago. Marge enters a nursing home, which charges $5,000 per month. At the same time, she transfers all of her assets (worth $250,000) to an irrevocable trust to qualify for Medicaid when the insurance benefits run out.

Example(s):Transferring certain assets into an irrevocable trust within 60 months of applying for Medicaid creates a waiting period or period of ineligibility for Medicaid, based on a formula. In Marge’s case, the applicable waiting period would be 50 months (the amount she transferred divided by the cost of care in her area).

Marge has no funds left to pay for her care, and Medicaid won’t kick in until the 50 months have elapsed. Fortunately, Marge’s LTCI policy will cover her nursing home bills during the ineligibility period. And, when her insurance benefits run out five years from now, she will qualify for Medicaid.


Tip: The Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 gave all states the option of enacting long-term care partnership programs that combine private LTCI with Medicaid coverage. Partnership programs enable individuals to pay for long-term care and preserve some of their wealth.

Although state programs vary, individuals who purchase partnership-approved LTCI policies, then exhaust policy benefits on long-term care services, will generally qualify for Medicaid without having to first spend down all or part of their assets (assuming they meet income and other eligibility requirements). Although partnership programs are currently available in just a few states, it’s likely that many more states will offer them in the future.

When can it be used?

You anticipate the need for long-term care, you wish to protect your assets for your loved ones, and you can afford to pay the premiums. When buying an LTCI policy, you must consider not only whether you can afford to pay the premiums now, but also whether you’ll be able to continue paying premiums in the future, when your income may be substantially decreased.

Overall, however, purchasing LTCI is a wise move for older Americans who are financially comfortable (or who are at least able to afford the premiums), who wish to maintain control over assets for as long as possible, and who’d rather give away houses and other assets to loved ones.

Strengths

Subsidizes nursing home bills

Aging is inevitable, and the gradual inability to function independently is a great concern for many people. Although the prospect of entering a nursing home is a daunting one, equally frightening is the expense of nursing home care.

Purchasing an LTCI policy can give you some peace of mind; it’s comforting to know that at least some of the cost of the first few years of nursing home care will be paid for. Moreover, because nursing homes may limit the number of beds available to Medicaid patients, you may have a wider choice of facilities if you’re covered by LTCI than if you had to rely on Medicaid to pay for your care.

Allows you to protect your assets

Purchasing an LTCI policy allows you to transfer your assets to your loved ones after you enter a nursing home. The policy should cover your nursing home bills during the Medicaid ineligibility period caused by the transfer.

Without such a policy, you’d either have to transfer your assets years before entering a nursing home or else deplete some of your assets by private-paying the Page 3 of 5, see disclaimer on final page April 13, 2017 nursing home during the period of Medicaid ineligibility caused by your late transfer of assets. The LTCI policy allows you to preserve your assets for your loved ones instead of spending them on nursing home bills.

Tradeoffs

May be expensive

The cost of LTCI varies depending on your age, the benefits you choose, the insurer, and other factors. When buying an LTCI policy, you must consider not only whether you can afford to pay the premium now, but also whether you’ll be able to continue paying premiums in the future (when your income may be substantially decreased).

Risk is involved

Paying insurance premiums each year in the expectation that you might (at some future time) require nursing home care is a risky move. There is always the possibility that you will remain healthy and able to function independently as you grow older. The money you pay out in premiums is money that you cannot give to your children or other loved ones, so be aware of the tradeoff.

May not be necessary if you’ll qualify for Medicaid

If you have modest resources, very likely, you can qualify for Medicaid by spending down some assets and/or engaging in a little Medicaid planning a few years ahead of time. That way, you’ll be able to avoid paying the high cost of premiums over a number of years.

How to do it

If you are interested in purchasing LTCI, there are a couple of steps you should follow:

Compare policies and check the financial security of the companies you’re reviewing

You can determine the financial security of a company by reviewing its A. M. Best’s rating along with the ratings of other services, such as Moody’s or Standard & Poor’s, at your local library. You should select a company that has received a rating of A or A+ from A. M. Best.

Review the policy’s provisions carefully to ensure that it offers the features you
require

There are a number of factors you should be concerned about, such as inflation protection, a full range of care (including home health care), and exclusions for pre-existing conditions.

Tax considerations

Income tax

Benefits you receive from a “qualified” LTCI policy are not taxable to you as income and are treated as excludable benefits received for personal injury and sickness to the extent that such benefits do not exceed a per diem limitation. However, benefits received from a policy that is not a tax-qualified one might be taxable as income.

Deductibility

Federal law allows you to deduct all or part of the premium paid for a tax-qualified (LTCI) contract. A portion of your LTCI premium should be added to your other deductible medical expenses. To claim a tax deduction, the total of your medical expenses must exceed 10 percent of your adjusted gross income.

Caution: Not all long-term care contracts are tax-qualified–your policy must meet certain federal standards.

Whether you need insurance or not, long-term care is an important factor when planning for your retirement.

We can help. Set up a call by clicking here or calling (310) 824-1000.

 

Important Disclosure
Confidence Wealth & Insurance Solutions 1 Comment

Job Change Checklist

With the new year comes new opportunities. Are you changing jobs? If so, here’s a checklist to help you for a smooth transition!

General information Yes No N/A
1. Has relevant personal information been gathered?
• Names, ages
• Children and other dependents
2. Has financial situation been assessed?
• Income
• Expenses
• Assets
• Liabilities
Employee benefits Yes No N/A
1. Has a benefits package been discussed with the new employer?
2. If yes, are there restrictions or a waiting period for all benefits?
3. Is health insurance offered?
4. Are short- and long-term disability offered?
5. Is a Section 125 or flexible spending account offered?
6. Is dental insurance offered?
7. Is vision insurance offered?
8. Is life insurance offered?
9. Is a retirement plan offered?
10. Is adoption assistance offered?
11. Is long-term care insurance offered?
12. Other insurance?
13. Has vacation/time off been reviewed?
Financial picture Yes No N/A
1. Has annual compensation been determined?
2. If married, will spouse work outside the home?
3. If there are children, will day care be necessary?
4. Will living expenses be affected?
Money management Yes No N/A
1. Has budget been updated to reflect changes in income and expenses?
• Housing costs
• Transportation costs
• Food, clothing, and other household expenses
• Health-care expenses
• Life and disability insurance premiums
• Child-care costs
2. Has an emergency fund been established?
Housing situation Yes No N/A
1. Is relocation an issue?
2. Is there a home that needs to be sold?
3. Is a home purchase planned?
4. Have the advantages and disadvantages of buying a home versus renting a home been discussed?
5. Have other expenses been reviewed?
• Mortgage origination fees
• Real estate agent fees
• Attorney fees
• Moving expenses
• Potential increase in real estate taxes
• Cost of living in new location
6. Will the new employer pay all relocation expenses?
Insurance planning Yes No N/A
1. Is a current health insurance plan in place?
2. Has spouse's coverage been evaluated?
3. Will COBRA be needed during the job transition period?
4. Is an individual (non-employer-sponsored) life insurance policy in place?
5. Does life insurance need to be upgraded?
6. Does automobile insurance need to be purchased/upgraded?
7. Does homeowners/renters insurance need to be purchased/upgraded?
8. Does disability income insurance need to be purchased/upgraded?
9. Does personal liability insurance need to be purchased/upgraded?
10. Does long-term care insurance need to be purchased/upgraded?
11. Are beneficiary designations up-to-date?
Investment planning Yes No N/A
1. Has liquidity need changed?
2. Has risk tolerance been determined?
3. Have investment goals been considered/prioritized?
4. Has size/frequency of investments been determined?
5. Has current asset allocation been reviewed?
• Stocks
• Bonds
• Mutual funds
• Annuities
• Real estate
• Art/collectibles
6. Will job change affect existing employee stock options?
Retirement planning Yes No N/A
1. Is a retirement plan available?
• Employer-sponsored retirement plan
• Beneficiary designation updated
2. If a 401(k) is offered, will the employer match employee contributions?
3. Are IRAs being effectively utilized?
4. Will all available plans be funded?
Tax planning Yes No N/A
1. Will withholding change?
2. Is the maximum tax advantage of employee benefits realized?
3. Will child care be needed?
4. Will there be a home office?
5. Have home office deductions been discussed?
6. Is there self-employment income?