Seek and Find!
During his working years, Fritz Gilbert was a super saver: He socked away an average of 20 percent of his earnings and invested carefully. But when he retired from a 33-year career in the aluminum industry in 2018, he and his wife, Jackie, switched their mindset. Within the confines of their carefully constructed financial plan, they became unabashed spenders.
In late 2021, after months of growing anticipation about inflation pressures, the closely watched Consumer Price Index (CPI) measure surged to 6.8 percent on a year-over-year basis. The November reading represented a nearly 40-year high and triggered a tsunami of alarming headlines across financial media outlets.
In this installment of Client Conversations, we explore the unique benefits of nonqualified defined contribution plans, look at options for covering healthcare costs in early retirement, and provide some insights on surging home prices and the drivers behind them.
We’ve been hearing a lot about inflation lately, but what’s all the hype about? Some of it is practical. Restarting the global economy after the COVID-19 shutdown has not come without a few hiccups that have dramatically affected the prices of some goods and services—food, energy, automobiles, and transportation services to name just a few.
You know how important it is to plan for your retirement, but where do you begin? One of your first steps should be to estimate how much income you’ll need to fund your retirement. That’s not as easy as it sounds, because retirement planning is not an exact science. Your specific needs depend on your goals and many other factors.
At some point, many of us will need to take on responsibility for an aging loved one. And when that time comes, there is an enormous amount of pressure to consider all factors and make the best decisions regarding his or her health and finances. Where will your mother, father, wife, or husband receive the highest-quality care? Where will he or she be treated like a resident, not just a patient? Where is the cleanest skilled nursing facility with the best food? Where will your loved one feel safe?
For one month each year, Chelsea Brennan, 30, and her husband, Jeremiah, 36, run what they call a financial fire drill. Chelsea, who is usually in charge of family finances, turns all bill paying, budgeting, banking, and investing over to her husband, who is usually fully occupied as a stay-at-home dad to their two young sons. At the same time, Chelsea takes over the tasks Jeremiah usually handles in their Storrs, Connecticut, home.
Over the past year, we have endured a period of massive uncertainty driven by a global healthcare crisis and its economic impacts, compounded by racially charged social tensions and a contentious U.S. election season. No doubt, we will feel 2020’s impact on our lives, families, household finances, and the economy for many years. While the past year has highlighted deeply rooted issues that need addressing, hopefully we are closing in on the light at the end of the COVID-19 tunnel. At the risk of giving the all clear too soon, it might be worth a look in the rearview mirror while our feelings are still fresh.