At Wealth Management Group, we don’t focus on products for retirement, but first a customized investment and retirement strategy that aim to get you retired, and stay retired. Through hard work, discipline, and a commitment to always putting our clients’ interests first, we focus on investment management, retirement cash flow, tax, estate, and retiree health care. Below, we are offering free downloads of some of our top financial insights on common investment pitfalls, 2024 Social Security facts, and 2024 Tax Planning and Strategy to help you assess your current investment and retirement strategies. We hope you find these guides helpful, and if you would like to take it a step further for a complimentary review of your current strategies, please request via the form to the right.

Why 59 1/2 is An Important Age Guide

Why is your 59 ½ birthday important? After all, you probably haven’t celebrated a half-birthday since you could count your age on one hand! Well, when you find out the financial opportunities that become available to you at 59 ½, you’ll want to break out the party hats and birthday cake again!

Roth IRA Guide

Firstly, an IRA is an investment account that you own that typically holds stocks, bonds, mutual funds, ETFs, and more. It is structured and regulated with limitations and tax advantages for using the account to grow a fund that is then used to provide you income in retirement. The Roth IRA is a tax-advantaged retirement account, but some of its tax advantages are structured differently than the Traditional IRA.

Tax Planning Guide

We believe it’s important that you look to employ tax diversity in your retirement plan. Different types of investments can impact your taxes differently. Having accounts that receive varying tax treatments is a key strategy. You should work with a qualified professional to help determine exactly how much you should have in each tax “bucket” to help minimize your overall tax burden in retirement.

The Ultimate 401(k) Guide

We all know that a 401(k) is one of the most important retirement planning tools we have. You pay into it for decades and will likely need to rely on it, among other income sources, for decades in retirement. The potential tax benefits and power of compound interest can make it a great saving and investment tool for anyone who practices financial discipline and contributes regularly.

Women’s Retirement Planning Guide

They say “men are from Mars and women are from Venus” and their differences carry over into financial planning. In a world where women oftentimes share, or own, the responsibilities of household finances, and often are the major “bread-winner”, it makes sense that they are adequately addressed. There are a disproportionate number of men in the financial space today, so it’s important to take a moment to address some financial needs unique to women.

Tips to Help Avoid Market Panic Reaction

Planning for retirement is never a “set it and forget it” activity: There are unexpected disasters, market drops, and changing laws that invariably cause retirees to reevaluate their plans of action. There’s no way to predict everything that will cause market downturns, but you can prepare yourself by having a solid financial plan in place.

Important Birthdays Over 50

Now the real fun begins! Before you begin planning your retirement, be sure to mark these important dates in your calendar. Starting at age 50, several birthdays – including “half-birthdays” – are critical to strategize for as they have crucial implications for your retirement future.

Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs)

A Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) is a yearly minimum withdrawal that must be taken from certain types of retirement accounts once you reach a specific age. This concept was introduced to ensure that savings in these tax-advantaged accounts do not grow indefinitely but are rather distributed over the account owner’s lifetime.

Retirement & Inflation: What to Know and How to Prepare

In 2023, we saw a continuation of market turbulence, loosening of labor markets, and lighter inflation due to economic tightening from the Federal Reserve. Compared to a couple of years ago, you may have noticed higher prices on the items you buy every week and may be wondering if we’ll continue to see high inflation. Nobody can predict the future, so if you’re nearing or in retirement, you should aim to protect yourself from the eroding effects of inflation.

Pensions, Buyouts, & Retirement Income

There was a time when pensions were the most common of retirement benefit plans. Employees looked forward to what could generally be described as a private version of Social Security offered via an employer. However, those days are gone, and only a small number of the US population have pensions now.

There are so many decisions for you to make about your retirement income as a retiree, and as a pension-holder, you’ll want to be sure you make the most of this income-generating asset. The choices you make with your pension can impact your finances for the rest of your life.

Legacy And Estate Guide: How To Successfully Communicate Your Plan

“Communication is key” is an age-old phrase, but when it comes to your wealth transfer and legacy planning process, it couldn’t be more applicable. The conversations you have with your family before and during this process can go a long way toward avoiding aggravation, costly legal expenses, and even the deterioration of family bonds. Starting an open dialogue with your family early and including those you care about in the wealth transfer and legacy planning process may help avoid these potential conflicts.

2024 Social Security Guide: Optimizing Social Security in Today’s World

Social Security planning is one of the most important elements in any retirement plan, but getting the most from your Social Security benefit can also feel complex and frustrating. In our guide, “Optimizing Your Social Security in Today’s World,” you’ll uncover practical tips and easy-to-understand steps to get the most out of your Social Security benefits.

Navigating Medicare & Medigap Insurance

One of your largest retirement expenses could be your healthcare costs. An average 65-year-old couple retiring today will need an estimated $315,000 to cover their healthcare costs, according to one study.¹ Unfortunately, the Medicare system can be quite complex. This leads too many retirees to overspend on healthcare expenses and receive suboptimal coverage over the span of their retirement. Don’t pay more than you should for the health services and coverage you deserve!

(1) https://www.cnbc.com/select/how-much-expect-to-spend-on-medical-expenses-in-retirement/

The Basics of the SECURE Acts

As Americans spend more years in retirement, the Social Security Administration will not be able to pay all the benefits promised in the near future if nothing about the retirement system changes currently. Due to these pressures on federal retirement programs, legislators restructured retirement laws to make it easier for people to fund their own retirements and for businesses to offer their own retirement benefits. Many of these changes were addressed in a single bill or round of legislation. This legislation was called the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act.

A Short Introduction to Long-Term Care

Americans today are living older than in the past: In 1950, life expectancy for Americans was 68 years old, and in 2023 it’s nearly 80. Of course, many people live to be older than that. In fact, the Census Bureau estimates that by 2050, Americans 90 and older will make up 10% of the population. A longer, healthier life is certainly a blessing, but it comes with extra costs that are important to consider when creating a retirement plan.

Age 5 to 55: What Your Kids Need to Know About Finances

You taught your kids how to tie their shoes, to look both ways before crossing the street, and countless other lessons. But what have you taught them about money? Many parents may feel uncomfortable talking about the subject with their children, no matter how old they are. But, there are important lessons to teach your children about finances at any age.

Millionaire Next Door

You may not think of your family as incredibly wealthy, but America is full of ‘millionaires next door.’ Financial Advisors are not just for movie stars and CEOs. They work with countless ‘millionaires next door’ each year. You’ve worked hard and saved for retirement, and now the question is how you’ll make it last for the rest of your life while maintaining the lifestyle you want.

5 Keys to Retirement Planning in 2024

It’s a New Year, and that’s something to celebrate! This year is the year for a renewed focus on planning and preparation in the five key areas of retirement planning. These are the building blocks of any solid retirement plan, and this guide will detail each one. Whether 2024 is the year when you retire or not, it’s the year to create a truly comprehensive retirement plan that addresses each of these areas.

Legacy & Estate Planning – Understand The Basics

Estate planning is a function of preparing for the inevitabilities of life. People get sick or hurt and you need a plan in place to determine what kind of medical care you’ll receive if this happens to you. People become incapacitated, unable to make important decisions on their own, or unable to live independently. And of course, people die. Estate planning helps to protect your family and your assets in any of these unfortunate situations.

Our mission is to guide you towards making the right decisions for your financial future.