You’ve spent the last 40 years, or longer, in the accumulation phase of planning your retirement. Now it’s time to switch gears and focus on the preservation of your retirement assets. But it doesn’t mean that growth has to stop. In fact, that’s one of the ways we help our clients the most, by helping them receive a reasonable rate of return throughout their retirement years. The difference is, we do it without loss, guaranteed! Did you know that Warren Buffett’s number one rule to investing is to never lose money? He also has a second rule and that is to never forget rule number one! We specialize in helping our clients make asset protection and preservation their top priority. Many people underestimate the devastation of losses to their portfolio due to market declines and don’t realize how difficult it can be to rebuild an account. Did you know that a loss of 25% requires a positive return of almost 34% just to get back to even? A 50% loss of your retirement account means you have to double your money (receive a 100% return) just to be whole again. Think about it. If you have $100,000 and lose 50%, you’re left with $50,000. Now you’re left with the insurmountable task of going from $50,000 back to your original deposit of $100,000; a return of 100%. How long do you think that will take? Two years? Five years? Ten years or more? What if you experience additional losses in the process of trying to get back to even? What if you’re drawing income from this account? What kind of impact will that have? We believe that the best way to make a dollar is to keep it. Retirement is a critical time and most retirees simply don’t have the time to recoup losses in their portfolios. Let us show you how we help our clients achieve a reasonable rate of return, in many cases averaging 4 to 6%, and without ever subjecting their retirement accounts to loss – guaranteed!

Many of our clients are the ones with the bumper sticker on the back of their RV that says, “We’re spending our kids’ inheritance,” but for many others, their goal is to leave a legacy for their children and grandchildren. That means determining (while you’re still alive) where your assets should go after you die, along with a thorough evaluation of potential tax liabilities, probate avoidance and opportunities to leverage the value of your estate using the most recent estate planning tools. Because of the constantly changing estate tax laws and emerging vehicles to help you protect and transfer your assets effectively, it’s important to work with experienced estate planning professionals who stay current in this filed and advise clients on a day-to-day basis. Contact our office today to schedule a one-on-one estate planning consultation.

Changing jobs and retiring are two transition times in our lives that can be stressful. Fortunately, we work with people every day who are in the same situation and looking to take control of an employer-sponsored plan or just need help transferring the money to another employer plan. We make a seemingly daunting task easy and are happy to help you with your qualified plan questions and needs. Here are four things you can do with the money in your employer sponsored retirement plan:

• Leave the money where it is
• Take the cash (and pay taxes, plus a 10% tax penalty if you are younger than age 59 ½)
• Transfer the money to another employer-sponsored plan (if the plan allows)
• Roll the money over to a self-directed IRA

Let us help you determine if a rollover is the right move for you!