Set Specific Goals
Saving tends to be easier when you have a certain purpose in mind: Saving for your first house, retirement at a certain age, a child’s college education, or even a trip around the world. The important thing is to be specific.
Investing
Summertime Financial Makeover
Summertime is a good time to comb through your personal finances and ensure that you’re managing your budget, credit cards, investments and insurance in the best possible way. Here’s how to get started.
It’s a Money Thing: Understanding Compound Interest
You may remember it as an equation you had to memorize for math class, but it’s so much more than that. It’s the concept that powers all sorts of savings and investment products and, over time, allows you to turn your money into, well, more money! Watch the video.
SavvyMoney Minute: Hope is Not an Investment Strategy
It’s nice to think of the glass half full, but not necessarily when it comes to money. When you’re overly optimistic, it’s easy to convince yourself it will all be okay. But complacency leaves to inaction, and your financial future depends on you taking the right steps, right now. Here are three steps you can take.
It’s a Money Thing: The Effect of Time on Investing
Investing can seem like a very risky, complex and fast-moving process. With endless combinations of investment vehicles to choose from, it can be difficult to take your first step as an investor—especially with the knowledge that all investments carry the risk of losing some or all of your money. So why bother?
It’s a Money Thing: It Pays to Start Saving Now
In case you haven’t heard, compound interest is the best.
You may remember it as an equation you had to memorize for math class, but it’s so much more than that. It’s the concept that powers all sorts of savings and investment products and, over time, allows you to turn your money into, well, more money!Even though compound interest is easy to understand—compound interest = more money for you!—those who can potentially benefit most from it (those in their teens and 20s) don’t seem to be taking advantage of it. Savings contributions and retirement savings participation rates are falling among young adults.
Tips to Save for Emergencies and Your Future
If you feel like you could do more to improve your saving and investing habits, or don’t know how to get started, here are some tips that can help.
Financial experts agree that there are two important things to focus on: start and contribute regularly to an emergency fund, and contribute at least 10% of your paycheck to a retirement account. But for many, this isn’t so easy. According to America Family Financial Statistics*, the average savings balance for American households is $3,950 and $35,000 for retirement. Forty percent of families aren’t saving for retirement at all, and 25% have no emergency savings.
Where to Park Emergency Cash
To start or bolster an emergency fund, set up automatic payroll transfers to a designated savings account, preferably one that is not connected to your checking account, to avoid dipping into it. Your first goal should be to save at least $1,000. Remember, this fund is earmarked for true emergencies—like when your car breaks down or the roof leaks. To help you figure out your savings contributions, try the American Institute of CPAs’ (AICPA) online Emergency Savings Calculator, located at FeedthePig.org.
In addition to basic savings accounts, many credit unions offer higher yielding savings accounts. You might also consider an account that invests in money market mutual funds. These are conservative funds that invest in short-term bonds and yield a much better interest rate than savings accounts do.
Count Yourself in With Retirement Accounts
One of the greatest perks many working Americans have access to today is their company’s 401(k), 403(b), or 457(b) plans, because in most cases, employers will match retirement contributions—typically from 2% to 8%. If you’re just starting out in your career—always contribute at least the max of the match, otherwise, you’re just walking away from free money. If you’re more established, work on boosting that percentage over time. The annual contribution to a 401(k) plan is $18,000; if you’re 50 or older you can contribute an extra $6,000. Your contributions are deducted automatically from each paycheck and use pre-tax dollars, so you’ll only pay taxes on that money as you start withdrawing it in retirement.
Most company-sponsored retirement plans offer a mix of investments to choose from, as well as complimentary guidance on how to choose them. Take advantage of this free advice—it’s a benefit of your employment. Many plans offer target date funds, a mix of stocks, bonds and cash which are based upon your age and the date you plan on retiring. This mix grows more conservative as you get closer to your retirement date. It’s a more simple approach to investing because it makes the asset allocation decisions for you.
Accounts for the Self-Employed
If you’re a small business owner or are self-employed, you have several accounts to help you save for your future. For instance, a Simplified Employee Pension Individual Retirement Account (SEP IRA) can be used by both owners and their employees. For individual business owners without employees, a Solo 401(k), is a flexible option, because it uses either pre-tax or after-tax contributions. The beauty of both SEPs and Solo 401(k)s is you can invest significant amounts to boost your savings. According to IRS guidelines, the maximum contribution for 2015 is $53,000. For more information, visit the IRS website and search ‘small business resources.’
And don’t forget Traditional or Roth IRAs, which anybody can use to save for retirement, including stay-at-home spouses. If you choose a Traditional IRA, your money grows tax deferred until you withdraw it. A Roth uses after-tax earnings so your earnings and withdrawals are tax free. For more information about IRAs, search ‘Which IRA is right for you?’ on the SchoolsFirstFCU website.
Have More Questions?
Call or meet with a SchoolsFirst FCU financial advisor to discuss your current situation, and develop a financial plan that fits your needs.
Which IRA is Right For You?
SchoolsFirst FCU IRAs offer an easy, convenient, and powerful way to save for your retirement—one of the most important things you can do to ensure your future financial well-being. Both Traditional and Roth IRAs are excellent retirement savings tools, but you should consider these questions before you choose one:
Financial Advisors Are for Everybody
If you worry about your finances—you’re not alone. Seventy percent of adults who participated in a recent Consumer Financial Literacy Survey conducted by the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) and NerdWallet said they worry too. And while three in four people agree they could benefit from getting professional financial advice, they haven’t. Why?