Retirement And Money Matters

It’s possible we could have another contested election result and won’t know a winner for a while. What happened to the market last time that happened? The 2000 race between George W. Bush and Al Gore took 5 weeks to sort out. During that time between election day and New Year’s Day, the market dropped 7.8%.  If you plug that into today’s market numbers, it would be a drop over 2000 points.  We’re going to take you back in time:  Do you remember anything special that happened around this time (10/22) in 1986? President Ronald Reagan signed a major tax reform bill into law.  Among other things, it lowered the top income tax rate from 50% to 28%. Unfortunately, it was not permanent. Since then, Congress has raised the top rate to 37% … and it looks like more tax hikes may be on the way. So, I’m guessing this might be a good time to consider having a tax strategy for our retirement?    The time to act is NOW. With the Election days away, big changes are coming - one way or another. Get prepared TODAY! Call John

CNN says Joe Biden wants to change 401(k) plans to give low-income earners a bigger tax break.  That sounds good, but the change would be at the expense of couples who earn more than $80,000 a year – those people would lose a portion of their tax break.  Do we need to worry about potential changes to the retirement planning rules?  If so, is there anything we can do now to prepare for those changes? Congress approved more than $6 trillion in stimulus spending to help get us through the pandemic.  While Uncle Sam has the authority to print more money whenever he chooses, we don’t have that option when it comes to funding our retirement.  If you have a client who appears to be coming up short, what are their options? Every so often, the government puts banks through a “stress test” to make sure they can make it through severe economic downturns.  An article in Forbes says we should do the same thing with our retirement portfolio. John explains why he agree's and how he can help YOU Stress Test YOUR Portfolio to

Earlier this week we had the first Presidential debate of 2020. Needless to say, it seemed to follow suit with the theme of 2020 - chaotic and at times stressful, and it left the taste of uncertainty for many.  The big question is - does it matter who is in the White House? No. Should you press the pause button NOW and wait until after the election to make any financial decisions or implement strategies in your income plan? No. What is the best way to prepare for whoever wins the 2020 election? Be proactive NOW!  How can John help? With nearly three decades of experience, John has seen the market at its best, and at it worst, as well as tax hikes and how it impacts his clients. The good news is, he has tools and strategies to position you to take advantage of things like, lowering your tax bracket to nearly 0%, having tax free income, and income for life!  Contact John today for a complementary portfolio review!  Start putting your CUSTOMIZED plan together TODAY! 

What would you be willing to sacrifice in exchange for retiring ten years sooner than planned?  According to a new Finance-Buzz survey, a third (32%) of Americans would give up shopping for two years.  A fourth (26%) would agree to quarantine for an additional six months.  And 8% would even give up the family pet!  What does it take to be able to retire early?  From the Article: 27% would take either a second or a third job. 25% would downgrade to a substantially smaller home. 23% of survey respondents would be willing to forego coffee or alcohol. 13% would take a job they know they’d hate. 11% would give up TV, movies, and books.   Then - what are some common tax mistakes you see retirees make?    Contact John today for a FREE Consultation! 

When you leave a job, what should you do with your 401K? Do you leave it where it is? Cash it out? Roll it over to some kind of investment? Believe it or not, there are a few options - really depends on where you are on your road to retirement and what you want to get out of it. You can do nothing, you can put it in a Roth IRA, a traditional IRA or with the 2020 Cares Act, if you're 59.5 you can actually withdraw from your 401K.  Hear what John has to say about these options and how he guides his clients.  Want to meet with John? Contact him TODAY ! 

2020 is being called the year of "cancelled." Graduations, vacations, weddings, professional spots and even this upcoming in-person school year, CANCELLED. While we are all adjusting to this cancelled culture and the never ending pandemic, John explains why it's important to remember that you're retirement is NOT cancelled.  You may have to postpone your retirement due to certain circumstances, but it by no means is cancelled. Then, what about the other side of the coin where you may have lost your job and your either forced into retirement or decide to retire earlier than expected?  John discusses how he can help you enter retirement when you want and how you want! Contact John today for a complementary portfolio review! 

Lets face it, 2020 has been a CRAZY year already. With much uncertainty in the air, we will soon enter into the political season as a tense election is on the horizon. There’s a lot of talk about how the November elections might change the amount of taxes we owe.  Is there anything we can do to prepare for the possibility of higher taxes? Plus, how can you be MORE tax efficient? [Click here for a complimentary Tax Analysis!]  You watch one news channel and they say the market is headed up, we're in a recovery and then the next channel says we are headed for a correction - so how do you know who to believe?  Then, the million dollar question - what are the wealthy doing that we should be doing?  Call today to setup a meeting with John and begin the conversation of putting a secure plan together for your financial future! Contact John today for a complementary portfolio review!       

Ever feel like Uncle Sam is a little TOO greedy? What if there was a way you could live tax free? Yes TAX FREE! Plus, did you know you could be paying unnecessary taxes?  John explains how having a tax strategy is key to living tax free. And, why its important on some accounts to pay the tax now, not later.  Call John today for a FREE Tax Analysis! 

John discusses our current economic situation and addresses what many are asking, "what's next?" and "how do I get through this?" Plus, what are some of John's Do's and Dont's during these uncertain times.  Then, some analysts say we are headed into another bull market while others say we are at the beginning of a nasty recession. How do we know who to believe and how to prepare?   Call John today for a complimentary Portfolio Review! 

How do you go about building a strong retirement? You've probably heard that having an income plan is the foundation but what else do you need to strengthen your retirement? John shares how his tools and strategies can tie your plan together. Then, what are the wealthy doing that you should be doing? What type of planning is most beneficial right now? Contact John today for your complimentary Portfolio Review and Tax Analysis! 

The Motley Fool says, if you don’t have a tax strategy, you may be sabotaging your retirement. That’s a strong statement. Do you agree?There is always someone (Uncle Sam, Wall Street) trying to get their hands on your retirement money. Having a financial plan gives you the ability to say, more for me, less for you! Plus, we’re all a little nervous about our finances now, but especially those people who were on the verge of retiring.  Market Watch came up with a list of things for those people to keep in mind. John discusses a few things to keep in mind to stay on track.    

With so much doom and gloom surrounding us today, lets take a look at the positive side of things. Since being quarantined for nearly a month, we have had a lot of time for projects around the house, organizing closets, and catching up on our favorite tv shows. But, what about improving and organizing your finances?  Now is a great time to take advantage of this extra time you have at home to make sure documents and other items are in order. When is the last time you updated your beneficiaries? Your will? Estate plan? Do you know what impact your accounts have taken in the market? How much risk are you taking? Are you leaving money on the table?  In this weeks episode, John offers simple and easy ways you can start getting things in order - a small checklist if you will! John is still conducting business as usual and is available via phone or virtual appointment. Take the time to make your money a priority to ensure you have a solid plan to and through retirement! Contact John today!        

On todays episode... Taxes will most likely go up, what can you do now to prepare?  How will stimulus plan impact future taxes? Can we really recover from this market crash? For those recently retired or about to retire, how has this market crash changed their plan? Annuities used to be a dirty word, well… if you didn’t have one and saw your accounts sink, what do ya think now? Plus... the “sequence-of-returns” risk can really do some damage if the market declines in the first few years of retirement.  Well, the market has certainly declined … so how does John advise someone who recently retired, or is on the verge of doing so?  An article in Forbes argues that right now is the “best time in history” to do a Roth conversion. But, is this the right advice?  Contact John today for your very own: Tax Analysis Qualified Account Analysis/Roth Conversion Analysis Alternate Approaches John is still conducting business as usual - set up a time to talk with John over the phone or setup a time for a virtual meeting

With the recent market volatility due to the effects of the Corona Virus, this has a lot of people wondering what will happen next? John shares an editorial that he felt is helpful to us all. [READ EDITORIAL HERE]. To contact John - click here!       

We recently had our biggest single day drop in 30 years. Where do you stand? Do you know how much risk you are taking in the market? Could you possibly be leaving money on the table? The most important question - ARE YOU PROTECTED?  Somethings in life we can control, others - not so much. You CAN control your emotions and how active you want to be about protecting your money. John is here to help, and can show you ways you can protect and grow your wealth in a responsible way to give you that added piece of mind. 

Why is it so important for you to pay attention to this new Secure Act?  It's important to work with a professional in any financial capacity but especially now with these big changes or you could be leaving money on the table! For more details on how to meet with John, click here!  Key takeaways—The SECURE Act:  Repeals the maximum age for traditional IRA contributions, which is currently 70½. Increases the required minimum distribution (RMD) age for retirement accounts to 72 (up from 70½). Allows long-term, part-time workers to participate in 401(k) plans. Offers more options for lifetime income strategies. Permits parents to withdraw up to $5,000 from retirement accounts penalty-free within a year of birth or adoption for qualified expenses. Allows parents to withdraw up to $10,000 from 529 plans to repay student loans.  

John sits down with NFL Hall of Fame Quarterback Warren Moon to talk about highlights in his career, how he thinks the game has changed and what he misses most from his playing days. Then, after 23 years of playing in the NFL, Moon describes when he knew he was ready to call it quits, and what the transition was like from the field to retirement.     Fun Facts about Warren: He racked up nearly 50,000 passing yards in 17 NFL seasons. Despite spending his first six professional seasons in the CFL, Moon ranked third all-time in NFL passing yardage and fourth in touchdown passes thrown at the time of his retirement.

The “2nd Annual Ugly Sweater Golf Tournament” is hosted by NFL Hall of Famer Andre Reed.  At the end of 2019, John had the opportunity to attend the event and talk with many other HOF NFL players who attended as well.  One of them being HOF running back Terrell Davis of the Denver Broncos. Terrell and John talk about superstar Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens, balancing family and business, how he helps others better understand the financial world, and the health scare that threatened his career. Listen now!    

John recently attended the celebrity filled event “The 2nd Annual Ugly Sweater Golf Tournament” hosted by NFL Hall of Famer, Andre Reed. Reed has launched his READ with Reed 83 in 6 NFL cities this year. The goal is to encourage kids to READ at least 30 minutes a day.  Many celebrities attended the event and John had the opportunity to sit down with a few of them, including Pittsburgh Steelers Hall of Fame center, Dermontti Dawson!  Dawson talks about his career, his family and what he hopes for his retirement.  

Christian Okoye was born in Enugu, Nigeria and dreamed of becoming a part of the Nigerian track and field team for the Olympics. Unfortunately, Okoye was not selected for the Olympics team and began to look towards other options. Believe it or not, Okoye had never heard of American football until he came to the US at the age of 21, and after seeing his first American football game, he thought it was boring. When one door closes, another opens and behind that door for Okoye was the NFL. Today, Okoye is a former American football fullback for the Kansas City Chiefs. Known for his powerful running style and ability to break tackles, he earned the nickname, “Nigerian Nightmare. John talks with Okoye about his NFL career, his life after football, and more!