While sound financial advice can be beneficial, there are certain times in your life, especially as you start to accumulate assets, when professional financial planning can become welcome. Tailored investment and savings strategies can help you navigate life's challenging transitions, whether you're fresh out of college, in the thick of your career, or eyeing your golden years.
During Early Career Years
At the onset of your career, it can be time to set the foundation for your financial future. Goal setting, budgeting, and savvy investment decisions can benefit your wealth over the course of your lifetime. A financial planner can offer advice that you may not have considered, educating you on the many options and financial strategies available to accommodate your growing needs.
A certified financial planner can suggest suitable investment vehicles like a 401(k) or IRA to help you get started on retirement savings. Your advisor can also provide insights on budgeting and portfolio rebalancing that can possibly help you meet short-term goals like paying off student loans or setting aside an emergency fund.
When You're Planning Big Life Changes
Navigating significant life changes, such as marriage, starting a family, or purchasing a home, can be both thrilling and overwhelming. In these pivotal moments, a financial advisor can help you make adjustments that can possibly meet your immediate needs, while continuing to work toward your long-term goals.
Similarly, unexpected or challenging events — like divorce, an illness in the family, or an inheritance — can have a big impact on financial dynamics. During emotionally turbulent times, a professional advisor can act as a steady hand, providing guidance to help you manage your assets and estate.
During Career Transitions and Job Changes
The average person changes jobs five to seven times over the course of a lifetime. Trading one job or even career for another is not always based on financial reasons, and yet there will always be financial implications. This period of change provides an opportunity to reassess your financial strategies.
Whether you're contemplating retirement, evaluating a severance package, or navigating new stock options, a financial advisor can provide you a professional perspective that can be helpful to help you determine how much of a cushion you need to remain financially comfortable during the transition.
Preparing for Retirement
Whether you've diligently saved for retirement or are just beginning to contemplate your golden years, consulting with a professional can help you strategically optimize your hard-earned savings. A certified financial planner brings a personal touch to analyzing lifestyle expenses, evaluating your savings, and determining a safe annual withdrawal amount.
Moreover, a financial planner becomes instrumental in creating a sustainable retirement plan. When potential gaps are proactively addressed, you should be able to retire with ample savings, at the time of your choosing.
Managing Wealth and Estate Planning
Navigating the intricacies of wealth management and estate planning requires an understanding of ever-evolving tax laws, intricate legal structures, and the delicate balance between preserving and distributing assets. A financial advisor can be beneficial when it comes to crafting wills, trusts, and estate plans to preserve your financial legacy.
Whether you need help interpreting the complexities of tax laws, ensuring that wealth is managed efficiently, or protecting heirs, a financial planner can help. The role of a financial advisor extends beyond number-crunching; it encompasses the delicate art of impartially navigating family dynamics and aligning personal aspirations with familial values.
During Financial Uncertainties and Market Volatility
Professional advice can provide a steady hand and comprehensive knowledge of market dynamics amid turbulent times. In-depth insights into risk management, strategic asset allocation, and the identification of resilient investment opportunities can be a boon during difficult economic downturns.
Incorporating a strategic approach aims to safeguard and grow portfolios in the face of adversity. Sometimes portfolio rebalancing or pursuing a tax-advantaged strategy is enough to revive your confidence and resilience during uncertain times.
Are you facing any of these scenarios? Reach out to EP Wealth to schedule a consultation with a financial planner in your area.
Disclosures:
How to save for retirement, the options available, and/or when/how to open a retirement account is unique for each individual. A number of factors have to be considered and for this reason it can be a difficult process to find the options that are most beneficial for you. No guarantee or warrantee is made that any of the information submitted or referenced here will be suitable, profitable, or prove successful. Other retirement saving options exist that may be better suited to your individual needs. Please consult a professional, including, a financial, tax, legal and/or human resources professional before implementing anything referenced herein.
The information presented here is not intended to be regarded as a comprehensive list of retirement plans, considerations, including but not limited to, categories, services, or qualifications that a client or prospective client should consider when assessing or comparing retirement plans or retirement accounts. As the author of this piece, EP Wealth Advisors, LLC (“EPWA”) has tailored the messaging of this article to align with the categories, services, qualifications, capabilities and services that it offers and can service. EPWA makes no representations or warranties as to the accuracy, timeliness, suitability, completeness, or relevance of any information presented. EPWA reserves the right to make changes to some or all of the information displayed here without notice.
The need for and type of retirement account that an individual or employer require are specific to the uniqueness of everyone’s circumstances. The referenced material identified herein is limited in nature and angles towards accounts and plans that align with the services offered by EPWA. There is no guarantee or warrantee that the services offered by EPWA will satisfy your financial service’s needs. Services offered by other advisors may be more suitable to your specific needs.
The content of this report is believed to be accurate as of the date of publication and cannot and does not accurately forecast future economic, market, or financial conditions; including changes to retirement benefits. For this reason, any subsequent changes, and/or that occur after the publication of this publication may cause the analysis encompassed herein to become inaccurate.
Information presented is general in nature and should not be viewed as a comprehensive analysis of the topics discussed. It is intended to serve as a tool containing general information that should assist you in the development of subsequent discussions with the appropriate professionals. Content does not involve the rendering of personalized investment advice nor is it intended to supplement professional individualized advice. Please consult a professional financial, tax, legal and/or human resources professional before applying any of the approaches or strategies made referenced directly or indirectly here.
All investment strategies, including retirement accounts and plans, have the potential for profit or loss. Different types of investments and investment strategies involve varying degrees of risk, and there can be no assurance that any specific investment or strategy will be suitable or profitable for a client's portfolio. The risk of loss can never be eliminated even if working with a professional.