Ten Rules for Asset Protection Planning

Ten Rules for Asset Protection Planning

By Jay Adkisson

Start early, keep it simple, and don’t try to hide stuff from your creditors.

There’s a gambling saying that goes something like, “If you want to be a winner, you have to walk away from the table a winner.” One time-honored method of reaching this result is to systematically take your chips off the table as you win them, so that your potential for losses stays small.

Asset protection planning is all about taking chips off the table in good times, so that you still can walk away from the table a winner no matter what happens in bad times.

Those who worry the most about asset protection are those who are the most likely to get sued; think obstetricians and, more recently, real estate investors here. 

But average folks often get caught up in difficult situations, and thus if you have something to protect then the topic of asset protection should at least cross your mind. ...

Technically, asset protection planning is the debtor’s side of creditor-debtor law. While creditors are concerned about the strategies and techniques of collection, debtors are interested in the strategies and techniques for protecting their most valuable assets from potential creditors.

But in this calculation, it is not just about protecting assets but also about making sure that one does not end up in jail for contempt or bankruptcy fraud for engaging in the process.

Keeping in mind the law school adage that “General rules are generally inapplicable”, the following 10 rules should always be kept in mind when you try to take your chips off the table.

1. Start Planning Before A Claim Arises

Many things you can do will effectively provide asset protection before a claim or liability arises, but few things will afterwards. That’s because what you do after a claim rises could be undone by “fraudulent transfer” law.

Moreover, the point at which a claim arises is earlier than a layman might think—it is, for example, usually much earlier than when a demand letter or a process server shows up at the door.

2. Late Planning Usually Backfires

Asset protection planning after a claim arises is apt to make matters worse; think of it as getting a flu shot while you have the flu, and the shot itself making you even more woozy.

 It is a common misconception that the only thing a judge can do is to unwind a fraudulent transfer, leaving a debtor who unsuccessfully tried late planning no worse off than if he had done nothing.

To the contrary, both the debtor and whoever assisted in the fraudulent transfer can become liable for the creditor’s attorney fees, and the debtor can lose the hope of getting a discharge in bankruptcy.

3. Asset Protection Planning Is Not A Substitute For Insurance

Asset protection planning should not be a substitute for liability and professional insurance, but rather should supplement insurance.

It is a myth that asset protection plans invariably scare away plaintiffs, and an asset protection plan doesn’t pay legal fees to defend against a lawsuit.

Insurance also supplements asset protection planning, since it can help a debtor survive a claim a fraudulent transfer claim. If you get sued, let the insurance company pay to defend it and pay to settle it — that’s what you’re paying the premiums for. 

4. Personal Assets Are For Trusts; Business Assets Are For Business Entities

To continue reading, please go to the original article here:

http://www.forbes.com

How To Protect Assets and Avoid Taxes

How To Protect Assets and Avoid Taxes 

Get Lauded As A Philanthropist Like Mark Zuckerberg   

By Jeff Berwick

Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook posted a “Letter To Our Daughter” stating that he would give 99% of his Facebook shares to the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative “to advance human potential and promote equality for all children in the next generation.”

The New York Times, perhaps the most economically ignorant tabloid in the world, headlined, “Mark Zuckerberg Vows to Donate 99% of His Facebook Shares for Charity.”

Countless people across the webisphere lauded Zuckerberg as a caring philanthropist who was just giving 99% of his wealth away.

 In many ways what he did was philanthropic but not for the reasons that the great majority of people think.

Before we tell you why, here is what he did.  He put 99% of his assets into a Limited Liability Corporation (LLC) controlled by himself.

It’s a smart move on many levels.  He protects his assets from legal attacks (which are rampant and out-of-control in the US).  He also gains tax benefits in that any gains made by the LLC are treated differently from his personal gains.

Depending on how it is structured (details aren’t clear) he may even be able to write-off any “donations” to the trust for a massive tax-break.

 And, he also deftly avoids the estate tax (aka. death tax – yes you even get taxed for dying in the US) for his daughter, which at 40% should mean a net-savings to his daughter of over $20 billion if she is the recipient of the LLC upon her parent’s passing.

This is why it is philanthropic.  Philanthropy is defined as ” goodwill to fellow members of the human race; especially : active effort to promote human welfare.”  And by shielding his assets he is helping to protect his assets.  Those assets, or capital, can then be used to invest.  Savings (capital) and investment are the only way to create a wealthier, and healthier society.

 As well, by shielding tens-of-billions of dollars from tax (aka. extortion/theft) he is keeping a large amount of money out of the hands of the largest terrorist organization in the world today, the US government.  This literally saves lives.

Using LLCs To Shield Assets And Minimize Taxes

 Almost any wealthy person uses LLCs and offshore trusts to shield their assets and to gain tax advantages.  Warren Buffett, Bill Gates, Mitt Romney and countless others.

To continue reading, please go to the original article here:

https://www.dollarvigilante.com/blog/2015/12/08/how-to-protect-assets-avoid-taxes-and-get-lauded-as-a-philanthropist-like-mark-zuckerberg.html  

Security Tips From Security Pro

A Post From Dinar Recaps Archives

Security Tips From Security Pro

Think Security - Serious Info on ALL Safety Measures Good Read

I just wanted to pass on a bit of caution. As a former professional Executive Protection Specialist (Bodyguard to the Super Rich) Many of you will walk out of the bank as millionaires, multi-millionaires and some of you Billionaires.

 You have been given great advise when it comes to Identity and computer security and some things to do to protect your identity. (All Computers should have VPN protection and encrypted emails -)

 All great information and thought. But, please think about this! Please don't let the most blessed day of your life be the beginnings of some of the most frightening and horrific experiences of your life!

 That's when you get that dreaded call that your daughter, son or wife will not be coming home unharmed until a paper bag full of un-marked 100 dollar bills is brought to this remote location and traded for the safe return of your beloved. (please, please, please) don't think this plot is reserved for the movies.

It happens all the time, 100s of kidnapping cases each year occur and are never on the daily news channel. These unscrupulous types are what my team always referred to as land sharks. Yes they are out there, they are hungry and they are dangerous. It is true these land sharks smell blood 1000 miles away and the blood these pirates smell is money, Easy money!

 The day you walk out of that bank with that receipt for 1 mill plus, your blood trail just started! They will be watching, car, yacht, expensive homes etc. being purchased. Don't think for a second that don't have feelers out there, car dealers, bank employees, construction workers, you name it.  Yes, even Baby sitters. These dirty players have feelers everywhere.

 One case a team member worked on shortly after I got out of the business involved a baby sitter who gave out security codes, travel plans, work schedules and this teenager even left the lock on the basement door unlocked all for a few hundred bucks.

 The bad guys walked in, the three year old girl was taken, the parents forked out 3 million dollars and the money was gone in a flash and the three year old is still a picture on a milk carton somewhere!! I really don't want to scare you or insult your intelligence. But you WILL be a target of these evil players.

 How do you protect your family and yourself? you contact a professional security specialist, a reputable Private Investigation firm can direct you. I strongly suggest that you get a hold of ESI (Executive Security International) it is a very well run Bodyguard training center.

 The instructors are former Secret Service Agents. They train hundreds of protection specialist (both men and woman) They are the best of the best and can hook you up with the right people.

 It is not my intention to scare anybody, I hope you find this information useful and thought provoking. If this post makes it and gets your attention I would be glad to write part 2 and tell you how to make sure you are hiring a true professional and not being taken by con men.

Security is a business full of snakes and I will tell you how to   avoid them as well as some things you should start doing right away to prepare for your wealthy future

Think Security

I suppose that after such a tremendous response to my post called Think security part 1, I owe it to my new friends to post part 2 and to answer some great questions when it comes to the security of your family and I will share how I will go about protecting my own family. Also I will attempt to correct my writing skills to make this more readable.

 According to Sun Tzu in "The Art of War" It says ""If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles." Based on this idea, let me use a scenario to illustrate the point.

 Put yourself in the position of the land pirate. Remember that most pirates run with a crew. They work as teams and they don't care who gets hurt as long as they get what they want and we all know that is money!

 They have done some snooping and have identified you as a potential target. In clandestine interviews with neighbors etc. These deviants learned that you have a wife, four kids at the ages of 2 to 8 yrs. old. They learn that your oldest son attends the local elementary school and that he rides the bus, which leaves and arrives at the same time every day.

 These criminals sit outside of your home and take diligent notes on what time you leave for work and the fact that your wife stays home with the other kids most of the day occasionally leaving at random times to run errands etc.  They make tedious notes about the activities and routines of your family. Information is vital to these scurvy dogs.

 They have to decide how they will get you to part with your money and the easiest way to do that, extortion, blackmail, theft/robbery or kidnapping. Kidnapping is one of the most common methods with the least risks on their part. You are now the distraught loving parent and are under their control.

 You are too afraid to call the authorities and you are now motivated to give up the money because they have your child or wife and we all would do anything on earth to keep our loved ones safe.

Ok, let me drive to the point and this is a crucial point when thinking about what security expert or agency you hire. These pirates have already determined through multiple ways, paid off bank employees, yard workers, remodeling contractors etc. (these info sources are endless.)

 That you are a target and that In order to be successful they must gather as much information as possible in order pull off a successful kidnapping to assure that you willingly give them the money they desire. By watching your every move and noting the activities of each of your family members they can determine how vulnerable your family is as well as the best plan to make their move. 

Ok I know this is very long and to spare you having to read all day I will post part 3 this evening I will go over all about hiring professional executive / family protection specialists and how they function in and around you family to keep you safe.  Here is a parting tip.

 Start getting used to changing your routines. This is the first thing  a protection specialist should train you to do is to change the times you leave, the times you come home, especially your routes, start taking your kids to school, stop sending them on the bus, that is too predictable.

 Change all the established patterns that you do day to day. Deviate your routes as much as possible. I must implore, don't, and I repeat! DO NOT live your life in fear, just go about your life, live well and help others as much as possible just take necessary precautions. Follow the advise of your protection agent like you will your wealth managers, attorneys etc. 

In Answer to a question about how many bodyguards will you need to hire. (you are millionaires now, you can afford it) One good agent can train and protect your family, he/she will work with alarm companies to set up the best security system around your homes he/she will also work with trained dogs. Will you have them or not? I will have very well trained Dobermans and German Shepherds.

 Your agent should be a counter surveillance expert. Stopping the free information flow simply cuts out the bad guys ability to plan any event against you or your family. Most protection experts work with teams as well.

Think Security  

What is the first thought when I say bodyguard? I'll bet you thought of  a 250 lbs weightlifter, ex-football player, all star wrestler or the like. A big muscle bound man standing around your front door with folded arms and an Uzi under his suite coat. Right?  

Well maybe in the movies, but certainly not real life. Take me for example: I am 5'9" I can't lift my own body weight above my head more than a few times, I might be able to do ten pushups without collapsing and chin ups - forget it!! I am a normal guy.

I'm not a nerd, jock or playboy I am just an ordinary average single dad with four wonderful kids that like to wrestle in the living room and they usually always win.

My history.  (There is a point.)

In 1987, I attended and graduated Executive Security International, a school located in Aspen Colorado. This is the premier school for professional executive protection specialists. My instructors were former Secret Service agents, top of the line protection agents, navy seals, and bodyguards for the super wealthy.  

The training included shooting with top competitive shooting champions, driving with top race-car drivers, Martial arts with navy seal instructors etc. The point is that this school trains and qualifies hundreds of agents each year.  

Many go on to work in law enforcement, special ops etc. in order to get endorsed by the school you must graduate as what they refer to as level 3. Anything below that and you do not get an endorsement a referral or as much as a good word.

ESI only refers or places the top of the top the best of the best and my point of all this is, I myself, even as a graduate of this incredible school will be interviewing and hiring agents for my family protection from there.

Heck I might even be real nice and hire one for my ex-wife. Only the kidnapers would pay me to take her back!  My class had about twenty students; only four of us graduated level 3 and got endorsed and placed. One went on to work at the white house with the Secret Service.

Two went to Tanzania to protect executives for Exxon. I went on to protect the family of a wealthy cookie company executive in Utah. You have probably all had free samples in a mall somewhere.

After that, I worked for a wealthy newspaper executive from India, and many other wealthy executives and a presidential candidate who you all know as the governor of the state of CA.

I then started my own protection agency where we guarded high profile executives, celebrities, country music performers and even other presidential candidates.

The point is this. If after you read the rest of Part 3 you decide that you do want to hire a professional, I have nothing to gain by telling you that I will be hiring someone from ESI, probably a female agent since I have small kids and a woman tends to be a lot more observant.

So before we go on let me say this, the best security that you can employ is simply, secrecy! The fewer people that know you have money or access to it the better off you are. (Hands down) I believe that the NDA, which I have read so many complaints about, will be the best thing for you over all. Create your story and stick to it. I do believe that the NDA is there for your own protection.  

Think about it, if signing the NDA is for the contract rate only what is to say that those that take the street rate won't go write books and make movies. It is because they won't walk away with as much money. The ones who really need to keep their mouths shut are the ones making the big bucks and are more likely to be targets of the bad guys.

So you are now worth a few million dollars, some of you billionaire is the word. But, why does anyone, and I mean anyone need to know that? Keep your financial affairs in the lowest part of the kitchen drawer.

Don't flaunt your wealth; don't expose yourself to the pirates from the beginning. Yes, they have their feelers and you may get exposed through them but the more you can do to avoid un-needed attention the more you can rest assured that you are less of a target.

RECOMMENDED: a book called "the Millionaire Next Door" Read it! Read it again and live it. '

Do you know that Sam Walton lived in a modest home in a normal neighborhood and he drove a 1970s pick-up truck? Most people around him had no Idea he was a billionaire. The guy that started and sold Micro-soft lived in my hometown and nobody knew he was worth billions when it sold. He drove the same old VW bus around.

He eventually bought a really nice home in a secured neighborhood but not for several years and not until his kids begged him to move to a bigger home. Most millionaires are average people with the same wardrobe that I like, T-shirts and jeans, my boots are the most expensive things in my closet and it will stay that way even post RV.

I will not buy or drive a Bentley or a Ferrari. A new truck and maybe a Dodge Challenger is my extreme. I will not be chauffer driven except for a limousine that takes my four kids and I to the airport to go on our vacation.  Yes average, ordinary people splurge sometimes and limo's are the max of that rare splurge.

 If you must buy Lamborghinis, mansions and high roller toys do it in the name of an offshore corporation. Many people believe that the super wealthy use things like bank accounts in the Bahamas as tax avoidance but the downright truth is its hiding their wealth from the pirates of the world.

 Its about 90% privacy and maybe 10% tax avoidance. Your financial planners and wealth advisors can help you manage your funds and maintain you privacy. However, don't forget pirates have well paid feelers everywhere.

 If you own your own business, if you bought an expensive yacht, you moved out of your modest 200 k home into a 3 million dollar home on the beach, if you come across as a person of means with access to big money. You may still be considered a target and the surveillance begins.

 Remember I told you that a successful kidnapping requires information, observation, and tailing the target. Your protection agent should be an expert in surveillance and counter surveillance. A master martial artist or a quick draw and a dead aim are cool talents to possess, however none of the professionals that I worked with nor myself ever carried a gun. The best talent a security expert has is observation skills.

 Now pay attention. The name of my agency was Silent Shadow Detectives. The name says it all. My mission was to protect the client and the client never knew we were there. We were silent and we remained in the shadows. Nobody and a do mean nobody knew we were there. 

I will apologize now for the length of this writing but I feel this is important so I want to share a story to bring home my main point when it comes to hiring a top protection team.

 When I worked for the cookie company, she was a Mrs. and her name was their brand. Her husband ran the company and did all the hiring and firing. One day I turned in an invoice and he did not want to pay me. During our meeting he said he would not pay for services not rendered.

  I gave him the detailed report of where his wife and family had been at every moment of the day, I included all the routes she had taken and what car she had taken and then switched throughout the day as she was instructed to do in our initial training. I also gave him detailed descriptions of the Private Investigator that he hired to follow her while watching for us.

 His PI had lost the trail of his wife four different times, as my team was able to derail him in his pursuit. As far as we knew initially he was a watcher for the bad guys until our research team identified him as a local Private Detective. I did have to apologize for the three flat tires and his disabled vehicle.

 Nevertheless this executive was comforted to know that his family could be themselves, live their lives and live as normal as possible without muscle bound goons in suites standing around every corner.

 The point is this; you can have protection without having your life style cramped by a bunch of armed men in fatigues.

 So you want to hire the best. Call ESI arrange for interviews with several agents. As the agent comes into your office for the interview excuse yourself for five minutes and then leave. Come back, make yourself comfortable, ask some basic qualifying questions and then ask them to describe the picture on the wall directly behind them.

 Remember observation skills are the most important skills a protection agent has. So, he/she can't tell you the color of the balloons or exactly how many clowns but they do at least know it is a picture of a circus. Get the point?

Then move on to the critical test. If they are not willing to do this test, then move on whether you are interviewing ESI grads or PI agencies from the yellow pages I would conduct this test on any protection team I am considering, ask them to follow and report on a brother, friend, neighbor or anyone willing to take detailed notes of their day.

 Several potential agents have followed my bother before I hired then to work on one of my protection teams. Compare the notes from your assigned target with the notes of your interviewee.

Do not forget, a great counter surveillance operative is going to be an expert at surveillance, especially if you are hiring a team.

Once you have hired the right agent to work for your family you should have daily contact and they should be able to tell you where you have been where your children have been. If they discovered any possible watchers for the pirates and what counter measures were taken to thwart even possible surveillance operations.

 It is true that on a daily basis you, your family members are going to come into contact with strangers. What you do not need is some overzealous bozo jumping out of the bushes to tackle every unknown passerby.

 What your agents are looking for is watchers and then they eliminate all possibilities for these watchers to gain any usable info. At some point the pirates figure out that you have real pros working for you and they simply move on to the next target.

 Thank you for reading this I hope this information is helpful.  I personally thank God every day that I know about this opportunity. If this information I have shared has done nothing more than to start you thinking then I am at peace with myself.

 So, I will leave you now with this final thought. How many times in your life did your bicycle NOT get stolen because you had a good lock on it? We will never know. So how many times will your family be kept safe because you have a true professional watching the watchers? Think about it.

The best advice the security team told us on what to do once the RV hits, Is to keep your mouth shut & Mind your own Business!...

Millionaire Next Door - Thomas J. Stanley - Audiobook

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4psbb5RzdU

 "Taken" For "Ransom" Trailer (recut)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpiicbMzi7Y

 Man on Fire (2004) Trailer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iC8LGmR7CV8

How Much Should You Leave to Your Kids?

How Much Should You Leave to Your Kids?

By Darrow Kirkpatrick

 How do you feel about legacy giving? Chances are, you see the issue differently from your own parents. We’re experiencing a generational change in views on inherited wealth.

 Parents of today’s baby boomers, having lived through a World War and less prosperous times, were usually excellent savers. In their retirement years, their investment assets are a side-show to their guaranteed, defined-benefit pensions.

But that model they hand down of stockpiling investments until death, at which time their children receive a large inheritance, is looking increasingly dated to the next generation.

 It’s different for baby boomers: According to MarketWatch, “23% of pre-retirees would ideally like to spend all of their savings and let their children fend for themselves. In contrast, a mere 9% say they want to save as much money as possible to pass on to the next generation.”

Is that selfishness, or just common sense? How much will you leave to your kids? How much should you leave?

Many boomers have endured careers in a damaged economy. Others have lived inflated, debt-ridden lifestyles. Still others have spent heavily to educate and launch adult kids. All these factors have severely eroded the average boomer’s net worth. What wealth they have available for retirement will be targeted at essential living expenses, with little earmarked for legacy giving.

 Entitlement

 Those boomers with enough to leave substantial wealth behind, may direct it to charity instead of family: The majority of affluent boomers made their own money, and feel their kids are best off doing the same. But a few feel differently: Ink is spilled, fees are paid, and tax strategies are employed in an effort to maximize family wealth passed down to the next generation.

 Why do people instinctively want to preserve a large legacy as they age? Some of it is probably natural self-preservation — keeping a rainy-day fund against an unknown lifespan. Some of it could be a subconscious desire to remain relevant to heirs later in life — easier to do when you’re net worth is substantial. Finally, some believe that legacy giving has the potential to transform death, by making a statement about who they were and what they valued.

 But, if we aren’t careful, legacy giving plans may backfire. Sacrificing while raising your kids so they can enjoy a better life is a time-honored and natural parental role. But what is the point of denying yourself in retirement so that your grown children can enjoy an extravagant lifestyle, after you die?

 If they’re in the middle of careers, a large inheritance could be downright destructive, undermining their motivation in life. The sense of entitlement that comes from unearned wealth can stunt growth, subvert meaning, and contribute to depression and destructive behavior.

On the other hand, if children are much older, post career, they probably don’t need a large inheritance. Given today’s life spans, by the time you die, any children will likely be in their 60’s and 70’s, having already established a retirement lifestyle.

How much difference will an inheritance make to their quality of life at that point? Sure a splurge or two might be nice. But, besides serving as worst-case insurance, and more investment dollars to play with, what’s a large bequest going to buy that is essential to happiness?

Expecting an Inheritance

To continue reading, please go to the original article here:

https://www.caniretireyet.com/how-much-should-you-leave-to-your-kids/

The Best Financial Advice I Ever Received

The Best Financial Advice I Ever Received
Sheiresa Ngo

Bad financial advice can ruin your long-term plans and potentially rob you of the future you had hoped for. However, good financial advice (when applied) blossoms and continues to flourish in all areas of your life, even improving the lives of others along the way.

The Cheat Sheet took some time to speak with top experts in the field of personal finance about the impact of good and bad financial advice. We spoke with Certified Financial Planner Jeff Rose of the blog Good Financial Cents, The Money Coach Lynnette Khalfani-Cox, and CreditCards.com’s Matt Schulz. We asked them to share the best piece of personal finance advice they ever received. Here’s what they had to say...

Don’t Be Mastered By Your Wants
“The best personal finance advice I ever received came from a finance professor in my junior year of college.  The professor had asked members of the class to raise their hand if anyone had intended to buy a new car every three to five years. 

Already having my sights on a BMW upon graduation, I quickly raised my hand.  This is before I knew anything about the power of compounding interest.  That professor showed me what a $300 monthly car payment could grow to be over the course of my working life.

It was a huge eye-opening experience.  Because of him, instead of buying a BMW upon graduation, I drove my grandmother’s 1998 Chevy Lumina for the first several years of me being a financial advisor. 

That allowed me to max out my Roth IRA and also partially fund my 401(k), which has well positioned me for a successful retirement.”

Jeff Rose, CEO of Alliance Wealth Management LLC, founder of the blog Good Financial Cents, and author of the book Soldier of Finance.

Know Your Worth

To continue reading, please go to the original article here:
http://www.cheatsheet.com/personal-finance/the-best-financial-advice-i-ever-received.html/?a=viewall#ixzz3cwoOD2HP

How to Protect Yourself From Credit Card Theft

How to Protect Yourself From Credit Card Theft

By Emily Guy Birken February 3 2020

Last fall, I received an email that appeared to be from my web host. The email claimed that there was a problem with my payment information and asked me to update it. I clicked on the link in the email and entered my credit card number, thinking that a recent change I'd made to my site must have caused a problem.

The next morning, I logged onto my credit card account to find two large unauthorized purchases. A scammer had successfully phished my payment information from me.

This failure of security is pretty embarrassing for a personal finance writer. I know better than to click through an email link claiming to be from my bank, credit card lender, or other financial institution. But because the email came from a source that wasn't specifically financial (and because I was thinking about the changes I had made to my website just the day before), I let myself get played.

Thankfully, because I check my credit card balance daily, the scammers didn't get away with it. However, it's better to be proactive about avoiding credit card theft so you're not stuck with the cleanup, which took me several months to complete.

Here's how you can protect yourself from credit card theft.

Protecting Your Physical Credit Card

Stealing your physical credit or debit card is in some respects the easiest way for a scammer to get their hands on your sweet, sweet money. With the actual card in hand, a scammer has all the information they need to make fraudulent purchases: the credit card number, expiration date, and the security code on the back.

That means keeping your physical cards safe is one of the best ways to protect yourself from credit card theft. Don't carry more cards than you intend to use. Having every card you own in a bulging wallet makes it more likely someone could steal one when you're not paying attention and you may not realize it's gone if you have multiple cards.

To continue reading, please go to the original article here:

https://www.wisebread.com/how-to-protect-yourself-from-credit-card-theft

7 Important Money Moves to Make in the New Year

7 Important Money Moves to Make in the New Year, According to Financial Advisors

By Holly Johnson on 7 January 2020

It's easy to think you'll get your finances together "next year" or when you finally get the promotion you've been after. Unfortunately, time keeps on ticking away, making it easy to spend years dreaming of financial security without making progress toward your goals.

Now that 2020 has arrived, it may be the perfect time to stop making excuses and start making moves. After all, it's more than a new year — we're in a brand-new decade.

But which moves have the potential for the most impact? We interviewed several financial advisors to find out which steps they think nearly everyone could benefit from in 2020 and beyond, and here's what they said.

1. Increase your contributions to tax-advantaged retirement accounts

According to financial advisor Benjamin Brandt, who is the host of retirement podcast Retirement Starts Today, the beginning of the year is an excellent time to reevaluate how much you're putting away for retirement. Fortunately, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) increased the maximum you can contribute to a 401(k) account in 2020, bringing up your total maximum contribution amount to $19,500.

"Could you save a little more for the future version of yourself?" he asks. "Calculate what a 1% increase in your savings rate might be, and commit to that increase."

You might not even notice the money missing from your budget when savings is increased in such small increments, but you'll never know unless you try. (See also: 5 Money Moves to Make Before You Turn 40)

2. Take stock of changes in your life that took place over the last year

Financial planner Luis F. Rosa, who is also the host of the On My Way to Wealth podcast, says that pretty much everyone should sit down and analyze any big life changes they've endured over the last year or two, including marriage, divorce, or the birth of a new child. 

You should also review your beneficiary designations on your 401K, life insurance, and other accounts to make sure they are up to date as per your wishes, he says. (See also: 5 Money Moves Every Single Parent Should Make)

3. Learn To Live Within Your Means

To continue reading, please go to the original article here:

https://www.wisebread.com/7-important-money-moves-to-make-in-the-new-year-according-to-financial-advisors

.Magnitude Matters

Magnitude Matters

Rand Spero  |  January 16, 2020

WHY DON’T WE spend our time and energy on financial issues that have the greatest impact? We’ll drive to a more distant gas station to save 10 cents a gallon, but fail to do all the maintenance needed to extend the life of our car. What lies behind this sort of behavior?

The savings from getting the best price per gallon is concrete and immediate, while maintaining our car is long term and abstract. It’s simply easier to focus on the 10 cents.

I have a relative who stayed at a $500-a-night luxury hotel in downtown Boston. He emailed me to bring him water when I visited, because the hotel charges $5 per bottle.

Yes, the hotel is pushing the envelope with its water bottle charge, but my relative claiming he won’t pay “on principle” seems like a stretch. Such “injustices” occur when we have concrete price expectations, while we happily tolerate other, much higher costs.

Deciding on a college is a huge investment of time and money. Yet as my family dashed from one campus visit to the next, I wondered if we were being good consumers. Were we prioritizing colleges based on which tour guide captured the interest of our daughter? 

Perhaps we needed to slow down and do more extensive research. When my daughter decided to apply early decision to a nearby university, we suggested she visit the school a second time. She spent a full day talking to students and sitting in on classes, and came back enthused. It proved to be a good fit.

The importance of considering the financial magnitude of a decision became apparent when I went house shopping with a friend. He was moving into town for work and wanted to get settled quickly.

As we raced between showings, one desirable property stood out. There was a crowd at the open house and the broker indicated it would move fast.

 All bids would be accepted by Sunday evening and the winner would be announced the next day. My friend got caught up in the frenzy and wanted to know what bid might be needed “to win it.”

It struck me as amusing that we had spent just 45 minutes looking at the desired house for sale. I asked my friend how much time he would spend looking at a high-priced sweater. He proudly indicated that he was a bargain shopper.

My friend added that, if he were going to pay a lot for an item of clothing, it had better be worth it. Yet soon he could be obligated to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars for a house, initiating this decision after spending less than an hour.

Want to make better purchasing decisions? Try asking these five questions:

What dollar amount are you actually spending or saving?

Are you sidetracked by focusing on low-cost items that are more easily understood?

Do you cite “principle” to defend fretting over small expenditures?

On big ticket items, have you established clear criteria before purchasing?

Have you allocated time and energy that’s appropriate, given the financial magnitude of a decision?

 There’s More::

To continue reading, please go to the original article here:

https://humbledollar.com/2020/01/magnitude-matters/

.The Laws of Investing

The Laws of Investing

By Morgan Housel

Think of how big the world is. And how good animals are at hiding. Now think about a biologist whose job it is to determine whether a species has gone extinct.

Not an easy thing to do.

A group of Australian biologists once discovered something remarkable. More than a third of all mammals deemed extinct in the last 500 years have later been rediscovered, alive:

We identified 187 mammal species that have been missing (claimed or suspected to be extinct) since 1500. This number includes all such mammals for which we were able to find key variables for analysis. In the complete dataset, 67 species that were once missing have been rediscovered.

A lot of what we know in science is bound to change. That’s what makes science great, what makes it work, and what distinguishes it from religion. Science is filled with rules, evidence-based theories, and probabilistic observations. Laws – immutable truths lacking exceptions – are rare. Most fields only have a handful.

But the handful of laws that exist have a special function: they’re the great grandmothers, the old wise men, of the day-to-day theories and rules used to discover a new truth. There’s a hierarchy of science: laws at the bottom, specific rules above that, then theories, observations, hunches, and so on.

The higher you go on the pyramid the more exciting things become. That’s where discovery and opportunity live. But everything at the top of the pyramid must respect the laws at the bottom.

The idea of flexible rules deriving from unshakeable laws applies to every field. John Reed writes in his book Succeeding:

When you first start to study a field, it seems like you have to memorize a zillion things. You don’t. What you need is to identify the core principles that govern the field. The million things you thought you had to memorize are simply various combinations of the core principles.

Same thing in investing.

What’s an investing law? There’s no definition, so I’ve taken some liberties here. I try to limit them to forces that influence all types of investments, in all sectors, in all countries, throughout all of history, with few exceptions, and some explanation for why it will continue indefinitely.

A theme here is that investing is not just the study of finance. It’s the study of how people behave with money. So most of these “laws” describe a universal feature of how people respond to risk, reward, and scarcity.

They are simple. But they are, I think, part of a foundation that governs most of what happens in investing, and will keep happening as long as investing exists.

Law #1: Optimism and pessimism will always overshoot because the boundaries of both can only be known in hindsight, once they’re passed.

The correct price for any asset is what someone else is willing to pay for it, because all asset prices rely on subjective assumptions about the future. And like a blind man who doesn’t know where a wall is until his cane touches it, markets cannot know when optimism or pessimism has gone too far until they bump into the limits and enough investors protest in the other direction.

There’s More

To continue reading, please go to the original article here:

https://www.collaborativefund.com/blog/the-laws-of-investing/

.How to Find Your Money ‘Why’

How to Find Your Money ‘Why’

By Katherine Fusco | November 8, 2019

There are lots of reasons to spend money, some good, some bad, most compelling. Of course, this is by design.

Not spending money, though… that’s a trickier thing. The reasons not to spend—or to save, if you’d like to put it more positively—are often vague, rooted in a fuzzy sense of what one should do.

When people are tired or temptations are especially aggressive (hello, holiday season!), the vague I should pay off my debt crumbles in the face of beautiful store displays or delicious scents wafting from strategically open bakery doors.

More than this, advertising often appeals to our sense of self, frequently tying products to concepts or feelings that we truly believe in. How many bath bombs have been purchased on credit cards in the name of self-care? How many unused vitamins and supplements under the name of wellness?

Pink things for breast cancer awareness? Maybe an embarrassment of water bottles and reusable bags under the name of environmentalism, even though the environmental thing would be shopping less overall?

Against all these compelling, ego-supporting reasons to shop, the vague “adulting” calls to save more and spend less don’t stand a chance.

Just as advertisers know to tap into your sense of self through fairly specific identity appeals—Are you a dog-loving hiker? Here’s a four-wheel drive station wagon—you can also meet your own financial needs by developing your own money mantra, or “why.”

The importance of considering our feelings and values when it comes to money has gained traction in the field of economics. As the journal Applied Economics reports, “individualized cultural values measures do indeed explain part of the financial behaviour of households.”

 Becoming more concretely aware of cultural, familial and personal values might thus be an important key to better personal finance.

Here are a few techniques to use for getting in touch with your money “why”:

1. Tap Into Your Core Values

What’s most important to you? Unlike with the next two exercises, you’re allowed to be a bit vague here. You might find yourself naming things like “beauty,” “health,” “community,” “family” or even something grander like “justice.”

Faced with spending decisions, you might ask yourself whether a purchase supports your core values. Now, sometimes the answer is an obvious “no.” This new lip-gloss/headset/hamburger does not contribute to social justice.

But, sometimes advertisers will attempt to target your core values in sneaky ways. For example, a fuel-efficient car seems like a truly environmental choice; however, it’s not as environmental as simply not buying something.

In her book Loaded, behavioral economist Sarah Newcomb writes about these values in terms of “needs” and explains that the infamous “latte factor” can in fact be scratching the need for “social connection.” If you enjoy visiting your local coffee shop.

To continue reading, please go to the original article here:

https://www.success.com/how-to-find-your-money-why/

.What to Do When Money Causes Friend Drama

What to Do When Money Causes Friend Drama

By Rachel Miller  Jan 15 2020

When a pal keeps suggesting restaurants you can't afford or making snide comments about your salary, it's time to say something.

Knowing you have to have a money conversation with someone is stressful. Even fairly straightforward situations can lead to endless procrastination followed by an hour of strategizing with a close friend before you finally text your roommate… “Hey, could I get the rent check from you later today?”

 But the anxiety makes sense: a person’s finances can be deeply intertwined with their ego, identity, beliefs, and sense of self-worth. And because talking about money often means communicating a desire or a need, it can leave us feeling very vulnerable.

But when a friend keeps suggesting pricey activities you can’t afford, or constantly makes snide comments about your salary, avoiding the topic is only going to make things worse in the long run. Learning how to deftly handle these situations is good for your financial health, and the long-term health of your friendships.

Remember you can never really know what’s going on with someone else’s bank account.

When going into these conversations, it’s a good idea to avoid making assumptions about other people’s finances.

Even if you know what a friend’s salary is, or can infer certain things based on, say, their lifestyle or past comments, none of us really know what’s going on with someone else’s bank account.

People have staggering debt, medical bills, bad credit, trust funds, credit card points, job perks, alimony agreements, parents who support them, parents who they are supporting, as well as personal desires and values that influence what they want (or don’t want) to spend their money on.

 And because money is so tied up in self-image and can be a big source of shame, a lot of people simply… don’t ever mention any of this stuff to their friends.

We all know, intellectually, that most people are fairly private about their finances, and that everyone’s definitions of “broke” and “worth it” and “reasonable price for a bridesmaid dress” are going to be different… but it’s easy to forget that when we want certain stories to be true, or when everything would be easier if others’ perspectives were aligned with our own.

If you’re frustrated with how a friend is acting with regard to money, it can be helpful to remember this, and to try to approach the situation from a place of genuine curiosity and generosity.

Make money talk a natural part of everyday conversations.

The best way to avoid money drama with friends is to be proactive about expectations in casual discussions where it’s relevant. That could mean asking what amount people are comfortable paying, suggesting activities at a range of price points, and being clear about who is paying for what. It might sound like...

To continue reading, please go to the original article here:

https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/5dmg3k/talking-about-money-with-friends?utm_source=stylizedembed_vice.com&utm_campaign=xgqwy7&site=vice