QUOTE OF THE MONTH

“To know oneself is to study oneself in action with another person.”
BRUCE LEE

RETIRING WITH A CASH RESERVE

Many people want to enter retirement with a) investments that may have benefited from years of growth and compounding, b) a manageable debt position, and c) a cash reserve for emergencies. Just how large should that cash reserve be? There is no simple answer to that question because the answer is different for each retiree.

As pre-retirees save and invest, in pursuit of their retirement objectives, they are commonly encouraged to create a portfolio and accept some market risk. After all, keeping too much money out of the financial markets could carry an opportunity cost (lost yields, lost tax benefits). Retirees, however, may wish to maintain a cash reserve to deal with the unexpected. A health emergency may come with significant out-of-pocket costs. An air conditioner or water heater may break down, a storm may damage a roof or cause flooding – and a retiree household may face unexpected home repair costs. In these situations, monthly cash flow may be disrupted and having a cash reserve can undoubtedly help. [1]

GOLF TIP

Your address position might be affecting your putting

If your putts often come up short, the way you address the ball might be the culprit. Your stance over a putt should allow the putter to strike the ball when the putter is either level to the ground or about a quarter-inch above the ground at the moment of impact.

Source: GolfInfluence.com

THE MEANING OF “RETIREMENT”

Americans across different age groups seem to share a shared vision of what their retirements will be like, a new whitepaper from the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies suggests.

The Center surveyed baby boomers, Gen Xers, and millennials to assess their feelings and perceptions about their futures. All three generations saw retirement as a period of increased free time, yet 55% of all respondents felt their retirements would include some work. The top nouns and adjectives associated with retirement were “freedom,” “stress-free,” and “enjoyment.” Some of the findings are intriguing. Just 39% of millennials indicated they were worried about the future of Social Security, compared to 49% of boomers and 48% of Gen Xers. Only 40% of all respondents indicated that they were prioritizing keeping their job skills up to date, a factor which could help them continue their careers longer. While 74% were concerned about maintaining their health in retirement, just 22% said that they took their long-range health into account when making lifestyle decisions. [2]

DID YOU KNOW?

Ben Franklin was (street)wise

Franklin was regarded as one of the great minds of his time, yet his formal education ended at age 10. He went to work for his older brother’s printing business at age 12. [3]

ON THE BRIGHT SIDE

Eighty-two percent of the retirees surveyed for the 2019 edition of the Employee Benefit Research Institute’s (EBRI) annual Retirement Confidence Survey said that they felt confident they had enough savings to live comfortably for the rest of their lives. [4]

BRAIN TEASER

You saw me where I never was and where I could not be. And yet within that very place, my face you often see. What am I?

Advisory services offered through Meridian Wealth Management LLC, a Registered Investment Advisor.

CITATIONS.
1 - kiplinger.com/article/retirement/T047-C032-S014-how-much-cash-should-retirees-hold.html [6/18/18]
2 - foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/retirement-baby-boomers-gen-x-millennials [5/3/19]
3 - history.com/topics/american-revolution/benjamin-franklin [1/18/19]
4 - ebri.org/docs/default-source/rcs/2019-rcs/2019-rcs-short-report.pdf?sfvrsn=85543f2f_4 [6/18/18]

Retirement in Sight for May 2019