Investment Planning and Retirement Cash Flow Planning

Investment Planning

Our first priority is helping you take care of yourself and your family. We want to learn more about your personal situation, identify your dreams and goals, and understand your tolerance for risk. Long-term relationships that encourage open and honest communication have been the cornerstone of my foundation of success.

  • We help you determine your risk tolerance and investment return requirements 
  • Your portfolio design should reflect your lifestyle needs and goals 
  •  Portfolio design includes analysis and strategies 
  • Asset allocation and portfolio diversification 
  • Income tax implications of various investment choices 
  • Tracking investment performance

Retirement Cash Flow Planning

Cash flow planning may sound complicated, but what it boils down to is comparing your assets to your expenses over time and identifying periods when you may fall short and when you may come out ahead.

It’s a simple exercise. To begin with, gather information for all the sources of income you’ll have during retirement. Since this analysis will help you determine what you’ll need to earn from your liquid assets (stocks, bonds, 401(k)s, etc.) to meet your income needs, leave them out of the equation for now. Instead, list income from pensions, real estate, Social Security or part-time employment. Then figure out how the timing of each of those income sources will affect your finances year by year. In other words, when will you receive that money? For example, will you receive Social Security benefits at beginning at age 66, or do you plan to wait?

Carefully Consider Your Expenses

Next, add up your projected expenses year by year. The amount you use in your analysis needs to include everything. Many times clients say something like, "That’s easy. Our expenses are $3,000 a month." So I ask, “Do you play golf? Do you give money to your church? To your children or grandchildren?” Almost everyone I question has overlooked one or more expenses.

Look at the timing of your expenses, i.e. when exactly will you spend that money? Have you planned a big vacation to Europe right after you retire? Add the cost of the trip to that year’s expenses. Will you need a new car? Figure out when you’ll make that purchase, and put the cost in the appropriate year’s expenses. Want to refurbish your house? Ditto. Many people want to do all the things they didn't have time to do when they were working, and many of those things cost money. Don’t forget those costs when it comes time to plan your cash flow analysis.