The Importance of Financial Literacy

It was recently announced that the state of South Carolina was pushing to pass a bill that would require all high school students to take a course on financial literacy in order to graduate. Five states (Alabama, Missouri, Tennessee, Utah, and Virginia) are the only other states to have passed a similar law. As professionals who strive to preach the importance of this topic, we are very happy to see these developments. In fact, we think it’s particularly great that we, as a nation, are beginning to demand that children learn the basic of personal finance, before they step out into the real world.

But first off, let’s tackle what the actual definition of “financial literacy” is. Financial literacy is the combination of financial, credit and debt management and the overall knowledge that is required to make responsible decisions regarding financial matters. Really, we are talking about the impact of finances on the daily issues an average family may encounter.

Is the rate of financial literacy low in the US? Yep. (Actually, it’s low around the world.) Of course, the level of financial literacy varies according to education and income levels. However, there is a lot of evidence out there that shows that highly educated individuals with above-average incomes are almost equally as under-educated on these topics as those who may live a more modest lifestyle.

source: S&P GLOBAL FINLIT SURVEY

Given this information, it is becoming increasingly more important to ensure that we are preparing our children with this knowledge well before they are starting college, creating families, and living an “adult” life. Why? Because it’s about the “long game”. Financial literacy is critical in helping people plan for retirement and avoiding high levels of debt. Last year, a study from TIAA-CREF showed that those with high levels of financial literacy  are more likely to make astute decisions and typically, over their lifetime, amass twice as much wealth as those without a plan.

If you can’t build a simple household budget, then you are likely financially illiterate. If you are oblivious to money-related decisions, are unsure of the consequences of these decisions, or you simply don’t care, then you’re financially illiterate. Most importantly, If you have learned the “hard way” over the years that not being up-to-date on financial matters has affected your life in a negative way, it is imperative that you do not allow your children to make the same mistakes. Important financial decisions are popping up earlier and earlier in life, as the world becomes more complex. You don’t “build” wealth and then figure out how to manage it properly. That ability to grow comes with managing it properly along the way.

The statistics mentioned above are some of main reasons we have created the “Beers with Brad” seminar series. We feel that increasing your financial literacy is incredibly important to your long term financial goals and obligations. If you are in the DC/Maryland/ Virginia area and would like to hear more, feel free to stop by our next event.

How empty nesters can get back on track

Now that you’re done spending money on clothing, food, child care – and don’t forget the biggest expense, education – it’s time to focus on your own financial needs. After all, the average cost of raising a child today in middle-class America is nearly $250,000, excluding college tuition expenses. These types of numbers leave many couples in “catch up” mode when it comes to their savings and retirement planning.

The first step, as we all know, is creating a plan. You can’t make any headway towards debt and savings goals without a clear, executable strategy. Three big keys are: concentrate on building up your investments, boost your credit, and reevaluate your real estate needs. This is a major inflection point in your life, and thus an ideal time to consider all these topics.

Regarding your savings, your cash flow is (hopefully) growing, or at least turning positive. Because you have a limited amount of time to get things in order, taking action in the areas mentioned above should be done as soon as possible, especially if any emergency funds have been drained. More parents tend to undersave and overspend while their children are still living under their roof. Here are some questions to ask yourself:

  • Do we have enough cash to make it through the next economic contraction or bear market?
  • Is our credit card debt manageable?
  • Are the balances in our 401(k) and IRA accounts where they need to be?
  • Is our house “too much” for us without the children?
  • Do they kids still need insurance?

Now that some of your larger expenses have come and gone, there must be a mental shift from “paying the bills” to “creating a better future”. You will need to monitor your assets more closely now, and extra money should be going more towards retirement accounts and less towards material things. There is good news for those who may be a little behind, as the IRS has increased contribution limits in 2019 for 401(k) and IRA accounts.

However, one key to keeping your nest empty is taking the time to educate your children on the importance of personal finance. This is a very important step in creating and maintaining a “moat” around your new-found savings. The more educated your children are on the basics of day-to-day money management, the less likely they are to need your assistance in the immediate future. These are great opportunities to preach to them about not living beyond their means, sticking to a budget, saving a little each month, and the consequences of debt.

There are a few important things than can be tackled that will allow you to get off on the right foot towards rebuilding your retirement savings. The key is to capitalize on the new-found opportunities to do so. And one of those, in this moment, is a focus on your future, not your child’s future. Of course you should give them the tools to financially fend for themselves, but going forward the main goal is retirement for you and your spouse.

Tips for furloughed workers during the shutdown

Before we get started, lets recognize that this isn’t the first time there’s been a shutdown, and it probably won’t be the last. But that doesn’t change the fact that so many workers are now reaching their third week of no pay. There are roughly 800,000 federal employees who are not receiving paychecks right now, many of whom are located right here in the DC Metro area. While some are technically on a “leave of absence”, many are being expected to work for no pay. What’s worse is that federal employees already make, on average, quite a bit less than their private sector peers. On top of this, while most workers are expecting to be paid retroactively once the shutdown is over, it’s not mandatory.

First and foremost, take a look at your monthly budget and find items you can easily remove.

Another helpful tip is to contact your bank. In fact, one institution headquartered here in the DC Metro, Navy Federal Credit Union,  is extending a zero-interest loan up to $6,000 with no fees and a grace period. Many banks are willing to make exceptions. Bank of America and Wells Fargo also have outreach programs that assist federal employees. Most institutions have similar processes in place for their employees that allow them to contact creditors and landlords in order to ask for assistance.

Another step that federal employees can take is to proactively reach out to creditors. Best move? Develop a simple letter that explains your situation: “I am a government employee who has lost income due to the government shutdown. Due to these events, my income has been drastically reduced for the time being and I am unable to make my payment in full this month.” On top this, don’t forget to include account numbers and contact information with the letter.

While filing for unemployment may seem like the best “quick fix”, that isn’t necessarily true. A large portion of these federal employees can apply for unemployment while on temporary leave of absence. Unfortunately, this doesn’t cover everyone. For those who are expected to report to work without pay (as mentioned above), do not qualify for these benefits. In most states (and D.C.), if you collect unemployment benefits, and then receive retroactive your pay, you will indeed be require to repay the government.

If you are a government worker who participate in the Thrift Savings Plan, you may take loans from their retirement savings if the furlough is expected to last 30 days or less. You may not take the loan if your leave goes beyond that period. However, remember than once you remove money from your retirement account, that money is no long invested in the market. You will also be required to repay the money, so this should be used as a last resort.

One last note to keep in mind: Be skeptical about picking up work while you are on furlough. Even though the government is shut down, you are still an employee of the federal government. Because of this, certain employment (outside the scope of your federal job)may be restricted.

While these tips may bring short-term relief, the best course of action is to develop a long-term plan for these types of situations. This will be the first time that a government shutdown has extended past two pay periods, making the financial situation for many households that much tighter. No one knows how long the current shutdown will last, or when the next will arise, and that is exactly the reason to be prepared for these types of scenarios.

If you are federal employee who has questions about your day-to-day income during the shutdown, and are wanting to talk to a professional, please feel free to reach out to us. We are more than happy to assist you in this time of instability.

 

How Much Money Do You Actually Need in America?

Sherman Wealth Management | Fee Only Fiduciary

In my line of business, we talk a lot about wealth management. The idea, of course, is that financial planners and wealth managers assist you in creating a road map for your money that helps you grow savings for lifestyle goals like retirement, purchasing a home, or sending your kids to the college of their dreams. The term “wealth management” often begs the question: What does “being wealthy” mean? And when do you need a financial planner to help you manage your wealth?

How Do People View Wealth?

A recent study has shown that the definition of being wealthy rises as people age. Bloomberg states that Boomers tend to view $2.4 million as a requirement to be “wealthy” whereas millennial’s view wealth as a $2 million requirement. That’s a fairly large discrepancy – and it’s pretty clear what’s causing it. The younger we are, the more likely we are to view our financial future with a sense of optimism. We also tend to be more short-sighted in our financial planning, and believe that a smaller amount of wealth will last longer.

As we age, we become more realistic about our finances. We start to see the big picture, and that honest truth is that we often need a lot more money than we realize.

What Does Wealth Mean to You?

Despite the discrepancy in what quantifies “wealth” among generations, one thing stays the same: people view wealth as several consistent things. They believe that wealth is:

  • Options
  • Freedom
  • The ability to stop worrying
  • A secure future
  • Caring for yourself and your loved ones

Many people also say that being wealthy equates to taking time for themselves in their daily life. According to the same survey, the majority of millennial’s believe that they will be wealthy in the future. However, the same optimism doesn’t translate to Boomers and other generations.

The Importance of Saving

The key to building wealth is saving a lot, and saving early. The sooner you can start to prioritize saving in your budget, the sooner you can begin to take advantage of compound interest. I’ve discussed this in previous blog posts, but to review:

Compound interest is essentially a snowball effect. As a snowball rolls down a hill, it grows in size. Even if you start with a small amount of money invested, it picks up more and more snow with each revolution. By the time you reach the bottom of the hill, the snowball has grown significantly, and will continue to grow faster the more you have invested.

This demonstrates the importance of saving early on in your financial life. Although many millennial’s feel positively about their opportunity for wealth, they won’t be able to capitalize on these goals if they don’t prepare now.

The Importance of a Financial Plan

This wealth study by Bloomberg also indicated that most people, unsurprisingly, felt more secure in their finances when they worked with a financial advisor on constructing their financial plan. Many millennials have yet to employ their own financial advisor, and it’s time to rethink that trend.

At Sherman Wealth, many of my clients are millennial’s. I enjoy working with families and young professionals to both clearly define their goals and help them build a plan that moves them in the right direction. When advisers have the opportunity to work with millennial’s to grow their wealth, they have a leg up on pre-retirees who focus on financial planning as they near retirement: time.

When you implement a financial plan early in life, you have time on your side. With time, your wealth can grow significantly, and working with a financial adviser can help you make the right money moves early on to set yourself up for success in the long run.

Are You Ready?

In my recent video reviewing MarketWatch’s article on what you need saved for retirement by the time you’re 35 years old, I stressed the importance of saving early. It’s critical to start growing your wealth, even as a millennial who has many years until retirement, through targeted savings and a smart investing strategy. The critical thing to remember is you’re not just saving for retirement – you’re saving for all future goals like buying a house, sending your kids to college, or living well throughout your life. Saving is truly the only way to ensure wealth in your future, which means that saving is the only way to ensure options, freedom, and a lack of worrying about money as you age.

If you’d like to discuss your saving strategy, schedule a consultation today. Building a comprehensive financial plan that prioritizes saving while mitigating the impact of taxes and investment fees is key to growing your wealth and building a financial future you can rely on, and I’d love to help.

Teaching Children Financial Responsibility: Start Early

Would it surprise you to know that students graduating from high school enter college with little to no knowledge about their finances, how to budget, or save for their futures? The problem has become so severe that 40% of these students wind up going into debt in order to fund their social lives and 70% of these students wind up damaging their credit ratings shortly after college graduation.

Unfortunately, it seems as though this debt will not be going away anytime soon.  The average student loan debt for the class of 2016 increased by 6% from the previous year and the financial literacy rate in the U.S. has not improved over the past three years. While college enrollment and the number of college graduates has continued to increase, financial literacy lags among these young people at record lows. Where does this disconnect come from?

Few states offer personal finance or economics courses and even fewer states test students on the financial knowledge they have acquired. It therefore comes as no surprise that American students (and we can infer American adults) have one of the lowest levels of financial literacy when compared to other countries.  While the number of student loans has increased,

  • 44% of Americans don’t have enough cash to cover a $400 emergency
  • 43% of student loan borrowers are not making payments
  • 38% of U.S. households have credit card debt
  • 33% of American adults have $0 saved for retirement

Why does it matter? How is it affecting the economy?

Students are graduating with loans they can’t afford to pay back and with minimal financial knowledge in planning for their futures. According to Student Loan Hero, Americans have over $1.48 trillion in student loan debt, which is more than double the total U.S. credit card debt of $620 billion. This debt is becoming a major barrier to home ownership. 43% of student loan borrowers are not making payments and most of these individuals do not have any savings. A lack of sound financial knowledge will affect the economy as these millennials enter the labor force burdened with student loans.

As parents, we play a vital role in educating our children about the importance of personal finances.  In the Sherman household, we are teaching our children the importance of finances on a daily basis. Our 4 year old son is learning about savings by doing chores in return for an allowance, which he saves in his piggy bank. He is learning to save and spend his money wisely.

Parents can begin educating their children at home in order to increase the financial literacy of their kids. By demonstrating wise financial habits, parents can serve as role models for their kids. Talking in an age appropriate way to your children about the dangers of debt and the importance of saving a portion of any money they earn instills financial values and lessons your child can use throughout life.  You may find that using an allowance is a way that you can teach your kids about saving and spending appropriately. Since it has been shown that kids who manage their own money have been found to demonstrate better financial habits in the future, giving your kids the opportunity to spend and save their own allowance or money earned is a good way to prepare them for later on. Even a simple trip to the store can be used as an opportunity to start the conversation about the danger of credit cards and how they should only be used in an emergency.  Educating your kids at an early age will enable them to better learn and practice sound financial habits while under your watchful eye and cause them to be less likely to make irrational decisions once they are out on their own.

This issue is not only affecting students and young adults.  Many professionals with advanced degrees have spent countless hours studying and researching information in their particular field.  Despite all of the hours spent earning their degrees, many of these people have never taken a single course in financial education and are surprisingly not prepared to deal with the important financial decisions affecting their futures.  As a result, many extremely smart and successful people are making critical financial errors which can negatively impact the amount of money they have saved upon retirement.

Beginning in 2011, studies were conducted where participants were shown a computer generated rendering of what they might look like at their age of retirement.  They were then asked to make financial decisions about whether to spend their money today or save that money for the future. In each study, those individuals who were shown pictures of their future selves allocated more than twice as much money towards their retirement accounts than those who did not see the age-progressed images.  Seeing the images gave the participants a connection with their future selves that they did not possess before. As a result, their spending/saving behavior changed dramatically because “saving is like a choice between spending money today or giving it to a stranger years from now.”

The benefits of educating your children about the importance of personal finances are undeniable, and you’ll be able to set them up for a promising future and help them prepare for retirement. Visit us online for more information about how we can help improve your financial life.

Money in Cash? Make Sure you’re Getting the Best Rate

Sherman Wealth Management | Fee Only Fiduciary

While the stock market has been steadily climbing for the past few years, a surprising number of people are keeping a surprising amount of money in cash. And while everyone is going to have a certain amount of cash allocation, what’s even more surprising is how many people are losing out on maximizing the interest rates for those assets.

Advisors typically recommend holding 3%-5% of your assets in cash – for emergencies, short term savings goals, a new home or a vacation, or simply as a hedge against volatility.  Yet, according to the latest Capgemini World Wealth Report, high-net-worth Americans are currently holding more than 23% of their assets in cash.

Treasury yields are climbing

Why would investors prefer cash over a booming stock market? Studies, like this one, have shown that “cash on hand” – the balance of one’s checking and savings accounts – is a better predictor of happiness and life satisfaction than income or investments. Put simply, people like having “money in the bank.”

There’s no reason for that “money in the bank” to be earning zero though, particularly when there are many FDIC-insured, highly-rated, savings account options that may be yielding a higher interest rate on your savings than your current bank or investment firm’s savings options.

Short terms saving rates generally follow moves by the Federal Reserve and, as indicated by the chart to the right, short term interest rates, as reflected in short term Treasury yields, are rising. But is your bank raising your interest rates too or are they pocketing the difference and profiting? While the percentages seem small, there is actually a significant difference between earning .05% and 1.5%: the difference between earning $5 and $150 on a $10,000 savings account.

Put simply, if your cash is in a zero percent interest account, it’s no better than putting it under your mattress. You’re losing money, both in lost interest and because inflation can reduce the value of your savings.

Do you know if  your own savings account’s interest is keeping pace with rising interest rates? If not, check with your advisor to make sure you are maximizing your money’s earning power. If you’re not, consider shopping for a higher rate. Cash should be an asset class, but it shouldn’t earn zero.

If you’re not sure, we’re always available for a free consultation to see if you’re getting the best rates and you’re maximizing the earning power of your cash reserves.

 

The Imperfect Fiduciary Rule just got Worse

Last Thursday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit struck down the Department of Labor’s Fiduciary Rule, stating that it was “unreasonable’ that brokers handling investors’ retirement savings should be required to only act in clients’ best interest.

Unreasonable for advisors to only act in their clients’ best interests? Let that sink in for a moment…

In a nutshell: it’s still considered acceptable in the financial industry for advisors to give clients advice that is less than the best for the clients when it yields a higher commission for the broker.

In case you were wondering, the plaintiffs challenging the DOL’s Fiduciary Rule were the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association, the Financial Services Institute, Financial Services Roundtable, and Insured Retirement Institute. None of whom, clearly, are friends to the individual investor.

Because different Courts’ decisions have not been consistent about this Obama Administration effort to protect individual advisors, there is speculation the question will climb at some point to the Supreme Court, so this isn’t over. And while the Fiduciary Rule was not perfect, this is clearly worse.

Meanwhile, what can you as an individual investor do to make sure your interests are not being sacrificed for the benefit of your advisor? Very simple: make sure your advisor is ALREADY a Fiduciary. And if they’re not, switch. Why leave your money in a big brokerage house where conflicts of interest and commissions potentially eat into your gains and your future? Or where – instead of being given the full picture – you’re being steered toward a product that isn’t the best possible choice for you because of brokers’ sales goals or “contests”?

Individual investors have the power to tell the industry that this is unacceptable by voting with their feet (or computers.) Choose an advisor who has sworn to uphold the Fiduciary Standard and ONLY recommend choices that are in your best interest.

Just because the 5th Circuit is willing to settle for less doesn’t mean you should.

 

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If you’re concerned you’re not getting the fullest picture about what’s right for you and the best, un-conflicted advice, give us a call for a free portfolio review or learn more about our fee-only, Fiduciary approach.

A New IRS Withholding Tax Calculator Eliminates the Guesswork

Last week, in response to confusion surrounding the 2018 tax law that was passed in December, the IRS released an updated online Withholding Calculator. The tool is designed to help taxpayers make sure they are not wildly underpaying or overpaying what they will owe.

The new law is highly complex and made changes that included increasing the standard deduction, removing personal exemptions, increasing the child tax credit, limiting or discontinuing certain deductions, and changing the tax rates and brackets.

The online calculator should go a long way to help employed taxpayers plan ahead, particularly those in middle-income and upper middle-income brackets.

This is important because you don’t want to be withholding too much –in effect giving the government a free loan of money you could be investing in your home, the market, educational savings funds, or just your day-to-day needs. On the other hand, you don’t want to be withholding to little and risk facing an unexpected tax bill or penalty at tax time in 2019

According to the IRS some of the groups who should check their withholding are:

  • Two-income families
  • People with two or more jobs or seasonal work
  • People with children who claim the Child Tax Credit (or other credits)
  • People who itemized deductions in 2017
  • People with higher incomes and more complex tax returns

According to Acting IRS Commissioner David Kautter, about 90 percent of taxpayers would have “some adjustment one way or the other” to the amount they are withholding. That’s most of us.

The changes do not affect 2017 tax returns due this April. Your completed 2017 tax return can, however, help you input data to the Withholding Calculator to determine what you should be withholding for 2018 to avoid issues when you file next year. And if you do need to change the amount you are withholding (remember- 90% of us might), there is also a new version of the W-4 form to download and submit to your employer.

More information is available from the IRS here: Withholding Calculator Frequently Asked Questions.

And if you have questions about how these important changes may affect you, please call us for a free consult or reach out to your CPA.

How to Make “Cents” of the Changes to 529 Plans

Are you saving for your child’s education with a 529 account?

If you are already contributing to a 529 plan, reduced deductions in the new 2018 tax law mean you may want to increase your contributions – or even create a second 529 account – to offset higher state taxes.

If you haven’t yet opened a 529 account, this year’s important changes in tax and 529 regulations have made 529 accounts an even more valuable option for parents of school-aged or college-aged children.

Here are the changes and why contributing to a 529 account is more important than ever:

K-12 Tuition is Now Covered by 529 Plans

529 plans were originally created to let you to save and invest for your child’s college education – while paying no federal tax on qualified withdrawals. The good news is that benefit has now been expanded: you’ll be able to withdraw up to $10,000 per year per student for elementary, middle, and high school tuition if your child attends or will attend a private or religious school. And, if you’ve already been saving for K-12 with a Coverdell ESA, you can also rollover that account to a 529 plan without tax consequences.

Saving by Off-Setting State Taxes

The new 2018 tax law limits deductions for your state income and property taxes to $10,000, so you might find yourself paying more state tax this year. But if you live in one of the 34 states that offers a state tax deduction for contributions to a 529 plan, you can lower your state taxes by contributing more to your 529. In most states you have to be enrolled in one of that state’s own plans to take the deduction, but several allow you to deduct contributions from any state plan. And, if you live in one of the several states whose 529 plans include state tax credits, you could also find yourself paying considerably less.

Turbo Charging the Benefits for Younger Children

529 plans allow “front-loading,” a term for making up to five years of contributions at once. This not only allows you to “catch up” for a child already in elementary or secondary school, it also allows you to maximize state tax deductions or credits. And anyone can make contributions to your child’s 529 plan. Friends and relatives can each contribute up to $15,000 per recipient, they can also “front-load” up to five years of contributions as well, maximizing their own tax savings. Additionally, if they make direct payments to services provided for beneficiaries’ tuition or medical expenses, these expenses would be tax-free, even though the costs surpass the annual gift tax exclusion.

New Benefits for Special Needs Students

The new tax law allows assets in 529 accounts to be transferred to ABLE accounts without any penalties as long as they are transferred by 2025. ABLE plans – named for the Achieving a Better Life Experience Act – are designed to provide tax-favored savings for people with disabilities without limiting their access to benefits such as Medicaid, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). The annual contribution cap for ABLE plans is $15,000 and an account can reach $100,000 without affecting SSI benefits. You can also make tax-free withdrawals when paying for expenses such as housing, legal fees and employment trainings.

Plans Can Be Transferred to Another Child

If you no longer need the account for the child it was created for, you can change the plan’s beneficiary to another family member, saving you the income tax on 529 earnings and 10% federal penalty you pay if you withdraw money for non-educational purposes.

The Bottom Line

Every parent – and grandparent – should consider opening one or more 529 accounts for their children’s education. There is no limit to the number of plans you can contribute to, or the number of accounts that can be opened for any child, so study up to determine which plans make the most sense for you. But remember: each state’s rules are different so – like your kids – you’ll want to do your homework.

Then, as with all smart savings plans, contribute on a regular basis over time, through market ups and downs, to benefit from dollar cost averaging and watch your interest compound – and your child’s educational opportunities grow.

 

For how the new tax law affects the “Kiddie Tax” for Uniform Gifts and Transfers to Minors (UGMAs and UTMAs) please click here.

At Sherman Wealth Management we’re passionate about children’s education so please give us a call if you have any questions about your state’s 529 options.

A version of this article initially appeared on Investopedia.com

 

 

Shocked by the Market’s Drop? Chalk it Up to Recency Bias

Whether you realize it or not, chances are good that you are prone to something called Recency Bias, which is the common tendency to think that what has been happening recently will continue to happen in the near future.

If you, like many investors, are shocked and concerned about February’s sudden market volatility, it’s probably a result of Recency Bias. The last 18 months of smooth sailing without market volatility got many investors lulled into thinking that that trend would continue indefinitely.

We all know that markets experience volatility and, until 18 months ago, it was considered reasonably normal, but no one likes the thought of taking a loss. It’s hard not to panic if your oldest child is in college and her 529 just took a hit or if you’re a year away from retirement and your IRA just lost 15% of it’s paper value.

Although you no doubt know that impulsive trading is one of the least efficient ways to reach your true long-term investment potential, emotions are powerful drivers. In fact, in Robert Shiller’s book “Irrational Exuberance,” he states that the emotional state of investors “is no doubt one of the most important factors causing the bull market” we just recently experienced.

The chart below shows that investor sentiment dropped 30% in the beginning of the year, suggesting that investors’ overall attitude may have been veering from bullish to bearish, although it did bounce back this week.  What it also suggests is that Recency Bias caused investors’ to react more strongly to typical market volatility because it was a-typical during the long period of calm we just experienced.

The key in times of volatility is to keep your eye on your long-term goals rather than reacting impulsively to temporary trends. In Taking The Sting Out Of Investment Loss, Brian Boch advises: “The golden rule is to differentiate between [decisions] based on rational and prudent trading strategies on the one hand and emotionally-based, panicky decisions on the other. The former generally leads to success over time, while the latter tends to lead to failure.”

Here at Sherman Wealth Management we believe there is productivity and security in planning for the unknown by defining what it is you already do know. Knowing yourself, your emotions, and the risk you are willing to take is the first step. The second is creating a long-term financial plan with a conflict-free, Fiduciary advisor.

In a recent post, Ben Carlson wrote:

“The prep time for a market correction or crash comes well before it actually happens by:

  • Setting realistic expectations.
  • Mapping out a course of attack for when losses occur.
  • Making decisions ahead of time about what moves (if any) to make and when depending on what happens.
  • Deciding on the correct level of risk to be taken.
  • Building behaviorally-aware portfolios.”

The best solution to financial and emotional volatility is to work with a financial planner on a plan that will make you feel comfortable through the market’s natural ups and downs. You may not be able to control outside factors but you can control your reactions by recognizing how bias works and by preparing both emotionally and financially to reach the long-term goals that matter to you.

And, as always, if you’d like to review your plan and how your allocations conform to your own risk tolerance and response to volatility, please let me know and we’ll schedule a call.