Reasons for Saving
Saving for Retirement
The main reason for retirement saving is so that we can reach a retirement age and not have to reduce your previous lifestyle spending. In order to develop a successful retirement plan you need experience, knowledge and a multidisciplinary team of professionals. StateTrust has all those elements to help you develop effective strategies based on forecast models that consider customer’s future needs, asset versus liabilities growth and historical performance in order for you to have the retirement you want.
Some important and related topics about retirement:
- Time Horizon
The sooner we begin to save the easier it is to achieve the goals.
- International versus United States clients.
At StateTrust we service United States and International clients.
- Sources of retirement income
Important to understand where will your retirement money come from.
- Some retirement savings trends.
Retirement savings has changed overtime but more important now than ever.
- Retirement savings and the importance of deferring taxes.
Comparing two different strategies of saving.
- Retirement plans for seniors.
You can start at anytime. Take a look at some options we have.
- Retirement calculators.
Use our calculator to find how much need to retire and how much you need save.
Saving for College
Giving our children the opportunity of a head start in their professional life is one of the best gifts we can give our children. Building a savings nest that will contribute towards their college education expenses is definitely that head start you are looking for your children. Higher education can really pay off in the long run, giving your child greater opportunities of future financial success.
Here the assumption is the same as with all investments, the earlier you start a college savings/investment plan the easier it will be to build the funds required for school.
| Type of Institution | Projected 4-Year Tuition and Fees | |
| Today (Enrolling 2010) |
In 18 Years (Enrolling 2028) |
|
| Private College | $119,400 | $340,800 |
| Public/University (in-state resident) | $33,300 | $95,000 |
| 2 Years Community College & 2 Years Private College | $68,800 | $196,300 |
Buying a Home
Buying a house is part of the American dream and it is probably the first long term investment that many of us face. It may be a sound investment but the need to buy a house comes from our need for security and building a nest. Sometimes this decision is made without realizing that this investment in the long run might represent a big percentage of the total family net-worth. It is of extreme importance that we get ready for this big step and to move forward with confidence that we are doing the right decision at the right time. In order to be ready for this we suggest you meet with one of our Wealth Advisors to develop a sound savings plan and that will include the following check list.
Checklist
- Check your Credit Score
Make sure you find out how good your credit score is with the three main agencies. 1. Equifax, 2. Experian and 3. TransUnion. If your credit score is far from perfect then make the right corrections. Understand that besides not being delinquent in your loans the score also takes into consideration if you are paying your monthly bills on time, how much debt you have, how many times you have made loan requests in the last 6 months and many times you have been turn down for a loan.
- Assess your job continuity
Most home loan request will review your work history. They are looking for job continuity and stability. The assumption here is that risk is reduced if the home buyer is not a candidate for finding himself without a job. Job continuity doesn’t refer to working for the same employer for a long time but showing that you have no gaps of employment in your work history. The most forgiving reasons for gaps in your work history are military, school and illness.
- Find out what is the monthly payment you can afford
A very common mistake that “first time home buyers” make is to pick a house they want to buy and then when they are already emotionally committed they start looking for ways on how to afford the house. In order to avoid the “house broke” effect that comes from buying a house that is too expensive for your earning you should first review how much you can afford on monthly payments. This analysis should take into consideration any unforeseen expenses coming from the home purchase and should allow room for additional savings.
- Save for a substantial down payment
Regardless of the minimum payment requirements the lender is requesting you should always try to save for a down payment of 20% of more. A down payment above the minimum requirements will make the lender more willing to take risks, also your interest rate will be lower and it might accelerate the total loan re-payment. Keep in mind that when buying a house your down payment savings will be reduced with the amount of money you will need for “Closing Costs”; which could include appraisals costs, legal fees, realtor fees, and lender processing fees.
Getting Married
Planning for marriage and then starting a family is a live-changing moment beyond the most obvious things. The decision making process is now a shared responsibility, the family dreams must be translated into achievable financial goals, the financial requirements must be aligned with each addition to the family nucleus and it is the perfect time to start with a plan that will reduce any risk that health, death or any other unexpected events might bring. At StateTrust we believe in custom-making a financial plan for each customer, helping our customers reduce financial risk that expected and/or unexpected events will bring in the future and making adjustments along the way.
Basics on how to reduce risk:
Financial Planning
Now that you decided to get married the responsibility of managing your finances is shared with your partner’s dreams and requirements. A StateTrust financial planning expert can assist you make decisions that will yield the best of your financial resources and reduce the burden that you and your partner might feel with such an important decision. The first step towards financial planning is to assess your needs and to anticipate any unexpected or expected events that might jeopardize your financial goals.
Health care
Anywhere in the world you look you will find news about rising health care costs. On the other hand studies are published regularly and consistently confirming that life expectancy is increasing globally. With such trends happening at the same time we can expect that private and government managed health care systems will have a hard time adjusting to this new reality. Also, the quality of health care could also be negatively affected due to budget cuts and other strains that are out of your control. The only way to reduce the risk of not having enough medical care coverage, or not having access to the best medical procedures in the world for you or your family, is to be adequately insured for immediate and extended health care. At StateTrust we want to understand your family health care requirements and it is our duty to assist you in minimizing and neutralizing all possible health care issues that might derail your financial plans.
Life Insurance
One of the hardest and probably most important decisions to make when you have a partner and/or a family members that depend on your income is to estimate how much money will my loved ones be needing in case I am missing. A StateTrust financial planner can assist you in a very objective, professional and caring manner on how to make provisions after you or your partner are dead, guarantee that your family will continue to receive income, make sure the survivors will have a home and even make sure that any final expenses are not a financial burden to the survivors. Life insurance policies have other uses that can help you save money for planned events and protect your estate. Learn more about how we can help you and your new family at StateTrust by scheduling an appointment and filling out our New Account Documentation.
Estate Planning
A estate has nothing to do with how much money you have. A estate is calculated as the total of your assets and liabilities at a certain point in time and usually at death. In other words, everyone has a estate regardless of the size. Deciding ahead of time, step by step, what will happen to your estate at death is called Estate Planning.
At StateTrust we design specific estate plans for our customers. We follow the Estate Planning Process in order to reduce risk of uncertainty over the administration of a probate. Also, we maximize the value of the Estate by an efficient tax structure and legal considerations. The reasons of why to have a Estate Plan go beyond the simple instructions of how to dispose of the estate at death and many times they will require sophisticated legal and tax efficient structures in order to achieve its purpose. The list of different assets that can be included in a estate varies from tangible, intangible and real estate property.
A more particular reason that has become popular in recent years is for marriage reasons. The law varies from place to place and community property and some other tax considerations are important to understand.
Depending on how much of the estate is in the form of liquid assets a life insurance policy could be the most efficient way to create estate and reduce expenses. Important considerations should be made when children are the main beneficiaries of the estate and local laws should be taken into consideration and options should be defined.
Last but not least important recommendation is to always review and update your Estate Plan. At StateTrust we make it our business to revisit plans, in the look for any changes, at least once every six months.
Saving on Taxes
StateTrust has the understanding of the role that taxes play in any investment. We certainly understand it but we investment strategies are based first on the economics of the investment – its risk, the probability of future returns and how it fits the customer’s financial plan.
Taxes due play an important role in the overall return on investment, so it is important to understand it. We assist our customer’s on how to manage efficiently, from a tax perspective, complex matters such as:
1. Profit reinvestment strategy.
2. Offsetting capital gains and losses.
3. Choosing the right tax favored investment strategies.
4. Recommending estate tax options in order to reduce estate and income taxes.
Objectives-Estate Planning