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Education Kevin Retirement Video

The Three Bucket Approach: Securing Your Retirement Income

In this video, Kevin from Leading Edge Financial Planning breaks down the Three Bucket Approach — a retirement portfolio strategy as vital as oxygen for financial peace in retirement. He explains the importance of each bucket: a cash bucket for immediate expenses, a conservative bucket for steady income in the medium-term, and a growth bucket to guard against inflation and maintain purchasing power. Discover how this method can bring security and peace of mind, along with ideas to consider for managing your retirement portfolio using this approach.

Kevin also discusses some pros and cons about this strategy and offers insights on how to visualize these buckets to achieve peace of mind in retirement. If you’re planning for retirement or just want to understand how to make your income last, this video is a must-watch.


Please remember that past performance may not be indicative of future results. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk and there can be no assurance that the future performance of any specific investment, investment strategy, or product made reference to directly or indirectly in this video will be profitable, equal any corresponding indicated historical performance level(s), or be suitable for your portfolio. Moreover, you should not assume that any information or any corresponding discussions serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from Leading Edge Financial Planning personnel. The opinions expressed are those of Leading Edge Financial Planning and are subject to change at any time due to the changes in market or economic conditions

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Kevin Retirement

Not Your Parents Long Term Care Insurance

Understanding Long-Term Care Costs:

New Insurance Options

Kevin Gormely, CFP®, CPA and Todd Russell CFP®, President of Private Client Strategies, LLC dive into the evolving landscape of long-term care insurance and its critical role in financial planning. With rising healthcare costs and the increasing desire to age in place, understanding the new generation of long-term care products is essential.They explore the financial risks associated with long-term care, discuss how these costs can impact your savings, and explain how modern insurance policies can help mitigate some of these risks. Whether you’re planning for yourself or loved ones, this discussion offers valuable insights into making informed decisions about long-term care.

Please remember that past performance may not be indicative of future results. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk and there can be no assurance that the future performance of any specific investment, investment strategy, or product made reference to directly or indirectly in this video will be profitable, equal any corresponding indicated historical performance level(s), or be suitable for your portfolio. Moreover, you should not assume that any information or any corresponding discussions serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from Leading Edge Financial Planning personnel. The opinions expressed are those of Leading Edge Financial Planning and are subject to change at any time due to the changes in market or economic conditions.

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Charlie Education Kevin Pilot Money Guys Pilots Retirement

Southwest Airlines Market Based Cash Balance Plan

SWA Market-Based Cash Balance Pension Plan (MBCBP) Tips and Techniques

Below is an overview of the topics we cover in the video:

• Market-Based Cash Balance Plan basics

• Why do we love it? 

• How to max out the MBCBP 

• How to minimize your 401k spillover if you do not want more MBCBP. 

• How to use the potential MBCBP tax savings to contribute more Roth to your retirement savings.

Leading Edge is not affiliated with Southwest Airlines.  This is informational only.  Please refer to the Southwest Airlines Pilot contract for further information.

Please remember that past performance may not be indicative of future results. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk and there can be no assurance that the future performance of any specific investment, investment strategy, or product made reference to directly or indirectly in this video will be profitable, equal any corresponding indicated historical performance level(s), or be suitable for your portfolio. Moreover, you should not assume that any information or any corresponding discussions serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from Leading Edge Financial Planning personnel. The opinions expressed are those of Leading Edge Financial Planning and are subject to change at any time due to the changes in market or economic conditions.

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Education Rob

Is a Custom-Fit Financial Plan Right for You?

“The only sensible person is my tailor. He measures me anew each time he sees me.” ~George Bernard Shaw

Author:  Robert Eklund

 

Our lives here in the good ole USA are as varied as ice cream flavors nowadays. (Think Ben & Jerry’s Marshmallow Sky or the tried-and-true Cherry Garcia).

We all enjoy and prefer different hobbies, places to live, and professions. We love different people, drive different cars, and enjoy different vacations and recreations; this variety helps make life exciting!

Thank God we are different; this would be a pretty dull world and nowhere close to the innovative planet we live on today if we all enjoyed the same things. Some people love science, others love art, some like flying planes, while others love finance. And some crazies actually enjoy both!


The Case for Tailored Financial Plans

NEWS ALERT – We are not the same, and never will be! These variations and aspirational differences make us uniquely…us. These differences illustrate why our financial plans should be more than just one-size-fits-all carbon copies. Our plans should be specifically tailored to our ambitions, values, and life goals.

The term tailors use to describe a suit that fits precisely to your body and no one else’s is bespoke. We know there are all kinds of suits differing widely depending on the occasion, size of the individual, the expected weather, and the budget. Nevertheless, there are articles all suits should include, such as pants, a jacket, buttons, a tie, and shoes.

Similarly, our financial plans should be tailored to our circumstances, values, goals, income levels, time horizons, and risk tolerance. However, all competent, professional wealth management should include risk assessments, retirement planning, estate planning, education wishes, insurance needs, etc.

Ideally, everyone would have tailored clothing. However, for many people, a bespoke suit or financial plan is outside of their budget, and an off-the-rack suit or financial plan that fits their circumstances can put them on the right path to accumulating wealth. Once assets grow and circumstances become more complex, a bespoke financial plan may make more sense than the off-the-shelf answer.


Simple Plans for Simple Lives

Let us take a 23-year-old minimum-wage worker living paycheck to paycheck. Let’s call him “Rooster.” Rooster has ambition, is disciplined, and would like to retire at age 67. He wants to live a comfortable but not extravagant life in retirement. At this point, he does not have a family or much in the way of assets or complexity. His plan may look like this:

Step 1. Ensure Rooster has three-to-six months of living expenses in a high-yield savings account.
Step 2. Save 15-20% of every dollar earned in a Roth IRA.
Step 3. Put these dollars to work for Rooster in a low-cost target-date retirement fund for now.
Step 4. After Rooster begins to see the benefits and power of compounding, talk to a fiduciary advisor about how to invest those dollars more deliberately outside of a target date fund.
Step 5. Save for short-to-mid-term goals in a separate taxable brokerage account invested in a money market fund or short-term bond fund.


Complex Strategies for Complex Lives

Now, we will consider a 59-year-old airline captain. Let’s call him Captain Maverick. Now, Maverick is married to a younger bar owner who is 49 years old. You guessed it, her name is Penny.

They have one child they want to put through college and aging parents they will help care for. Maverick will retire at age 65, and Penny will retire at 55. They would like to continue their current lifestyle in retirement and aspire to travel the world. Penny wants a new Porsche 911 in retirement, and Maverick wants a new Kawasaki motorcycle and to fly his P-51 Mustang 10 hours a month.

Maverick is maxing out his airline’s 401k 2023 IRS 415(c) limit of $69,000 plus his $7,500 414(v) catch-up contributions (for folks 50 and older).

Luckily, Penny’s bar does well because of all the drunken sailors. Unfortunately, she feels frustrated because even though her income is significantly less than Maverick’s, her income pushes their joint income into a much higher marginal tax bracket. She wonders if she should even waste her time with the bar since (seemingly) a substantial part of her income is going to the tax man!

Fortunately, Penny learned that she could contribute up to $69,000 to her Solo or Individual 401k because she is a self-employed business owner. The 401k is especially beneficial since Penny can contribute a significant percentage of her self-employed income. Furthermore, she can contribute pre-tax or Roth, just like Maverick!

Additionally, they both max out their after-tax IRA contributions and convert them to Roth including catch-up contributions ($7,000 for Penny, $8,000 for Maverick). They also contribute $15,000 annually to their Schwab taxable brokerage accounts using tax-efficient exchange traded funds (ETF) which can nearly mimic tax-deferred growth if invested correctly.

Maverick’s airline also contributes to a Market-Based Cash Balance Plan for their pilots, approximately $16,100 per year, including 401k spillover. You might have guessed that Maverick has a Navy pension ($54,000 per year) and a military disability benefit of $12,000 per year.


Preparing for a Secure Future

Developing a retirement income plan would help them determine if they are on track and ensure they can prepare for unexpected life changes that come their way.

Furthermore, their plan would be stress tested for potential market declines and evaluate the sequence of return risks and mitigate said risk using the Three Bucket Retirement Income strategy.

Here are other beneficial strategies Maverick and Penny consider helping to simplify the complexity of their financial lives:

  • College planning. What are the best places to save for Maverick (or Penny) Jr.’s education? What if Jr. Decides to skip college and attend a trade school or United’s Aviate program?
  • Long-term care planning. What if one or both has the need for long-term care during their lifetime? How can they help their aging parents in this difficult area?
  • Should they convert pre-tax dollars (401k) to Roth during retirement and before required minimum distributions begin?
  • Tax-loss harvesting strategies may be implemented for their taxable brokerage accounts thus reducing the potential tax drag due to capital gains taxes.
  • Utilize a risk-appropriate, diversified ETF approach to their portfolio to mitigate unseen risks to their investment strategy.
    Perform a thorough audit of life, liability, and health insurance needs.
  • A tax-efficient charitable plan could be developed to maximize their philanthropic contributions.
  • Legacy planning would be thoroughly discussed to help stabilize and solidify not only their financial futures but the future of generations to come.

As you can see the Maverick-Penny Plan is significantly more complex than Rooster’s. Maverick and Penny are likely to have quite a bit of income in retirement and they do not want to risk making a big mistake with their future.


The Value of Personalized Financial Advice

A bespoke financial approach could add tremendous value to Penny and Maverick’s financial lives, reduce their stress, and increase their peace of mind!

If you made it this far and are still awake, I thank you. As you now know, I am a fiduciary and vow to protect my clients’ hard-earned money with the highest devotion to their goals.

If you want to chat further about your personal financial goals or any other subject, please give me a buzz at (719) 624-7055 or shoot me an email at robert@leadgingedgeplanning.com.
Until next time, I hope you have only tailwinds and blue skies!


Please let us know if we can help you on your journey to financial peace and prosperity! Click here to sign up for our newsletter or click here to schedule a time to chat about your circumstances in more detail. Also, check out our Pilot Money Guys podcast, where we regularly discuss these types of financial topics along with some fun airline news updates and interesting guest interviews—even the editor and founder of Aero Crew News – Craig Pieper


Please remember that past performance may not be indicative of future results. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk and there can be no assurance that the future performance of any specific investment, investment strategy, or product made reference to directly or indirectly in this video will be profitable, equal any corresponding indicated historical performance level(s), or be suitable for your portfolio. Moreover, you should not assume that any information or any corresponding discussions serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from Leading Edge Financial Planning personnel. The opinions expressed are those of Leading Edge Financial Planning and are subject to change at any time due to the changes in market or economic conditions.

Categories
Retirement Rob

What Does Fiduciary Mean and Why is it Important?

Leading Edge Financial Planning is growing!  Thanks to you for spreading the word about Leading Edge, we’re adding new advisors to increase our capacity and continue to improve the quality of our service for current and future clients.   

We’ve been tremendously fortunate to have added three new advisors over the last few months.  Many of you already know Ben Dickinson as he’s been with us for almost two years now.  However, he’s moving into more of an advisory role as he’s increased his knowledge base, experience and met the SEC’s requirements to become an Investment Advisor Representative (IAR).   

We’ve also added Mark Covell as an IAR.  Mark is a soon-to-be-retired Marine fighter pilot as well aan American Airlines pilot And yeshe’s brilliant and talented in addition to being a Marine warrior for our country!   

For many of you, this article may be your first introduction to Rob Eklund.  He’s one of our latest additions to the team.  We’re very excited to add Rob to our team of advisors because of his passion and excitement for helping people with their personal finances.  Mguess is his enthusiasm will come through in this article. He tells his story of searching for a trusted, fiduciary financial advisor to help him and his family with their personal financebefore becoming an IAR himself.  Click here tlearn more about Rob’s background and experience, and please check out his article below... 

What Does Fiduciary Mean and Why is it Important

The first time I heard the term fiduciary, I said to myself, fidu…what? Sounds fancy. Then I fell asleep. Admittedly, this topic appears boring and could put my 16-year-old boy all hopped up on Mountain Dew to sleep! But here is a wake-up callknowing who is and who is not a fiduciary is the first step in finding someone to help you with your retirement and investment planning.   

I have been interested in investing ever since I was knee-high to a grasshopper. However, I acquired this fiduciary knowledge several years ago when I was a newly minted first officer for a major airline, before becoming an investment advisor myself.  At that time, I began a journey to find a trustworthy financial advisor for myself and my family. As a military officer, money had not been a primary concern, and to be honest, I didn’t have enough of it to matter. But as I began my major airline career in 2013, I realized I would soon have enough money that I had better start thinking about how to manage it. I knew I needed help. Furthermore, my focus was on learning how to be a first officer while still juggling my Air Force Reserve career.  

Many questions ran through my head. The biggest and most important was, How can I protect my money? The money I had worked so hard to accumulate. What I found surprised me.  Many financial advisors wanting my business were not fiduciaries. Some of these advisors were very intelligent and could sell with the best. One problem, they only had a suitable duty of care to me versus a fiduciary standard.   

The Suitability Standard 

The suitability standard means an advisor or broker only had to put my money into investments they deemed adequate. They did not need to give me advice that put my interests ahead of their own.    

The Fiduciary Standard 

A fiduciary is someone who acts on behalf of another person and has a legal and ethical obligation to put their clients’ interests ahead of their own.  SEC Chairman Jay Clayton defined the fiduciary responsibility this way, This duty  comprised of both a duty of care and a duty of loyalty  is principlesbased and applies to the entire relationship between the investment adviser and the client. When someone is a fiduciary, it applies to the entire relationship, not parts of it. It is the highest standard in the financial world.  

You may be saying, Okay. Great! Aren’t all financial advisors’ fiduciaries? Unfortunately, the term financial advisor is very nebulous and can apply talmost anyone.  In fact, most financial advisors are not fiduciaries.  Furthermore, more than half of respondents (53 percent) to a 2017 Financial Engines survey mistakenly believe that all financial advisorare already legally required to put their clients’ best interests first.    

Regulation Best Interest, aka “Reg BI”? 

Reg BI, effective January 1st, 2020, attempted to improve upon the suitability standard and move the ethical bar higher for anyone who calls themselves a financial advisor.  Instead of only having a suitable duty, they are now supposed to have a best interest duty. The regulation takes several steps to raise the bar (like having to disclose conflicts of interest); however, it does not change the dynamics of how a non-fiduciary advisor operates or receives compensation  

It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends upon his not understanding it.” ~Upton Sinclair  

I believe this is what Reg BI attempts to do. It tries to get brokers to act in the client’s best interest, but their salary often depends on him not doing so. I fear that many advisors will continue finding ways to put clients in funds that pay them a commission. Even in the regulation itself, the term best interest is ill-defined and very open to interpretation.  

Fee-Only versus Fee-Based 

The critical distinction is that an advisor operating under Reg BI castilbe paid by a 3rd party tpuclient’s money in certain investments or insurance products.  In other words, if an advisor gets paid by a third party (mutual fund company or insurance/annuity company) to put your money in certain investments or insurance products, then there is a conflict of interest.  And athat moment, the advisor needto disclose that they arNOT acting in a fiduciary capacity.      

Most fiduciaries operate in a fee-only manner.  This means the client’s fees are the onlsource of income for the advisor, and they are not paid commissions from third parties or outside sources that could bring into question the objectivity of the advice given.  Be sure to understand thdistinction between a fee-based financial advisor who may earn a commission and a fee versus a fee-only advisor.  The languagis very nebulous and confusing for a reason.   

Back to my personal journey in search of a trustworthy financial advisor; During one conversation, I asked, Do you have a fiduciary duty to me? What should have been a simple yes or no, was instead a bunch of hemming and hawing, but no real answer. Not to be deterred, I asked again. This time I received another vague response, so I asked once more. Finally, thiadvisor told me he only had a suitable responsibility (today, he would have told me he had a best interest responsibility).  Case closed! He may have been a great advisor, but he had no legal obligation to dwhat was best for my family and me 

 I wanted my financial advisor to do what was in my highest interest. Furthermore, I wanted someone whose advice was objective and had no incentive to put me in a particular mutual fund. For me, the fiduciary advisor is the answer.  

“How do you find out if someone has a fiduciary responsibility to you? This one is easy, ask.  

Ask the following question, If I hire you as my advisordo you always have a fiduciary duty to me?” If the answer is not a fairly quick, “Yes” I advise looking elsewhere. If it is, follow it uwith this question“To be clear, you never put on a broker hat and always have a fiduciary responsibility tme? The answer should again be, yes. 

Beyond asking, you should also be able to find out by looking at the disclosures on their website or looking at their Form ADV Part 2A/Firm Brochure or the new Client Relationship Statement (CRS) mandated by Reg BI. 

When I became an advisor, I knew I wanted to do it the right way and act as a fiduciary for my clients.  Thankfully, Leading Edge Financial Planning (LEFP) shares this belief. Our Form ADV Part 2A says this: 

Item 10: Other Financial Industry Activities and AffiliationsNo LEFP employee is registered or has an application pendinto register as a broker-dealer or a registered representative of a broker-dealer. LEFP only receives compensation directly from our clients. We do not receive compensation from any outside source, nor do we pay referral fees to outside sources for client referrals.” 

 If you have gotten this far and not fallen asleep, I thank you. As you now know, I am a fiduciary and vow to protect my clients’ hard-earned money with the highest devotion to their goals. Until next time, I hope you have only tailwinds and blue skies! 

 

Robert E. Eklund, CRD # 7317768 
Investment Advisor Representative  
www.leadingedgeplanning.com 

Robert Eklund – Financial Planner

Rob is a Southwest Pilot and soon to be retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel. He grew up working on his family’s ranch in Colorado and went to high school in Alaska.  In 2000, he graduated from the United States Air Force Academy, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Legal Studies.  Rob has served over twenty years in the Air Force, ten years on active duty, and over ten in the Reserves. During his military career he flew the C-130 while stationed in Germany and the KC-10 in California. Rob has accumulated over 700 hours of combat flying hours and participated in multiple Operations.  He was hired by Southwest Airlines in 2013 and became a staff officer at USNORTHCOM’s Domestic Operations Division in 2016. While holding this position as an Air Planner, Rob helped areas recover from Hurricane disasters; specifically, he was called to active duty to aid in recovery efforts following Hurricane Maria.

While studying at the Academy, Rob discovered his enthusiasm for the study of personal finance and investing.  As his military service comes to a close, he is excited to combine his passion for helping and protecting others with his enthusiasm for personal finance.  This culminated in 2020 with Rob passing the Series 65 Uniform Investment Advisor Law Exam and joining the Leading Edge team as a fiduciary advisor.  A fiduciary’s role comes naturally to him as he enjoys helping people whether that benefits him or not.  Rob knows the tremendous trust clients place in their financial advisors, and it is his goal to grow that trust through the highest level of transparency and integrity.  In his personal life, Rob married up to the love of his life and has been married for 18 years. He is overwhelmingly proud of his son, whom he recently donated a kidney.

 

Please remember that past performance may not be indicative of future results. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk and there can be no assurance that the future performance of any specific investment, investment strategy, or product made reference to directly or indirectly in this post will be profitable, equal any corresponding indicated historical performance level(s), or be suitable for your portfolio. Moreover, you should not assume that any information or any corresponding discussions serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from Leading Edge Financial Planning personnel. The opinions expressed are those of Leading Edge Financial Planning as of 02/10/2021 and are subject to change at any time due to the changes in market or economic conditions.

Categories
Charlie Education

What Lies Ahead? The Top Ten Investing Principles for Getting Through the Next Market Downturn, Pandemic, Recession, etc.

Not even Hollywood writers could have created a story like we lived out in 2020. In this video, Charlie Mattingly and one of Leading Edge’s newest advisors, Rob Eklund, discuss what this year has taught us, how to better prepare in the future, and thoughts about the markets and economy going forward.   

Leading Edge financial advisor Rob Eklund, a First Officer for a major airline and a retired Air Force Pilot, review what investors can learn from mission planning in the Air Force anairlines.  Foexample, how can we be proactive instead of reactiveMany times, people may remark how pilots need quick reactions to be successful.  As Rob and I know, if you are frequently reacting as a pilot, it’s a good indication you did not plan sufficiently.  We believe it’s the samwith investing and retirement planning.   

Although, it is to prepare prior to a recession or market downturn, there are many things we can do during the event itselfVanguard posted the following graphic listing just a few of the value-added strategies that are critical to consider during any market decline.  

 

In addition to the checklist above from Vanguard, we believe there are ten essential principles to help all of us remained focused and less stressed during the next market downturn or recession.  

 

Embrace the efficiency of the markets in the long term.   

 

In the short term, the stock market reflects investor phycology (and many other unpredictable factors).  However, over time, equity prices tend to represent the future cash flows of a business.  We can all share in those future profits if we have the discipline to remain invested.

Don’t try to outguess the market. 

Although there is some debate within the finance community on the exact level of impact on investment returns, most will agree that strategic asset allocation and the amount of time in the market (not market timing) havthe most considerable influence on investor returns.    

Resist chasing performance.  

Do not select investments based on past returns.  Funds that have outperformed in the past do not always persist as winners in the future.  Past performance alone provides little insight into a mutual fund or ETFs ability to outperform in the future.  

Let markets work for you.  

The financial markets have historically rewarded long-term investors.  We have the opportunity to earn an investment return that outpaces inflation by supplying capital to the companies we invest in. (I.e., stocks, mutual funds, exchange-traded funds) 

Consider the drivers of returns.  

Evidence shows that buying investments at a fair price (value factor), buying companies that demonstrate a consistent trend of profitability (profitability factor), and companies that tend to be smaller (small-cap premium) point to differences in expected future returns.   

Practice smart diversification.  

Diversification helps reduce risks that have no expected return.  Global diversification can prove beneficial over the long term while reducing the short-term volatility of a portfolio.   

Avoid market timing.  

You never know which market segments will outperform from year to year. Time in the market is much more profitable than attempting to time the market.   

Manage your emotions. 

It’s challenging to differentiatthe short-term ups and downs of the market from the long-term returnneeded to outpace inflationIn reality, the most significant risk we face is losing purchasing power over the long-term, during retirement, versus the risk of short-term losses in the market  

Look beyond the headlines.  

There will ALWAYS be a news headline that could prevent you from investing in the stock market.  The news headlines will either attempt to scare you out of the markets or lure you into the latest investing trend.  Either strategy increases viewership, which in turn sells more commercials.   

Focus on what you can control.  

As we mentioned at the beginning of the article, just like pilots plan for their missions in great detail, we believe thorough planning is the best way to ensure a successful investing experience plus a fulfilling and prosperous retirement.   

Please don’t hesitate to call or email us anytime.  We’d love to hear from you! 

Charlie Mattingly

Charlie@leadingedgefinancialplanning.com 

865-240-2292 

Please remember that past performance may not be indicative of future results. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk and there can be no assurance that the future performance of any specific investment, investment strategy, or product made reference to directly or indirectly in this video will be profitable, equal any corresponding indicated historical performance level(s), or be suitable for your portfolio. Moreover, you should not assume that any information or any corresponding discussions serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from Leading Edge Financial Planning personnel. The opinions expressed are those of Leading Edge Financial Planning as of 12/18/2020 and are subject to change at any time due to the changes in market or economic conditions.

Categories
Charlie High Income Pilots Retirement Mistakes

Trust Your Instruments, Not Your Gut, When it Comes to Flying AND Investing!

​As a brand-new pilot, one of the first things you learn is how to mitigate the risk of the potentially deadly physiological phenomenon known as spatial disorientation or spatial-D. In pilot speak, spatial-D is when your body is telling you one thing and your flight instruments (and airplane) are telling you something completely different. Sadly, spatial-D has claimed the lives of many pilots.

In this video, one of our newest Leading Edge team members and previous Marine F/A-18 fighter pilot, Mark Covell discusses just one example of spatial-D.  Mark shares how carrier pilots tend to feel like they are pitching up as they are launched off the carrier at night due to the massive acceleration from the catapult. During daytime, VFR conditions this is probably a non-issue. However, in weather, or at night, this type of spatial-D is potentially deadly.

What does spatial-D have to do with investing and retirement planning? Personally, I feel like all of 2020 could be compared to being catapulted off a carrier at night and not knowing what is up or what is down.

During the heat of the battle from February until the markets settled a bit in early April, investor emotions were all over the place. Years of stock market gains evaporated in days, even hours. Furthermore, many people thought, and the news media quickly suggested we were headed for the second Great Depression. And don’t get me wrong, anything was (and is) possible. Sometimes, the unknown can be truly scary.

One slightly humorous example of investor spatial-D was early in the pandemic when the shares of ticker symbol ZOOM shot up due to investors buying up shares as quickly as possible. Zoom Technologies, a so-called penny stock had risen more than 240% in the span of a month before the SEC suspended trading. Unfortunately, the traders failed to realize the ticker symbol ZOOM did not represent the Cloud Video Conferencing company Zoom they thought they were purchasing – Ticker symbol ZM.

Here is the headline from MarketWatch.com dated February 27, 2020.

In the airplane, pilots must fight spatial-D by cross-checking and TRUSTING their instruments. If, as an investor, you did not trust your instruments during 2020, it may have been very costly.

So, it’s a dark night and the weather is terrible.  What are the instruments you trust?  What is your primary and backup instrument? Here are four instruments that I think can save your investments as well as your financial sanity during uncertain times…

1. Cash reserves – Emergency Funds.

    • Having extra cash can prevent withdrawals from retirement accounts or excessive credit card debt in emergencies.  Studies also show having cash in a bank account makes people happy. In an article posted on PYMNTS.com,  “Can Cash Really Make You Happier”, Joe Gladstone, research associate at the University of Cambridge in the U.K. and co-author of two recent studies about money and happiness said,

“We find a very interesting effect: that the amount of money you have in your bank account right now is a better predictor of happiness than your aggregate wealth,” Gladstone explained. “Having more money in their bank account makes people feel more financially secure, which leads to an increase in happiness.”

2. Have a working knowledge of financial history.

    • You don’t have to be an expert or financial historian, but I believe being familiar with financial history is akin to training before you go on a flying mission.  Pilots call this chair flying.  Athletes and musicians use a technique called visualization that helps them prepare for uncertainty and reduce anxiety for a sporting event or concert.

3. Admit that times are scary, and you do not know what’s going to happen.

    • This may sound silly, but I’ve seen many people get themselves into a “square corner” because they assumed that something was going to happen when in fact there was no indication or possible way of knowing what the future may hold.  We have heard investors say “my gut tells me…” many times.
      • Some of the best investors in the world invest with the mindset of preparing to be wrong. That’s why diversification is not popular or “sexy” because it’s like admitting you don’t know what’s going to happen in the future, so you must prepare for multiple scenarios.  However, diversification can feel disappointing but prove to be a profitable strategy over the long term.

BlackRock Investment Management Company posted the graphic below on their investor education website about diversification and “S&P Envy” over the last 20 years.

4. Prepare and Plan by having a clear vision of your goals and priorities.

    • If you don’t understand the “why” behind your investments as well as why you’re investing and saving in the first place, you will most likely bail-out of your plan during difficult and uncertain times.  Changing your investment plan mid-crisis creates a very high likelihood that your investment returns will be significantly lower.
    • Simon Sinek started a movement by encouraging businesses to “Start with Why.” It’s a powerful mindset that leads to trust, inspiration and success.  I believe the same applies to your financial and investment game plan.

5. Remember that you are invested in companies – not politics.

    • Sometimes our politics clouds the investment and retirement planning picture.  This rule falls under the axiom; “control the controllable.”  If you’re allowing your politics to affect your investment game plan than you may want to see rule number 2 above.

Please remember that past performance may not be indicative of future results. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk and there can be no assurance that the future performance of any specific investment, investment strategy, or product made reference to directly or indirectly in this video will be profitable, equal any corresponding indicated historical performance level(s), or be suitable for your portfolio. Moreover, you should not assume that any information or any corresponding discussions serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from Leading Edge Financial Planning personnel. The opinions expressed are those of Leading Edge Financial Planning as of 12/09/2020 and are subject to change at any time due to the changes in market or economic conditions.

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Uncategorized

Luck and Airline Pilot Retirement

Luck and Airline Pilot Retirement

How much does luck have to do with building a successful retirement nest egg?  Consider what would happen if immediately following your retirement there is a recession.  Talk about bad luck!  Unless… you planned for it.  

At Leading Edge we plan under the assumption that a recession may happen at the time of your retirement.   In this video, Charlie and Kevin discuss how to run your plan through a financial simulator in order to forecast what your financial picture might look like if the market turns south when you turn 65, and discuss what you can do NOW to insure against a “bad luck” scenario.

Please remember that past performance may not be indicative of future results. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk and there can be no assurance that the future performance of any specific investment, investment strategy, or product made reference to directly or indirectly in this video will be profitable, equal any corresponding indicated historical performance level(s), or be suitable for your portfolio. Moreover, you should not assume that any information or any corresponding discussions serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from Leading Edge Financial Planning personnel. The opinions expressed are those of Leading Edge Financial Planning as of 07/20/2020 and are subject to change at any time due to the changes in market or economic conditions.

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Charlie Education Kevin Pilots

Southwest Airlines Voluntary Pilot Reduction Options: VSP and ExTO

 

Southwest Airlines, in an effort to reduce its workforce, has just offered pilots Voluntary Separation Pay (VSP) and Extended Emergency Time Off (ExTO). Both are generous packages (in our opinion) and an excellent option for some pilots. How do you know if it’s right for you? In this video, Kevin & Charlie discuss what is in each package, how it may affect your overall financial picture, if you can afford to take one of them, and ultimately how to decide if you should be part of the voluntary reduction.

Not only are we financial planners but Charlie is a fellow SWA pilot (senior FO out of ATL). We understand what it’s like to walk in your shoes and we want to be a resource for you when it comes to making this difficult decision. Give us a chance to run your financial situation through our simulations to determine if VSP or ExTO is the right answer for you. Call us at 865-240-2292.

 

(Please pardon our hazy image quality. We wanted to get this important message out to you quickly and used our laptop to film it, instead of our standard video equipment. Thanks for your understanding!)

Please remember that past performance may not be indicative of future results. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk and there can be no assurance that the future performance of any specific investment, investment strategy, or product made reference to directly or indirectly in this video will be profitable, equal any corresponding indicated historical performance level(s), or be suitable for your portfolio. Moreover, you should not assume that any information or any corresponding discussions serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from Leading Edge Financial Planning personnel. The opinions expressed are those of Leading Edge Financial Planning as of 06/04/2020 and are subject to change at any time due to the changes in market or economic conditions.

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Charlie Education Kevin

Increase in Retirement Plan Contribution Limits for 2020

 

’Tis the season for the U.S. Internal Revenue Service to make its annual inflation adjustments to a variety of tax rates and limits, including higher estate and gift tax limits for 2020.  In the coming year, individuals will be able to gift or exclude from federal estate taxes a total of $11.58 million—up from $11.4 million in 2019.  The annual gift tax exclusion—the amount you can give to heirs each year without reporting a gift—remains at $15,000.  

The IRS also lifted the annual limit that can be contributed to a defined contribution (401(k) or similar) plan from $19,000 to $19,500, and people 50 or older can make catch-up additional contributions of $6,500—up from 2019’s $6,000.  The amount you can contribute to an Individual Retirement Account is unchanged at $6,000, with a $1,000 catchup limit for people 50 and older.

If an employer allows after-tax contributions, or if you’re self-employed, the overall defined contribution plan limit was raised from $56,000 to $57,000.

The IRS also changed the tax brackets for working Americans, raising slightly the thresholds for the 10%, 12%, 22%, 24%, 32%, 35% and 37% rates, and raised the standard deduction to $12,400—$24,800 for married people filing jointly in 2020.

Please remember that past performance may not be indicative of future results. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk and there can be no assurance that the future performance of any specific investment, investment strategy, or product made reference to directly or indirectly in this article will be profitable, equal any corresponding indicated historical performance level(s), or be suitable for your portfolio. Moreover, you should not assume that any information or any corresponding discussions serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from Leading Edge Financial Planning personnel. The opinions expressed are those of Leading Edge Financial Planning as of 12/13/2019 and are subject to change at any time due to the changes in market or economic conditions. This article was written by an outside source.

 

Sources:
IRA Announces Higher Estate and Gift Tax Limits for 2020
2020 Limitations Adjusted as Provided in Section 415(d), etc.
IRS Announces Higher 2020 Retirement Plan Contribution Limits for 401(k)s and More
The 2020 Tax Brackets are Out.  What is Your Rate?
IRS RP-19-44.pdf