Most people think of life insurance only when they want to protect their family and provide a source of replacement income in the event of their death. They don’t think of it as a buffer to replace lost assets due to market volatility—for example, the market goes south and you die before you have the time to rebuild or replace the lost assets.
Category Archives: Retirement Planning
Each year Life Happens and LIMRA join forces to get the latest and greatest information about what consumers are thinking when it comes to their financial concerns as well as what insurance coverages they do or don’t have—and why! And that’s just the start. Here are some of the key findings:
If you think your retirement is going to look like your parents’ or grandparents’ retirement, think again. Here are three things you should be considering:
1. The Bank of Mom and Dad won’t always be open. There are two sides to this. If you’re currently supporting your adult children, you’re not alone. According to a BMO Wealth Institute study, 81% of parents say they have provided their adult children with some financial support. However, you’ll want to evaluate if that’s possible to sustain in the long-term. Ask yourself: Will helping my adult child (buy a house, afford a vacation, transition to a new job …) put my own financial future in jeopardy?
While some Gen Xers have become successful DIY investors, most have not. As the article points out: “They bring an attitude of ‘I’ll figure this out someday when I have time, and then I’ll make some smart decisions that will catch me up.'” But that just isn’t true. It’s time for this generation to start looking to financial experts for help.
I think managing investments for retirement income in the “distribution” phase is much scarier than figuring out how to invest during the “accumulation” phase. At least in the accumulation phase you have some time on your side. At distribution, there is no make-up time for investment mistakes or market downturns.