Monthly Archives: October 2018
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25 Important Documents You’ll Need Before You Die

death-dossierDesign your “Death Dossier” soon or you could be setting up your heirs for frustration and financial pain:

25 Important Documents You’ll Need Before You Die
The Essentials
• Will
• Letter of instruction
• Trust documents
Proof of Ownership
• Housing, land and cemetery deeds
• Escrow mortgage accounts
• Proof of loans made and debts owed
• Vehicle titles
• Stock certificates, savings bonds and brokerage accounts
• Partnership and corporate operating agreements
• Tax returns
Bank Accounts
• List of bank accounts
• List of all user names and passwords
• List of safe-deposit boxes		 Health-Care Confidential
• Personal and family medical history
• Durable health-care power of attorney
• Authorization to release health-care information
• Living will
• Do-not-resuscitate order
Life Insurance and Retirement
• Life-insurance policies
• Individual retirement accounts
• 401(k) accounts
• Pension documents
• Annuity contracts
Marriage and Divorce
• Marriage license
• Divorce papers

Learn more in this article

Got retirement plans? Your spouse may disagree

couple

A recent survey by Fidelity shows that wives and husbands don’t share retirement-planning duties nor agree on the plan:

  • Only 41% of couples surveyed handle retirement investment decisions together.
  • Only 17% of couples say either spouse is prepared to assume sole responsibility of their retirement finances.
  • Although women are more likely to outlive their husbands, only 35% of wives say they are completely confident in their ability to take over the finances. 72% of husbands feel they can.
  • 33% of couples say they don’t agree or don’t know where they plan to retire.
  • 62% of couples nearing retirement don’t agree on the age at which to stop working
  • 47% of couples nearing retirement don’t agree on whether they will continue to work in retirement.

Here’s what you should do and know:

  • Both husbands and wives should know where critical documents are kept
  • Both need to know what to do if their spouse is no longer able to assist with financial decision-making
  • Both should have an understanding of the family’s finances, savings, and investment goals.
  • Both should become active in financial planning and meeting with the family’s financial planner and investment manager.
  • Both husbands and wives should talk about retirement and finances more often together for better agreement and mutual understanding.
Simplicity

simplicity-006

Although we live in a complex world, this doesn’t mean we have to accept nor invite complications. In fact, very often a simple solution is the best solution.  So what are some possible non-complex approaches to complicated finances?

Advisor Tony Isola, CFP, has a few ideas for you to consider:

  • Automate your retirement contributions and eliminate the default status of doing nothing;
  • Try to stay married (divorce is a great destroyer of wealth);
  • Buy experiences and not things, and de-clutter your life while increasing happiness;
  • Do not spend $250K for a four-year private college education for your children;
  • Exercise and eat right; this will save you a boatload of cash on health care in the long run;
  • Bank at a credit union;
  • Do not invest a dime on an investment “tip;”
  • Don’t be cheap when finding an accountant;
  • Check your investment portfolio annually, not every day;
  • Don’t cheat people because karma is a bi*ch; and
  • Get disability insurance.

Sir Isaac Newton chimed in on the subject as well: “Nature is pleased with simplicity and nature is no dummy.”

Source: ATM

Pundit or Professional?

pundit

What’s the best source of financial advice?  A pundit or a professional?  Charlie Bilello, the Director of Research at Pension Partners, provides this perspective-building comparison so you can make the right choice:

Pundit (noun): A supposed expert in a particular field who is frequently called on to give opinions to the public. See also Dennis Gartman.

Professional (noun): A person competent or skilled in a particular activity. See also John Bogle.

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The Pundit spends their days making subjective predictions.

The Professional spends their days making objective assessments.

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The Pundit seeks self-promotion.

The Professional seeks self-improvement.

***

The Pundit exudes hubris.

The Professional exudes humility.

***

The Pundit is forever calling for the next big melt-up or crash.

The Professional is forever focused on avoiding the next big mistake.

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The Pundit seeks out only opinions that confirm their views.

The Professional seeks out all evidence, even if it runs contrary to their views.

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The Pundit believes they know everything.

The Professional knows they know nothing.

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The Pundit makes a living selling fear and greed.

The Professional makes a living helping to control these emotions.

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The Pundit has a sense of entitlement.

The Professional has a sense of gratitude.

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The Pundit seeks to inform.

The Professional seeks to educate.

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The Pundit makes extreme forecasts to gain attention.

The Professional forecasts wide ranges of possible outcomes to gain respect.

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The Pundit thinks in terms of long or short, this market or that market.

The Professional thinks in terms of asset allocation and the entire portfolio.

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The Pundit believes in certainty, conviction, and precision.

The Professional believes in uncertainty, reservation, and probabilities.

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The Pundit reads the news and listens to financial TV.

The Professional reads books and listens to podcasts.

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The Pundit sees everything in markets as black or white.

The Professional understands there is often a gray area.

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The Pundit makes the simple sound complex.

The Professional makes the complex sound simple.

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The Pundit has a prophecy.

The Professional has a plan.

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The Pundit has an answer for every question.

The Professional is often saying “I don’t know.”

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The Pundit is an entertainer.

The Professional is an educator.

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The Pundit gives recommendations.

The Professional offers guidance.

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The Pundit provides a reason for every wiggle in the market.

The Professional provides evidence of randomness and noise.

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The Pundit believes their success is a result of their exceptional talent.

The Professional understands their success is a result of hard work and luck.

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The Pundit lectures.

The Professional listens.

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The Pundit is thinking about the next day.

The Professional is planning for the next decade.

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Pundit or Professional? The choice is yours.

Nothing on this website constitutes either the provision of investment advice or solicitation to provide investment advice. Investment advice can only be provided through a formal investment advisory relationship. Copyright © 2018 NorthStar Capital Advisors - Charlotte, NC. All Rights Reserved.