May Power Hour – Women and Wealth

May Power Hour – Women and Wealth

 

Women today have much to celebrate

Over the past few generations, women have made impressive social strides and are more educated, earn higher income and assume a more powerful role in both the workplace and with home finances. Over 47% of women in a recent survey considered themselves the CFO of their home.

However, the financial industry is still very male-focused leaving many women feeling financially insecure. Almost all the women surveyed believe that knowledge is power and that financial guidance provides is key to financial confidence. With that in mind, lets dive in

Market Update

• • Volatility continues
  • Many companies’ strong fundamentals means they are trading below value
  • Rising Interest rates and inflation still causing concern

Gold and Silver – Russia changed the way gold trades

While there is still a lot of speculation on how this will play out in its entirety, there are some very likely scenarios. We already are seeing significant increase in demand for physical gold and physical silver. As demand increases the price explodes. When this occurs, the paper gold market could implode or become completely disconnected from the physical price (we are already seeing that now). It is also highly likely to see a shift away from the USD as non-western countries trade in currencies other than the USD

Tip of the Month

Health and Wealth go together

Financial worries lead to stress and unhealthy habits

Take care of your wealth and improve your health and vice versa.

Check out the Life Balance and take a self-check here. https://bertramfinanci.wpenginepowered.com/life-balance/

By the Numbers…

49% of women report feeling financially insecure

67% of women will be responsible for their retirement

90% of women believe they need to be more involved in financial strategies

He Said, She Said

Men

• Make quick decisions on hot tips
• Men are more analytical and tend to take more risks
• Feel money arguments as lack of trust

Women

• Take a more holistic approach to planning
• Feel more burden with the impact of financial decisions and are more conservative
• View arguments about money as issues of power and control

Men are like waffles, women are like spaghetti. Man can compartmentalize, like the boxes of a waffle where all flows together for women just like you cannot follow a noodle from one end of the plate to the other.

The impact of losing a spouse

Higher Tax Bracket:

The first thing that will happen is that your taxes will go from the more advantageous, married, filing jointly to single-payer which could ultimately reduce your income.

Lose Lower Social Security Check:

The second thing that will happen is if you are both collecting Social Security checks, the lower of the two checks is gone.  That’s the bad news.  The good news is that you get to keep the bigger of the two checks for the rest of your life.

Single-Life Pay-Out Check Stops:

If your spouse chose a single life pay-out to receive higher monthly distributions from his employer-sponsored pension plan, upon his passing, you stop receiving those checks.

Life Insurance Death Benefit Paid Out:

You will receive any life insurance death benefit income tax-free.

Beneficiary IRA: 

If the original owner had already begun receiving RMDs at the time of death, the spousal beneficiary must continue to receive the distributions as calculated or submit a new schedule based on their own life expectancy. This could impact your tax liabilities.

Greatest Risks…

One of the biggest retirement risks, especially for women since they have greater longevity is so-called sequence-of-return risk – that is that negative returns right before retirement or early in retirement can create disastrous initial conditions from which recovery is nearly impossible. Because of sequence of returns risk, portfolio withdrawals can cause the events in early retirement to have a disproportionate effect on the sustainability of an income strategy.

Access is also a great risk to married or single person, a Durable Power of Attorney IS THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT DOCUMENT you need to insure you always have access to your money. This is a vital part of the estate plan.

Estate planning is about the simplest way to ensure you and your family are taken care of in the way you want.

Financial Personalities of Women

Financial Dreamer

Intimidated by money and investing, you feel helpless and hole that someone else will help you take care of your financial problems. If you are in a relationship, you defer all financial matters to your partner.

Financial Avoider

You feel overwhelmed by all the financial choices available to you. A lack of knowledge keeps you from taking the necessary steps to set up your financial plan.

Financial Initiator

You are self-assured, empowered and optimistic. Your quick clear about your goals and you typically know how to achieve them. You take the initiative to work with professionals for advice and guidance.

Financial Collaborator

When in a relationship, you’re healthy, happy and cooperative. You provide your family with financial comfort and stability. You and your partner share equally in financial decisions and responsibilities including working with an advisor.

Financial Analyzer

You have a good understanding of your household finances and take initiative in researching investment opportunities and tracking results. You’re a comparison shopper, and avid saver and rarely purchase something you can’t afford. You have probably worked with professionals in the past if not currently.

For more on each of these and what each personality needs from an advisor, check out this post. https://bertramfinanci.wpenginepowered.com/women-money-power/

Lastly, what other women who work with an advisor say…

• 90% would recommend having a financial advisor
• 86% felt their earned a better return on their money
• 83% felt more confident and prepared for retirement
• 82% were able to set financial goals and determine a plan to achieve them
• 81% felt more independent and self-sufficient

Live Your Dream,

Michelle Bertram

 

We serve clients in Mineral Point WI, Dodgeville WI, Platteville WI, Lancaster WI, Fennimore WI, Boscobel WI, Richland Center WI, Muscoda WI, Spring Green WI, Mazomanie WI, Sauk City WI, Middleton WI, Madison WI, Fitchburg WI, Verona WI, Mount Horeb WI, Barneveld WI, New Glarus WI, Monroe WI, Belleville WI, Oregon WI, Stoughton WI, Darlington WI, Cuba City WI, Hazel Green WI, Belmont WI, Dubuque IA, Freeport IL