/ by Don Connelly / Investing Wisdom / 0 comments
For most people, there’s little to think about when it comes to making contributions to their 401k plans. They enjoy reduced current taxes, deferred taxes on account earnings, and, for most, a matching contribution from their employer. That’s a huge incentive to contribute as much of their earnings as possible—up to $23,000 in 2024, and those over 50 can add $7,000 in annual catch-up contributions.
But is maxing out 401k contributions really the best retirement savings strategy for your clients?
While deferred taxation in a 401k is great for capital accumulation, they will owe ordinary income taxes on their withdrawals, impacting their cash flow in a critical life stage. Many retirees are shocked by the amount of taxes they owe on their retirement income.
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To Better Understand Your Client’s Goals, Listen Carefully to How They Express Them
/ by Don Connelly / Managing the Relationship / 0 comments
A critical aspect of advising clients is to ascertain their financial goals correctly. If you or your clients don’t genuinely understand the goal, your advice could be dangerously off base, and you could lose your client’s confidence.
Clients typically come to financial advisors with various goals, but they might articulate them in nuanced ways, reflecting their concerns, values, and life circumstances. Your role as a financial advisor is to listen carefully, ask probing questions, and translate these expressions into actionable plans created around their biggest concerns, preferences, and priorities.
Here are five common financial goals clients have and how they might express them differently:
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How to Educate Clients About the Importance of Investing Beyond Their 401(k)
/ by Don Connelly / Investing Wisdom / 0 comments
For most people, there’s little to think about when it comes to making contributions to their 401k plans. They enjoy reduced current taxes, deferred taxes on account earnings, and, for most, a matching contribution from their employer. That’s a huge incentive to contribute as much of their earnings as possible—up to $23,000 in 2024, and those over 50 can add $7,000 in annual catch-up contributions.
But is maxing out 401k contributions really the best retirement savings strategy for your clients?
While deferred taxation in a 401k is great for capital accumulation, they will owe ordinary income taxes on their withdrawals, impacting their cash flow in a critical life stage. Many retirees are shocked by the amount of taxes they owe on their retirement income.
Read more
12 Questions Great Financial Advisors Ask
/ by Kirti Anand Sharma / Best Practices, Connelly Corner / 0 comments
Being a professional Financial Advisor is quite challenging as there are plenty of financial professionals trying to sell nearly the same inventory. So the question really is: what would set you apart from your competition? What would make you a Great Financial Advisor?
I believe one thing great Financial Advisors are known for is finding a well-rounded financial solution for each client.
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