Your Goals and Dreams, Our Guidance
You are pursuing your financial goals and deserve someone who can help you with advice and guidance. We are here to listen and help you plan for your future with confidence. We are backed by the resources, expertise, and investment selection of one of the nation’s most recognized financial services companies. Let us help you develop an investment strategy that is flexible and tracks your goals.
- Developing your retirement income strategy is part of the Envision® process.
- We can help you analyze possible expenses and sources of income.
- Checking on your strategy annually can help you maintain course.
It starts with a plan
Creating a plan can help you stay focused, plan for challenges ahead, and make choices that work for you.Our Envision planning process is the foundation we use to develop your retirement income plan. It can help you make choices and tackle the following topics:
- When and how can I retire with confidence?
- How can I help make my money last as long as I’m retired?
- Where will my income come from?
- How do I prepare for and respond to events throughout retirement?
- When and how should I address my legacy goals?
7 common retirement planning moves
Will the money in your investment accounts last through retirement? Here are some steps that go beyond the basics of using tax-advantaged funds and making regular contributions.- Review your portfolio - Conduct regular investment checkups on your own and with us.
- Maintain emergency savings - Wells Fargo Advisors recommends keeping an emergency fund with enough money to cover living expenses for three to six months. Keep emergency funds in a liquid account you can easily access if needed.
- Set an appropriate asset allocation - Investments are fluid. Some are more volatile, but all can be affected by market fluctuations. Adjust your assets to align with your current goals and tolerance for risk.
- Itemize your income plan - Understand where your retirement funds will come from. List out all sources, such as Social Security and pensions. For each item, list how it might generate income for your portfolio.
- Clean up your accounts - Consider consolidating accounts. You’ll not only have less paperwork, you can help keep an eye on your asset allocation and overall investment strategy. We can talk about your choices and what might make the most sense for you. Before taking any action, speak with your current retirement plan administrator and tax professional.
- Sell assets strategically - Selling assets can have tax implications. Proceeds could nudge you into a higher tax bracket. Balance the concern of minimizing taxes when you’re selling assets with your portfolio’s allocation strategy. Talk with us about the choices you have in this situation.
- Talk with family - Partners and spouses should be on the same page regarding your financial portfolio. Cover some key financial details:
- Current total assets
- How much you have saved right now
- How much is in each account
- Where the funds are located
- Your budget
Part of your plan is how you spend your money – now and when you retire. Talk about it.
Common risks to address
While we develop your retirement plan, you’ll want to look at risks such as inflation, market events, health needs, withdrawal strategy, and how long you’re likely to live. Understanding the impact these challenges may have on your savings and planning for them can help you stay the course. Have an ongoing process
Planning for retirement is not a “one and done” kind of activity. A good plan should be checked regularly and adjusted, as necessary. Keep an eye on your portfolio, talk about your expectations, and prepare for the unexpected.Schedule an annual checkup with us to review your plans, your current circumstances, and your portfolio. We’ll work together to discuss your choices and what works for you.
Next steps
- Think about what you hope your retirement will be.
- Write down all your possible sources of income and expenses in retirement.
- Take a look at your portfolio and call us if you have any questions about changing your asset allocation.
- Call us to start on your personalized retirement income plan.
Wells Fargo Advisors does not provide tax or legal advice.
Investing involves risk including the possible loss of principal. Asset allocation cannot eliminate the risk of fluctuating prices and uncertain returns. Diversification does not guarantee profit or protect against loss in declining markets. Stocks offer long-term growth potential, but may fluctuate more and provide less current income than other investments. An investment in the stock market should be made with an understanding of the risks associated with common stocks, including market fluctuations. Dividends are not guaranteed and are subject to change or elimination.
- You can benefit from tax-advantaged investing in an IRA.
- Consider contributing to an IRA even if you participate in a qualified employer sponsored-retirement plan (QRP).
- Find out which type of IRA – Traditional or Roth – is right for you.
IRAs can help you meet your retirement goals
Even if you already participate in a qualified employer sponsored-retirement plan (QRP) such as a 401(k), 403(b) or governmental 457(b), an IRA can help supplement these savings. Similar to a 401(k), IRAs offer the potential for growth in a tax-advantaged account. Over time, that can make a significant difference in your retirement savings.Types of IRAs
Both Traditional and Roth IRAs offer tax advantages, a wide variety of investment options, the flexibility to choose whether or not to invest annually, and the same contribution limits.- Traditional IRA - Offers tax-deferred growth potential. You pay no taxes on any investment earnings until you withdraw or “distribute” the money from your account, presumably in retirement.1 Additionally, depending on whether you’re covered by a retirement plan with your employer and your income, your contribution may be tax deductible.1
- Roth IRA – Offers tax-free growth potential. Earnings are distributed tax-free in retirement, if a five-year waiting period has been met and you are at least age 59½, or as a result of your death, disability, or using the first time homebuyer exception. Since contributions to a Roth IRA are made with after-tax dollars, there is no tax deduction regardless of income.
- Who can contribute to an IRA - You and your spouse, if filing jointly, can contribute to a Traditional IRA if you have earned income. You can make a non-deductible contribution to a Traditional IRA even if your income exceeds Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) deduction limits. You and your spouse, if filing jointly, can contribute to a Roth IRA at any age as long as you have earned income and are at or under MAGI phase-out limits.
- Small business SIMPLE & SEP IRAs - SEP IRAs and SIMPLE IRAs are often offered by small businesses as a retirement plan for their employees. These plans can be ideal for small businesses with a few employees. A SEP IRA is a Traditional IRA that holds employer contributions under the SEP plan.2
IRA contribution limits and deadlines
IRS rules state how and by what date you can make your IRA contributions. IRA contributions must generally be made by April 15 for the prior tax year. If you are 50 or older, within a particular tax year, you can contribute an additional $1,000 catch-up amount each year.Call us to discuss the exact date for this year and the amount you can contribute, or check out IRS Publication 590 found here:
Retirement plan distribution options
When you change jobs or retire, you generally have four options for your retirement plan assets:- Roll assets to an IRA
- Leave assets in your former employer’s plan, if the plan allows
- Move assets to your new/existing employer’s plan, if the plan allows
- Cash out through what’s called a “lump sum distribution,” pay taxes and perhaps a 10% IRS tax penalty
- The difference in fees and expenses between the QRP and IRA
- When penalty-free distributions are available
- Your need for help making investment decisions and other services offered
- Any special considerations regarding your employer stock
- Timing of required minimum distributions (RMDs)
- Protection of assets from creditors and bankruptcy
Next steps
- Make an appointment with us to go over your IRA choices.
- Fund your IRA.
- Find out if you can deduct your Traditional IRA contribution.
1Traditional IRA distributions are generally taxed as ordinary income. Qualified Roth IRA distributions are federally tax-free provided a Roth account has been open for more than five years and the owner has reached age 59-1/2 or meets other requirements. Qualified Roth IRA distributions are not subject to state and local taxation in most states. Both may be subject to a 10% IRS tax penalty if distributions are taken prior to age 59-1/2.
2Withdrawals are subject to ordinary income tax and may be subject to a federal 10% penalty if taken prior to age 59-1/2. For SIMPLE IRAs, the federal penalty increases to 25% if a distribution is taken prior to two years from the first deposit made into a participant’s account if under age 59-1/2.
3Please keep in mind that rolling over assets to an IRA is just one of multiple options for your retirement plan. Each of the following options is different and may have distinct advantages and disadvantages.
- Roll assets to an IRA
- Leave assets in your former employer’s plan, if plan allows
- Move assets to your new/existing employer’s plan, if plan allows
- Cash out or take a lump sum distribution
- Your investments are important. Advisory Services can help them receive the care they deserve.
- Your investments can be professionally managed or a Financial Advisor can help you manage them yourself.
- Wells Fargo Advisors programs allow flexibility to help you reach your goals.
Managing investments
A lot may be riding on your investments: retirement, children’s or grandchildren’s education, your financial legacy. Your investment plan should get the attention it deserves.Some investors enjoy managing their own plan. They are confident in their abilities and have the time to research and monitor their investments’ performance.
You’re not alone if you don’t fall into that category. Like many others, you may want to work with a professional by taking advantage of an advisory program.
Using an advisory program
You can save time and have a professional manage your investments when you use the services of an advisory program.Advisory programs generally fall into two categories. One gives another party the power to make decisions for your account’s day-to-day management. This means you can allow a portfolio manager — in some cases your Financial Advisor — to decide when to buy, sell, and hold investments without consulting you.
Your portfolio manager will make decisions based on a variety of factors:
- Your long-term objectives
- The time you have to reach your objectives
- Your risk tolerance
Fee replaces commissions
So how can an advisory account differ from a traditional brokerage account? One difference is how you pay for the services you receive. In an advisory account program, you generally pay a fee. This is often charged on a quarterly basis based on a percentage of your account’s value. In a traditional brokerage account you would pay a commission for each transaction.Flexible range of alternatives
You can choose which advisory services program you implement. Wells Fargo Advisors offers an array of programs. You can decide what products you would like to have managed, such as mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), stocks, bonds, and commodity-based investments.We can discuss the programs with you and see what fits your situation – and what makes you feel more confident in helping you reach your goals.
Next steps
Decide if you would like some extra help with making your investment decisions.Make an appointment to talk with us about advisory accounts.
The fees for advisory programs are asset-based and assessed quarterly in advance. There may be a minimum fee to maintain this type of account. Fees include advisory services, performance measurement, transaction costs, custody services, and trading. These fees do not cover the fees and expenses of any underlying exchange traded fund (ETF), closed-end funds, or mutual funds in the portfolio. Advisory accounts are not designed for excessively traded or inactive accounts and are not appropriate for all investors. Please carefully review the Wells Fargo Advisors advisory disclosure document for a full description of our services, including fees and expenses. The minimum account size for these programs is between $10,000 and $2,000,000.
- Saving for your child’s or grandchild’s education doesn’t have to derail your retirement savings plan.
- 529 plans and trust funds are designed to help save for a child’s education.
- Financial aid may be another option
Retirement vs. education
As a parent or grandparent, you’re probably considering how to balance paying for college while planning for your retirement. Many families use some combination of savings, investments, borrowing, and financial aid (if available).There are options for financing college, but Wells Fargo Advisors believes saving for retirement should be the higher priority for many investors.
If your employer offers a 401(k) plan, consider putting your savings there first, especially if there is a company match. After that, contribute to your child’s education account.
Save as early as possible
As you can imagine, the sooner you start saving for your child’s or grandchild’s education, the more money you may have later.One popular way to save is the 529 college savings plan. These are tax-advantaged accounts administered by states and institutions. Parents, grandparents, relatives, and friends can contribute.
Other college savings accounts include custodial accounts in the child’s name and Coverdell Education Savings Accounts.
Please consider the investment objectives, risk, charges and expenses carefully before investing in a 529 savings plan. The official statement, which contains this and other information, can be obtained by calling your Financial Advisor. Read it carefully before you invest.
Qualified Coverdell Education Savings Account distributions are not subject to state and local taxation in most states.
Establish an educational trust fund
Setting up an educational trust fund designed for your child’s education is also an option. When a grandparent or benefactor establishes an education trust, the terms of the trust can be specified. This can include who controls the money, how it will be used, and for whom the trust benefits.It’s a good idea for grandparents to involve parents when it comes to helping with college savings. How they choose to save could impact any potential financial aid the child may receive.
Consider financial aid
A variety of factors play into financial aid eligibility. Don’t assume your child or grandchild won’t qualify for financial aid.Start thinking about applying for aid during high school. Visit the U.S. Department of Education’s Financial Aid Office for information about eligibility requirements, application deadlines, and types of federal financial loans and aid.
For nonfederal financial aid, visit the College Board’s College Scholarship Service (CSS)/Financial Aid PROFILE® application for information on qualifying.
Factor in income and existing investments
Other investment sources may help pay for college, and keep you from tapping your retirement savings. Those may include stocks, bonds, and mutual funds.It’s a balancing act
As you plan for the future, keep in mind the three C’s of college funding: consistency, communication, and compromise.Planning for retirement, managing your investment portfolio, and funding a college education is a balancing act. The trick is to plan ahead.
We can help you come up with a plan that considers all aspects.
Next steps
- Ask us how you can save for both retirement and education.
- Start saving for college when your child or grandchild is young.
- Even if you don’t think you’ll qualify, apply for financial aid.
Trust services available through banking and trust affiliates in addition to non-affiliated companies of Wells Fargo Advisors. Wells Fargo Advisors and its affiliates do not provide legal or tax advice.
LifeSync helps you sync your finances with your values, priorities, and goals into one cohesive lifelong experience that evolves with you. It’s how we approach advice and planning. Our goal is to provide an experience that empowers you to help you make informed, confident decisions and adjust as your goals and life may change.
There are five stages in the LifeSync experience to help you answer questions most important to you — whatever your journey:
There are five stages in the LifeSync experience to help you answer questions most important to you — whatever your journey:
Step 1: Understand
We listen and ask questions to discover who and what is important to you. This helps you define your values, goals, and priorities.Step 2: Plan
We can create a personalized plan to connect the pieces of your financial life using robust technology to simplify complex planning. Collaboration between you and our team is a key part of fine-tuning the plan to clarify goals and set the stage for the future.Step 3: Propose
You will have choices to make. LifeSync helps you compare your options and make informed decisions with the help of “what if” scenarios.Step 4: Implement
It’s time to put preparation into action. Your plan may include custom solutions and strategies to help you move the needle closer to achieving your goals.Step 5: Revisit
As your life changes — as it inevitably will — LifeSync helps make it easier for you to adjust a plan through actively connecting with our team and access to mobile technology- If you were sick, injured or died, would your family have the resources to achieve their goals?
- Help cover unpredictable financial risks through insurance.
- Life, disability, and long-term care insurance help cover risks that could disrupt your investment plan.
Insurance helps protect assets
You can’t avoid all risks in life. Insurance can play a key role in helping preserve your assets and achieve your financial goals.It’s all about keeping an eye on both assets and liabilities. Insurance allows you to transfer a risk from your balance sheet to an insurer’s. Find out why we recommend insurance as part of your investment plan.
A different kind of risk
When it comes to your financial goals, there are more risks to consider than just market volatility. Insurance can help protect against life-changing events. It can help ensure the financial goals you have made can continue on.We offer life, disability and long-term care insurance to help protect what matters most to you. Each type of coverage can help protect the key areas of your financial life: family, business, retirement, and legacy.
- Life Insurance - Life insurance helps protect the financial security of your family. Each type of life insurance is designed for a specific purpose. There is no “one size fits all”. We offer a wide selection of life insurance products, all from highly rated insurance companies, to help meet your specific protection needs.
Life insurance falls into two main types; term or permanent. Term insurance covers a temporary need in your life, such as until your children are in college.
Permanent insurance provides lifelong coverage. A key feature of many permanent insurance policies is the potential for it to accumulate cash value. This, added with the unique tax treatment of life insurance, can help create a source of supplemental income during retirement or provide funds for other needs such as long-term care. Permanent life insurance can also be a powerful tool when it comes to funding your legacy or charitable giving plans.
- Long-Term Care Insurance - This type of insurance can help pay for the costs of long-term care should you need it. It is important to know that Medicare does not pay the largest part of long-term care services or personal care—such as help with bathing, or for supervision often called custodial care.
Extended care planning is a key component in any retirement income plan. It can help provide a source of income tax-free funds to pay for care, helping protect your retirement savings from the rising cost of care.
- Disability Insurance - Disability insurance is designed to replace a portion of your income if you're unable to work because of a sickness or injury. Even if you could weather a temporary gap in earnings, an extended disability can be financially devastating and put your other goals, such as retirement and college planning, at risk.
How much should I have?
When it comes to the amount of coverage needed to help protect your financial goals, the “right” answer is unique to you. Factors such as your age, who depends on you, and your income and assets, should be carefully reviewed.It’s important to understand the amount may change over time and when major life events occur, making a regular review is critical.
Next Steps
- Research the costs associated with skilled nursing care, adult day care, and other services.
- Understand your annual expenses to help ensure you have the proper disability and life insurance coverage.
- Evaluate how your needs may change over time.
- Call us to see how insurance can play a role in your retirement planning.
Insurance products are offered through non-bank insurance agency affiliates of Wells Fargo & Company and are underwritten by unaffiliated insurance companies.
Guarantees are based on the claims-paying ability of the issuing insurance company.
- Insurance is valuable for employees and owners.
- Owners get to retire, too.
- You can begin planning now for retirement, selling your company, or the event of your death.
Wells Fargo Advisors provides products and services, available through your Financial Advisor, that help you manage your assets and plan for the future.
Customized products and services for business owners
We are committed to helping you maximize the success and profitability of your business. Our specialized products and services can help give your business the cash flow and support it needs to thrive.Some of the services we offer and can assist with include:
Employee benefit plans and packages
A competitive employee benefit package helps you attract and keep employees, regardless of the size of your company.Business owner life insurance
As a business owner, it’s important to consider both replacing the income your family depends on, and also providing funds to pay off business-related liabilities.Funding a buy-sell agreement
If your business has more than one owner, you need to understand the risks you may face if one of you dies unexpectedly. A buy-sell agreement sets up how ownership of the business may be transferred if one owner dies.Key person life insurance
Proceeds from this type of business insurance can help offset the loss of sales your business would experience or expenses it may incur if a key person dies.Succession planning and business exit strategies
It can be helpful to start the succession planning and exit strategy process many years in advance.- Selling a business: There are many options to consider in both the sale and how you will generate income after the sale.
- Transferring the business to a family member: There are a variety of succession planning strategies you can use to transfer the business to a family member
Next steps
- Make an appointment with us to talk about your business needs.
- Talk with your family or partners about insurance or succession planning.
- Check the beneficiary designations on your financial and investment accounts.
Insurance products are offered through nonbank insurance agency affiliates of Wells Fargo & Company and are underwritten by unaffiliated insurance companies.
- Everyone could use an estate plan – not just the wealthy.
- 5 documents are essential for many estate plans.
- An estate planning attorney and your accountant will work with your Financial Advisor.
Estate planning: a matter of control
You might associate estate planning with famous people you see in the news. In fact, estate planning could be appropriate for everyone.Consider your assets: bank accounts, investment accounts, 401(k) or 403(b) plan accounts, house, cars, jewelry, and heirlooms. This is your estate and your estate plan can define what you would like to happen to these assets when you die.
An estate plan can also take care of you as you get older or if you become ill or incapacitated. Being wealthy has little to do with it.
If you don’t make your own plan, your family may be left scrambling at an already difficult time. Bottom line: If you don’t decide, someone will decide for you.
Five essential documents
These five documents are often essential to an estate plan:- Will - Instructions for distributing your assets when you die. You will name a personal representative (executor) to pay final expenses and taxes and distribute remaining assets. Name a guardian to raise your minor children if both parents die.
- Durable power of attorney – You give a trusted individual management power over your assets if you can’t manage them yourself. This document is effective only while you’re alive.
- Health care power of attorney - You choose someone to make medical decisions on your behalf if something were to happen and you can’t make them yourself.
- Living will – Shares your intentions about life-sustaining medical measures if you are terminally ill. No one is given authority to speak for you.
- Revocable living trust - You can provide for continued management of your financial matters while you are alive, after your death, and even for generations after.
Why beneficiary designations are important
Beneficiary designations can be an easy way to transfer an account or insurance policy when you die. But if you didn’t complete beneficiary designations, or haven’t updated them, they can cause issues with your estate plan.Designations on forms are often filled out without much thought – but they’re important and deserve your attention. Beneficiary designations on forms like your insurance policy and 401(k) take priority over other estate planning documents, like your will or trust.
Let’s say you specify in your will you want everything to go to your spouse after your death. But you never changed the beneficiary designation on your life insurance policy and it names your ex-spouse. Your ex may end up getting the proceeds.
Turn to a team of professionals
Making the decisions involved with estate planning may seem overwhelming. It doesn’t have to be. You can start by organizing your important documents.Turn to a team of trusted professionals, including your financial advisor, an estate planning attorney, and your accountant. They know the questions to ask and can help you avoid potential pitfalls.
If you currently don’t have relationships with an attorney and an accountant, we can make some recommendations. We can also discuss our role in the planning process and how you can get started.
Next steps
- Make an appointment with us to talk about your estate planning goals.
- Start gathering your financial documents.
- Check the beneficiary designations on your financial and investment accounts.
Trust services available through banking and trust affiliates in addition to non-affiliated companies of Wells Fargo Advisors.
Wells Fargo Advisors and its affiliate do not provide tax or legal advice. Please consult with your tax and/or legal advisors before taking any action that may have tax and/or legal consequences. Any estate plan should be reviewed by an attorney who specializes in estate planning and is licensed to practice law in your state.