As a manager of a financial planning business you have two financial planners, Phil and Francis. In an hour, Phil can produce either one financial statement or answer 8 phone calls, while Francis can either produce 4 financial statements or answer 10 phone calls. Does either person have an absolute advantage in producing both products? Should these two planners be self-sufficient (each producing statements and answering phones) or specialize? Be sure to show your work.

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There has always been a need for retirement planning and today is certainly no different. There are 401(k)s and many other types of retirement plans that are available to you. You will need to take the time needed to evaluate what your current financial needs are and what you expect the future to hold.

Recent events, such as the rise in energy costs and the ever-skyrocketing health care costs need to be factored in. Although gas prices have been fluctuating lately, I think they are going to go back up, possibly even surpassing the extremes we saw all too recently. These types of events can take a toll on your retirement plan very quickly. Prudent planning begins early and you need a good source of information. Websites like http://jag-info-resources.com/retirement/ are an excellent resource to go to find answers to the questions you may have.

Did you know that most retirement plans have a ceiling of 10% of your pre-tax wages that you can contribute? While that may sound good when you view it against a 2% inflation rate, you must keep in mind that your planning today is not just for the ideal future, but the future that will be reality for you if things turn out to not be ideal or according to your plans today.

By starting early and contributing the maximum that you can afford, you will have a better chance of being prepared for the unforeseen. This is made much easier today because your 401k plan is now transferable from one employer to another. This allows you to continue to grow your retirement account even when you choose to change jobs or even careers.

Unsure of what you will need for retirement? There are calculators like the one at my site as shown in my author box below that will help you figure it out for yourself. This is a helpful tool that lets you see if you are on track or not. Don’t forget that life expectancy is getting longer. When Social Security was passed in the 1930s people lived about 2 years after retirement. Today you can expect to live 20-30 years past retirement and, suddenly, the amount you need to retire comfortably with a major change in lifestyle gets very large.

Lets say that today you need $40,000 to live on and you retire in 20 years, you will need a minimum of $850,000 to carry you through retirement. That is assuming that you will live an additional 20 years after you retire and are in good health. There is something to be said for debt reduction as being part of your retirement planning, as well, since the last thing you want to do is go into retirement with a ton of debt still hanging over your head.

Having $40,000 a year to live on with little to no debt will obviously go farther than if you still have the same debt load as you do now. If you reduce your debt load by the same amount that you save for retirement, you double your retirement savings.

One cannot have a conversation about retirement without the subject of taxes coming into it. The money you put into your 401(k) is pre-tax so you will pay taxes on it when you get disbursements. The 401(k) is intended for retirement, so there are also very heavy tax penalties if you withdraw any funds before you turn 59.5 years of age. If at all possible, do not make any early withdrawals from your retirement account, since most people have found that in addition to the heavy tax penalties for doing so, the prospect of paying it back, even with good intentions, is tougher than it seems.

Jon Arnold
http://www.articlesbase.com/finance-articles/how-to-do-retirement-financial-planning-70586.html

Hedge funds make money in bonds by separating treasury bills for a higher profit, creating better leverage for the bond investment or getting better loan rates on bonds. Get a higher after tax rate of return on bonds through hedge funds with information from a financial consultant in this free video on investments.

Expert: Roger Groh
Bio: Roger Groh is the founder of Groh Asset Management.
Filmmaker: Bing Hu

Duration : 0:1:23

I have a college assignment to but really stuck on a question, so any help would be great. the exact question is

describe the main elements of the financial planning process in an engineering business and the sequence in which the planning takes place.

you can ignore the engineer bit if you want to – just a general idea to help me out would be good and ill incorporate the engineering bit later

You need to talk to your tutor. Asking for the answer in the internet is CHEATING.

http://blog.investtalk.com Steve Peasley is a financial advisor and host of InvestTalk, a weekday program that looks at new and relevant investment topics each weekday. He answers questions about financial and retirement planning, money management as well as general concerns about the stock market. http://blog.investtalk.com

Duration : 9 min

There are so many different financial planning companies to choose from, how do you pick the right one? Does anyone have an experience with being a financial planner that could give me some insight as to what to expect besides the brochures that the companies supply? Is it worth getting into? It would also be nice to get someones email or contact info to maybe talk more with them. Please someone help me out a little. Thanks

O.K. Financial planning, first off, majority of your work is in the evening and weekends, when working folk are available.

If you are still interested, you should know that it is a lucrative business, however it takes a little while to build your commissions, sometimes commission is not paid until an investment has been in place for a certain amount of time, or until it is cashed in.

It is like owning your own business in that it takes time to build up your client list. Definately lucrative, however it requires a very serious committment, make sure you are ready.

When it comes to investors, one thing is true; they all have to deal with brokers. It doesn’t matter if you are involved with penny stocks or looking towards long term stock options, you are going to have to associate yourself with a broker that fits your needs. The first time you enter the stock market, you will find that choosing a broker is the primary step towards investing. This is one of the most important things you will accomplish during this potential moneymaking process. Once you’ve begun your broker search, there are a few elements to take heed to.

In the beginning, full service was the only kind of broker you could choose from. High commission fees were commonplace, but there was an upside. You would receive tons of advice, as well as invaluable guidance when it came time to selecting an investment. As the end of the 70s rolled around, discount brokers emerged and investment possibilities flourished. In the past 10 years, online options have taken the public by storm. This gives investors more control over the way their stocks and funds are managed. For any case, proper research should be conducted to make the best decision.

When working with discount or online brokers, you will find that these sorts of brokerage firms really only take the orders pertaining to your investing desires. This is achieved through the Internet or over the phone. They will only provide assistance if you need help with the website. They will not tell you or give you hints on what stocks to choose or when to make a move. Third party stock research is often offered through these services. There are also a wide range of accounting tools that help you manage your investment, which are often provided through a download or can be easily accessed online.

Some investors lean towards a discount broker with the help of an assistance broker, who will provide a little bit of help, such as newsletters and additional research. Investors will still need to conduct the bulk of their research, but this option allows others to at least point you in the right direction.

If you go with the traditional approach and hire a full service broker, you will be able to receive stock suggestions and tips for boosting your portfolio. They will analyze your personal situation and assess your needs, which they will then draw up into an investing plan. This is a great choice for those that are pressed for time and want someone else to basically do all of the work (research). Filled with the latest news, full service brokers provide personal attention. You will be paying greatly for this luxury. Services like these do not come cheap.

For extra effort, you may choose a money manager (or financial advisor) over a full service broker. They will take a look at the overall scheme of your financial potential and future. They manage the stocks and bonds for their clients, as well as guide them through the ins and outs of financial planning. Flat fees are charged for the services they render and not for every transaction. They do not collect commissions; they instead, receive a certain percentage of your earnings through your portfolio. This means they will work extra hard for you because the more money you make also means more money for them.

Gregg Hall
http://www.articlesbase.com/investing-articles/how-to-choose-just-the-right-investment-broker-for-your-financial-planning-needs-60171.html

How do you make your life better? get more control? protect your family? Create a personal financial plan. Start here!

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Losing a job can put a family’s finances in turmoil, so it’s important repair any damage once you land new employment.

Duration : 0:2:20

The National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA) created this video to explain why financial planning is important and how Fee-Only, fiduciary financial planners can help.

Duration : 0:3:0