Questions That Clients’ Ask

In an effort to help my client’s better understand the various ways in which I can help with finances, I thought I’d list some interesting questions and discussions I’ve had with people recently. As you can see from the questions below, there is a wide range of topics covered, some which may surprise you as they are not typical questions you may think to ask a financial advisor. I want to encourage and invite all of you to call me at anytime when you are evaluating financial decisions in your life, whether big or small.

1. I need life insurance, but think I have sleep apnea and have schedule some medical tests. Will this impact my ability to qualify for insurance?
2. I have a Variable Universal Life insurance policy where the cash value fluctuates with the stock market. Will it hold up if there is another large decline in the stock market?
3. I’m thinking of buying a home. Should I wait or buy now because interest rates are so low?
4. I need a new car and I have enough cash to pay for it in full. Should I use the cash or take out a low interest loan?
5. I have multiple debts, small and large and with different interest rates. Which should I pay off first?
6. I’m retired and want to redo my back yard and pay for it in cash. How much can I spend without impacting my retirement account?
7. How much can I withdrawal from my investments each year when I retire and feel reasonably confident that I won’t outlive my money?
8. I’m not 59.5 years of age. What are the tax implications for taking money out from my IRA, 401K or 403B account?
9. What if I wait until after I turn 59.5? I’d like to convert some of my traditional IRA to a Roth IRA. How can I offset some of the tax liability that I’ll incur from the conversion?
10. How should we prioritize between saving to buy a home, our retirement, our child’s education and paying down our student loans and credit card debt?
11. What are the benefits of having a trust over a will?
12. What are the potential problems of naming our trust as the primary beneficiary instead of our spouse/person on our IRA accounts?
13. We have a child with special needs. How can we ensure that he/she is taken care of after we pass away?
14. Should I begin taking Social Security now or wait a few more years to receive a larger monthly amount?

Please call me with your questions.