Curriculum

Studies show the vast majority of Americans feel under-prepared for retirement. Too often, people make fiscal choices based on ‘noise’ they hear or read in the media, but such content is more geared toward driving ratings than properly informing the public. Each course translates confusing financial industry jargon to help attendees make sound, informed financial decisions. The objective of the Navigating Retirement curriculum is to provide a comprehensive knowledge base so that attendees know the important issues to consider and appropriate questions to ask in the financial marketplace.

Retirement and Social Security

There are certain hurdles that all retirees must exceed to some extent: the reduction of purchasing power due to inflation and taxes, market volatility, unpredictable healthcare costs, and longevity. By failing to plan ahead, many retirees make the same financial mistakes in regard to these issues. A successful income plan will help you determine how much you need for both today and the future.

There are numerous options when electing social security and pension benefits and recent law changes have only complicated matters. We will discuss the options and techniques available in detail to maximize benefits for you and your family. As traditional pensions take a backseat to defined contribution plans, personal savings play a larger role in retirement planning. We will explain the variety of platforms available and how to best utilize these assets to supplement your other income sources.

  • Social Security
  • Pension Planning
  • 401(k) IS, IRAIS & Roths
  • Age 701/2 required distributions
  • Roth conversions
  • Tax Impacts

Investments

There are a variety of assets available in today’s marketplace, with correlated risk and return potential. An efficient investment strategy will incorporate the appropriate mixture of these assets to maximize return for a specific level of risk. This section of the course will walk you through the process of building an investment portfolio tailored to your specific objectives, incorporating investment expenses, taxes, liquidity and time horizon.

  • Stocks
  • Bonds
  • Mutual Funds
  • Annuities
  • Tax Efficiency
  • Managing risk

Insurance & Medicare

Even the best designed plans can be shattered by the unexpected, so guarding against these threats is imperative to financial security. In regard to life, health, disability, and long-term care, you will learn to determine both the amount and type of coverage to consider, as well as what questions to ask. We will also analyze how your other assets can impact your need for coverage.

  • Medicare 101
  • Disability insurance
  • Long Term care insurance
  • Life insurance

Estate Planning

We often say that everyone has an estate plan, whether they’ve drafted legal documents or not — this section will ensure that your assets are distributed according to your wishes and not the state probate system. We will explain the types of documents and directives needed to shield your hard-earned wealth from financial predators today and in the future. Also, recent tax law changes have altered the landscape for estate planning and we will discuss the appropriate strategies to take advantage of these shifts and minimize estate, gift, and income taxes.

  • Probate
  • Charitable Giving
  • Estate taxes
  • Gifting strategies
  • Wills and Trusts
  • Healthcare Directives
  • Powers of Attorey

Lincoln Financial Advisors and its representatives do not offer tax or legal advice.  Individuals should consult their tax or legal professional regarding their specific circumstances.