What's in Your 401k?

This is Doug Hastings, VP of Moody radio and were thankful for support from our listeners, and businesses like United faith mortgage.

My grandma loves Ice-T it surfing so I go to hang the grandma for a bit and I see she's holding her big plastic cup with her tea, but the cup is literally sitting inside one of grandpa's sports socks. I'm not making this up. No one can make this up grandma you okay of course dear the socks soaks up the sweat and keeps the tea colder. Hey, it's Ryan from United faith mortgage and as I thought about it later. I thought that's the kind of mortgage team. I want us to be the kind that's willing to take any step needed to get the job done on your new home purchase, refinance, or cash out refinance and can we help everyone know, obviously we can't know were willing to use grandpa sock to keep a drink called you know were willing to do whatever it takes to make sure you're taking care of.

We are United faith mortgage not a faith mortgage is a DBA of United mortgage Corp. 25 Millville Park Rd., Millville, NY license mortgage banker for all licensing information, go to NML as consumer access.org corporate MLS number 1330. Equal housing lender not licensed in Alaska, Hawaii, Georgia, Massachusetts, North Dakota, South Dakota and Utah and the numbers continue to roll in about the impact COBIT had on the economy last year.

And one thing is clear, and change the way some of us are handling our 401(k) environment is always important and the need for it doesn't change even when there's a crisis. So today, Kingdom advisors, Pres. Rob West talks about how the pandemic may have affected your time in savings balls of 805 five 7000 calls and anything natural 805 five 7000 on Steve Moore what's in your that's not why Rob folks just starting out in life often seem to think that retirement testing is something they can pretty much deal with later. But we want to dispel that notion, quickly today.

Ryan, that's certainly true. Steve think about this.

Sometimes retirement is referred to as the golden years, but it's certainly not because you're not likely to have more gold than him because your income is usually less. In fact, your younger years when you're just starting out in the workforce should actually be called your golden years. Even if you only invest a small amount, then that's because of the huge impact that starting early will have on your retirement assets decades down the road there something like an inverse ratio at work investing even small amounts in your early career years will have a bigger impact than investing a lot later because of the time required for earnings to compound and grow and will that's exactly right. Lots of truth, and that 100% truth and that but again as a younger person in your 20s, you don't really make a lot of money. Typically, it's just hard to convince someone that age that they really need to pay attention to this, but okay. There are other benefits as well. Right. That's exactly right. Your 401(k) contributions are deducted from your taxable income so you won't pay taxes on them or your earnings until you make withdrawals in retirement. Plus, if your company offers matching contributions as we like to say that's free money so you want to take advantage of that for sure yes so that's what we want to be doing with our 401(k) would act but I guess what actually happened last year in 2020. While no doubt that pandemic hurt a lot of people financially. Millions lost jobs or at least partial income, but under the cares asked the folks affected by the COBIT shutdowns were allowed to withdraw up to $100,000 without incurring the usual early 10% withdrawal penalty and a lot of them did between March 2020. In January 2021. Listen to this roughly 1.6 million people took money out of their 401(k)s, but according to the brokerage fidelity.

There was some good news on the 401(k) front as well. Nearly 1/3 of 401(k) investors actually increased their savings rate in 2020, and the average balance was almost $122,000 by the end of the year okay right now I one of the other questions we get all the time is how much do actually need for retirement. That's kind of a broad based broad brush question here to tackle it. Sure, it's always a tough one because so much depends on lifestyle and the needs of each individual.

But here's what fidelity offers as a rule of thumb, though. Your goal should be to have 10 times your annual salary in your portfolio. By the time you retire to get there you're going to need to save if you can at least overtime up to 15% of your take-home pay.

That doesn't mean starting when you're 35 or 40. By then you'll probably have to put a lot more than 15% in retirement. If you wanted to reach that goal. As we said at the top. Steve, the earlier you start with, say, by age 25 that the easier it will be to reach your retirement goal. And even if you can't put in 15% right away start with something dull just the way it work your way up to that 15% members quickly as you can.

And of course hope that we don't have another coronavirus pandemic or something similar.

Well, that's right. Now we should take a minute to let listeners know about an important change show for you Steve, so that perhaps we turn the corner and I would just say it as we talk about heading in to tomorrow. Tomorrow is really an exciting day. We have something to celebrate, don't we Steve Moore. I have no idea what you're talking million dollars in my 401(k) for me now know you know tomorrow Friday we get to celebrate a transition that you have coming up. As you head into a new season, and a new chapter of life, but a lot more on that tomorrow. Thank you. You really cut me off guard there and I'm seldom caught off guard that I can't spell guard it's always a G you why he's Rob West is not retiring on Steve Moore kind of semi-tiring will tell you more about that is her phone number 800-525-7000 chat today 800-525-7000 two moneywise live finding God's plan for your financial life help you question or you're in midst of a quandary or you just want to comment in some way something financially related. It was a call read now, let's chat. 800-525-7000 Rob with your permission will jump in the work calls okay. All right. Sounds good. I let's go to bear, Delaware hi Dee how are you today we're doing great, thanks. How can we help you.

I just want to alert for helping me back in Larry Prickett every $60,000 and he sent me some information and told me much money I need paid off within 3 to 4 year burst and I did find to mark just been so busy was still working as a caregiver and never call him to get the praise by want to make sure I did not want some online so glad you did, indeed, that's exciting. Now how did you do it. Did you cut back on something that you make a change in your budget would that look like I cut back on a lot of my pay very much, but I'll tell you how to when you have bills trying to pay his next Dell and that's how I get that Taoist information box. Everything to plan with God's help and now with you guys and I appreciate it that you should be.

You did the hard work and what you described is what we called the snowball method, where you essentially pay all your minimums. You take all your surplus and you attack the smallest balance when you get that often you go right down the line and every time you pay one off in full. You get kind of that emotional psychological win if you will, and that is proven to be enough of an incentive to keep going that most folks just keep going like you did till they paid it all off. Now what have you done with that money that you're no longer sending to debt payments are you saving that you increase your giving what were you doing I'm putting my children to Christians okay. I love that incredible.

Very important. My children graduated I went to same thing and grounded in God's word at a young age. Yes well is very clear that we should celebrate and we should remember and God is faithful and your acknowledging that today, publicly and by doing so. D.

I'm confident that it's a real encouragement to somebody out there listening who is where you were four years ago and perhaps this is the incentive they needed to dial back the spending and cut out the lattes if that's what you need to do and apply all yeah that's part. I know he that you say, did you say D that this was back in like 2005 Visit Their Way remember.yes labor Trust God which are question during does work and I just cannot appraise for well and I did meet Mary in heaven. Well, I understand that you can allow them D because we love them.

Those of us who worked with them and you Rob, but what a legacy. Larry left behind it was before the Internet.

D writes a letter sends it to Larry who got hundreds of letters to be honest with you is your response and improviser would not only information but a box full of stuff mean that's the kind of legacy of love and grace that Larry left behind, and it means that as this ministry continues until Jesus comes that we need to be the same kind of people generous and willing to share God's word and God's principles and the gospel of Jesus Christ. All the same time. While we walk in some big shoes. As you know Steve following Larry's footsteps and try to carry on exactly the way he would and did which was in a way that was, hope filled and encouraging and kind and yet very practical and helpful, but always centered on God's word, and so great to hear that testimony today mark in Milwaukee. What's on your mind. How can we help hi Mark, okay Mark. Take yourself up and say we've all become accustomed to in this zoom age where I have to take ourselves off mute hey Mark, I can we help you today sir.

Thank you. Help me pay down over $50,000 in debt over three years and almost debt-free pretty good, but my question is I have $20,000 remaining.

I might have to have mount and right now there's no interest on that loan its current and I have $20,000. Besides my emergency funds left by the end of the year and I was wondering should I pale or should I keep in a high-interest account and what's your opinion on that. Yeah yeah well you know I like the idea and when we just confirm one thing.

Forgive my thought did you say yeah 20,000 which is equal to the balance in addition to your emergency savings correct and I did okay okay and do you have any other upcoming short-term needs that are used can require some additional funds you know in the next couple years. I have a mortgage that is occurring in track so there yet but other than that nothing that I can predict off.

We have fun, and we have our three months worth of funding for bills but will sure sure in your year contributing to a retirement account of some sort, yes or at 15% okay very good yeah you know I like the idea of you accelerating this and paying it off and I think you could go a couple of directions one would be to say you know what we we want to have a little bit more than three months were to hold a little bit of this money back just to make sure we don't get ourselves in a predicament where you know we need more than three months to whether some unexpected financial storm and because we pay this off. We don't have anywhere to go especially well it's a 0% interest. I wouldn't do it just purely because your you know that half a point return. Given that I yield savings I do it because you really feel like you need a little bit more in the way of reserves to fall back on if you don't have any other source of funds you once you pay this debt off then you don't have that money, but if you're comfortable with the three months especially if you're living well within your means and you have a surplus which is allowing you to add to that three months and you have a plan to get to the six months fully funded that I would say just go and wipe it out and I think that's very biblical. We have the power to do it. We should, and you're looking at it in light of your other God-given goals and priorities and as you evaluate it.

Certainly being debt-free, regardless of whether or not there's 0% for the time being more part of that's going to be forgiven or anything like that.

I just like the idea of you saying you know what I borrowed this money and get a payback. I have the ability to do it and it makes sense in light of my other priorities which are already taken care of.

So for that reason, I'd say either go and just wipe it out and let's move on or be at least pay down a significant portion of it so that you're on track to pay it off in the next couple years.

At the very latest Mark were glad you called today. Hope that helps you. Thank you very very much. You're listening to moneywise live with Rob West. If you have a question or comment regarding what the Bible direction is when it comes to establishing priorities paying off debt, generosity, teaching your kids about managing money living a balanced financial lifestyle or anything along those lines, our lines are open at 800-5257 20 matters where we do our very best to share those with you and one of those principles Rob it's a big one that is living a balanced lifestyle making sure your budget does have a does balance your checkbook balances and speaking of all that even we live with a balanced portfolio. If you will, and we live on a budget only because of our listeners right well that's exactly right here on money matters, you realize all that talk of lubricant and you will welcomed people back to my old program. Yes, you well. That's why. Well, I'll leave it at that is probably time we did know you started.

Yes, way, way back in 1988 it was called moneywise.

And then there was money matters was money where line games we watch have money matters moneywise and now it's count your money. It's moneywise in effect to your original point, we do live on a balanced budget and guess what, it's the March, which means we want to finish the month strong and that we depend on your financial support to produce this radio broadcast each day, in partnership with Moody radio to bring you all of the web resources and tools in the moneywise coaches in the moneywise app. We do all of that because of your generous support. So would you consider a gift, perhaps partnering with us monthly or one time.

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How can we help you today beginning of the hour talking about how much I like regarding my retirement. I am an employee so I know I have canceled partial of my retirement date that I'm not sure where it began. At this time don't have a 401(k) so I'm just one from assistant based on starting the late where I don't owe any debt at a than mine, and I do have a meeting investment. Yeah that makes sense. Why appreciate that Jacinta just encourage you know there are so many people listening that during the same spot and know we can pick up right were ahead and say how do I move forward from here. Recognizing the rules of thumb are just that the rules of thumb and no we do the best we can and we need to be keeping her lifestyle in check and saving for the future. We also need to be well-planned, but at the end of the day we trust the Lord. He is our provider and we just want to be found faithful. All of us, myself included, in managing God's money wisely.

According to the principles we find in his word in here on moneywise live each day we unpack those 2350 verses in God's word as it deals as it relates to money and possessions in saving and giving all of it. And certainly we should be setting something aside for the future but were all in different places. In that journey and so we say what do I need to do moving forward and that's really the key. How many more working years.

Do you have Jacinta well I hope to retire at this point well hopefully retire initially but I don't. I can go further on. Based on the situation and go to the second retirement like 70 where he could not extract stressful general now happened 30 years by 60 and I can go forward on another job. I don't think and how far away is that old are you today I'm 40 okay great see you got 20 years and potentially 30 years still to go in terms of, you know the real working life that you have an obviously as believers we realize that were called to be workers even before the fall of man right were to be productive and take what the Lord is created and improve it and we all have a calling on her life and we are in service to the Lord throughout our lives until he calls us home and we always need to be evaluating what that is for each of us, and there will likely be a season where you'd stop he'd work because you have to work Lord redirect you to something else and that's why we want to save for the future, not just to sit back and live necessarily just the life of leisure, but you have time on your side even though you are starting late so I think the next step for you.

Jacinta is a plan because when you have a plan you're it's it's always more encouraging to at least know where you stand and what you're trying to reach and part of that plan is going to include determining what your lifestyle will look like in retirement. In that season. I love the fact that you are debt free except for your mortgage work and want to make sure we prioritize paying that off at the very latest. By the time you enter that nonpaid season of your life so that your lifestyle is as low as possible, but as a part of the planning process, you would estimate what your lifestyle expenses will look like in that season probably somewhere around 70 to 80% of your current expenses. Just because the mortgage will be paid off you not saving for the future. Those kinds of things might drop some insurance that you no longer need things like that and then you at least have a target that says okay. In addition to the guaranteed income source. I can count on my government pension I'm going to be short X, whatever that number is on a monthly basis to fund my lifestyle based on my best guess on what that's gonna cost me every month and then you can kinda back into okay in order to generate that kind of supplemental income. I need a certain amount in the bank to be able to fund that and then you at least have a target that you can save toward by keeping her lifestyle. At a minimum, and perhaps funding Roth IRA or traditional IRA.

In addition to what you're putting away at work, so I would encourage you to connect there in Orlando with a certified kingdom of visor to do some of that planning and you can find those interview and then select the best one moneywise live.org find us and we appreciate things return it Stephanie in Austin and Patricia will do this easily, quickly and safely live.org moneywise live.RG okay let's go to Austin Texas and Stephanie, thanks for your patience which your question today hi thank you. I generally got journey that my thank you thank you okay I'm not a question about my name my dialect for the federal government and where under three-tiered I know I want to get that retirement and I'm going to get caring.

But on all federal and my job at work but Internal Revenue Service and I was 36 but I didn't start my weight training, about 38 years later when I made a big stake and went up with, but not signed up with the plan. I put down I thought out 550% well with Rohit Mall and almost 3 years later my group. Some that work. Another part-time job as an elective. I don't know why my count I like that.

Well, but like and then now I'm really grew then build it started.

I got down okay thank you thank you thank 15 about 1550% would be a great target and the idea here Stephanie is the Social Security was never intended to cover hundred percent of your expenses in retirement. At best it's probably cover 40 to 45%. So we need to be saving through other means to have other assets that we can convert into income streams to supplement Social Security and cover your lifestyle in that season and so with the TSP which is for government employees. The thrift savings plan. You have this. Essentially, the ability to contribute to what is the equivalent of a 401(k) through salary deferral. What you're doing and one way to build that up quickly is to set it at 50% but that's challenging that's I realize that was a mistake.

So 10% certainly is a great number.

I think you know 15% is probably a better target so it always requires that you go back and do a couple things number one is I like for you to have a plan. So I think at this point in your life.

I think you said your age is 52. This would be a great time for you to get with a financial planner do a financial conference a financial plan that includes the retirement portion of your financial planning just to determine okay what you expect your expenses to be in that season, what might you have from Social Security. Based on the latest estimates and what you're you've been paying in and then what would your gap be and therefore what you need to have in your TSP when you reach retirement to generate the kind of income that you need and not pull out too much. Every month so that account will sustain you throughout the rest your latkes. Keep in mind when you retire. Let's say you retired your 65, you could still need that money potentially for three decades or more. So we need that money the last.

So I think doing a financial plan with them in a financial planner would be real benefit to you and then you know it's not just 15%. For the sake of 15%. Your saving toward a target based on somebody was actually run the math and you've worked together to come up with that number through the planning process. So I encourage you to go to our website moneywise live.org connect with a certified kingdom advisor there in Austin and go and do some of that planning and if you have questions when you're done with that give us a call back. Stephanie, thanks very much we appreciate that. I'm glad that you cut those numbers early on, even after two years, Cleveland, Ohio. Patricia you want to help your daughter home with her student loans will thank you thank you and hear you know any question you make will will you know now.

You certainly are two things that my producer put in the notes here when you called in a moment ago. One is that you are considering using retirement savings and the second is that your daughter's employer potentially is going to help her pay these down. Tell me about those two items will will and will will will I see okay very good thing. I would just caution you on is just keep in mind when it comes to paying for college were paying back college loans. Can we talk about using retirement savings and I realize you're saying you have a part-time income in your retirement season that you perhaps his extra money and you can use that to pay this down just as a gift to her. And that's great. Just be sure that your you know, not taking away from important savings that you're putting away that you're going to need because you know she's got a lot more time on her side to repay these, then you have to pay back retirement savings, but if it's surplus got over and above what you all need to maintain your lifestyle this season because you've decided to keep some part-time jobs. That's great and you want to bless your daughter I think that's tremendous. Yes, you can pay directly toward the principal and pay these down beyond the monthly payment you just want to make sure that that you indicate that they do that as to the consolidation. If these are federal loans can doing a federal loan consolidation is fine. It's it's not can improve the interest rate you can have an aggregate of the current rates is just to simplify things because rather than having multiple loans you have one in the nice thing about the loan consolidation is that it preserves all of the federal options both in terms of loan forgiveness if she were to happen to qualify for any of that and income-based repayment option options if she ever needed those so I like the simplification that comes to the consolidation but don't refinance them with a private lender, because you can be giving up all of that when you do that so I think you guys are doing a wonderful thing and you absolutely can help her pay these down. Just make sure you have the funds to Patricia, thank you very much for giving us a call today and for reminding us that it is indeed holding week Tuesday today and tomorrow, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and was then Sunday.

Today was more is on the line now for the lien and Linda if you don't mind what you name or something like that and it made hard all now will branch traded with the Indians and the Indians were shrewd traders, so they said they had a hard all the little all that you pull: yes. Another way of exactly how your teacher virtue you an English teacher admitted, I just felt that it was just a buyout.

Is he doing is just a right way to drive you and God bless you. Thanks very much what you well out of Spokane for over 20 years.

The first time I've ever phoned in a red letter day. Thank you. I'm refinancing my now 4.3 standard 2.8 and I paid 200 for my mouth six years ago assessed at 485. That's what's happening in lovely Coeur d'Alene. So I really can't like take out 15,000 and replace some laminate flooring became.

That means that I would increase my mortgage is 10,000 just calling to see what the wisdom of doing that would be yes. If I understood correctly your current mortgage is 200 you be adding 15 to it's a go up to 215. Are you also gonna roll the financial aisle about 155 on the how okay great and use it's worth 485 that praise that incredible 15 to it and are you also gonna roll in the cost of the refinance or you pay cash know I'm really not into okay and how much are you planning what are the costs roughly. Do you know yet roughly 5000 thousand. Okay, yeah, that's all that's a little hard love to see that 3 to 4002% of the mortgage balance would be typically what I'm shooting for. Which would be around $3100 but so you might want to get a couple of other options to consider you if you haven't already, I'd encourage you to get at least three you can always check with your bank. Would that look online@bankrate.com to see who has the best programs and rates currently because it's changing all the time and in terms of you rolling that 15 then yeah I mean it makes some sense in that. That's a fantastic interest rate you got a ton of equity know the only downside is how long is the term gotta be on that Linda, 30 year okay and how long have you had that mortgage six years. Okay see. I'd love for you to do this it did 25 or 20. Just because you know by you going back to a new 30 years we amortizing it, even though you got a phenomenal interest rate you're saving you know a .1 .2% by adding those years back on it, you're not actually saving as much so I would consider going with a 25 year mortgage. The only other option would be if you knew that you could pay this 15 off relatively quickly because you have some surplus every month or you've got some no partial euro amount that you built up in savings that you could use for it, tell me about that you have much surplus every month or are you pretty tight and therefore you don't think you'd be able to pay it and my my payment is like the $860 and so I had thought that I could make a couple extra payment throughout the air. Yeah so you have a couple of options. One is you go. I'm refinancing but again I look at 25 years and in and you just do the 155+ the expenses and then you get a second call the home equity loan or the 15,000 and then just really focus on paying that off quickly so you don't amortize that interest on that 15,000 over the next 25 years or if you pay an extra payment or two year. Let's say the next 18 to 20 years, should pay it off sooner, you might be able to pay that portion of the loan off that home equity loan. Often two or three years if you could 45 so that would be the only thing to consider, but if you feel like no I just don't have the ability to add, you know the you know enough money to pay that 15,000 off in the next 3 to 5 years that I'd say okay let's go ahead and roll it in but let's not increase the term to 30 years. Did you follow that 25 year term. Your term and and if you think you could pay that 15 back in 3 to 5 years and I do it as a home equity loan separate. If you can't you say no there's just no way I can put that kind of money toward it paid off in 3 to 5 years to go and roll it in but let's make sure we don't to extend the term okay makes perfect sense.

Okay, very good, Linda.

The English teacher. Thank you for listening and for calling your first time today were delighted Linda got bless you.

Thanks so much. Valparaiso, Indiana, just a little bit of time Beatrice Huckabee helped Avenue now and I lay down market home and will likely only apparent likely to have quite a bit to call and I should come and get you some money because that I recollect either action and even let her any pain on media unity are like me that my question is should I talk with my annuity.

Should I let her stay here and I will not go company that and down to pick out boy, there's a lot of moving pieces here Beatrice. Let's try to quickly tackle this and it may be that we just need to reconnect yet another time or get you with the coach but this is your home and your name is a right yet.

Okay, what's the value of 200,000 okay and how much do you need to put in it to bring it up to working order. The repairs and renovations you're talking about anybody have any. Okay, these cosmetic repairs. Repairs and meditations, or is this like a leaky roof that you just have to address you will want to have it back in the kitchen began remodeling back at right now don't get many Internet for 38 in mind the types of things you're talking about bathroom remodels and kitchens get very expensive feel you remodel a kitchen that could easily be $20-$50,000 so you but that's cosmetic. So what I'm hearing is there some things you have to do immediately that do you want to split. Let's set your daughters wishes aside for second. This is your home is this a home you want to stay in how hot or barren, not convenient for her children and I can see I can see her inner thighs are living here and taking care of me moving you this you want to buy her any type or any color you know this time where we go live. If you left at my bag in the car and went back in and going and sure. Do you have could you afford to go get an apartment about a year and crediting it in all it would help me financially in apartment thinking about yeah I'm not a big fan of this. I think there needs to be a lot more consideration planning prayer that needs to go into this know it's wonderful that you want to leave this on to your daughter but you're still here and you're still the steward of these resources.

The Lord hasn't called you home yet and so we need to look at your financial situation and you want to be able to be a blessing to your daughter but you gotta think about what God is given to you right now because you're the steward you're the manager of those resources and so you need to have a plan that sustainable that's not dependent upon her you were to give her this home now and then you have to go out and pay for a more a no rent which is very expensive right now. Rent rental prices are very high. We want to look at that in your budget and make sure that something you could do because it could be that now is the time for you to sell that home and take that money and get something small that you can pay cash for and then maybe out of the proceeds you help your daughter with a little to get her on her feet, but I think that right now were not necessarily approaching it that way and you may find yourself in a position where you're financially overextended. She's in your home. She's not able to help you despite her best efforts and you know you have a real predicament on your hand so I think we need a backup and get to somebody else to kinda look at the whole situation give you some counsel so let's do this.

I wanted my producer get your information in him and I personally have one of our coaches connect with you to help you go through all the numbers look at your budget look at the assets you have look at your home and then help you think objectively about what's the best plan for you moving forward while at the same time recognizing you want to be helpful to your daughter and her kids which is not a bad thing. We just need to make sure it all works because the Lord would lead us to do something that's not sustainable and so you know the plan needs to make some sense. Before we proceed with it. So you hang on the wind will get your information and then connected with the coach. Beatrice is only a very generous person you hang on the line. I agree with Rob. Let's think this through.

Just a little bit more if we have the time to thank you very much.

Speaking of time. We are pretty much that I want to thank our production staff today.

Amy Eric, Dan, and of course Jim Henry Rob last time Steve Moore moneywise live is a partnership between Moody radio and moneywise media. Thank prayers and generosity come back and join us again