It was so great catching up with all of you at our last ice cream event that we decided to have another one.
Come beat the heat and grab something sweet to eat!
Bring your friends, neighbors and kids! We'd love to see everyone there!
We've come to the realization that not everyone knows what gap insurance is and why it may be a good idea to get it when purchasing a brand new car. Gap insurance is an insurance policy you buy to cover the amount your insurance company will pay out vs. the amount you owe on your car loan, in the case of an accident where your car is totaled. This is an important coverage to consider especially if you are purchasing a brand new car. Car values drop drastically once you drive the vehicle off the lot. By not purchasing the gap insurance you run the risk of owing a lot more than what the car is worth after an insurance payout. That means you would either have to pay off the loan balance yourself or roll it into another vehicle loan which would most likely leave you upside down. Definitely not a good place to be in. Here is an article, written by Joshua Caucutt from Money Crashers, that goes into further detail about gap insurance, how to get it and helps you decide if you need it.
https://www.moneycrashers.com/gap-insurance-cars-worth-it/
Have a great weekend!
Melani
We thought we would give you a heads up on a new act that will be beginning on October 1, 2020. It is called the Federal REAL ID Act. This act will require anyone boarding domestic flights, entering military bases or federal facilities to have a REAL ID. It can either be a driver license or an ID card and they are issued by the California DMV.
Here is an example of what the Federal REAL ID will look like as well as a link to the REAL ID fact sheet with detailed instructions on how to obtain one.
We suggest getting this done as soon as possible. Don't wait until close to the deadline, especially if you know you have travel plans that will require it. We know people have a tendency to procrastinate and we have a feeling there will be a backup due to a lot of people needing them at once.
We are proud to announce that Sandy, Carol and Erin have been awarded with the 2018 Five Star Wealth Managers Award. They have been featured in Orange Coast Magazine's June 2018 issue. There were 2,423 candidates for this award and only 144 were named as top wealth managers. Way to go!!!
Follow the link below and search under wealth managers to see the full list.
https://www.fivestarprofessional.com/awardwinners/OCWM
**** There is a minimum of 5 yrs as a credentialed professional requirement to receive this award. We are confident that once Samantha reaches this milestone she too will be named ****
Here is a great article with lots of information on the dangers of using public wi-fi. There are some interesting facts that I never even thought of. For example, hackers are not only looking for your personal identifying information but they also are looking at your browsing history to be able to target you in phishing scams based on your interests. These phishing scams come in the form of robocalls, free apps and targeted ads. As always we want you to take every precaution to safeguard yourself from identity theft. This article is definitely worth the read.
https://lifelockunlocked.com/tips/lowdown-public-wi-fi/?cid=em_eNews_vol5_onboardingdbm_readmore_-_
Happy Mother's Day weekend to you all!
Samantha
Asset Planning is collecting used prescription eyeglasses, non-prescription sunglasses, readers and even broken glasses. These glasses will be donated to the California Lions Friends in Sight. This organization provides free vision screening and free recycled eyeglasses to those in need.
If you have any eyeglasses that you wish to donate you can drop them off at our office anytime from now until May 25th.
Thank you in advance for your donations!
Even though tax season is is behind us you may still be going through important documents or filing them away. We thought now was a good time to let you know that we offer free document back up for our clients. We will take your important documents, scan them, keep them in your electronic client file here and also save them to a password protected flash drive for you to keep. We're always sending out reminders of the importance of having your documents in a safe place and backed up in case of a fire or other emergency and now it's easier than ever to get it done with this free service.
Examples of items you may want to have scanned are; birth certificates, medical records, insurance policies, bank and investment account information, identification cards etc.
Having this USB drive with you while traveling could be especially useful if there is an emergency while you're away from home.
If you would like to take advantage of this offer, feel free to give me a call to set up a time to drop your documents off.
Have a great weekend!
Melani
The deadline for getting your 2017 IRA contributions to us is Wednesday, April 11th. Tax season is an extremely busy time so the sooner you get these in the better. Feel free to stop by the office anytime from 8am-4pm to drop them off.
Have a great weekend!
Melani
Amy Florian from Corgenius released some information regarding new tests to alert you to the early signs of dementia and Alzheimer's disease. The first study was about sense of smell and the second one was about personality changes.
Here are some highlights taken directly from her research on the studies that we thought were important.
Regarding smell, scientists studied several factors in reasonably healthy people and then followed them for five years to see who developed dementia. They found that when combined with baseline cognitive function at the start, the most important factor was sense of smell. They specifically studied five scents – orange, leather, peppermint, rose, and fish. The greater number of scents that created difficulty and the more poorly a person could discern these smells, the more likely they were to exhibit dementia five years later. Researchers noted that this can’t be relied on as a singular test, but rather as a realization that sensory function is closely related to brain function, and may be among the first areas to exhibit deficiencies.
Another study focused on the long-recognized fact that personality changes are an early sign of Alzheimer’s disease, especially becoming uncharacteristically angry, aggressive, paranoid, or inappropriate. Now researchers have developed a 34-question quiz that can help determine the breadth and depth of behavioral changes, and they are proposing an intermediate diagnosis of mild behavioral impairment. You can take the quiz here. Note that these changes should persist for 6 months and be fundamental changes in behavior in order to indicate problems.
We are always looking for ways to keep you informed on the latest news with issues we come accross and cognitive decline is an important one.
There's been a lot of recent reports on how much information Facebook really has on you and it is scary. When is the last time you looked to see how many of your apps are connected to your Facebook profile? Even if youre not using the app anymore, once you grant them permission to your Facebook profile they will continue to collect your data, including your friends list, pictures, browsing history etc, until you revoke their access.
We found a really good article on CNBC that gives you a step-by-step guide on how to check your privacy settings, see who has access to your information and how to remove them. Follow the link below to check it out.
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/03/20/how-to-see-which-facebook-apps-have-access-to-your-data.html
Check out our new Ebook! In it you will find some valuable tips and guidance for retirement planning from our CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERS®.
We would like to thank everyone who donated pet supplies and medications to our cause! Animals are near and dear to our hearts and it means a lot to have so many clients show support with their generous donations. We are so happy that these donations will go to pets in need, especially those affected in Puerto Rico and the disaster areas.
Samantha and Melani dropping off the pet supplies to the SPCALA
The API girls out celebrating API's 20th anniversary. We couldn't do it without our wonderful clients!
From left to right: Carol, Joanne, Sandy (Top), Erin, Samantha and Melani
Asset Planning is proud to announce that we are celebrating our 20 year anniversary this week. API continues to expand and now has clients in 16 states and manages over 260 million dollars. This is an exciting milestone for our company and we know that we would not be here today if it wasn’t for the commitment and support that we receive from our clients; some who have been with us from the very beginning. Our clients mean the world to us and we thank you for your continued loyalty and referrals that allow us to keep growing.
The Dow Jones and S&P 500 posted a loss of 7.92% and 7.17%, respectively, in the last 5 days, however this is not a reason to panic. The market has been steadily increasing without a significant market move or correction and we have enjoyed 15 consecutive months with positive returns. The headlines can be misleading, but this is just volatility returning to markets. Some of the loss today was likely due to computerized algorithms that were triggered to start selling as the market reached certain levels. This increased selling intensifies the loss, but will normalize when those same algorithms buy back in to the market.
We have been anticipating this correction and will take advantage of this opportunity.
Many people are interested in their ancestry and genetic testing and the popularity of DNA test kits shows this new trend. The most popular tests are AncestryDNA, National Geographic genetics and 23andme. 23andMe has over 2 million customers that have given consent to have their data used for research. Yes, the data is sold. The premise is that the data is sold for research and the buyers are institutions and nonprofits. You do have to consent to your data being used and 80% of their customers do give consent. So, what are the dangers? For a young person who may be applying for health insurance or life insurance in their future, I would advise that their data not be shared and their sample not be kept for future testing. Despite genetic privacy laws, life insurers can request genetic testing information and thus deny coverage based on your disease risk profile. Law enforcement also has the right to your data.
For people living to age 85, there is a 34% chance of having Alzheimers. Age is also a big risk factor for Parkinson’s disease. If you find you have the APOE gene, your risk of Alzheimer’s is increased. How the research can help is that the right patients could be put in specific clinical trials. Carol and her kids have been tested. I spit in the tube and sent my sample off to 23andMe to be tested for ancestry results just because I am curious even though all my maternal side came from Sweden. I have not given consent for learning my genetic risk for diseases yet. If you have an interest in this topic, email us for our links to the articles and research.
Sandy
After the hustle and bustle of the holidays and the start of a new year, most people start to look ahead and like the idea of a fresh start. Take advantage of this motivation by applying it to your finances as well and giving yourself a financial checkup. Yes, I know that taking a good hard look at your finances is not always something that you look forward to. But being realistic about your current financial situation, making some goals and putting an action plan together will put you on the right track to having a successful retirement with less to worry about and more time to enjoy yourself.
I found an article in the December 2017/January 2018 edition of AARP magazine written by Michelle V. Rafter, that outlines some steps to get you started on your financial check up journey. Check it out by clicking the link below.
https://www.aarp.org/money/credit-loans-debt/info-2017/financial-checkup.html
May 2018 be your most financially fit year ever!
Samantha
All of us at Asset Planning hope everyone has had a great start to their New Year! I wanted to send out a few reminders as you may still be cleaning and organizing from all of the holiday madness.
We are still accepting pet supplies and old medications to donate for disaster relief until January 15th. If you have anything to donate please drop them off at our office by then.
Also, around this time you may be getting ready to do your taxes and are going through paperwork. This is a perfect time to remind you that we offer free document shredding for our clients all year long. If you have any sensitive paperwork that needs to be shredded you can bring that to the office any time.
If your items are bulky or heavy and you need assistance please call me in advance and I will be glad to help you.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Melani
President Trump signed the tax reform bill this morning. Most provisions are set to take effect in 2018, but many of those are also set to expire or sunset in 2025. Here's a summary of what we think are the major changes that will affect our clients. We will have a more in-depth analysis and summary in our year end newsletter.
1. Reductions in individual tax rates. The bill retains the current structure of seven investor tax brackets, but lowers five of them. It also includes the sunset provision, meaning it's a temporary arrangement from 2018 to 2025.
Here's the breakdown of the new vs. current marginal tax rates:
|
Current Marginal Tax Rate |
Proposed Marginal Tax Rate |
Income Level (Single Filers) |
Income Level (Couples Filing Jointly) |
|
10% |
10% |
$0 -- $9,525 |
$0 -- $19,050 |
|
15% |
12% |
$9,525 -- $38,700 |
$19,050 -- $77,400 |
|
25% |
22% |
$38,700 -- $82,500 |
$77,400 -- $165,000 |
|
28% |
24% |
$82,500 -- $157,500 |
$165,000 -- $315,000 |
|
33% |
32% |
$157,500 -- $200,000 |
$315,000 -- $400,000 |
|
35% |
35% |
$200,000 -- $500,000 |
$400,000 -- $600,000 |
|
39.60% |
37% |
$500,000 and up |
$600,000 and up |
2. Reduction in corporate tax rate to a maximum rate of 21% (a reduction from 35%). Also, corporate income earned abroad and brought back to the United States will be taxed between 8 and 15.5%, instead of the current 35%. These are permanent reductions.
3. Standard Deductions increasing nearly 90%. For married couples filing jointly, the standard deduction rises to $24,000 from $12,700; for single filers, it moves to $12,000 from $6,350.
4. Additional changes to Itemized Deductions. These vary, and some might be more impactful than others.
5. Changes to estate planning. The bill doubles the estate tax exemption to $10 million, but it's also indexed for inflation after 2011. The bill also calls for doubling the value threshold on the 40% levy on estates worth nearly $11 million for individuals and $22 million for couples. The estate tax exemption also has the sunset provision, meaning that the bill calls for a reversion back to current exemption amounts in 2026.
6. Charitable deductions. Although the current tax deductions stay in place, the doubling of the standard deduction to $24,000 essentially raises the threshold on deductibility. Taxpayers will have to itemize donations to get the benefit.
From all of us at Asset Planning, Inc. we wish you a wonderful Holiday Season!
*Asset Planning, Inc. does not provide tax advice. We suggest clients consult with a tax-planning professional with regards to their personal circumstances.
There is no denying it, Bitcoin is all anyone is talking about right now. We know that a lot of you have questions as to what it is, how it works, the risks etc. I came across an article this morning on Seeking Alpha written by Victor Dergunov that I feel has been the most comprehensive in explaining exactly what Bitcoin is and the risks involved when investing in it. I thought I'd share it with you to give you some insights on the mysterious cryptocurrency that is taking over the headlines. Follow the link below to read the article.
Have a great weekend!
Samantha
