Retirement Planning Today
Retirement Planning Today: Our Course is Back!
Are you ready to take control of your financial future? For the 30th year, Stuart Benjamin and Zack Benjamin will teach "Retirement Planning Today" at Samford University. Throughout the course, we'll cover various financial planning topics that offer practical strategies for managing your money, planning for the future, and achieving your life goals. Whether you're just starting your career or approaching retirement, this comprehensive 10-hour course is valuable at any stage of life.
Choose between attending the Tuesday or Thursday sessions. If you miss a class, don't worry! You can easily make up any missed session by attending the alternative day.
- Session 1 (Tuesdays): January 13th, 20th, 27th
- Session 2 (Thursdays): February 12th, 19th, 26th
- All classes will run from 6:30 pm – 9:00 pm
- Location: Samford University
- Only $59 for you and one guest! One workbook included.
Need more details? Call us at 205.262.1277.
"The best way to predict your future is to create it." — Abraham Lincoln
Course Outline:
- Life Planning for Retirement – What are you looking to accomplish during your retirement years? For many, work has embodied their lives for 20, 30 or 40+ years. Now the next chapter begins and want to explore what that looks like for you. Are you wanting to travel? Volunteer? Pursue hobbies? You need a clear idea of your retirement lifestyle and goals. This course begins with quick, individual exercises to help you being thinking about non-financial retirement planning.
- Traditional vs new retirement
- New retirement opportunities
- The retirement planning process
- Retirement needs & Expenses – What are your retirement expectations? According to the Employee Benefits Research Institute, 69% of workers are very or somewhat confident they will have enough money to “live comfortably” throughout retirement. However, only 48% had actually tried to calculate how much they will need to save!
- How long will your money last?
- Prices, purchasing power and inflation
- Retirement expectations
- Can you financially afford to retire?
- Retirement Roadblocks & Mistakes – We identify the 10 biggest retirement planning mistakes and how to avoid them.
- 10 retirement planning mistakes
- Cash flow statements
- Uses of credit and debit
- Taxes, marginal tax rates and how to save money on taxes
- Investing with tax considerations
- Retirement Income Sources – We will be looking at the many ways to save for retirement and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each.
- IRAs, Roth IRAs and Roth conversions
- Social Security
- Employer-sponsored defined benefit plans & defined contribution plans
- Retirement Plan Distributions – Addressing the important decisions people must make about their retirement plans when you actually retire. We will discuss strategies that will allow you to take money out of your retirement plans with maintaining financial flexibility. Most importantly, we compare retirement plan distribution choices to help you make an informed decision.
- Rollovers, direct rollovers and transfers
- Lump sum vs. annuity payments
- Early retirement considerations
- RMDs
- Investments – Learning about cash accounts, stocks, bonds, mutual funds, ETFs, individually managed accounts, annuities and important considerations before you invest.
- Considerations before you invest
- Cash account options
- Stocks & Bonds
- Mutual Funds & ETFs
- Investment risk management strategies
- Risk Management & Asset Protection – Addressing strategies designed to protect you from a large financial loss prior to or during retirement. We will be discussing different types of insurance, when it is appropriate and how much coverage you may or may not need.
- Disability insurance
- Health insurance & Medicare
- Life insurance
- Long term care options
- Estate Planning – Estate planning is much more than planning for your death. This section dives into detail surrounding personal decisions that affect you, your family and loved ones while you are still living. Laws will continue to change and the way we address estate planning will continue to evolve.
- Taxes
- Wills, Power of Attorney & Medical Directives
- Tax considerations
- Gifting
- Trusts