Offering financial solutions and retirement planning services to: Florida, Georgia, Arkansas, North Carolina, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, South Carolina, and West Virginia. Call us today! 770.951.8411, Lamon & Stern, Inc., Please Visit Our Website at www.LamonAndStern.com

Thursday

Retirement Plan Features and Highlights

The Plan is intended to help you
put aside money for your retirement
Features and Highlights

WHAT IS ABC COMPANY'S PLAN YEAR?

The Plan Year is the consecutive twelve-month period beginning on 01/01 and ending on 12/31.

WHO CAN PARTICIPATE?

Participation is open to employees who have met the following requirements:
  • Attained age 21.
  • Completed 1 Year of Service, as defined by the Plan.
The Plan does not allow participation by employees who are:
  • Covered by a collective bargaining agreement.
  • Leased employees.
  • Non-resident aliens with no U.S. earned income.
Other requirements may also have to be met, as described in the Summary Plan Description.

WHEN MAY I JOIN?

Eligible employees may join the Plan on the earlier of the first day of the Plan year, or the first day of the fourth, seventh or tenth month of the Plan year coinciding with or next following the date on which the eligibility requirements are met (quarterly).

HOW DO I CONTRIBUTE TO THE PLAN?
  • Though payroll deduction, you can make elective deferrals up to the maximum allowed by law.  The dollar limit is $15,500 for 2007.
  • You can also designate your elective deferrals to a Plan account that qualifies as a Roth 401(k) account.  In 2007 you may contribute as much as $15,500, in total, to your 401(k) accounts (Roth 401(k) and pre-tax contributions), or the maximum allowed by your plan, whichever is less.  Roth 401(k) contributions will be included in your taxable income.  Earnings on the Roth 401(k) contributions will accumulate tax free, and retirement withdrawals may be exempt from federal income tax.
  • You may make a special elective salary deferral on any bonuses you receive up to 100% of any bonus.
  • If you have an existing qualified retirement plan (pre-tax), Roth 401(k), qualified retirement plan (after-tax), 403(b) tax deferred arrangement or governmental 457 plan with a prior employer, or hold a taxable IRA account, you may transfer or roll over that account into the Plan on becoming a participant in the Plan.
CAN I MAKE CATCH-UP CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE PLAN?

If you are age 50 or older and make the maximum allowable deferral to your Plan, you are entitled to contribute an additional "catch-up contribution".  The catch-up contribution is intended to help eligible employees make up for smaller contributions made earlier in their careers.  The maximum catch-up contribution is $5,000 for 2007.  See your Benefits Administrator for more details.

CAN I STOP OR CHANGE MY CONTRIBUTIONS?
  • You may stop your contributions anytime upon written notice to ABC Company.  Once you discontinue contributions, you may only start again as provided under the terms of the Plan.
  • You may increase or decrease the amount of your contributions upon written notice to ABC Company.  The frequency of these changes is determined by ABC Company.  See your Plan Administrator for more information.
HOW DOES ABC COMPANY CONTRIBUTE TO THE PLAN?

The Plan also provides for ABC Company to make contributions.
  • ABC Company will make matching contributions equal to 5% of your eligible elective deferrals, up to 10% of compensation.
  • The matching contribution will be made on both pre-tax contributions and Roth 401(k) contributions.  Any match made on Roth 401(k) contributions and the earnings on that match will be subject to income tax upon withdrawal.
  • The Plan also provides for discretionary matching contributions on eligible elective deferrals in an amount to be determined by ABC Company on an annual basis. The discretionary matching contribution will be made only on pre-tax contributions.
  • ABC Company will make safe harbor matching contributions of 100% of the first 3% of compensation you contribute to the Plan and 50% of the next 2% of compensation you contribute to the Plan. Other limitations may apply.
The employer match on eligible elective deferrals benefits eligible employees who are actively employed on the last day of the Plan year and who have completed a year of service.

The employer discretionary match on eligible elective deferrals benefits all eligible employees and eligible employees who have worked 1,000 hour(s) during the Plan Year.

HOW DO I BECOME "VESTED" IN MY PLAN ACCOUNT?

Vesting refers to your "ownership" of a benefit from the Plan.  You are always 100% vested in your Plan contributions and your rollover contributions, plus any earnings they generate.  You are 100% vested in the "safe harbor" contributions ABC Company makes on your behalf, plus any earnings they generate.  Other employer contributions to the Plan, plus any earnings they generate, are vested as follows:

Years of
Vesting
Service
Percentage
Less than 2
0%
2
20%
3
40%
4
60%
5
80%
6 or more
100%

All accounts are fully vested at the Normal Retirement Age of 65.

WHEN CAN MONEY BE WITHDRAWN FROM MY PLAN ACCOUNT?

Money may be withdrawn from your Plan account in these events:
  • Retirement at the Plan's Normal Retirement Age of 65.
  • Your attaining age 59½.
  • Death.
  • Disability.
  • Termination of Employment.
To receive favorable tax treatment, distributions of Roth 401(k) contributions must be made after you reach age 59½ , or on account of your death or disability, and must be made at least 5 years after the date your first Roth 401(k) contribution was made.  See your Summary Plan Description for more details about taking withdrawals from the Plan.  Be sure to talk with your tax advisor before withdrawing any money from your Plan account. 

MAY I WITHDRAW MONEY IN CASE OF FINANCIAL HARDSHIP?

If you have an immediate financial need created by severe hardship and you lack other reasonably available resources to meet that need, you may be eligible to receive a hardship withdrawal from your account.  If you feel you are facing a financial hardship, you should see your Benefits Administrator for more details.

MAY I BORROW MONEY FROM MY ACCOUNT?

The Plan is intended to help you put aside money for your retirement.  However, ABC Company has included a Plan feature that lets you borrow money from the Plan.
  • The amount the Plan may loan to you is limited by rules under the tax law.  In general, all loans will be limited to the lesser of one-half of your vested account balance or $50,000.
  • The minimum loan amount is $1,000.
  • All loans must generally be repaid within five years.
  • You may have 2 loans outstanding at a time.
  • Loans are permitted from all accounts.
Other requirements and limits must be met, and certain fees may apply.  Refer to the Summary Plan Description for more details about this participant loan feature.

HOW ARE PLAN CONTRIBUTIONS INVESTED?

You give investment directions for your Plan account, selecting from investment choices provided under the Plan, as determined by ABC Company.
  • You may change your investment choices anytime.
  • More information about your Plan's investment choices can be found elsewhere in these materials.
The Plan is intended to be an ERISA Section 404(c) plan.  This simply means that you "exercise control" over some or all of the investments in your Plan account.  The fiduciaries of the Plan may be relieved of liability, or responsibility, for any losses that you may experience as a direct result of your investment decisions.

As a plan participant, you may request certain information from Susan R. Sample, Trustee, 123 Main Street, Anywhere, USA 12345, phone:  123-456-7890.  This information includes: annual operating expenses of the Plan investments; copies of prospectuses, financial statements, reports, or other materials relating to Plan investments provided to the Plan; a list of assets contained in each Plan investment portfolio; the value of those assets and fund units or shares; and the past and current performance of each Plan investment.

SUMMARY PLAN DESCRIPTION

The above highlights are only a brief overview of the Plan's features and are not a legally binding document.  A more detailed Summary Plan Description is available.  Contact your Benefits Administrator if you have any further questions.

Hollis Lamon
Lamon & Stern
Atlanta, Georgia

Contact Hollis Lamon of Lamon & Stern today for all your retirement planning needs! 770-951-8411

Saturday

Michael Stern is on LinkedIn

VISIT ME
ON LINKEDIN
Michael Stern
Vice President at Lamon & Stern, Inc.
Atlanta, Georgia (Greater Atlanta Area) | Investment Management

As the Vice President of Strategic Advisors, and an affiliate registered investment advisor within Lamon and Stern. For years Stern has assisted clients in corporate retirement investments and 401 k planning among many other financial and brokerage services the firm offers.

After graduating with honors from the Tulane University in 1974 Stern took his well earned BA and soon after obtained his series 7, series 24 and 63 securities licenses.  In 1991, Michael J. Stern joined Hollis M. Lamon in establishing Lamon and Stern.





Visit Michael Stern at LinkedIn

Read more about the Lamon & Stern, Inc. Team

Wednesday

IRON Financial - Why IRON Financial for Co-Fiduciary Services?

IRON Financial : Help you win
and retain retirement plan business
Why IRON Financial for Co-Fiduciary Services?

IRON Financial's Co-Fiduciary Services Best Fits Both the Company and the Advisor's Needs

With IRON, retirement plans can have a platform that meets the demands of the company and the employees.

  • ERISA Section 3(38) Fiduciary retirement plan advisor
  • Professional investment management expertise, experience and track record
  • Investment philosophy and processes that serve the Fiduciary interests of qualified retirement Plan Sponsors
  • Investment Policy Statement that reflects Plan Sponsor objectives and the interests of Participants
  • Detailed quarterly fiduciary reporting at a plan level
  • Independence; no conflicts of interest
  • No usage of investment products that are proprietary or in which the Advisor has an interest
  • Transparency of services, fees and value of client services
  • Quantitative Research that supports investment philosophy, methodologies and processes
  • Experienced and recognized Corporate Retirement Services and staff
  • $1.4bn Assets Under Management
  • Provides Investment Advisory Services to over 300 Retirement Plans

Hollis Lamon
Lamon & Stern
Atlanta, Georgia

Contact Hollis Lamon of Lamon & Stern today for all your retirement planning needs! 770-951-8411

Saturday

Michelle Farmer is on LinkedIn

VISIT ME
ON LINKEDIN
Michelle Farmer
Financial Principal at Lamon & Stern, Inc.
Atlanta, Georgia (Greater Atlanta Area) | Investment Management

Michelle Farmer graduated from Kennesaw State University with a BS degree and soon after earned her Series 7, 27, 28 and 63 security licenses. The series 27 license in particular was a welcome addition to the collection as it made her one of the few financial/operations (principals) of a $250,000 broker dealer in the Southeast.

Michelle has been with Lamon and Stern for 23 years and is the chief financial principal at Lamon and Stern, Inc.




Visit Michelle Farmer at LinkedIn

Read more about the Lamon & Stern, Inc. Team

Thursday

Nationwide: Successful Outcomes

Interactive Retirement Planner:
Review your retirement plan account to see
if you are on track to reach your goals
It's a great time of the year to review your retirement plan account to see if you are on track to reach your goals.  The Nationwide® On Your Side Interactive Retirement Planner can help you do just that.  It's an innovative resource, created for employees like you.  If you need to adjust your strategy, the planner can help with that, too! 

Try out the Interactive Retirement Planner Tool now.
  • Set a retirement goal
  • Track progress
  • Get suggestions to improve retirement outlook
  • Model different investment savings and retirement scenarios based on feedback from the planner
  • Save a PDF file of the information to share with others 
How does it work? 

The Interactive Retirement Planner analyzes the information that is important to your overall retirement outlook:
  • Age and time until retirement
  • Estimated Social Security payments
  • Defined benefit account (if applicable)
  • Other retirement assets such as IRAs or retirement plans from former jobs

Increase your contributions to the max

The Internal Revenue Service has announced higher maximum contribution limits for defined contribution plans for 2012.  This means you'll be able to contribute more into your retirement plan accounts.

Beginning in January, you can contribute as much as $17,000 per year to your retirement plan account.  And if you are 50 or older, you could contribute as much $22,500 with the age 50+ catch-up provision.

We know that for many people, the maximum amount is not possible.  But consider increasing your contributions by just 1% of your salary this year.  A little can go a long way!

Uncle Sam gives tax incentives for retirement-plan investing

The IRS can give you a tax credit up to $1,000, or $2,000 if filing jointly, just for contributing to your company's retirement plan.  To receive a credit, you must earn less than $28,250 per year or $56,500 if you file jointly.  It's called the Saver's Credit.

How do you become eligible?
  • You must be at least 18 years old and not claimed as a dependent on someone else's tax return
  • You cannot be a full-time student
  • When calculating the credit, you must deduct the amount of any retirement plan or annuity distributions you received in the current tax year and in the previous two tax years from the contributions you have made
The individual's Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) must not exceed the following 2011 limits:

Filing status
Your income
Rate of credit
Tax credit for a $2,000 contribution*

$34,000 or less
50%
$1,000
Married Filing
$34,001 - $36,500
20%
$400
Jointly
$36,501 - $56,500
10%
$200

more than $56,500
0%
$0

$25,500 or less
50%
$1,000
Head of
$25,501 - $27,375
20%
$400
Household
$27,375 - $42,375
10%
$200

more than $42,375
0%
$0

$17,000 or less
50%
$1,000
Other Filers
$17,001 - $18,250
20%
$400

$18,251 - $28,250
10%
$200

more than $28,250
0%
$0

*Married couples filing jointly may apply up to $4,000 for a maximum $2,000 credit.

Here's an example of how it works:

Consider a married couple who make $30,000 a year and contributed $3,000 toward a retirement account.  They could get a tax credit of $1,500.  (They make less than $34,000, making them eligible to receive the full tax credit of 50% of their contribution.  If they had contributed $4,000, they could get a $2,000 tax credit.)  If you're eligible to claim a Saver's Credit on your 2011 federal income tax return, consider how much more you may be able to contribute if you plan to claim the credit on your tax return next year!

Nationwide
On Your Side

Hollis Lamon
Lamon & Stern
Atlanta, Georgia

Contact Hollis Lamon of Lamon & Stern today for all your retirement planning needs! 770-951-8411

Tuesday

Hollis Lamon is on LinkedIn

VISIT ME
ON LINKEDIN
Hollis Lamon
President at Lamon & Stern, Inc.
Atlanta, Georgia (Greater Atlanta Area) | Investment Management

Hollis Lamon specializes in 401k growth retirement planning, maintaining and growing retirement income, 401k bench comparisons and corporate retirement advisement. With this knowledge, Lamon has assisted retirement professionals in making sound investments that has helped them prepare for their future.

As a registered municipal principal, options principal and investment advisor, Hollis Lamon has also worked side by side with third party marketers and administrative firms.





Visit Hollis Lamon at LinkedIn

Read more about the Lamon & Stern, Inc. Team

Sunday

Nationwide: Investment Basics

Investment basics :
Carefully consider the fund's investment
objectives, risks, charges and expenses
Investment Basics

Understanding how to invest in your plan may seem complicated, but once you learn a few terms and investing strategies, the choices can become clearer.

There are three major types of investments:
 1.  Cash equivalents
 2.  Bonds
 3.  Stocks

CASH EQUIVALENTS

Cash equivalents, which include certificates of deposit (CDs), U.S. Treasury bills and money market funds, can be turned into cash at any time.  While these are some of the less risky investment options, returns may not keep pace with inflation.

BONDS

Bonds are loans made to a government or corporation.  In return for borrowing our money, bonds may pay a fixed amount of interest.  Bonds are sensitive to interest rates – and can gain or lose value.

STOCKS

Stockholders own a part of the assets of the company they invest in and part of the stream of cash those assets generate.  As the company acquires more assets and the stream of cash it generates gets larger, the value of the business increases.  This increase is what drives up the value of its stock.

"I knew I needed to start contributing to my plan if I wanted to retire someday.  But there's so much information and so many choices, I wasn't sure what to do about selecting and managing the investments that would help me reach my goals.  I needed help.  And I got it."

WHAT IS A MUTUAL FUND?

A mutual fund is a mix of investments that may include stocks, bonds and cash equivalents.  The fund is managed by a professional money manager and has a stated objective or investment style.  The core investment options in your retirement plan are mutual funds rather than individual stocks or bonds. 

HOW MUCH RISK SHOULD YOU TAKE? 

Knowing your investment horizon time (or years until retirement) is important because it indicates the number of years your money will remain invested.  Generally speaking, the longer your time horizon, the more aggressive you can be with your investment. 

DIVERSIFICATION HELPS, TOO.
 


Diversification is the process of spreading your money among different investment types.  By investing in stock, bond and cash mutual funds, down periods in one fund may be offset by gains in another.  Maintaining a diversified portfolio can help smooth the ups and downs of your investments – though diversification itself does not ensure profit nor protect against loss. 

YOU SHOULD KNOW. 

For more information about the funds available, including all charges and expenses, please consult a prospectus.  Fund prospectuses and additional information relating to your retirement plan can be obtained by contacting your pension representative.  Before investing, carefully consider the fund's investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses.  The fund prospectus contains this and other important information.  Read the prospectus carefully before investing.

Hollis Lamon
Lamon & Stern
Atlanta, Georgia

Contact Hollis Lamon of Lamon & Stern today for all your retirement planning needs! 770-951-8411

Thursday

Thought Capital: New Participant Fee Disclosure Rules: What Plan Sponsors Need to Know

FROM: 
Thought Capital 
New Participant Fee Disclosure Rules: 
What Plan Sponsors Need to Know

TO:
The new participant disclosure rules are intended to help ensure that all participants and beneficiaries in participant-directed individual account plans have the information necessary to make informed decisions.

Compliance should not be terribly
burdensome for plan sponsors
.
Effective date update:  On July 13, 2011, the Department of Labor (DOL) announced an extension of the deadline for the participant disclosure rules.

Initial disclosures must now be furnished no later than the later of:
      ·60 days after the plan's anniversary date that occurs on or after Nov. 1, 2011, or
    ·60 days after the effective date of the plan sponsor-level fee disclosure rule (April 1, 2012)

Please take this change into account as you proceed in reading.

Executive Summary

In October, the Department of Labor ("DOL") published final regulations that require plan administrators (typically the plan sponsor) to disclose certain fee and investment information to participants and beneficiaries in Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) covered participant-directed individual account plans, which include the vast majority of 401(k) and private-sector 403(b) plans.  The final regulations will apply to plan years beginning on or after November 1, 2011.  Thus, for calendar-year plans, the regulations will become effective January 1, 2012.

The new participant disclosure rules are intended to help ensure that all participants and beneficiaries in participant-directed individual account plans have the information necessary to make informed decisions about plan participation and selection of investment choices for their accounts.  

Of course, record keeper and investment service providers to individual account plans have long helped plan sponsors make information about plan fees and investment-related expenses available to participants and beneficiaries, typically through a secure website.  The new regulations, however, require plans to affirmatively provide specified information to "participants," defined broadly to include all individuals eligible to participate in the plan (without regard to whether an individual has an account balance).

For the most part, the information required to be disclosed under the regulations is not dissimilar from the information that is typically made available to participants and beneficiaries today, although the new regulations require disclosure of investment-related performance and fee information in a comparative format, which may differ from current practice.The new rules also create more uniform fee and performance disclosure requirements for different types of investment options, which may help plan sponsors as well as participants effectively compare investment alternatives.

"The new rules also create more uniform fee and performance disclosure requirements for different types of investment options, which may help plan sponsors as well as participants effectively compare investment alternatives. "

Compliance should not be terribly burdensome for plan sponsors.  Plan administrators should work with their record keeper to see that the necessary information is gathered and the required disclosures developed.  Helpfully, plan sponsors are permitted to rely in good faith on information provided by their service providers, such as record keeper and investment providers, who will assist with providing the required information and developing the required disclosures.

The new rules may have broader repercussions.  It is possible that the new rules and their comparative format requirement will indirectly affect covered individual account plans by helping to inform the number and types of investment alternatives that plans offer to participants.  In addition, since the regulations highlight the manner in which plan administrative services are financed, they may influence plan sponsors' approach to financing plan costs.

By Davis and Harman LLP, for the Principal Financial Group*


Hollis Lamon
Lamon & Stern
Atlanta, Georgia

Contact Hollis Lamon of Lamon & Stern today for all your retirement planning needs! 770-951-8411

Wednesday

ROAD OF RETIREMENT INCOME Series | OVERVIEW

Road of
Retirement
THE PROCESS OF MANAGING RETIREMENT INCOME
KIT: AT-A-GLANCE

The road of retirement should be paved with more than good intentions. Soon-to-be retirees should develop and follow a retirement income plan that balances current lifestyle with the long-term sustainability of the retirement portfolio.

Retirees and their advisors should thoughtfully establish a spending plan to balance the desire to maintain a consistent lifestyle with preserving assets for a retirement that could last 30 to 40 years.

The Road of Retirement series provides some best practices for accomplishing this balance.
Transitioning retirees' financial planning from the savings or accumulation phase to the distribution phase takes on a language of its own. This article defines the "new" terminology that we use throughout the Road of Retirement series.
Longer life expectancies can present a number of new challenges for retirement. One such challenge is the potential loss of purchasing power due to the eroding effects of inflation. This article can shed light on some of the preparations that may provide retirement portfolios with the ability to keep pace with inflation over the long term.
Historical average returns mean very little to a retirement portfolio undergoing the stress of systematic withdrawals. Understanding how a series of returns is realized can impact how a retirement plan should be structured. Here we discuss the impact a series of poor returns and the need to sell assets at inopportune times could have on  a retirement portfolio.
Implementing a policy that determines a retiree's annual spending amount can be difficult, especially during periods of high inflation or a bear market. Adopting an endowment spending policy may be an attractive alternative for many  retirement income plans. This article discusses the Endowment Spending Policy and the Lifestyle Spending Policy.
Structuring a retirement savings portfolio using a cash flow reserve ladder is a technique that matches liquidity needs with investment horizons. A cash flow reserve is established to fund up to twenty-four months of spending. The balance of the portfolio is invested in a combination of fixed income and equity investments with longer-term investment horizons.
Soon-to-be retirees should look past current yield when considering income alternatives for retirement. A globally-focused, high and growing dividend strategy may provide retirees with a growing dividend income stream and the opportunity for price appreciation with which to outpace inflation.
Using a defined process to convert retirement savings into a monthly spending should be the cornerstone of every retirement income plan. Balancing the desire to increase income from the portfolio without foregoing the potential for price appreciation takes planning.


HOW TO ORDER

To order The Process of Managing Retirement Income kits go to www.Thornburg.com/RoadOfRetirement. The individual articles in this series are also available for downloading from the same web site.

Following these strategies does not assure or guarantee sustainability of a retirement portfolio or better performance, nor do they protect against investment losses.

The views expressed in these articles are subject to change.

Let us get you started on your Retirement Planning Today!
Online at our website: www.LamonAndStern.com
Call us at 770-951-8411

ROAD OF RETIREMENT INCOME Series | PART 7 of 7

Use a globally diversified portfolio
that generates enough income
to cover the current spending
needs without having to sell assets.
CONVERTING SAVINGS INTO MONTHLY SPENDING
PART 7 of 7 Series:
THE ROAD OF RETIREMENT
The Process of Managing Retirement Income

Retiring baby-boomers, who can expect to spend 30 to 40 years in retirement, will likely need a framework for converting their savings into a sustainable monthly income stream. Investors who are on the road of retirement all share some common fears including spending too much, principal loss from market volatility, loss of purchasing power due to inflation, and the biggest fear of all, running out of money.

As we have all experienced over the past few years, retirement plans designed to fund annual spending solely through the sale of the assets are exposed to the vagaries of the market.

We will outline how to convert the retirement savings to a monthly spending amount, using an approach that balances the need for current income and future growth.

The objective of this conversion process is to utilize the strategies outlined in this series to build the framework that may help a retiree sustain a lengthy retirement time frame. This process will use a globally diversified portfolio with a cash flow reserve ladder structure that strives to generate an attractive level of current income with the possibility for growth.

Cash Flow Reserve Ladder

This ladder provides three rungs aligning the most liquid investments to fund near-term spending needs, while the more volatile, growth-oriented investments are held inside a diversified portfolio with a five-year investment horizon.

Using a cash flow ladder, the retiree writes a check each month from the money market fund within the cash flow reserve and deposits it into their checking account. Providing a specified amount each month is a key attribute of the structure while also giving the retiree some separation from the larger pool of assets in the investment portfolio. This separation can help reduce the desire to overspend.

Within the various levels of investments from the cash flow reserve and investment portfolios, the interest and dividend income generated will not initially be re-invested. Instead this income will be deposited into the money market fund to continually replenish the cash flow reserve. However, if the income stream grows adequately enough to cover the spending amount and more, the excess is reinvested in the investment portfolio. The concept is to use a globally diversified portfolio that generates enough income to cover the current spending needs without having to sell assets. However, whatever portion of the spending is not covered by the current income will come from selling assets opportunistically into the market to refill the cash flow reserve back to the two-year spending level.

Using a Globally Diversified Asset Allocation

Given the opportunities globally to invest in companies that have the ability and willingness to pay a high and growing dividend, the equity portion of the retirement portfolio will be allocated to these types of income investments. The balance of the portfolio will be allocated into municipal bond investments to help preserve capital, offer some diversification and provide a tax-efficient interest income stream.
  • The cash flow reserve portion of the portfolio represents approximately two years'  worth of spending and is equally divided between a short-term municipal bond fund and a municipal money market account. A short-term municipal bond fund is used since it may provide a higher income stream with a historically limited level of  volatility. The cash flow reserve receives income generated from the various  investments and is also the source from which the monthly spending check is written by the retiree for deposit into their checking account.
  • Within the investment portfolio there is an additional 25% or approximately four to five years of spending allocated to intermediate-term (10-year) municipal bonds, which can be liquidated if there is a protracted decline in the equity markets. These municipal bond investments can help provide a more tax-efficient income stream and some good diversification benefits to the growing dividend stock strategy. Although the income from municipal bond investments is exempt from regular federal and state income tax  they may be subject to the alternative minimum tax (AMT).

In terms of income expectations from the municipal bond investments, while the current level of income may be relatively attractive, they are not geared to grow. A common flaw of retirement portfolios is an over-allocation to fixed income investments, leaving the portfolio highly susceptible to the loss of purchasing power.

Using a global approach to investing in companies that provide growing dividends allows an opportunity to improve portfolio diversification by industry, sector, and country.
Using the Cash Flow Reserve Ladder, with its focus on maintaining two years of liquidity in the reserve, together with an allocation to municipal bonds, allows a portfolio to benefit from the growing dividend income stream while also alleviating the need to sell these more volatile equity investments at inopportune times.

Best Practices

A structured process for converting hard-earned retirement savings into a monthly spending amount should be attractive to the majority of baby-boomers looking to retain control of their assets in retirement. Three to five years before your planned retirement date, begin investing in a well managed globally diversified portfolio of high and growing dividend stocks.

One of the best ways to increase the potential for a higher dividend income stream at the time of retirement is to get a head start.


Reinvest the growing dividend income that's generated before the retirement begins, thereby buying more shares and increasing the level of dividend income available when retirement distributions finally do begin. And remember to revisit the retirement plan annually with your financial advisor.

Let us get you started!
Online at our website: www.LamonAndStern.com
Call us at 770-951-8411


 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Disclosures:
Following these strategies does not assure or guarantee sustainability of a retirement portfolio or better performance, nor do they protect against investment losses.

Investments in stocks and bonds are not FDIC insured, nor are they deposits of or guaranteed by a bank or any other entity.

Investments in a money market are not FDIC insured, nor are they deposits of or guaranteed by a bank or any other entity. Although a money market fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in a money market fund.

Investing outside the United States, especially in emerging markets, entails special risks, such as currency fluctuations, illiquidity, and volatility.

Diversification does not assure or guarantee better performance and cannot eliminate the risk of investment losses.