Consider Wealth Management 101 as the basic steps for managing your finances. A wealth advisory service focused on taking a holistic look at a client’s financial situation and devising strategies to help them meet their financial goals.
A Wealth Advisor will gather as much information as possible about the client’s wants and current financial situation to devise a personalized strategy using a range of wealth management services. These services could include investment planning, wealth planning, tax planning, and estate planning.
Wealth management is an excellent way to ensure you use your money wisely. It reduces the risk of irresponsible habits and helps you reach your life goals. It can be difficult to manage your wealth without professional assistance.
Wealth management is an excellent way to ensure you use your money wisely. It reduces the risk of irresponsible habits and helps you reach your life goals. It can be challenging to manage your wealth without professional assistance.
A Wealth Advisor can help you break down your spending habits to ensure you invest toward the right goals and manage your wealth. Whether you are a young adult starting your career or nearing retirement, our wealth experts can help you learn more about effective wealth management. Read on to learn more.
Young Adults’ Wealth Tips and Understanding Wealth Management Strategies
In the past, higher education systems often failed to teach young adults how to manage their wealth. As a result, student loan debt increased, and young adults were left in debt before they could even reach the age of 30. Today, more schools are introducing economics courses to fill knowledge gaps and help young adults learn the basics of wealth management before starting their careers.
Although basic economic education is provided in schools, as life expectancies rise, young adults must stay current on investment markets, retirement funds, and other wealth management strategies to ensure they are financially prepared for a comfortable future.
Here are some wealth-building tips to help you in the early stages of your career:
- Pay With Cash, Not Credit
Signing up for credit cards may be tempting, but credit card bills can quickly add up. Remember, a credit card will also accrue interest if you don’t pay your monthly bills on time. If you cannot afford to purchase something with funds in your checking account, save up for it and return to the purchase later rather than being stuck with a bill you’ll be paying off for the next few years.
Avoid applying for credit on every store account. Whenever possible, try to exercise self-control and pay with cash rather than a credit card unless you can pay off your credit card once you receive your monthly bill. Credit cards should be used for emergencies or to build up a good credit score, then stored away.
- Avoid Scams and Risky Investments
Be cautious with your money. Fraud victims are not just older people. Many scammers prey on young adults; even your friends and family members can try to get you into pyramid schemes. Avoid risky “get rich quickly” investments and schemes. The best way to protect yourself against these schemes is to educate yourself on wealth management and smart investing.
Do research when you receive any offers that seem too good to be true. The more you educate yourself, the better equipped you are to handle any scams or challenges that come your way. An experienced wealth manager or Investment Advisor will be able to help you identify the safest and best strategies for a return on your investment.
- Create a Budget
One of the most fundamental wealth management strategies is budgeting. You need to keep track of your income and expenses to ensure you are not overspending and identify areas where you could save money. Ensure your expenses do not exceed your income by reducing unnecessary expenses where possible (do you need to buy coffee daily?). Do not forget to include a savings plan and emergency fund in your budget so you’ll have funds stored away for unforeseen events that could impact your current financial situation (such as another pandemic!).
- Start Your Retirement Savings Now
The sooner you start saving, the sooner you can start your retirement. Plus, the last thing you need is to reach your golden years without a solid financial cushion to ball back on. With the yearly rising inflation costs, pension funds are usually insufficient to help retirees maintain their pre-retirement standard of living. It is important to save money every month or look into investments and retirement annuities for long-term capital gains.
Education Fund Investment: Managing Your Wealth for Children
If you want the best education for your children, it’s important to start saving up earlier. If you have not started a college or school fund, here are some wealth management tips to reduce your stress level:
- Set Up an RESP Contribution
A registered education savings plan (RESP) is designed to help you save for your children’s college education. When you contribute to an RESP, the government will match your annual contributions, and you’ll receive investment growth on the savings. Furthermore, RESPs are adaptable, allowing parents to contribute as much as possible and adjust their contributions as needed.
- Setup Automatic Payments for Contributions
It can be easy to forget to save up monthly in your kids’ RESP. Whether you are saving into an RESP fund, you can ask your bank to set up automatic payments to ensure your commitments are met. Even if your child decides not to go to college or further their education under a registered education provider, you’ll still have the funds for emergencies.
- Reduce Your Expenses
It’s never too late to save for your children’s education. Before you panic over your lack of savings, focus on where to cut back on your expenses. You can reduce expenses by working from home or joining a carpool. You can reduce the number of takeaways you order and the streaming services you use. Even cutting back on expenses a little can help you increase your contributions.
- Ask for Money Instead of Gifts
Young children and toddlers only need a few toys or electronic devices. Instead of asking for birthday presents, give your friends and family the option of helping you save up for their education. You don’t have to eliminate gifts, but even a small amount of cash from a few family members can be added to your kid’s savings.
Reduce Tax with a Wealth Management Strategies
If you find your taxable income or capital gains increasing, our wealth experts have tips to help you reduce your tax bill.
- Claim All Your Tax Credits
Your tax credits will help you reduce the amount of tax you owe. You may have a lot of tax credits available that you have not claimed. Speaking to a professional who can help you identify and claim all the benefits you are entitled to is essential.
- Tax-Free Investments
Tax-free investments are an excellent way to save money without the high tax rates that regular investment accounts come with. The amount you can invest is limited, so be sure to speak to your bank or wealth advisor before you invest
- Make a Charitable Donation
Charitable contributions to registered (qualified) charitable organizations or non-profit organizations will also help you reduce the tax you pay. You can donate any amount you want, but volunteer work is unfortunately not tax deductible.
- Maximise Your Business Expenses
If you are a business owner or self-employed taxpayer, you can lower your tax bills by increasing your business expenses. Some tax-deductible expenses include office rent and home office expenses. If you use a vehicle for business purposes, your maintenance and fuel costs can also be tax deductible
Longevity Risk: The What and Why
Longevity risk is a common issue that affects all retirees. Mortality rates are no longer the same as they were ten years ago, and more people are living longer than anticipated. Longevity risk takes into consideration the chance that you live longer than you planned and require more income than you budgeted for. Therefore, it is an important consideration when planning your retirement, as it will affect your annuity or pension plan.
Whether you plan on retiring in a few years or 30 years down the line, you can take the following steps to ensure you have enough income saved up for as long as you live:
- Start Saving Early
The earlier you start saving, the better off you’ll be. Even small amounts can add up over time due to compound interest. Start saving as soon as you can, and make it a habit
- Have a Budget
Create a budget that takes into account your income, expenses, and savings goals. Stick to your budget to ensure that you’re saving enough each month.
- Consider Working With a Wealth Advisor
A Wealth Advisor can help you create a plan to meet your financial goals and help you stay on track. They can also provide advice on investment options and strategies to maximize your savings.
- Pay Off High-Interest Debt
High-interest debt, such as credit card debt, can eat away at your savings over time. Pay off this debt as soon as possible to free up more money to save.
- Continuously Monitor Your Savings
Regularly review your savings goals and adjust your plan as necessary. This will help you stay on track and ensure that you’re saving enough to meet your long-term financial goals.
- Diversify Your Portfolio
To increase the funds you have saved at the end of your career, it’s important to diversify your investment options. Don’t just settle for a single annuity or investment plan. Speak to a wealth professional about your options and the different markets available to you to help you profit from your investments to supplement your retirement income.
Debt Management 101: Wealth Management Basics
Regardless of age or wealth, financial stress can take a toll on your health and family life. Here are some tips to reduce financial stress:
- Identify the Problem
Locating the source of the problem is the first step to finding a solution. Identify the main issues that are causing financial stress in your life. It may be your budget for retirement or credit card bills. Write down the challenges you face so you can tick them off this list as you tackle them throughout the year.
- Create a Budget
A monthly budget is a powerful tool to help you take control of your finances. Once you create a budget, you will be able to find ways to reduce your expenses and ensure you are living within your means. Once you achieve this, you will have more money in your bank account that could be set aside for savings. If you have trouble reducing your expenses, speak to a professional about saving more money.
- Stretch Your Income
If expenses are the main source of your stress, find ways to make the most of your income. Categorizing your needs and wants is an excellent way to establish ways to reduce your expenses. For example, instead of buying lunch, you can use your income to budget for groceries for homemade lunches. This is an excellent wealth management tip to follow.
- Create an Emergency Fund
You cannot fully control your financial situation, but with an emergency fund and understanding wealth management strategies, you will be better equipped to handle unpredictable events. Set aside money every month in an emergency savings account to reduce some of your financial anxiety.
Contribute what you can and try to work up to having six months of your income saved in your emergency fund. Don’t stress if you can’t contribute a lot initially. Growing your emergency fund by small amounts each month is better than not having any emergency funding on hand when you need the money.
Nour Private Wealth (NPW) is a Canadian company with a team of Wealth Advisors servicing clients across Canada, the United States and several international countries. If you are looking for professional assistance with your investments or retirement planning, call our wealth management team for a consultation. We can assist you with all the tools you need for wealth management 101.
