Blog – David Mersereau

It’s time for a financial health checkup

September 27, 2022

Trainers help improve your physical health – financial professionals improve your financial health. Let’s do a financial health check to make sure you are not missing a growth opportunity. How to check on your financial health Creating or reviewing your estate plan Taking a look at your budget Evaluating your insurance needs Correcting course on your retirement plan(s) Why a financial health check is important. Just like we check in with our health professionals, wellness coaches and mentors on a…

3 Simple Steps to Save More Money for Your Retirement

July 15, 2021

David Mersereau

Budget, Retirement

How to grow your retirement money today. It’s never too late to start saving more for retirement, and recovering from a late start on saving is easier than you think. Key Takeaways Most people are not saving as much money as they could be, or should be Finding ways to save more money is a lot easier than you think It is critical to enter retirement with your own savings strategies Here’s the hard truth — the reason people retire…

Build an Income Floor with a Fixed Annuity

April 27, 2021

David Mersereau

Retirement

The idea of a budget is really quite simple – know what is coming in and know what is going out. If we can be certain of the amount of expenses that need to be paid each month, we can begin to plan and save accordingly. During your working years it is critical to be mindful of what income you have coming in, but we can work towards ensuring our incoming cash flow is growing in comparison to our outgoing…

3 Reasons Your 403(b) Plan Should Include a Fixed Indexed Annuity

February 10, 2021

David Mersereau

Retirement

Whether you are just getting started with your 403(b) or 457(b) Retirement Plan – or have been contributing to one for a while – right not is a great time to select a Fixed Indexed Annuity (FIA) as one of your allocation options within your retirement income strategy. The current low interest environment is great for mortgages and other debts we hold, however, it can mean something totally different for our retirement savings A 403(b) or 457(b) Retirement Plan is…

How Do I Invest for My Kids

January 26, 2021

David Mersereau

Finance, Retirement

As a parent, we want to do everything we can to set our children up for success. This includes allowing them to learn through their own failures and struggles. As parents we have the opportunity to assuage the degree of struggle at times. One opportunity to relieve future anxiety is to include our children in household and family decisions. Including them in money management decisions can change the trajectory of your child’s future. “We may not be able to prepare…

The True Cost of Insurance

January 6, 2021

David Mersereau

Insurance

I have been told that it is always better to buy 10 years too early than 1 minute too late. The Numbers This has always resonated with me as it relates to securing my retirement future and protecting my loved ones. There is still a huge misconception of what insurance can do for you and the associated costs. As of 2019 45% of the population feel they do not have enough money to start a policy. This is simply not…

6 simple tips to live within your budget for 2021

January 5, 2021

David Mersereau

Budget

It’s a new year and that means a new start to grow your financial independence. Whether your very familiar with a budget or you desire to get better at your money management, the following are simple and effective tips: Make a list of monthly expenses Pay your bills on the day you are paid Prepare a weekly budget Keep track of your expenses Re-work your budget It’s OK to say “NO” Living within the budget is all about distinguishing your…

Money Advice that Should be Obvious

December 22, 2020

David Mersereau

Finance

These lessons can be handy. Read them over and see if they are already obvious to you. Never try and gamble your way to wealth! A recent article described life in small lower-income and rural towns in the U.S. where the average household lives paycheck to paycheck and frequently encounters medical bankruptcies, and almost everyone in town buys a TON of lottery tickets every week. But, you know: “You gotta play to win,” “When my numbers finally hit, I’m gonna really change my life”… and other…

How Much Money do you Need to Retire?

December 21, 2020

David Mersereau

Finance, Retirement

The short and sweet of it is: determine your desired annual income and multiply it by a factor of 25 – that number is how much you will need to have saved. Below we will discuss opportunities to grow your retirement income number and ways that we can reduce the amount you need to save and still meet your desired retirement income goals. Don’t worry, you’re not alone if you know – or think, that you may falling behind when…

How to Recover from a Late Start on Retirement Planning

November 13, 2020

David Mersereau

Budget, Retirement

A recent conversation with a friend inspired this article as the question he asked is not specific to only him and his wife. Many are conducting the same examination of their current retirement income strategies, and feel as though it may be hopeless. Following is his question. “My wife and I haven’t made the best decisions when it comes to retirement planning. As a result, we are now growing in age and don’t have nearly enough saved for retirement. Do…