Planned Solutions Planned Solutions

Welcome to the⁠⁠ @plannedsolutions ⁠⁠Incorporated Podcast. Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) are a common form of employee compensation as stock options and cash bonuses have become less and less common. RSUs can be a great way for an employee to build wealth by sharing in their company’s success, but they also come with some complex tax and investment planning considerations that can complicate the planning around this form of compensation.


Also, Housing affordability has continued to be a challenge for those looking to break into the market. According to a study by Zillow, the household income needed to afford a home has increased 80% from 2020 to 2024, while the median income has increased just 23% making home ownership more and more out of reach of many households.

As well, To follow up on a topic from a previous newsletter about managing US Savings Bonds, it is important for Savings Bond holders to know that they have the ability to convert their old paper Savings Bonds to an electronic registration. Holding Savings Bonds electronically can make it easier to monitor and manage the bonds without the risk of misplacing the paper bonds or forgetting to cash them in after they have matured.


Plus a look at the Planned Solutions Incorporated Office Bulletin Board - Daryl recently attended the Financial Planning Associations NorCal Conference held in San Francisco. The program included speakers that are industry experts, investment company CEOs, company culture advisors, and experts in a variety of financial planning topics.

It is graduation season, so congratulations to all of the graduates out there as well as the family and friends that have helped them along the way.


To subscribe to the Personal Finance Review (the written form of all the content we discuss on the podcast) please e-mail ⁠⁠Katie@PlannedSolutions.com⁠⁠


The Personal Finance Review is published and distributed biweekly by Planned Solutions, Inc. for informational purposes only. Please seek the advice of a qualified financial planner before taking any action.



Chase Armer's book- Financial Planning Insights is now available at:
⁠⁠⁠https://www.amazon.com/Financial-Planning-Insights-Decades-Planner/dp/1098306279?ref_=ast_author_mpb⁠⁠

Intro 00:00

Restricted Stock Units 01:25

Housing Affordability 13:07

Converting Savings Bonds Electronically 18:41

PSI Office Bulletin Board 21:22



Planned Solutions, Inc.

⁠⁠https://www.plannedsolutions.com/⁠

Welcome to the⁠⁠ @plannedsolutions ⁠⁠Incorporated Podcast. A new AARP study shows that many people in their 50s believe they will never be able to retire as they struggle to pay for day-to-day living needs, much less save for
the long-term. This finding highlights the importance of creating a retirement plan as early as possible. However, even those who start retirement planning later in life are often able to get back on track, or at least achieve a better outcome than those who continue to avoid the topic.

Also, Some employers are now offering annuity-based investment options as a part of their 401k investment line-up. These investment options are designed to target financially unsophisticated savers by making the process of converting retirement saving to retirement income easy, but they come with higher fees and other risks, such as inflation risk, that may not be properly disclosed.

As well, US Savings Bonds were a popular investment in the past when the US Government still issued paper bonds to purchasers. As a result, there are many savings bonds in circulation that have been misplaced or ignored because they are tucked away in a safe place. However, just like any investment, US savings bonds should be managed by reviewing these investments periodically to determine if they should be held or cashed in.
https://www.treasurydirect.gov/BC/SBCPrice

Plus a look at the Planned Solutions Incorporated Office Bulletin Board - You may have received a form 5498 from an IRA custodian this month. The form 5498 is an IRA Contribution Information report required to be sent out by IRA custodians by May 31st each year. Information on the form can vary by custodian. The basic reason for the form is to track activity in the account (a Traditional IRA, SEP IRA, SIMPLE IRA, or ROTH IRA). Common activity includes an upcoming required minimum distribution (RMD) or a past year's contribution. Oddly enough, the May 31st deadline means we have already accounted for the IRAs during the tax season with the April 15th tax filing deadline.

To subscribe to the Personal Finance Review (the written form of all the content we discuss on the podcast) please e-mail ⁠⁠Katie@PlannedSolutions.com⁠⁠

The Personal Finance Review is published and distributed biweekly by Planned Solutions, Inc. for informational purposes only. Please seek the advice of a qualified financial planner before taking any action.

Chase Armer's book- Financial Planning Insights is now available at:
⁠⁠⁠https://www.amazon.com/Financial-Planning-Insights-Decades-Planner/dp/1098306279?ref_=ast_author_mpb⁠⁠

Intro 00:00

Retirement Planning Challenges 02:01

Basics of Annuities 12:32

Checking the Value of Your Savings Bonds 22:13

PSI Office Bulletin Board 28:07



Planned Solutions, Inc.

⁠⁠https://www.plannedsolutions.com/⁠

Welcome to the⁠ @plannedsolutions ⁠Incorporated Podcast. The increase in interest rates over the past several years has created some financial planning opportunities and risks that should be considered. These include the benefit of creating a cash management plan to increase earnings on low-risk investments and implementing more creative borrowing strategies to reduce the overall cost of debt.


Also, Some employers are now offering annuity-based investment options as a part of their 401k investment line-up. These investment options are designed to target financially unsophisticated savers by making the process of converting retirement saving to retirement income easy, but they come with higher fees and other risks, such as inflation risk, that may not be properly disclosed.


As well, Continuing Care Retirement Communities are a long-term living and care solution that is becoming more and more popular among retirees. These facilities often offer independent living, assisted living, and long-term care with multiple levels of care available making them a one-stop shop for retiree living needs. However, these facilities often require large upfront payments as well as ongoing monthly fees that vary by level of care, making it an important financial decision that should not be taken lightly.


Plus a look at the Planned Solutions Incorporated Office Bulletin Board - Our website has been upgraded! After months of working with our website developer to change the look and functionality of our website it is finally live at www.plannnedsolutions.com.

The IRS has once again suspended the missed RMD Penalty for post 2020 Inherited IRAs for one more year, into 2025. This affects beneficiaries of IRA accounts where the original owner died between 2020 and 2023 and who are subject to the 10-year payout rule.

To subscribe to the Personal Finance Review (the written form of all the content we discuss on the podcast) please e-mail ⁠Katie@PlannedSolutions.com⁠

The Personal Finance Review is published and distributed biweekly by Planned Solutions, Inc. for informational purposes only. Please seek the advice of a qualified financial planner before taking any action.

Chase Armer's book- Financial Planning Insights is now available at:
⁠⁠https://www.amazon.com/Financial-Planning-Insights-Decades-Planner/dp/1098306279?ref_=ast_author_mpb⁠

Time Code



Interest Rate Perspectives 02:45

Beware of Annuity Contracts in 401k Plans 15:25

Continuing Care Retirement Communities 19:07

PSI Office Bulletin Board 22:43



Planned Solutions, Inc.

⁠https://www.plannedsolutions.com/

Welcome to the @plannedsolutions Incorporated Podcast. The US economy is estimated to have increased by just a 1.6% annualized rate in the first quarter. The most important categories of personal consumption expenditures and investment expenditures reported reasonably strong growth rates of 2.5% and 3.2%, respectively. However, government spending, especially in national defense, fell in the first quarter and the balance of trade subtracted from growth as the growth in imports outpaced the growth in exports.


Also, we are seeing a disturbing trend of people reporting to us that their homeowner’s insurance policy is being cancelled or not renewed. In this case, it is important to talk to a professional about the options available. This may include asking your insurance company to reconsider their decision or looking for alternative insurance, such as your state’s FAIR Plan, which may result in a big increase in insurance premiums.

As well, Individual income tax returns have a three-year statute of limitations. This means the IRS has three years to audit a taxpayer’s income tax returns unless there is a gross misstatement of income or the IRS suspects fraud, in which case the time period is extended or unlimited. Taxpayers also have a three-year period to make changes to their tax return to either self-report additional tax due or to file for a refund which may have been missed. The three year period starts on the due date of the return or when it is filed, whichever is later.


Plus a look at the Planned Solutions Incorporated Office Bulletin Board - Chase and Daryl attended the FPA of Northern California Spring Symposium which featured two speakers, including Chase, giving an update on the current market environment along with an Inspirational Speaker giving us Tools to Overcome Adversity.


To subscribe to the Personal Finance Review (the written form of all the content we discuss on the podcast) please e-mail Katie@PlannedSolutions.com


The Personal Finance Review is published and distributed biweekly by Planned Solutions, Inc. for informational purposes only. Please seek the advice of a qualified financial planner before taking any action.

US First Quarter Economic Growth Rate 01:45

Home Insurance Cancelations 12:20

IRS Audits 18:20

PSI Office Bulletin Board 22:30


Chase Armer's book- Financial Planning Insights is now available at:
https://www.amazon.com/Financial-Planning-Insights-Decades-Planner/dp/1098306279?ref_=ast_author_mpb


Planned Solutions, Inc.

https://www.plannedsolutions.com/

Welcome to the Planned Solutions Incorporated Podcast. On this episode we discuss some reports claiming that the US labor market is turning for the worse. However, most of the data cited has been anecdotal data that does not seem to be indicative of the entire market. Taking a close look at the national labor market data such as the unemployment rate (backward looking) and initial claims for unemployment insurance (forward looking)
show signs of a strong labor market.


Also, Short-term interest rates and the potential for the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates once, or multiple times this year, has been the focus of the bond markets. However, long-term interest rates have been quietly increasing to rates close to their high from last Fall. This may create a second opportunity for investors to lock-in high interest rates for longer time periods.

As well, When it comes to investing, it is always important to periodically review your investments to make sure they are performing as expected and still conform to your financial goals. This is even true of investing in Certificates of Deposit (CDs) which may be more or less attractive based on the level of interest rates. Most importantly, CDs issued by banks often rollover if the owner does not act within a given window of time, which can lead to poor long-term returns if higher interest rate CDs are rolled over into lower yielding CDs.


Plus a look at the Planned Solutions Incorporated Office Bulletin Board - The NPR Podcast Planet Money recently published a podcast episode (TikTok, and other apps like it, are filled with financial advice. Is any of it worth listening to? Published April 12, 2024) which highlights a growing problem in the world of personal finance. More and more people are getting financial advice, including tax advice, from social media apps like TikTok but do not realize that, in many cases, the claims made are incorrect, exaggerated, or designed to mislead. The competition for clicks or views online has incentivized many non-experts to pose as experts giving financial advice that could lead to disaster if followed by the audience.

As always, when getting financial information online it is important to assess the trustworthiness of the source, including their experience and credentials that qualify them to give advice, including financial advice. This is especially true when it comes to tax advice because a lot of the advice given on social media could be considered tax evasion which could result in stringent penalties for those who choose to follow the advice.

To subscribe to the Personal Finance Review (the written form of all the content we discuss on the podcast) please e-mail Katie@PlannedSolutions.com

The Personal Finance Review is published and distributed biweekly by Planned Solutions, Inc. for informational purposes only. Please seek the advice of a qualified financial planner before taking any action.


Chase Armer's book- Financial Planning Insights is now available at: https://www.amazon.com/Financial-Planning-Insights-Decades-Planner/dp/1098306279?ref_=ast_author_mpb

Planned Solutions, Inc. https://www.plannedsolutions.com

In this episode of the Planned Solutions Incorporated Podcast, One year after the mini financial crisis sparked by the failure of Silicon Valley Bank, the financial stress index is at its lowest level since before the 2008 financial crisis. There are some areas of the financial system that have thrived in the last year, such as the nation’s largest money center banks, while some regional banks have continued to struggle under higher borrowing costs and losses on commercial real estate. However, the overall health of the financial system remains strong.

Also, Company insiders have made the news by selling large blocks of their company’s stock recently. However, insider selling has rarely been a sign
that a stock may be overpriced or may decline in value in the future. Insiders may have many reasons to sell shares in the company they founded or oversee that have nothing to do with their expectations for the stock price making this a poor indicator of stock market performance.

As well, It is important to review estate plans (wills, trusts, financial powers of attorney, and health care powers of attorney) every few years to make sure they are still valid. Changes in the tax laws and legal processes may make an estate plan inefficient or even obsolete. In addition, personal estate planning goals may change over time requiring an update to the estate plan to make sure it reflects your wishes.

Plus a look at the Planned Solutions Incorporated Office Bulletin Board - The tax deadline is just a few weeks away. That means this is the time to gather the last of the tax documents that are needed to complete your return or to at least get an accurate estimate of your tax liability so you can determine if you need to make a tax payment when you file an extension.
This year it is even more important to make sure to pay any tax that is due by the April 15th deadline. Not only could a balance owed after April 15th be subject to a late payment penalty, but it will also be subject to interest, which is currently 8% per year, compounded daily. Therefore, a taxpayer who files for an extension without realizing that they owe taxes, and do not file until the extension deadline of October 16th, could owe penalties plus an extra 4%+ of the amount owed in interest.

Charles Schwab recently issued corrected 1099s for some taxable (non-retirement) accounts. In the past these corrections have been quite small but this year some of them are adding up to a significant reduction in the tax due. So, if you get notice that your 1099 has been corrected, you will want to update your tax return. If you already filed your taxes, it may be a good idea to file a superseded return or to do an amended tax return.

Chase Armer's book- Financial Planning Insights is now available at:

https://www.amazon.com/Financial-Planning-Insights-Decades-Planner/dp/1098306279?ref_=ast_author_mpb



To subscribe to the Personal Finance Review (the written form of all the content we discuss on the podcast) please e-mail Katie@PlannedSolutions.com



The Personal Finance Review is published and distributed biweekly by Planned Solutions, Inc. for informational purposes only. Please seek the advice of a qualified financial planner before taking any action.



Planned Solutions, Inc. Planned https://www.plannedsolutions.com/