How to Make a Successful Retirement Plan

Even for those people who love what they do, retirement is one of those things that constantly stays in the back of everyone's mind. To determine when you'll be ready for retirement, there are a variety of factors that have to be weighed. What percentage of your income can you be comfortable living on? Do you plan to retire completely or try out a new career? These questions and more help to determine how long you would have to work before retiring. Dave Rowan's L.A. Times article sums up some of the major points made by financial planning expert Craig Israelson on the finances behind a successful retirement.

The first topic he mentions is known as the "4% Rule." According to this rule, it is possible to withdraw 4% of one's retirement savings from an investment portfolio each year without ever running out of money. Financial planners set the optimal amount at 4%, but some retirees have to withdraw less, while others who have saved for longer are able to withdraw more without running out. This concept, however, doesn't really help people in their 40s or 50s, who are planning for a retirement in the distant future. For those closer to retirement, the 4% Rule helps because it allows them to determine if they have enough money in savings to combine with other sources of retirement income and have enough money to cover a projected budget.

Israelson has a different method called "RAM" that allows younger people to plan for retirement far down the line. This method involves a lot more mathematical calculations but gives future retirees a way to calculate how financially stable they would be at each age. RAM, or retirement account multiple, calculates the probability that a retiree would never run out of money if they retired at 65, lived to 100, and withdrew half of their final yearly salary (the salary being earned at 65 based on inflation rate of 3%) as an addition to other retirement income like Social Security. Based on Israelson's calculations, a RAM value of 7 or higher means that the retiree is in good shape and will have over 70% likelihood of never running out of money if they live to 100 years old. A RAM value of 18 or higher means that the retiree will never run out of money, no matter how the economy changes.

The RAM is calculated as follows:

First, the retiree's final salary is calculated based on a 3% inflation rate.

Final Salary = Current Salary x (1.03)^(65 - Current Age)

Next, the total amount the retiree will have in savings is calculated based on an average value of 7% as the increase in the value of their retirement portfolio.

Final Retirement Savings = Current Savings x (1.07)^(65 - Current Age)

Finally, the RAM value is calculated using those two values.

Projected RAM = Final Retirement Savings / Final Salary

The more you are able to save now, the better off you will be in the long run. However, it depends on the person. Some people are comfortable with spending money now to enjoy a higher standard of living, even if it means they will have a RAM score closer to 7. Others look for any way to reduce expenditures today in order to get a RAM closer to 18, to ensure that they won't have to worry about their future finances. Additionally, the previous RAM calculations didn't include additions to the retirement portfolio. If someone were to continuously save and invest more money toward retirement, they would find their RAM value increasing, based on the following calculation:

Extra Retirement Savings = [(Current Salary + Final Salary) / 2] x (Savings Rate) x (65 - Current Age)

Of course, these calculations aren't perfect, since the economy is constantly fluctuating and many assumptions have to be made about future income and changes in saving patterns. However, it should be able to give savers a good look at how well off they will be in their retired years. The RAM is simply an approximation method, not an exact science, but it should give people a sense of whether they will retire successfully and how long they may have to wait to do so. 

***************************************************************************************************
Find out more about us at www.sepulvedaescrow.net. Any Questions? Contact our Escrow Expert! Sepulveda Escrow Corporation (818) 838-1831. Follow our company on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+.

***************************************************************************************************

Berkshire Hathaway's Investment Boosts Apple Stocks

Warren Buffett, one of the richest men in the world, has been known to avoid investments in technology. So, it came as a huge surprise to many when it was revealed that his company, Berkshire Hathaway Inc., purchased 9.81 million shares of Apple stock in the first quarter. In his L.A. Times article, James Peltz described the reasoning behind Buffett's investment and how it affected Apple's shares and the stock market as a whole.

It is true that Buffett and his company generally avoid technology investments, mainly because Buffett admittedly doesn't understand technology enough to take the risk. However, they have made one exception in the past: Buffett's company owns a stake in IBM valued at $12.3 billion. Berkshire Hathaway's main investments are in companies like American Express, Coca-Cola, and Wells Fargo. Additionally, Berkshire owns dozens of companies such as See's Candies and Geico Insurance.

Likely because of Buffett's record of success in business and his company's large investment portfolio, Apple's stock prices rose 3.7% after the purchase was revealed on Monday. As of March 31, the end of the first quarter Berkshire Hathaway's stake in Apple was valued at $1.07 billion but is likely worth significantly less now due to declining Apple stocks. According to analysts, Berkshire likely made the purchase due to Apple's low prices in recent months. Apple's top-selling item and source of the majority of their revenue is their iPhone. The iPhone and other Apple devices had lower-than-expected sales this year, which was the main reason for lowered stock values.

Buffett has been quoted saying that the Apple purchase was made by one of his stock-picking lieutenants who did not consult Buffett before making the decision. However, Buffett seems optimistic that the stocks will regain their value and more in future months. Berkshire is always purchasing companies and shares and very rarely makes bad investments, which explains why so many normal people are suddenly investing in Apple, following Berkshire Hathaway's lead. Buffett, however, is known for his shrewd, long-term investments, and will likely drop the tech company, which he would usually avoid, when the investment gets back to its original value. Buffett doesn't understand tech companies, but some of his top advisors do. He may end up changing his stance in the future, though, if it turns out that the investment in Apple pays off as well as is expected.

***************************************************************************************************
Find out more about us at www.sepulvedaescrow.net. Any Questions? Contact our Escrow Expert! Sepulveda Escrow Corporation (818) 838-1831. Follow our company on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+.

***************************************************************************************************

Strategies to Saving for a College Education

For most parents, a big priority is trying to make sure that their children succeed in life. Parents want their kids to lead an easier life than they had, and most of them see education, especially a college degree, as the main path to that goal. Unfortunately, families have all kinds of financial demands that often take precedence over college, which can be years down the line. Chris Hiestand, in his L.A. Times article, discusses a few potential strategies to help struggling parents maintain their financial stability while still putting money away for future college costs.

A 529 savings plan is one such method to contribute to future expenses. Most savings plans, including the 529, involve the contribution of after-tax dollars to an account, where the money grows in interest and can be withdrawn, tax-free, to pay for educational expenses. Additionally, $14,000 per year can be given between parties as a tax-free gift. Anything above $14,000 is subject to gift taxes. The best thing about tax-free gifts is that they can be front-loaded up to five years in advance. In other words, a parent can put $70,000 into a 529 account one year, but then won't be able to contribute to the account for the next five years. This can often be better than contributing once per year because it gives the money more time to accrue interest, and since you use after-tax dollars, the contributions can be withdrawn tax-free.

Another option is using a Roth IRA to save for college and retirement at the same time. Once again, Roth IRA contributions are made with after-tax dollars, which means the contributions can be withdrawn without additional taxes or penalties. The Roth IRA is often better than a 529 plan for several reasons. Firstly, the 529 is based on a specific interest rate, while the Roth IRA gives you more flexibility to choose investments and decide how much money is being invested. Additionally, if your child doesn't end up going to college, the money in the Roth IRA fund can still be put toward retirement. Finally, perhaps the greatest advantage, is that the money in a Roth IRA does not count against financial aid while a 529 held by a parent will.

Often, there is no way to pay for college without taking out loans. However, there are smarter ways to get the best bang for your buck in loans. Over 70% of bachelor's degree recipients graduate with debt, and although getting a degree is an investment in the future, the returns on investment can be slow. Some loans allow students and their parents to push off interest and payments until 6 months after graduation, but when the interest finally begins to accrue, it can be at rates of 9% or higher. Many parents decide that it makes more sense refinance their mortgage and use the saved money each month to contribute to schooling. Others tap into their home's equity to pay tuition and fees.

In all, getting a college education is possible. Through a combination of saving, financial aid, and smart loans, a college degree can be affordable to some extent. Smart financial planning can be hard, but in general, getting a college degree is a good investment in yourself or your children, and should pay off in the long run. Financial stress today could be worth it if it means business success in the future.

***************************************************************************************************
Find out more about us at www.sepulvedaescrow.net. Any Questions? Contact our Escrow Expert! Sepulveda Escrow Corporation (818) 838-1831. Follow our company on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+.

***************************************************************************************************

Bitcoin's True Founder - Revealed at Last?

Bitcoins are a form of electronic currency first introduced to the public in 2009 by a creator who goes by the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto. The "mining" of these Bitcoins is performed by computer software following a mathematical proof. The software is open-sourced, which means anyone can use it and check it out to see how it works. Recently, as discussed in Samantha Masunaga's L.A. Times article, an Australian businessman and computer scientist named Craig Wright came out of the shadows and provided evidence showing that he may, in fact, be the elusive Mr. Nakamoto.

Bitcoin's protocols make it impossible to churn out an endless supply of Bitcoins; only 21 million coins can ever be produced by "miners." That's one of the things that sets the electronic currency apart from more "traditional" currencies. With dollars or Euros or any other form of government-backed currency, an unlimited number of bills and coins could theoretically be printed. Sometimes it is done to provide a shock to try to start a stagnant economy, but, more often than not, it results in massive inflation and more economic downturn than before. There is a limit on the number of Bitcoins in the world, which means their value is pretty stable, and inflation doesn't really exist.

Additionally, while central banks can charge exorbitant fees to someone trying to open up an account or someone trying to send funds internationally, Bitcoin cuts out many of those fees. A Bitcoin account can be created in a matter of seconds, with no fees. The decentralization of Bitcoin's network means that there is no bank to default on any loans, so you know your "funds" are safe. Best of all, the network is extremely transparent since every transaction is recorded in a secure "blockchain" that can be added to, but never changed. Unfortunately, most normal retailers don't accept Bitcoin as a form of payment. Over recent years, however, Bitcoin has become much more prevalent, especially with online retailers, so it is expected to come into more widespread use.

Although Wright, an entrepreneur with several masters' degrees and a couple of doctorates, came out with some proof showing that he may be the true creator of Bitcoin, there are still many doubters. In his digital messages claiming to be "Satoshi Nakamoto," he signed off using certain cryptographic keys that could be found in Nakamoto's work in the early days of Bitcoin. He also published a very technical post on his blog with information that no one but Bitcoin's true creator should have. Wright claims that he has chosen now to reveal his identity because he is tired of the misinformation being spread about Bitcoin and its stability. Additionally, the media has long suspected Wright's alter-ego, and he wanted to put an end to the investigations into him and his family. While he hasn't provided undeniable proof, it seems very likely that Satoshi Nakamoto's secret identity has finally been revealed to the world.

***************************************************************************************************
Find out more about us at www.sepulvedaescrow.net. Any Questions? Contact our Escrow Expert! Sepulveda Escrow Corporation (818) 838-1831. Follow our company on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+.

***************************************************************************************************

Yahoo for Sale - Verizon Considered Most Likely Buyer

You may have heard about Yahoo's plans to "spin off" their core web business. Over the past decade, the company lost the battle for market leadership to Google, which was once their smallest competitor, and has gone through several CEOs, still without any significant growth in sight. So, it makes sense that Yahoo wants to make a last-ditch effort to turn their luck around. However, as Tracey Lien stated in her recent L.A. Times article, Yahoo may have given up their plans to turn the business around. Instead, the web powerhouse could be looking to sell while the company is still worthwhile to potential buyers.

The various chief executives have tried everything to bring the company back to its former glory. Millions of dollars were spent to try to make Yahoo into a leader in media and technology, but that never really panned out, especially since the company largely missed the transition to mobile technology. Yahoo's websites get nearly a billion visitors per month, yet Yahoo has yet to gain the kind of big-money advertisers that Google and other competitors are known for snagging. Yahoo even tried starting a $42 million video program to compete with Netflix and YouTube but canceled it after disappointing results in the first season.

One of the company's most valuable assets, at least to analysts, is its $32 billion stake in Chinese e-commerce company Alibaba. Unfortunately, Yahoo failed to successfully spin off that asset, which just led to more scrutiny by current and potential future investors. According to analysts, Yahoo's changes this month to their employees' severance packages are a telling sign that Yahoo is getting ready for a sale. According to tech analyst Jan Dawson, the only way Yahoo doesn't get sold is if they insist on a price that no one is willing to pay. Even then, Dawson continues, Yahoo could end up looking at a sale again in the near future.

At least 40 potential buyers have done in-depth research into Yahoo's finances, but some companies are looking like more likely buyers than others. Currently, the front-runner in the competition to purchase Yahoo is mobile and broadband company Verizon. Verizon has both means and motive, especially after acquiring AOL last year as part of its attempts to bolster its efforts to become a leader in the media sector. Other potential buyers include Daily Mail, a British tabloid newspaper with similar audiences as Yahoo; Microsoft, which tried to purchase Yahoo in 2008 for $45 billion; and CBS, which could use Yahoo's size to reach a larger audience. There are some rumors that Google could be interested, but Dawson doesn't believe that Google would want to invest a lot of money to gain a business so similar to what they already have.

Some private equity firms could also be interested in purchasing Yahoo, but if they did, it is likely that the company would be broken up and sold off in pieces in the near future. Each asset within the company would be built up, then sold in the right market for greatest potential profitability to the firm. No matter how it goes down, though, it is expected that Yahoo will find itself under new ownership at some point in the next several months. Yahoo has billions of visitors a year, thousands of employees, and has been valued at about $35 billion. Eventually, someone will buy the company. It's just a matter of time.

***************************************************************************************************
Find out more about us at www.sepulvedaescrow.net. Any Questions? Contact our Escrow Expert! Sepulveda Escrow Corporation (818) 838-1831. Follow our company on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+.

***************************************************************************************************