值得思考的理財計劃

1、New Years Money Resolutions to Think AboutMany people will start the new year having made personal resolutions to lose weight, drink less, stop smoking or become better at staying in touch with family members and friends. But New Years is also a good time to recommit to financial goals that keep you

2、 and your family on a sound financial track. As prescribed by financial experts, here are some money resolutions to consider:Make a budget and stick to it: No one likes to cut down on spending, but doing so might improve your financial life in the long run. You can start by compiling a spreadsheet o

3、f expected costs using your past years spending and income. If youve found it hard to stay on target in the past (say, you keep buying that pricey latte every day), add accountability, some reward system that because weve been successful, were going to do certain things that we might not have been a

4、ble to do otherwise, says Wesley Clayton, managing director of Twickenham Wealth Advisors in Huntsville, Ala.The reward could be a long weekend away or tickets to see your favorite sports team. The person monitoring your progress can be your spouse, parents or a close friend.Pay down debts: That sta

5、ck of student loans, credit cards, mortgage and car loans may seem daunting, but envisioning how good it will feel to pay off that last debt can help you get started. One way is to make a list of the three to four credit cards you have, says Patrick Bet-David, owner of financial-services firm PHP Ag

6、ency. Then pay the highest-interest-rate debt and you work your way down to the lowest.Another way is to ask which debt is the most unsettling for you, the individual. What keeps you up at night? says Mr. Clayton. It might not be the one with the highest interest rate. It might be the one with the l

7、ien on the most important piece of property that concerns you most.Stephen Smith, chief executive of South Jordan, Utah, financial-services firm Finicity, suggests trying to get rid of your smallest debt in the first 90 days of the year. Once thats accomplished, youll be encouraged to retire other d

8、ebts.Make an estate plan: You might not have a Downton Abbey manor house or a trust fund for the kids, but you still need an estate plan. Without one, you dont have control, and its a lot slower and a lot more costly, says Rob Robertson, an estate and probate lawyer in Austin, Texas. But if you have

9、 a will, you can choose the objects of your affection, including favorite charities.As part of your estate planning, youll want to assign durable general power of attorney to someone and select an executor for your estate. Look for people who are trustworthy, levelheaded and dont have conflicts of i

10、nterest. Designate alternates as backups, says Mr. Robertson.Something often overlooked is making digital afterlife plans, especially in terms of passwords. Internet companies dont usually hand over passwords to email accounts or social-media profiles after a death. Thats why putting your passwords

11、into an application like PasswordBox is important: It securely stores your passwords, and you name someone you trust to get the codes in the event that you pass away suddenly and want others to have access to online photos or other documents.Get serious about retirement: With people living longer an

12、d Social Security providing only a portion of needed income, workers of every age will have to save more of their own money to live comfortably after retiring. If your employer matches contributions for your 401(k), its a no-brainer to max out the match, says Joanna Pratt, vice president at NerdWall

13、et, a personal-finance website. Then you can put any remaining money into an individual retirement account, which typically has low fees and tax advantages, and lets you contribute up to $5, 500 every year ($6, 500 if youre 50 or older). Set up automatic contributions from your paycheck to the 401(k

14、).Think you dont have enough money to save for retirement? Track your spending habits over one month and try to find 2% of your expenses that you can use for 401(k) contributions, says Mr. Smith.Get an insurance checkup: One way to save money on premiums is to package most of your insurance coverage

15、 (home, auto, valuables) under one carrier, says Robert Courtemanche, chairman of ACE Private Risk Services. If your home has risen in value, have it appraised so youll know the full replacement value.Review your portfolio: With the sharp run-up in the stock market this year, equities likely make up

16、 a much larger portion of your portfolio than they did before the rally. Adjusting your stock allocation is critical, if only to reduce your exposure to a future downturn.You just want to make sure that your asset allocation is appropriate for your age and your personal goals, says Ms. Pratt. Genera

17、lly speaking, the older are, the less of your portfolio you want in stocks.Make sure youre taking into account your age, your risk aversion, your personal goals and alternatives if you dont make those goals. Will you have to wait longer to retire? She warns against actively managed funds, which char

18、ge relatively high fees, in favor of low-cost index funds. And if youre not an experienced investor, she says, stay away from day trading.Create an emergency fund: According to a 2012 B survey, 28% of Americans have no emergency savings for events like a car breaking down, an unexpected house repair or a job loss. Finicitys Mr. Smith advises a fund equal to three months of living expenses.charitytrtivideon. 慈善；施舍；慈善團體；寬容；施舍物retirementritaimntvideon. 退休，退役affectionfeknvideon. 喜愛，感情；影響；