A sound retirement plan should provide for the possibility that you may spend 30 or more years in what is often referred to as the “golden years”. The professionals at Northern Financial Management have the expertise to assist you in this complex task and to help ensure that your plan is sound and that you do not outlive your income.

 

Our approach is to evaluate your retirement needs and resources to help you determine the probability of successfully reaching your goals. In reality, many times plans need to be adjusted to meet those goals… By running different “What If” scenarios, the planners at Northern Financial Management will help you determine the optimal solution for your individual situation.

We would welcome the opportunity to discuss our approach to Retirement Planning and Wealth Management in a no-obligation complimentary initial meeting. To contact a Northern Financial Management retirement planner, please contact us.

Many people believe that financial planning and wealth management are areas that only high net worth individuals need to be concerned about. Our philosophy at Northern Financial Management is that everyone needs and deserves to have assistance in planning for their financial future. Prudent management can help to ensure that when you retire you are able to maintain the standard of living that you desire throughout your retirement.

 

First, we analyze your total financial picture and then help you to set realistic goals. After establishing these goals we work with you to design a plan to accomplish your objectives. Our planners also focus on issues concerning your estate, the transfer of wealth, retirement income planning and insurance needs that are applicable to your unique situation. Many times this involves coordinating information as well as meeting with your attorney and CPA which we provide as a value- added service.

We would welcome the opportunity to discuss our approach to Financial Planning and Wealth Management in a no-obligation complimentary initial meeting. To contact a Northern Financial Management planner, please contact us.

The fiduciary responsibilities imposed by the Department of Labor are extremely complicated today. Our professionals can help you remain compliant by offering 321 and 338 fiduciary services for your plan.  Through individualized solutions we simplify the 401(k) experience to provide peace of mind to both the employer and their employees.

 

Our Value Proposition in working with employers includes:

• Helping design the optimal plan
• Taking work off your shoulders
• Providing a cost-effective program
• Benchmarking plan investment options
• Educating plan participants
• Managing plan risks and overseeing your fiduciary progress

For a sample listing of some of our clients or information on different types of retirement plans, click one of the links below:

• 401(k) Plan  (Any employer except government entities)
• Profit-sharing/Money purchase plan  (For any employer)
• SEP IRA  (For any employer)
• SIMPLE IRA  (For businesses with 100 or fewer employees)

The old expression, “Failing to plan, is planning to fail” is as true today as the day it was written. All too often we see examples of the devastating effect that occurs as a result of putting off important tasks or becoming complacent about planning for the future. One example of “failing to plan” is not changing or naming a beneficiary. This can result in an entire estate going to an ex-spouse or having the courts decide who will inherit an estate.

 

Northern Financial Management’s goal is to help you manage and preserve your assets while you are alive and to conserve and control their distribution after your death. Age, health, wealth, lifestyle, objectives and goals are some of the many factors that determine an individual’s estate planning needs. Proper estate planning is important whether you have a small estate and just need to be concerned with who will receive your personal effects or a large estate and need to focus on minimizing potential estate taxes.

Estate planning also answers other very important questions such as:

What happens if I am incapacitated?
Who will take care of my children in the case of my death?
Who will make medical and financial decisions for me if I am unable to?

As you can see, estate planning is not just for the wealthy. It deals with so much more than asset management and distribution. It is important for the young and single, unmarried couples, married couples, the wealthy and the elderly. In other words, for everyone! At Northern Financial Management, we work together with you and your estate planning attorney so that the proper documents are created to ensure that your dying wishes are met and that assets are distributed efficiently.

We would welcome the opportunity to discuss our approach to Estate Planning in a no-obligation complimentary initial meeting.

At Northern Financial Management, we help you with the important decision of whether to transfer your retirement funds to an IRA or leave them in a previous employer’s plan. There are many factors to be considered before making this choice. These factors include, but are not limited to changes to availability of funds, withdrawals, fund expenses, fees and IRA required minimum distributions.

 

Therefore, it is important that you speak to your advisor and carefully consider the differences between your company retirement account and an investment in an IRA. Our advisors can also assist you in evaluating your options.

A Roth Conversion can be a strategic way to “pre-pay” your taxes on an IRA or a 401(k).  However, it is important to weigh both the benefits and costs of a Roth conversion before making any decisions.  The amount converted is treated as ordinary income so there are many factors to consider.  Some of the pros and cons are listed below:

 

A Roth IRA is beneficial because:

• You avoid the uncertainty of tax rates, which most experts predict will rise.
• There are no Required Minimum Distributions on a Roth IRA unlike a traditional IRA so you can decide to withdraw your money when tax conditions are favorable.
• As the taxes are paid up front on the conversion, funds are withdrawn tax-free at a later date if certain conditions are met (held over 5 years and over age 591/2).
• Withdrawals are tax-free provided that certain conditions are met (held over 5 years and over age 59 ½).
• The Free-Look provision gives you the option to switch your converted Roth IRA back to a traditional IRA before October 15th of the year taxes are due, without a penalty. They say hindsight is 20/20; in the spirit of that truth, this provision is a significant convenience.
• Some taxpayers have special tax situations, such as net operating losses, charitable deduction carry-forwards, and investment tax credits, which make a Roth conversion very advantageous.
• There are many Roth IRA conversion strategies. The entire IRA does not need to be converted; it can also be split up into separate IRAs. This can reduce your tax liability and let you have more control over how much you want to leave in the Roth IRA versus how much you want to put back in your traditional IRA or 401(k).

A Roth IRA is likely not beneficial if:

• You anticipate your marginal tax bracket to be much lower in the future than it is now.
• You anticipate the value of your IRA will decrease between the time of conversion and the time you would have received distributions from your traditional IRA.
• You plan to leave a substantial amount of your IRA to a charitable organization. Charities do not pay taxes; therefore, they do not need the tax-free benefit.

If you are considering a Roth conversion, it is a wise decision to consult a financial advisor so that you make the best decision possible. To see how Northern Financial Management can help you make your decision, feel free to consult with one of our Roth Conversion experts

Protecting your family from the disaster of an untimely death and/or the devastating effects of losing your most important asset – your income – is a critical component of any financial plan!

 

Disability Insurance

Fact: The odds of becoming disabled for 90 days or longer are much greater than dying during one’s working years. Disability insurance is designed to replace income when wages are lost due to a disability. It provides a guaranteed flow of periodic income payments while you are disabled. Our professionals have access to industry leading products and the knowledge to help you choose the right policy to fit your needs. Learn more…

Life Insurance

Life insurance is often called the most heartfelt gift you can give a love one. At Northern Financial Management, we take this message seriously and work with you to find the best policy for you. Since individual needs and goals are important in choosing the best life insurance policy, Northern Financial Management has the ability to offer life insurance quotes from dozens of different companies. Learn more..

At Northern Financial Management, we understand the importance of and focus special attention on long-term care. Long-term care refers to the assistance and protection that is given to people with a chronic illness or a disability. As medical advances have coincided with an increasing average life expectancy, long-term care has become increasingly more important. Along with the benefits of a longer life are the increased risks of disability and chronic illness, such as Alzheimer’s disease. For someone with Alzheimer’s, the 24/7 care that is needed can be very expensive. Without adequate planning, many families have faced financial tragedies when faced with unexpected disabilities or illnesses.

 

At Northern Financial Management, we believe it is important to insure against the unexpected and unknown. According to the U.S, Department of Health and Human Services, at least 70% of people over the age of 65 will require long-term care services at some point in their lives. However, contrary to popular opinion, private health insurance and Medicare does not cover the majority of necessary long-term care. We understand that most people would like to live in their own homes for as long as possible. Although long-term care policies do cover nursing home expenses, many long-term care policies also make it possible for you to stay out of a nursing home as long as possible, covering the expenses of 24/7 assistance.

Planning is essential, and depending on the individual, certain long-term care policies are better than others. Based on our clients’ individual needs, we can target the best long-term care policy for each situation. To learn more about how we can help you with long-term care planning please Contact Us.