Tag: Retirement Planning
5 Mistakes You’re Making In Your Medtronic Retirement Savings Plan

5 Mistakes You’re Making In Your Medtronic Retirement Savings Plan

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If you’re participating in the Medtronic Retirement Savings and Investment Plan, you already understand its value, but are you using it as effectively as possible? Unfortunately, we see some simple mistakes that can easily be avoided. Today we’ll highlight each of these avoidable missteps to make sure you’re maximizing every dollar you contribute.

The Medtronic 401k is a tremendous tool to help you save for retirement, but Matt will explain how small oversights can lead to a big financial impact. He also walks through benchmarks for how much you should have saved at various ages, helping you assess whether you’re truly on track for retirement.

Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:

🚫 Not contributing = missing out on thousands in company match
📈 Auto-escalation is helpful- but don’t just settle for the default
🎯 Age-based catch-up contributions can supercharge your savings
📋 Outdated or missing beneficiary info can derail your estate plan

0:00 – Intro

1:00 – How company contributions work

1:30 – Mistake 1

2:19 – Mistake 2

3:05 – Mistake 3

4:03 – Mistake 4

5:34 – Mistake 5

6:07 – How much you should be saving

Resources For This Episode

T Rowe Price Retirement Resource: https://www.troweprice.com/personal-investing/resources/insights/youre-age-35-50-or-60-how-much-should-you-have-by-now.html#:~:text=We%20found%20that%2015%25%20of,35%20is%20a%20reasonable%20target

5 Ways to Maximize Your Medtronic 401k Plan Guide: https://perspective6group.com/guide/  

Other Resources

📌Our website: https://perspective6group.com/

📞Phone: (952) 225-0333

📧 Email: perspective6info@focusfinancial.com

🗓 Schedule your no-cost consultation: https://perspective6group.com/start-here/

📚 Essential Financial Guides

📌5 Ways to Maximize Your Medtronic 401k Plan Guide: https://perspective6group.com/guide/

📌Stock Compensation Tax Form Checklist: https://perspective6group.com/stock-compensation-tax-checklist/

📌ESPP: A Comprehensive Guide: https://perspective6group.com/espp-guide/

📌Check out our other no-cost financial resources here: https://perspective6group.com/resource-center/

📲 Stay Connected

🎥 Check us out on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZFSiozlOWNDN0PbgF6HzSA

📍LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/perspective-6-group/

📍Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/medtechwealthadvisor

Read our disclosure: https://u.pcloud.link/publink/show?code=XZkBy85ZfCq9xrsUw3uau8CVXYswO7wuJAFX
The Power of Donor-Advised Funds for Charitable Giving (Ep. 28)

The Power of Donor-Advised Funds for Charitable Giving (Ep. 28)

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How can you maximize your charitable giving while minimizing your taxes?

Donor-advised funds (DAFs) might be the key.

Join Matt Nelson and Jacob LaRue as they dive into the strategic world of donor-advised funds—a tool many haven’t explored yet—to enhance your charitable contributions while skillfully managing your tax savings, aligning seamlessly with your values. 

They discuss: 

  • Donor-advised funds, a powerful vehicle to maximize both your charity impact and tax benefits
  • Practical scenarios and case studies showcasing the effectiveness of bundling contributions for greater deductions
  • Combining strategies such as utilizing low-basis stocks or integrating Roth conversions
  • The options for setting up lasting charitable legacies that continue giving beyond your lifetime
  • And more!

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The Basics of Charitable Giving: Cash, Stocks, IRAs (Ep. 27)

The Basics of Charitable Giving: Cash, Stocks, IRAs (Ep. 27)

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Are you making the most of your contributions?

This week, Matt Nelson and Jacob LaRue explore the essentials of charitable giving, focusing on how to align charitable contributions with financial goals while optimizing tax savings. 

The episode outlines the importance of prioritizing values over tax savings, covers key methods of giving, and provides strategies for maximizing the benefits of donations.

They discuss: 

  • The importance of prioritizing your values over tax savings when engaging in charitable giving
  • An overview of tax considerations and limitations on charitable contributions
  • Strategies for donating low-basis stock and how it can be more beneficial than cash donations
  • The benefits of Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) for retirees, especially those with required minimum distributions (RMDs)
  • And more!

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What Are Roth Conversions and How Can They Benefit You?

What Are Roth Conversions and How Can They Benefit You?

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Roth conversions offer a powerful way to provide tax-free growth and withdrawals in retirement, but success depends on careful planning. 

By transferring funds from traditional IRAs or 401(k)s into a Roth IRA, you can manage taxes upfront. Allowing your investments to grow without future tax obligations. The key to maximizing these benefits lies in timing and understanding how tax brackets, estate planning, and asset allocation all play a role.

Matt Nelson, CFP® and Jacob LaRue, CFP® provide insights on how to leverage Roth conversions effectively, ensuring your financial decisions align with your long-term goals. Whether you’re in your working years or nearing retirement, this episode helps you avoid common pitfalls, reduce tax burdens, and set up a strategy that benefits both you and your heirs.

Key Highlights:

  • Roth Conversion Basics: Understand the differences between conversions and contributions, and the key tax implications to look out for
  • Tax Bracket Optimization: Learn how to time your conversions during low-income years and avoid higher taxes during your peak earning periods
  • Asset Allocation Strategies: Discover why Roth IRAs are ideal for high-growth investments, maximizing your tax-free gains
  • Estate Planning Benefits: Learn how Roth conversions can lower the tax burden for your heirs, especially if they are in higher tax brackets
  • Mistakes to Avoid: Plan for estimated tax payments, and stay up to date on recent rule changes for inherited IRAs
  • Charitable Giving Considerations: Find out why Roth conversions may not be ideal if your IRA is intended for charitable donations
  • And much more!

Resources:

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How Roth IRAs Work

How Roth IRAs Work

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Wondering how Roth IRAs give you a tax advantage? Curious about non-retirement uses like college and buying a home? This episode dives deep into the strategic advantages of Roth IRAs and their role in preparing you for your financial future.

For working professionals, navigating retirement planning is critical. This episode reveals how Roth IRAs can be pivotal tools in your financial arsenal, offering benefits beyond retirement savings. Whether you’re a young investor or a high earner, understanding the nuances of Roth IRAs can lead to significant long-term gains.

Join host Matt Nelson, CFP®, Managing Partner at Perspective 6 Group, and Jacob LaRue, CFP®, Head of Financial Planning, as they discuss the most effective strategies for optimizing Roth IRAs. Discover how these accounts can be leveraged not just for retirement, but also for estate planning, emergency funds, and even home purchases.

Key Highlights:

  • Roth IRA Basics: Learn how Roth IRAs differ from traditional retirement accounts, with after-tax contributions and tax-free withdrawals in retirement
  • Strategic Contributions: Explore optimal strategies based on your lifetime tax bracket and income fluctuations to decide between Roth and traditional IRAs
  • High Earner Strategies: Learn about Backdoor and Mega Backdoor Roth IRAs, designed to help high-income earners maximize their savings into retirement
  • Estate Planning: Discover the benefits of using Roth IRAs in estate planning, including tax-free inheritance and the absence of required minimum distributions
  • Non-Retirement Benefits: Uncover how Roth IRAs can fund emergencies, facilitate home purchases, and reallocate excess 529 plan funds for education
  • And much more!

 

Resources:

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How to Navigate and Optimize Non-Qualified Stock Options

How to Navigate and Optimize Non-Qualified Stock Options

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How do NSOs work? When are NSOs taxed? Are NSOs earned income? Get all your NSO questions answered on this episode.

Unlocking the potential of your non-qualified stock options (NSOs) can be essential in achieving financial independence, particularly in the MedTech industry. Understanding the intricacies of NSOs can empower you to make informed decisions about your equity compensation and overall financial plan.

Join host Matt Nelson, CFP®, and Jacob LaRue, CFP®, as they explore the strategic planning required for exercising NSOs. Learn the importance of understanding grant agreements, vesting schedules, and the overall impact on your financial plan to avoid common pitfalls like unexpected tax bills and concentration risk.

Key Highlights:

    • NSOs Overview: Gain insights into how NSOs work, including the difference between the grant price and the current stock price, as well as the significance of the vesting schedule
    • Exercising NSOs: Explore different methods of exercise, cash vs. cashless, and understand the implications of each approach
    • Tax Implications: Learn about the tax consequences of exercising NSOs, including ordinary income taxes on the bargain element and capital gains taxes on future gains
    • Concentration Risk: Discover strategies to manage concentration risk, especially if a significant portion of your portfolio is tied to one company’s stock
    • Three-Step Planning Process: Understand the process of reviewing stock plan documents, building a financial plan, and creating a game plan for exercising NSOs
    • Withholding and Tax Planning: Identify the need for additional tax planning due to insufficient withholding on NSOs and the importance of keeping up with tax estimates to avoid penalties
  • Practical Guidance:
    • Early Exercise Option: Exercising NSOs early can be beneficial if the stock price is low, allowing future gains to be taxed at capital gains rates instead of income tax rates
    • Scenario Planning: Evaluate different exercise scenarios to determine the best strategy for your financial situation, considering factors like market concentration and tax impact
    • Regular Check-ins: Regularly review and adjust your financial plan, especially during key periods like Spring and Fall to ensure you stay on track and avoid surprises
  • And much more!

 

Resources:

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Case Study: Crafting a Financial Independence Plan

Case Study: Crafting a Financial Independence Plan

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Transform your assets into the life you’ve always dreamed of!

In this episode of the MedTech Wealth Advisor podcast, host Matt Nelson, CFP® and Jacob LaRue, CFP® go through a real-life example in a case study. They discuss the imperative considerations and how they created a Financial Independence Plan unique to the client. 

The first step is to understand the clients’ values, needs, and what exactly they want out of life. Then they can delve into the specifics of their financial picture and specific challenges, such as stock options. With all the information delivered a plan is developed to reach their short-term and long-term financial independence goals while still prioritizing the values, goals, and desired lifestyle of the client. 

Also discussed is creating a “baseline scenario” to account for potential ups and downs in income and expenses. This creates a solid framework that can adapt even in the face of major life events. Tune in for a comprehensive look at what it takes to plan for your future and create your own personal Financial Freedom Statement!

Key Highlights: 

    • Understanding Core Values: Rather than working from their own ideals and processes, getting to know the client’s personal views and values is the initial guide to the planning process.
  • Financial Freedom Statements: An overall view of a client’s financial outlook in the present and the future, as well as the options that are available to adjust their work-life balance
    • Equity Compensation & Benefits: Don’t miss out on equity compensation not yet vested, understand all your benefits and how to maximize them.
    • Long-Term Planning: Building a comprehensive financial independence plan looks beyond immediate spending to consider lifestyle changes, potential sabbaticals, increased travel, and other long-term goals.
  • Baseline Scenarios: Creating an initial template with expected income and known expenses in the present and future lays a foundation for
  • And more!

 

Resources:

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Preparing for Financial Independence with a Lifetime Income Plan

Preparing for Financial Independence with a Lifetime Income Plan

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Retirement isn’t a one-size-fits-all endeavor. Crafting a personalized income plan empowers you to prepare for financial independence and gain control of your future.

Matt Nelson, CFP® is joined by Head of Financial Planning at Perspective 6 Group, Jacob LaRue, CFP®. The pair discuss the art of crafting an effective income plan that sustains your lifestyle through all of life’s stages. With an emphasis on the critical role of understanding cash flows, taxes, and diverse income sources. They offer insights to help you avoid the unnecessary stress of prolonged working years, so you can enjoy life.

Key Highlights:

  • Financial Independence: Learn to create a comprehensive income plan to support your lifestyle throughout retirement
  • Life Phases: Explore saving and spending strategies tailored to the three stages of life
  • Tax Strategies: Plan for taxes as an expense over your lifetime
  • Practical Planning: Utilize tools budgeting tools to track spending and income, as well as retirement tools to ensure you are on track
  • Investment Insights: Leverage your portfolio to fill income gaps to optimize pension and Social Security benefits to protect long-term stability 
  • Enjoying Life: Financial planning should empower you to enjoy life, including taking sabbaticals or mini retirements
  • And much more!

Tune in to secure valuable insights and practical advice on working towards financial independence and crafting an effective income plan.

 

Resources:

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Investing for Decades Not Days (Ep. 14)

Investing for Decades Not Days (Ep. 14)

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Is your portfolio designed for sustained growth without succumbing to market speculation?

Join us for a compelling episode of The MedTech Wealth Advisor Podcast. Host, Matt Nelson, CFP® welcomes back Matthew Finley, CFP®. The pair dive into tailored investment strategies that guide their business. This discussion emphasizes consistent, disciplined investment approaches over speculative, high-risk tactics often highlighted by the financial media. Discover strategies that could enable stable returns to support your financial future.

Key Highlights:

  • Commitment to Long-Term Growth: Leverage the power of compounding returns in robust global economies
  • Priority on Liquid Investments: Why Perspective 6 Group focuses on publicly traded investments that offer predictable, consistent returns
  • Balanced Alternative Investments: The strategic role of alternatives like private equity and real estate in complementing a strong market foundation
  • Weighing Risk and Stability: A look at the risks of speculative assets versus the stability and inflation protection offered by equities
  • Informed Portfolio Adjustments: How strategic tweaks during market shifts can enhance long-term outcomes without derailing financial goals
  • Customized Retirement Strategies: Tailor retirement plans to meet long-term growth and immediate income needs effectively
  • Dispelling Investment Myths: Debunk common myths and highlight the growing importance of technology in investment portfolios

Explore these insights and more to learn about building a resilient investment strategy.

 

Resources:

  • Do you have a topic you’d like to learn more about on this podcast? Send us an email at mwapodcast@focusfinancial.com to let us know. We look forward to hearing from you!
  • Read more on Perspective 6 Group’s Investment Philosophy here.

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Investing involves risk including the potential loss of principal. No investment strategy can guarantee a profit or protect against loss in periods of declining values. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Please note that individual situations can vary. Therefore, the information presented here should only be relied upon when coordinated with individual professional advice.
Building Roots: A Passion for Legacy With Matthew Finley, CFP® (Ep. 13)

Building Roots: A Passion for Legacy With Matthew Finley, CFP® (Ep. 13)

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Can a background in medicine and microbiology revolutionize financial advising?

Discover the remarkable transformation of Matthew Finley, CFP®, Partner & Senior Financial Advisor at Perspective 6 Group. From an aspiring doctor to a successful financial advisor, this is a fascinating episode of The MedTech Wealth Advisor Podcast. Join our host, Matt Nelson as he dives into Matthew’s unique journey, highlighting how personal values and pivotal life decisions can profoundly shape one’s career in financial management.

Key Highlights:

  • Pivotal Career Shift: Dive into Matthew’s decision to move from aspiring doctor to financial advisor, a choice influenced by his quest for work-life harmony
  • Early Inspirations: Discover how Matthew’s grandfather, an astute investor, ignited his passion for finance
  • Diverse Career Journey: Trace Matthews’s path from microbiology research to thriving in the dynamic world of business finance and eventually finding his calling in financial advising
  • Resilience During Financial Crisis: Learn about Matthew’s strategic approach to financial advising during challenging times, including the 2008 recession and recent economic fluctuations
  • Empathetic Client Relationships: Understand how Matthew’s background enables him to relate to clients seeking honest and compassionate financial advice
  • The Man Behind the Advisor: Peek into Matthew’s personal life, from his achievements in distance running to cherishing moments with his family and the great outdoors
  • Wisdom for Aspiring Advisors: Listen to Matthew’s insights on pursuing a financial career passionately while maintaining a balance with personal life
  • And much more!

 

Looking Ahead: 

Gear up for an inspiring conversation on the Perspective 6 Group investment philosophy in the next episode, where Matthew and Matt will share how diverse life experiences enrich financial decision-making and strategy formation.

 

Resources:

  • Do you have a topic you’d like to learn more about on this podcast? Send us an email at mwapodcast@focusfinancial.com to let us know. We look forward to hearing from you!

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