Wednesday, 11 June 2008

How to Hire a Financial Retirement Planner

By Raymond Cheung

All good things invariably come to an end. Even your cushy job would end when you reach your retirement age. Are you aware of the options available which enable you to continue earning, even post-retirement? In case you think that the money which the government returns to you after retirement would be enough to see you through, you are in for a sad surprise. Even your Social Security Card is not of much help during these autumn years.

One of the most important persons you need, when you are in such a state of dilemma is someone who you can trust with your post-retirement planning. What you are essentially trying to do is to make sure that the post-retirement phase of your life also offers you the same financial freedom and social dignity, which you are enjoying presently. You can achieve this only with the help of a financial planning retirement planner.

There are plenty of aspects to a financial planning retirement planner, which you must be aware of, before hiring the services of such a professional. Or else, you would not find any improvement to your financial situation when the time actually comes. Here is a list of some important criteria for selecting the right financial planning retirement planner:

At the outset, make sure that this person is adequately qualified. He must own a minimum bachelors' degree in any branch of finance, since they would be required to do a lot of investment planning. A master's degree would be most beneficial. Make sure that the degrees are obtained from reputable institutes.

Second, you have to look at his credentials. Is he affiliated with a highly regarded financial institution? This may look both good and bad choice for you. If he is connected to a particular institution, he might only push the plans his financial institution where he is connected to is offering. If he works independently, you may have doubts about his reputation. Check first the financial institution where he is affiliated with and if you can trust them and you like their investment options, then you may proceed with the financial planner that they provide for you.

Your financial planner must have all the knowledge and expertise of the various retirement benefit plans that are open in the market. You might want to ask him on IRA plans, or better known as pension funds, and the 401(K) plans. Both plans are qualified employer contribution plans that can afford you with good advantages. He should have a large bowl of knowledge when it comes to these plans. Don't be afraid to ask him a lot of questions that you are not very much aware of. Definitely, if you are an employed individual, you will have to use one of these plans.

Your financial planner must be able to guide you through the different other safe investment options that are prevailing in the market. He may advise you to invest on real estate or in mutual funds from a reputable company. His must guide you on how you would be able to invest effectively and profitably.

It is not necessary to go much for references when you are looking for a financial planner. The reason behind this lies in the fact that financial planners give different kinds of advice to different people. They will not give you the same advice they gave to an earlier client. What they tell you will depend on your financial situation. Most importantly, your financial planner should be aware of all tax implications. A good retirement financial planner will suggest options to you that will allow you to invest in a manner that you make savings on tax also.

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