Individual & Family Investments & Insurance

• Goodwin & Smith Financial services offers a diverse array of investments options to address our clients' needs.
• Through a series of questions and fact findings we develop an idea of what is most important to you.
• We then explore multiple investment options and find the investment products that are appropriate for your retirement planning goals.

Some of our offerings include:

• Brokerage accounts
• IRAs
• Roth IRAs,
• Managed Money accounts,
• Mutual Funds,
• Annuities,
• 529s,
• Uniform Transfers to Minor Act accounts (UTMAs),
• Uniform Gift to Minor accounts (UGMAs) and many more.

• Retirement Planning – There is no better time to start planning for your retirement than right now. No matter your age; a professional review can let you know if your plan will help as you pursue the retirement you envision.
  
• Estate Planning – You have worked your entire life to provide for those you care about. Now is the time to make sure that all of you hard work provides benefit as you intend.
  
• Divorce Planning – As a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst I can assist you with the equitable distribution of assets. There are many pitfalls that can financially harm one party or the other when property settlements are created.
  
• Special Needs Planning – One day your loved ones will not have you to provide care for them. Address future needs with an eye towards protecting the quality of life your loved ones currently enjoy.
  
• College Planning – The cost of education these days would make anyone squirm, but researchers say it’s worth it. People with a bachelor’s degree make 84% more over a lifetime than high school graduates. (L.A. Times Aug 5 2011).
  

Retirement planning is more than just saving for retirement or dreaming about the traveling you'll do. Thoughtful retirement planning begins with setting goals for your retirement income and then creating a strategy that will aid in the pursuit of them.

People who have a retirement plan are "dramatically more likely" to have money saved for retirement, according to a 2020 survey by the Employee Benefit Research Institute. But, in this same survey, more than 60% of American workers say they're stressed about preparing for retirement. A retirement plan can ease your worries and create workable strategies to ensure you can enjoy your Golden Years.

Essentially, retirement planning means creating financial strategies to help ensure that you're comfortable at the end of your life. Good retirement planning covers your general living expenses and considers any long-term care you may need, such as assisted living accommodations or nursing home care. Many people end up with only Social Security income to support themselves in retirement, but for many, this simply isn't enough. Social Security is intended to replace about 40-45% of your pre-retirement annual salary. Therefore, saving or investment income is necessary for people to be truly comfortable in retirement.

Retirement planning can include maximizing employer-sponsored 401k benefits or opening your own Individual Retirement Account (IRA). It can also include creating a diverse investment portfolio that will garner passive income to support you after quitting working.

There are a few things to consider when setting goals for your retirement plan. At what age do you wish to retire? Are you planning to stop working at 65 or keep working past 65? If you choose to wait until you're older to retire, then you'll have longer to save money and allow your investments to grow.

Where you want to live is also a significant consideration. Will you move closer to children and grandchildren, or perhaps somewhere warmer? The cost of living can determine how far your retirement dollars will stretch.

What is your plan for long-term care if you or your spouse can no longer live independently? Retirement communities and nursing homes can cost thousands of dollars per month. Long-term care should factor into your budget.

At Goodwin & Smith Financial Services, we often get asked, "how much money do I need to retire?" The answer is, it depends. Our financial planning team can help you find the appropriate number for your retirement goals with a few simple steps.

• Estimate your annual living expenses in retirement. The average retiree needs about 80% of their pre-retirement income to maintain their standard of living.
• Subtract your Social Security and pension income from your estimated annual living expenses. We'll help you find your Social Security Statement on the website.
• Multiply the estimated net annual living expenses by 25 for the total amount of money you'll need to have to retire.
• Create a plan where you don't withdraw more than 4% of your retirement savings per year to fund your retirement for 30 years.

We can also help you take steps to pursue these financial goals, such as opening retirement accounts and working to maximize your tax savings.

How can I create a steady stream of income that lasts through retirement?

Retirement savings accounts and sound investment strategies can provide vehicles through which one may be able to create steady income.

Is my family's future protected if something happens to me?

Purchasing the appropriate insurance products and good estate planning will help ensure that your family is financially taken care of if you die unexpectedly. We can also help with estate planning.

I am retiring in 2-3 years. What should I do now to prepare?

Downsize your debt, and take full advantage of your retirement accounts, especially any "catch up" contributions.

What are the biggest risks to my retirement plan?

Volatile investments, poor retirement planning, and rising inflation are three of the biggest threats to a comfortable retirement.

When should I start taking my social security?

You can start taking Social Security at 62, but your benefits will increase incrementally for every year worked past your Full Retirement Age (FRA)

Do You Need Help With Retirement Planning?

Retirement planning can be complicated, so don't navigate this process alone. The professionals at Goodwin & Smith Financial Services can help you make the most appropriate decisions for the future. Call us today for a consultation to see how we can help you live your Golden Years in a manner which you have envisioned. 

Life Insurance

• You protect your home and auto, why not your life? There are many uses for life insurance; paying off mortgages, paying off debt, and helping your kids go to college to name a few.
•  Let us shop the market for you to see which company has the most appropriate products and affordable premiums.
  

Health Insurance

• Having a licensed agent help you enroll does not increase your monthly premium.
• With the ever changing landscape in the health insurance markets understanding the very basic coverage can be confusing and many times participants in the health insurance exchange do not understand the plans they have selected. We can help!

Long Term Care Insurance

•  While health insurance will cover health related expenses; there are many future care issues not covered by health insurance. You may be fortunate enough to receive care from family members but that can cause strain on the family.
• With a long term care policy; you have the choice of receiving care in a facility or in the comfort of your own home. Long Term Care coverage is an important part of your estate planning and asset protection

Disability Income Insurance

• Short term and Long term Disability Income Insurance helps individuals protect from loss of income as a result of a disability
  
• If you are the financial engine for your household your vision and planning could be jeopardized should you become partially or totally disabled.
  
• Not protecting one’s income is often a critical mistake realized when one suffers an unforeseen injury or disability.
  

We shop the market for you! We contact multiple carriers to get the proper coverage in place at the best price available.

• Automobile – If you think you are paying too much, you probably are. We have multiple carriers to choose from and can often get the appropriate policy and best possible premium for our clients.
  
• Home owners – Want to lower your monthly mortgage payment? Shop your home owner’s coverage.  We shop our client’s policies each year for savings.
  
• General liability – Protect yourself from claims.
  
• In-land Marine-Coverage for equipment, tools and machinery.
  
• Umbrella – There are times when the limits of a policy are exceeded due to litigation. An umbrella policy provides coverage when those limits have been reached and the claim has not been met.