CORONAVIRUS/COVID-19: A FEW KEY FINANCIAL PRECAUTIONS YOU SHOULD HEED RIGHT NOW
We are in the midst of unprecedented events. Air travel banned from foreign countries. Non-essential traffic halted at the borders. School systems shut down for the remainder of the school year. Mandatory quarantines.
While precautions such as these are certainly necessary and will undoubtedly save lives, they will also very likely result in continued economic upheaval and market volatility. This impacts you and every other American preparing for or currently living in retirement.
In this environment of anticipated continued volatility, here are a few key items you may want to consider regarding your retirement assets:
1. ALL-TIME LOW INTEREST RATES
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On Sunday, March 14, 2020, in an effort to stimulate the economy, the Federal Reserve dropped interest rates to 0-0.25 percent.* While historically low interest rates may be positive for the economy, they often create challenges for conservative retirees using fixed interest financial vehicles in their portfolios.
If you have money sitting in any of these fixed interest options – Certificates of Deposit (CDs), money markets, treasury bonds or traditional fixed annuities – now is the perfect time to take another look at your current retirement plan and see if there are better options available. Why? Because there are still some products available which may provide you with meaningful interest rates.
Given the interest rate environment we’re currently in, these options are likely to change in the near future.
2. CONTINUED MARKET DECLINES
We’re watching it happen daily. Markets are repeatedly falling, interspersed with momentary rebounds. If you have money invested in the market, there’s a good chance you’re seeing your accounts give away a good portion of their gains from the past few years.
When this happens, it’s completely natural to consider pulling money out of the market to pursue more secure alternatives – perhaps even going to cash. And while most financial advisors would generally never recommend “selling low” and incurring a loss, the reality is that no one has a crystal ball, and no one knows where this market truly bottoms out. As a general rule of thumb, if you’ve been in the market for five years or more, you may very well still have significant gains you can “take off the table” – conserving them, rather than risking them further in a turbulent market.
If you are considering pulling some of your money from the market, we recommend at least considering options that afford a level of principal protection and higher potential for growth without being directly exposed to the stock market.
IN SUMMARY
With all of this being said, please take heart. We are fully confident we’ll get through this, and things will return to normal. Whether thinking back to 9/11, the market crash of 2008 or other crises our country has faced, we are a resilient nation, and we will emerge on the other side of this.
However, just like everyone is doing with their physical health right now, we URGE YOU to be taking NECESSARY STEPS to ensure your financial health as well. If you aren’t currently 100 percent certain of the path you’re on, please contact us at the number below to set up a virtual visit with a member of our team today!
Sincerely,
Brian Singer
Singer Financial
P.S. At Singer Financial, we are set up to operate virtually – allowing you to meet with us by phone or webcast from the comfort of your home rather than coming into our office. Even if you don’t fancy yourself “tech-savvy,” we can make things incredibly simple, so don’t let current social distancing procedures keep you from making important financial decisions! We’re here to help! Contact us now at (317)852-9153 or Click here to schedule a complimentary phone consult or webcast!
*Source: www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/03/15/federal-reserve-slashes-interest-rates-zero-part-wide-ranging-emergency-intervention. Accessed 3/19/20.
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. Any references to protection benefits or security generally refer to fixed insurance products, never securities or investment products. Insurance and annuity product guarantees are backed by the financial strength and claims-paying ability of the issuing insurance company.
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