We've compiled what you need to know about these key components of financial planning, along with personal finance tools to launch healthy new financial habits. The four components are Assets, Liabilities, Income and Expenses. Managing all four components will not only keep you debt-free, but it will also help you achieve financial freedom, as Rob Berger said: “The best thing money can buy is financial freedom.Before delving into the subject, it is essential to point out that there are 5 contours to the full financial picture of one. They are saving, investing, financial protection, tax planning, retirement planning, but in no particular order.
The sudden need for money can come at any time. It can be as mundane as a car breakdown or as serious as losing your job. However, these emergency events can be addressed if we have enough savings to cover the need.As a general rule, the fund for your emergency needs should be three to six months of your expenses. Now speaking in investment terms, mutual funds are an excellent investment option if done well.
However, when investing in mutual funds, it is essential to consider choosing the right fund for your investment, otherwise it could be counterproductive. Therefore, it is essential to make your investment according to your investment requirements and your horizon.Planning Finances for Retirement is Now a Two-Step Process. First, save for retirement, and second, generate income from your retirement assets.
Personal Finance
is a process that involves how you plan and manage your financial activities.This includes your savings, expenses, income generation, etc. The process by which a person manages their personal finances is usually summarized in a financial plan or budget. In addition, when a person seeks to plan their personal finances, it is important to first consider whether it is suitable for their need for banking products. This refers to the excess or excess of what you spend and your income.
You can choose to withhold it for future expenses or for investment purposes.We can't overstate the importance of saving. This is because an urgent or emergency need can arise at any time and, when this happens, your savings are the reference source. Most people consider investment and savings to be synonymous. The point is that they are different.
Savings, as mentioned above, are excess of your income after all expenses. While investing involves buying assets such as mutual funds, real estate, stocks, bonds, etc., with your money with the expectation of generating a rate of return. Investing carries a lot of risks. This is because not all assets end up yielding an ROI.
It's very important to set aside funds for emergencies and unexpected events. The most ideal safety net is to save three to six months in living expenses. This will help ensure that you attend to any emergency.Financial experts suggest you should save 20% of your income for emergencies. It's important to “pay yourself first” to make sure the money is set aside for unexpected expenses, such as medical bills, a repair to a large car, daily expenses if you get laid off, and more.
Living expenses of three to six months are the ideal safety net. Financial experts generally recommend keeping 20% of each paycheck each month.Once you've filled up your emergency fund, don't stop. Continue channeling 20% per month toward other financial goals, such as a retirement fund or a down payment on a home. Setting aside money now for retirement not only allows you to grow in the long term but you can also lower your current income taxes if the funds are placed in a tax-advantaged plan such as an individual retirement account (IRA), 401 (k), or 403 (b).
If your employer offers a 401 (k) or 403 (b) plan start paying it right away especially if your employer matches your contribution. By not doing so you're giving up free money. Take the time to learn the difference between a 401 (k) Roth and a traditional 401 (k) if your company offers both. An ideal budget includes saving a portion of your paycheck every month for retirement usually around 10% to 20%.While being fiscally responsible is important and thinking about your future is crucial the general rule of saving a certain amount in each period for retirement may not always be the best option especially for young people just starting out in the real world.
On the one hand many young adults and students must think about paying for the biggest expenses of their lives such as a new car a house or post-secondary education potentially removing 10% to 20% of available funds would be a definite setback to making such purchases also saving for retirement doesn't make much sense if you have credit cards or interest-bearing loans to pay the 19% interest rate on your Visa card would likely negate the profits you make from your balanced mutual fund retirement portfolio five times more at the other end of the age spectrum investors nearing retirement and retirement are encouraged to cut back on safer investments even though they may perform less than inflation to preserve capital it's important to take fewer risks as the number of years you have to make money and recover from a bad financial situation decreases but at 60 or 65 you could have 20 30 or even more years ahead of you some growth investments might still make sense for you one of the most important (and obvious) aspects of personal finance is cash flow management it's about how much money is going to come in and where that money goes the idea is to bring your finances to the point where you live within your means so that you can build a solid foundation for the future in addition paying attention to managing your cash flow can help you be more aware of where your money is going and make better long-term decisions.
