FUNDING YOUR CHILD'S EDUCATION WHILE PRESERVING YOUR RETIREMENT

 Save early, save often and understand the alphabet soup of options...

The cost of a college education increases every year, largely unbeknownst to you until you receive the bill. The pile of money you must save is staggering. If you have children, plan for college costs as soon as possible.

When it comes to saving for retirement, maybe you've done everything right. You started early, maxed out your 401(k) plan, invested in a diversified portfolio and avoided costly mistakes, such as cashing out your retirement plan. Fantastic. But now comes the hard part: making sure you don't outlive your money.

Whether retirement is around the corner or decades away, there are more options than ever to help you plan for it. Let's look at Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) and 401(k) plans, which offer tax benefits that can help you save for your future.

The recent tax overhaul has repealed the deduction for investment-advisory fees and effectively will eliminate your ability to deduct them. This will effect not only the tax return of investors but also their net investment returns after fees.

No matter your age, just about everyone can benefit from these retirement savings tips. Learn how to set yourself up for a successful retirement with savings tips you can start using now.

Thoughts from a financial advisor

When helping people get ready for retirement, financial advisors find the same issues come up over and over. Thinking ahead can spell the difference between a successful retirement with enough money and a stressful one with difficult decisions that you don’t want to make. Here are 7 retirement considerations that every investor should think about:

Over the past year, there has been increasing buzz in the financial industry surrounding new regulation from the Department of Labor (DOL). The “Conflict of Interest Rule” proposed by the DOL seeks to apply a “fiduciary standard” to any financial advisor who makes recommendations about clients’ retirement accounts.

Every person is unique and has certain characteristics and qualities that make them who they are.  In the same way, every investor has a unique tolerance regarding risk and reward that is frequently independent of age.

Millennials may think it's too early to think about retirement, but not thinking about it could become their biggest regret down the road. This video helps guide Millennials with some basic retirement savings education and encourages them to take an active role in their retirement planning now to positively impact their future.