Whether retirement is right around the corner, or several years down the road, it’s never too early, or too late, to start planning for your future. Some people feel intimidated by matters of finance, while others simply don′t feel comfortable with their knowledge regarding retirement planning. Make it a priority to learn as much as you can about your finances by reviewing the following essential 5 top baby boomers retirement tips.

It’s no secret that retirement can be expensive, especially with the rising costs of just about everything, which is why most experts recommend planning on needing anywhere from 70 to 90% of your current earnings after you retire to maintain the standard of living you’re accustomed to.

Here are the 5 top baby boomers retirement tips for those who are serious about planning for their future:

Start With a Definitive Plan

Start by noting your current standard of living and then examine whether or not you′re willing to make sacrifices, or if you plan to live just as you always have. Most people expect to enjoy the same lifestyle along with travel or vacation plans after retiring, but really have no true idea of how much money they’re going to need to actually do so.

A retirement calculator is useful for figuring out exactly what you will need each month to meet your goals. Either online or through your own calculations, use your current age, the age you plan on retiring, your current savings, and how much you need to live comfortably per year after retiring to get the final amount.

For solutions to your specific circumstances, seek out the advice of a professional, such as a financial advisor, your bank or union, as well as your employer’s human resources department. Ultimately, trust your own instincts and educate yourself before making any decisions.

Review Your Social Security Benefits

On average, the Social Security Administration (SSA) pays roughly 40% of one′s pre-retirement earnings after retiring. Earnings statements are usually mailed three to four months before your birthday that outline what you have paid in taxes, along with a summary of your estimated benefits depending on the age you retire. If you haven’t yet received any statements, contact the SSA to request one by visiting their web site at www.ssa.gov.

Learn About Your Employee Benefits

Any employee who is covered under their employer’s retirement plan is entitled to a clear explanation of their benefits and receive what is known as a summary plan description. Also remember to inquire about your spouse’s retirement benefits through their employer, or open a spousal IRA (Individual Retirement Account) for those who do not work outside of the home.

Contribute to a 401k

One of the most often overlooked of the 5 top baby boomers retirement tips are investing in a 401k, which is a tax-sheltered savings plan that your employer also contributes to. It is estimated that an entire quarter of all people who were offered the chance to participate in a 401k plan chose not to. If your employer doesn′t currently have any type of retirement plan in place, suggest that it start one as soon as possible.

Follow Through

Although a growing nest egg may be tempting during those times when you might need a little extra cash, it’s imperative to stick to your plan to avoid any withdrawal penalties, as well as falling short of your ultimate goal when you do retire.

By simply following these 5 top baby boomers retirement tips, it really is possible to retire the way you envisioned and truly enjoy your future without worrying about finances.

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Car & Motor Vehicle Financing Options

In these times of high interest rates and rising motor vehicle prices it is wise to examine all of the possible ways of financing your car to ensure that you are employing the cheapest possible finance method possible.

Motor vehicle finance generally comes at a relatively high interest rate so the aim should be to secure capital at the lowest possible rate possible.

It is therefore important to exploit various ways of financing your vehicle to ensure that your repayments are kept to minimum.

Ways to Finance Your Motor Car

Home Loan

You can use the equity in your mortgage or home loan to finance your car which is a good option as the effective interest rate you will be paying will be less than that on a car finance deal.

Should you not be able to borrow on your bond you could always extend it by applying for a home loan extension here which will provide you with relatively cheap capital or finance to purchase your car.

Debt Consolidation Loan

Another financing option is to get a debt consolidation loan which will provide you with enough capital to buy your chosen vehicle.

This kind of loan is available to those who own property even if they have been previously declined by the banks or have been blacklisted.

So if you are in the market for a new or used car consider your options before buying – you could be saving yourself a small fortune by selecting the right vehicle financing option.

Go to the following link for tips on vehicle finance as well as to choose a vehicle and to apply online for cost effective vehicle & car finance here »

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If you are going to buy a home, one of the first things to do is find out what price range you can afford. Getting pre-approved for mortgage can determine the maximum home price and the loan amount you can get, based on your credit scores, income, and down payment. A mortgage pre-approval can save time and effort in your home search, and tells others that you are ready and able to buy a home.

Here’s a List of 9 Other Mortgage Tips:

1. Need flexibility on credit issues?

In addition to a low down payment, an FHA mortgage allows lower credit scores than conventional home financing. A bankruptcy only needs to be discharged for two years, and three years on a foreclosure.

2. Need payment choices for a tight budget?

Some lenders offers flexible mortgage terms with a 30 year fixed rate that gives you a payment choice each month for interest only or a fully amortized payment, which could help when money is tight.

3. Do you want an option for lower closing costs?

If you need to reduce your closing costs, you typically have the choice of decreasing the points by increasing the rate. Mortgage rates are priced to allow you to buy the interest rate up or down.

4. How long will you keep your mortgage?

If you plan to keep your mortgage for less than five years, you may be able to save money on your payments with a 5 year fixed rate plan. Also consider financing your home with zero points.

5. What debts are counted in your debt ratio?

Monthly debt payments are added to a mortgage to calculate a back-end debt ratio, including: credit card minimum payments, car loans, student loan, personal loan, alimony, child support, tax liens.

6. Are you required to have an impound account?

An impound account is money collected with the monthly loan payment to be set aside in reserve to pay property taxes and insurance. It’s usually required on mortgages with less than 20% down payment.

7. Buying a condo with an FHA mortgage?

A condominium project must be FHA approved in order to get an FHA loan. If the project is not approved, the FHA spot loan program is designed to provide financing for an individual unit.

8. What about opening new credit accounts?

Applying for a new credit card, or financing the purchase of anything, just before or during the mortgage process can drop your credit scores, and lower credit scores can cause a higher rate or worse.

9. Are you planning a job or career change?

If you plan to make a job change, especially if the change involves commission or a different line of work, wait until after your new mortgage has funded, to avoid creating a potential problem.

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How To Owner Finance Your Home

You\’ve seen the real estate ads in the classifieds section of the newspaper: “Owner Financing Available″ or “Owner Will Carry”. An owner financed real estate transaction enables the buyer of the property to make payments directly to the seller.

This allows the buyer to purchase the real estate without having to apply for a mortgage from a bank or financial institution. The seller also has the option of selling the loan to an investor for cash.

Of course, there are lots of variables that work into a price offer including type of property, location, age of house, equity, is the buyer making the monthly payments, etc. These are just some of the things an investor likes to see. Investors buy all sorts of real estate notes and deeds of trust. Every house is different, every loan is different and every deal is different. Use the above list to make the loan more attractive to an investor.

ADVANTAGES OF OWNER FINANCING THE SALE

Sell Your Property For Your Desired Asking Price
A buyer may be perfectly happy to pay market value (and maybe more) for a house that requires a smaller down payment and that a bank won\’t help them finance.

Charge a Higher Interest Rate Than a Bank Would Give
By charging a higher interest rate than a bank (say 7.5 – 8.5%) you are, in effect, increasing the overall sales price of the property, and making the note more attractive for an investor.

Faster Sell
You can sell a home with owner financing a lot quicker than with bank financing and there can be tax advantages in spreading the buyer\’s payments out over time (talk with an accountant about that).

Great Monthly Cash Flow Investment
Many owners simply like the idea that they can receive a monthly income and a high interest rate from a property even after they have sold it – and no longer have to worry about repairing leaky roofs or replacing dead water heaters.

Sell The Note To An Investor
A seller who owner financed the deal also has the option of selling that note to an investor for cash either right after closing or after waiting a number of months or years (give me a call or email and I can get you more information about selling your note).

DISADVANTAGES OF OWNER FINANCING THE SALE

Cash At Sale = Small Down Payment
Seller receives only a small or even no down payment.

Buyer Won\’t Pay
The seller takes the risk that the buyer will not make payments and will have to be foreclosed on.

Due-On-Sale Clause
If I owner finance my house won\’t I activate the Due-On-Sale Clause in my mortgage and if I\’m only getting a small down payment and monthly installments how will I pay the bank loan back?

The Due-on-Sale Clause is a provision in a mortgage or deed of trust that allows the lender to demand immediate payment of the balance of the mortgage if the mortgage holder sells the home. It is probably the most talked about, feared and misunderstood topic in real estate.

The link below is to a great article by real estate lawyer William Bronchick and will dispel any misunderstandings you may have about the due-on-sale and suggest some simple, yet effective strategies to get around it.

There Is No Due-On-Sale Jail

You can also do a simultaneous closing, where a few days after the close of the house with the buyer you receive a check for the note from an investor.

If you\’re going to owner finance your home and you know you want to sell the note this is a great way of doing it because the investor is there for the whole process and you don\’t have to start over again 6 months later with another appraisal, inspection, credit check, etc.

REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS – Providing owner financing could mean the difference in having your client sell their house quickly or having it sit on the market for months, years or not selling it at all.

Asking a seller to offer owner financing to buy their home can be a tricky proposition. Sellers often reject the suggestion of owner financing because nobody has explained the benefits or proposed owner financing as a way to sell the home. Most sellers\’ knowledge is limited to traditional bank mortgages.

If you would like to share the option of owner financing with your client, download my free ebook, “How To Owner Finance Your Home”, which explains the owner finance process in detail. Download it and you\’re more than welcome to put your own name and business logo on it and hand it out. It\’s a great way to introduce the concept of owner financing to your client.

BIG TIP OF THE DAY:If you\’re going to draw up a contract to owner finance the sale of your house have an experienced real estate attorney look it over. It might cost you $400 or $500 (maybe more, maybe less depending on what state you are in) but it might save you a lot of heart ache in the end if the buyer stops making payments, they make unauthorized modifications to the house, which might still be in your name, or there is some other unforeseen event (you know there will be).

An experienced real estate attorney has drawn up hundreds of these kinds of contracts and will be able to give you great advice. Well worth the money.

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