Want to Make the Most Out of Your Retirement? Darcy Bergen Explains How
Darcy Bergen is the owner of Bergen Financial Group and has experience working with clients who have various financial concerns. He has over 20 years of experience helping clients with their financial planning needs from IRAs, Social Security benefits, and Fixed Index Annuities. Darcy Bergen says the key to a happy retirement is to start planning early. However, only about 71 percent of Americans are financially prepared for retirement, and the other 29 percent have trouble with budgeting and living a comfortable retirement. Darcy Bergen shares tips for those who want to learn how to budget for retirement.
Affordable Housing
While having a nice big house with a yard is great, retirees can accrue a lot of expenses while trying to maintain the house. Darcy Bergen recommends those who want to live more frugally during retirement, should give their housing situation a bit more consideration. Retirees who want to live on a budget consider moving somewhere where the cost of living is more affordable, downsizing or find ways to get rental income. In the long run, even yard maintenance can add up and become a burden on the fixed income of a retiree. Moving to a smaller house or a condo is something many retirees should consider.
Treating Their Retirement Accounts Like a Paycheck
One of the best things retirees can do is manage their retirement funds like a paycheck. Darcy Bergen mentions it’s a good idea to set up automatic withdrawals from their accounts. During retirement, it’s tempting to know that they have access to a large pool of money; however, those funds are not unlimited. Setting up money transfers from their accounts on a weekly or bi-weekly is called a systematic withdrawal. Talking to a financial advisor will ensure they make the withdrawal process more convenient.
Healthcare Should Be a Priority
During retirement, it’s more important than ever for senior citizens to stay healthy. The average retiree spends $4,300 on out-of-pocket healthcare expenses. Although it’s impossible to predict the health of a person, there are preventative measures retirees can take to stay healthy. Exercising regularly and eating home-cooked hearty meals, for example, can help them save a lot of money down the line. Senior citizens can prevent many conditions that can lead to health complications such as high cholesterol, only by eating right.
For more of Darcy Bergen’s retirement tips and other concerns, check out darcybergen.co.
Darcy Bergen’s Tips for Teaching Children About Money
Darcy Bergen is the owner of Bergen Financial Group and has over 20 years of experience helping clients with their financial planning needs from IRAs, Social Security benefits, and Fixed Index Annuities. Darcy Bergen believes a healthy financial life starts early on, which is why he shares tips for parents.
Teach them from an Early Age that Items Cost Money
Darcy Bergen stresses the importance of teaching children from an early age that things cost money. To teach children about the value of things, parents should allow their children to pay for toys at the store every once in a while. If children have a piggy bank or get money for their birthdays, teaching them they can exchange cash for toys will give them a sense of the value of money.
Teach Them to Save
Children absorb a lot of information from an early age, so it’s essential to teach them how to save. When children are young, show them how to put money in a jar or piggy bank. For example, if they want to buy a more expensive toy, put the name of the toy in the jar and start putting money in there. Whenever they clean their room or complete a chore, parents can give them a little money for their jars.
Lead By Example
Even if parents don’t realize it, their children pay attention to everything they do. If children hear their parents talking negatively or stressing about money, they will grow up with that stigma. Instead of complaining about money or having bad habits, teach children to have a healthy relationship with finances from an early age.
Help Children Earn Their Allowance
Rather than giving them an allowance simply because they ask for, Darcy Bergen recommends parents should teach their children to earn their allowance. If they do their chores and keep their room clean, then they will be entitled to their allowance. However, if they fail to complete their chores, then parents can deduct money from their allowance. Showing them, they have to earn their allowance will help them financial responsibility.
Don’t Teach Them About Impulse Purchases
Darcy Bergen recommends parents avoid teaching their children about impulse purchases. If their children want an expensive toy, it’s best to tell them to wait for Christmas or their birthday. If parents start buying everything their children want when they ask for it, they will set a poor financial example.
For more of Darcy Bergen’s financial tips and other concerns, check out darcybergen.co.
How to Live on a Budget During Retirement According to Darcy Bergen
Darcy Bergen has over 20 years of experience helping clients with their financial planning needs from IRAs, Social Security benefits, and Fixed Index Annuities. Darcy Bergen is also the owner of Bergen Financial Group and has experience working with clients who have various financial concerns. Only about 71 percent of Americans are financially prepared for retirement, and the other 29 percent have to figure out how to make ends meet. Darcy Bergen shares tips for living on a budget during retirement.
Give Yourself a Paycheck
While it might be tempting during retirement to know that you have access to a large pool of money, those funds are not unlimited. According to Darcy Bergen, the best way to stick to a budget during retirement is by setting up a retirement paycheck. Instead of having full access to their retirement accounts, retirees should set up automatic withdrawals from their accounts. They can choose to have money automatically transferred from their accounts on a weekly or bi-weekly basis to have more control over their budgets. Darcy Bergen mentions the name of this process is a systematic withdrawal, and they can ask their financial advisors for more information.
Housing and Accommodations
Those who want to live more frugally during retirement should give their housing situation a bit more consideration. While having a nice big house with a yard is great, retirees can accrue a lot of expenses while trying to maintain their house. Even yard maintenance work can add up in the long-run. Darcy Bergen recommends retirees who want to live on a budget consider moving somewhere where the cost of living is more affordable, downsizing, or find ways to get rental income. Many retirees also give up the big house and choose to move into a smaller condo.
Staying Healthy
The average retiree spends $4,300 on out-of-pocket healthcare expenses. While there’s no way of predicting what their health will be down the line, retirees can save additional dollars by making an effort to stay healthy. Many retirees can prevent many conditions such as high cholesterol and even diabetes by eating right and staying healthy. Eating home-cooked hearty meals and exercising will help them save a few bucks on medical bills.
Take Advantage of Senior Discounts
For those seniors who want to make the most out of retirement on a budget, the best way is to take advantage of the many discounts available to them. Saving money by taking advantage of discounted movie tickets, deals while eating out, or senior days at the grocery store can help them make the most out of retirement.
For more of Darcy Bergen’s retirement tips and other concerns, check out darcybergen.co.
Darcy Bergen’s Advice on What Young Americans Need to Know About Social Security Benefits
As the owner of Bergen Financial Group, Darcy Bergen has been a financial advisor for over 20 years. Darcy Bergen advises his clients on retirement and other financial concerns. Although many of his clients are those approaching retirement age, he likes to offer advice for young Americans to help them think about retirement before it’s too late. For starters, there are a lot of misconceptions regarding Social Security benefits Darcy Bergen wants young people to know.
Will Young Americans Have Access to Social Security Benefits When They Retire?
As a financial advisor, Darcy Bergen gets many questions from his customers regarding social security benefits. Although most people who worry about Social Security benefits are those who are approaching retirement age, Darcy believes young Americans should ask more questions about it.
The main question young Americans should ask is, “will Social Security benefits be around when I retire?” For many years, Americans have heard a rumor that Social Security pays more money than what it brings in. Some stats even say that Social Security will run out by the year 2037. According to the government, young Americans don’t have to worry about it running out before they reach retirement age.
The reasoning behind this fact is that the population lives longer, and birth rates are low. It means that people contribute to Social Security longer, and not as many beneficiaries are born. For this reason, if those conditions persist, there will be enough money in 2037 to pay beneficiaries at least $760 a month.
Social Security is Not Enough Retirement Income
According to Darcy Bergen, not many young people know what the role of Social Security will play in their retirement. As someone who has been offering financial advice for the better part of twenty years, Darcy Bergen wants young Americans to know they should not rely on Social Security as their income.
The Social Security Administration states that currently, 50 million Americans receive these benefits totaling $614 billion annually. Even if this seems like a lot of money, it only equals $12,000 a year. Not many people can make ends meet with an annual income of $12k. However, over two-thirds of the elderly population relies on Social Security to provide over half of their income.
It’s also important to keep in mind that many people need Social Security benefits before retirement. On average, 3 out of 10 people will become disabled before retirement age and need to collect Social Security before retirement.
For more of Darcy Bergen’s tips on Social Security and retirement benefits, check out darcybergen.co.
Darcy Bergen Shares Why People Should Consider Life Insurance in Their 20s
Darcy Bergen has over 20 years of experience as a financial planner helping his clients plan for retirement and other financial needs. He is also the owner of Bergen Financial Group and has experience working with clients who have various financial concerns. Although many clients contemplating retirement inquire about life insurance, Darcy Bergen believes people in their 20s should also be thinking about it.
They Have Debts
Although it’s hard to imagine people in their 20s have a lot of debts versus someone in their 40s, many young people graduate college with a significant amount of debt. On average, college students graduate with an average of $29,800 in debt. Darcy Bergen mentions that student loans are not the only debts millennials have to deal with. Most adults in their 20s have car loans, credit card debt, and even personal loans.
Young people figure they will live a long time and be able to pay off their debts, but for some, this is not the case. If someone dies, the debts don’t just disappear. Many can leave their family members to pay the bill. If someone in their twenties has a lot of debts, Darcy Bergen explains it might not be a bad idea to get a life insurance policy. Depending on the policy, someone in their 20s who is healthy can get a $200,000 term life insurance policy for 20 years.
Marriage
The average marriage age in the United States is 27.8 for women and 29.8 for men. Based on these statistics, there are plenty of people in their 20s who are married. If someone is married in their 20s or at any age, Darcy Bergen explains getting a life insurance policy is a smart idea.
When a spouse passes away, there’s no way of telling what the economic impact will be on the spouse. Married couples often have many expenses together, such as mortgages, car loans, credit cards, and other debts. Taking a life insurance policy in your 20s is one of the best ways for a spouse to protect each other financially.
Children
If a person is in their 20s and has children, Darcy Bergen suggests they look into a life insurance policy. For example, taking out a 20-year term life insurance plan when a child is born or a few years old will leave them with protection until they’re in their late 20s. No parent wants to imagine leaving their child unprotected in case of the imaginable. The younger and healthier the parent is, the better policy they can get to protect their children.
For more of Darcy Bergen’s financial tips on life insurance and other concerns, check out darcybergen.co.
What Darcy Bergen Wants Young People Need to Know About Saving for Retirement
Darcy Bergen is the owner of Bergen Financial Group and has over 20 years of experience helping clients plan for retirement and other financial solutions. Although most of Darcy Bergen’s clients are those who are getting close to retirement age, he wishes more people in their 20s and 30s sought the help of a financial advisor.
In fact, research shows only 25 percent of working young professionals take advantage of retirement savings plans offered by their employers. Also, only 39% of adults started saving for retirement in their 20s. According to Darcy Bergen, there are a few steps young adults can take to contribute to their retirement at an early age.
Make Retirement Contribution a Priority
Darcy Bergen believes one of the reasons why young people don’t start saving for retirement early on is because they don’t think it’s a priority. After all, they believe, paying off their student loans or credit card debt seems more important than saving for retirement. They also believe they must start with a large contribution towards their retirement account. Darcy Bergen believes all young adults should account saving for retirement as part of their monthly expenses. Even putting away $25-per-month can make a big difference in the future.
Take Advantage of a 401(k) Plans
Although a lot of employers offer 401(k) plans, not many young adults take advantage of them, according to Darcy Bergen. Taking advantage of 401(k) plans is a great way for people in their 20s to start saving for retirement. First of all, 401(k) contributions get taken out of their paychecks before taxes, which means they won’t have to pay taxes on this income in that given year. Also, many employers match the contributions of their employees. For example, if they contribute $100 a month towards their retirement plan, their employers will contribute an additional $50. In a year, employees could save an additional $600 a year.
Consider Retirement Benefits Before Taking a Job
Many young people don’t consider retirement benefits when they accept a job offer, according to Darcy Bergen. As they get older and move up in the corporate world, young professionals should consider retirement benefits when accepting a job offer. The earlier they start contributing, even if the contribution is small, the better off they will be. Darcy Bergen advises young professionals from taking jobs that don’t offer a comprehensive retirement plan.
For more information and tips on saving for retirement and other financial benefits, check out darcybergen.co.
Are You the Surviving Spouse? Darcy Bergen Offers an Overview of Social Security Benefits
According to Darcy Bergen, who has been a financial planner for over two decades, Social Security benefits always bring some confusion in his clients. For those approaching retirement age who have recently lost a spouse, the confusion and uncertainty can be even greater. Even though every month, 59 million people receive Social Security Benefits, there is still a lot of information Americans don’t know. What happens when a surviving spouse wants to claim the Social Security benefits of their deceased spouse? Darcy Bergen offers an overview of how to use the Social Security benefits of a deceased spouse.
Who Qualifies?
In order to qualify for Social Security benefits of their deceased spouse, the surviving spouse has to show evidence the marriage was at least nine months long. According to Darcy Bergen, the deceased spouse should have had also worked long enough to accumulate Social Security benefits. Those who meet these basic requirements can collect widower/widow Social Security benefits.
When Can Surviving Spouses Start Collecting?
Surviving spouses have to wait until they’re at least 60 years old to receive their Social Security survivor benefits. According to Darcy Bergen, they will only get 70% of the benefit at this age. They will have to wait until they reach full retirement age to receive the full benefit. The retirement age is 66 for those born between 1945-1956. It’s expected to increase to age 67 for those born in 1962 and later.
However, Darcy Bergen explains there are a few age exemptions. For example, those who are disabled can start collecting the survivor benefit as early as age 50. Those surviving spouses who care for the child of their deceased spouse who is under the age of 16, can collect the benefits at any age.
How Much Do Surviving Spouses Get?
According to Darcy Bergen, the exact monthly dollar amount surviving spouses can collect will depend on how much their deceased spouse collected over their lifetime. If the deceased spouse never collected any Social Security benefits, then they will be eligible for the full amount once they reach retirement age.
Social Security Benefit Exceptions
Darcy Bergen advises the surviving spouse that some exceptions could prevent them from collecting the benefits. For example, if a spouse remarries before turning 60 or 50 if disabled, they will lose their eligibility. Also, if the deceased spouse had any dependent children, there might be a limit on the amount disbursed per family.
Darcy Bergen recommends everyone learn about Social Security benefits as early as possible. For more information on Social Security and other retirement benefits, check out darcybergen.co.
Darcy Bergen Talks About Ways to Use Life Insurance to Fund Retirement
Financial planner, Darcy Bergen has over 20 years of experience helping clients plan for retirement. As the owner of Bergen Financial Group, Darcy Bergen has encountered several clients who are seriously concerned they haven’t saved enough money for retirement. Other people wonder how their life insurance policy can help them in retirement once their children are grown up and the house is fully or almost paid for. Because it’s important for Darcy to address these concerns, he talks about how to use a life insurance policy to fund retirement.
Life Insurance Can Equal Retirement Income
For those who obtain a whole life or permanent life insurance policy early on in life, they have accumulated a cash value that has grown over time. However, Darcy Bergen warns his clients that term life insurance doesn’t accumulate any cash value. With most whole life insurance plans, you can withdraw the cash value and use it as income during retirement. The amount policyholders can withdraw tax free is equal to the amount of premiums they have paid in over time.
Cash Value
According to Darcy Bergen, many people don’t know that when they purchase a permanent life insurance policy, a portion of their premiums will accrue as cash value. A portion of their payment will go towards insurance and maintenance costs, and the rest will accumulate cash value.
Borrow From Your Life Insurance Policy
During retirement, if an unexpected expense happens, Darcy Bergen explains clients can often borrow money from their life insurance policy. Amounts borrowed are not taxable, therefore it is a great way to use the cash without paying tax on interest earned. Those who borrow from their life insurance policy are basically borrowing money from their death benefit. Darcy Bergen explains that although they’re not required to pay it back, any unpaid balance will accumulate interest, and it will get deducted from their death benefit.
Making Your Policy Payments With Your Policy
According to Darcy Bergen, if, at any point during retirement clients need to move around their budget, they can pay for their monthly life insurance payment using their cash value. By using their cash value to pay for their policy, it will allow them to keep their death benefit without defaulting on the payments. Once their life gets back on track, they can resume paying for their premiums. Universal life insurance policies are more flexible in this regard than traditional whole life insurance policies.
Before making decisions when it comes to planning for retirement, Darcy Bergen recommends everyone to meet with a financial advisor. Although using life insurance to fund retirement is a possibility, Darcy Bergen will explore all other options with their clients.
For more of Darcy Bergen’s financial tips on retirement, check out darcybergen.co.
Questions to Ask Yourself If You’re Thinking About Retirement According to Darcy Bergen
As the owner of Bergen Financial Group, Darcy Bergen has been helping his clients with retirement planning strategies for many years. Because he knows not everyone is ready for retirement, he is sharing some questions everyone should ask themselves to prepare for retirement.Will I Have Other Sources of Income During Retirement?
If you’re approaching retirement age, Darcy Bergen recommends you take a look at what your sources of income will be once you transition into your golden years. For starters, once you’re in your 60s, you will receive some income from your Social Security. Also, some people rely on their tax-advantage retirement accounts such as 401(k) or IRAs.
Unfortunately, for some people, that’s not enough money to carry them through retirement. Darcy Bergen recommends people start planning early and look into other ways to generate revenue after they retire. Some people try to diversify their income by starting a business or investing in rental properties.
How Can I Pay for Healthcare Expenses Once I Retire?
With over 20 years of experience as a financial advisor, Darcy Bergen knows the healthcare after retirement question is the least asked among his clients.
Although people can start collecting Medicare after the age of 65, their healthcare-related expenses are likely to increase over time. Medicare only covers about 50% of medical expenses, and you will still be responsible for co-pays and other out of pocket expenses.
Darcy Bergen recommends you look into the possibility of contributing to a Health Savings Account (HSA). With a HAS, all of the contributions are tax-deductible and tax-free when you use it to pay for medical expenses.
How Much Money Do I Have in My Retirement Accounts?
According to Darcy Bergen, not everyone who approaches retirement age knows how much they actually have saved in their retirement accounts. If people don’t know how much combined retirement savings they have, how can they know where they need to be?
Darcy recommends meeting with a retirement planning advisor to review their current accounts and come up with a plan.
How Do I Plan on Spending My Retirement?
Well before retirement, Darcy Bergen advises people to visualize how they want to spend their retirement. Are you planning on traveling, moving to the beach, or downsizing? Your answers will affect how you plan and look at retirement. Once you figure out what your dream retirement looks like, you will be able to modify your retirement contributions.
Financial advisors like Darcy Bergen help clients answer these and other tough questions to ensure their clients have the life they deserve once they reach retirement.
Darcy Bergen Discusses The IRA Rules Everyone Should Know About in 2019
As the owner of the Bergen Financial Group, Darcy Bergen has over 20 years of experience helping clients in various aspects of financial planning. Although many people don’t want to think about retirement in their 20s and 30s and don’t have a clue what an IRA is, Darcy Bergen advises people in all stages of life to stay informed. “Whether you are just entering the workforce, in mid-career, or approaching retirement age, it is important to begin planning for retirement now,” advises Darcy Bergen. Here’s Darcy’s list of quick rules to remember when considering opening an IRA in 2019.
The Maximum Contribution
In 2019, individuals can contribute $6,000 a year and $7,000 if they’re 50 or older. This is a jump from the 2018 numbers of $5,500 and $6,500.
It’s Possible for Individuals to Contribute to Roth and Traditional IRAs the Same Year
Individuals who qualify for both types of IRA accounts can make contributions to both in the same year. However, they need to ensure their combined contributions don’t exceed the annual limit
After 70 You Can’t Contribute to a Traditional IRA
While a Roth IRA allows individuals to continue making contributions to their accounts for as long as they can, a traditional IRA doesn’t work the same way. Once a person turns 70½ the IRS prohibits them from continuing making contributions to their traditional IRA.
Individuals Can Contribute to Their 401(k) and a Traditional IRA the Same Year
Those who are enrolled in a 401(k) plan with their employer can also make contributions to their IRA account. However, Darcy Bergen wants to make sure individuals know the contribution cannot exceed the annual limit.
No Minimum is Required When Opening an IRA
Some individuals don’t open an IRA account because they don’t believe they have the funds necessary to do so. However, there are no specific rules that specify a minimum amount to open an IRA. Brokers often set the minimum amount to open an account.
Roth and Traditional IRAs are Not Created Equal but Serve a Similar Purpose
Darcy Bergen also sees a lot of confusion when it comes to traditional and Roth IRAs. For starters, in a traditional IRA, an individual can make deductions on the income when filing their federal and state taxes. The money will be subject to taxes once the individual retires. Roth IRAs, on the other hand, don’t qualify for deductions but the money is tax-free upon withdrawal.
For more of Darcy Bergen’s financial tips and IRA information, check out darcybergen.co.