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Risk Management: Dollar-Cost Averaging

Smart investors know that trying to time the market is often a losing game. Instead, you plan ahead and invest in such a way as to minimize risk and maximize your returns. Whether you’re a seasoned investor or just getting started, dollar-cost averaging could be beneficial.

What is dollar-cost averaging?

In dollar-cost averaging, you invest a set amount of money into your investment portfolio over regular intervals. Rather than investing a large sum of money at once, dollar-cost averaging allows you to get into the investing game without a huge outlay of capital. Dollar-cost averaging allows you to buy more during market slumps and less when the markets are high, without trying to play the market in the short term.1

There are quite a few benefits to dollar-cost averaging as an investment strategy. Dollar-cost averaging can help you:

Buy more shares: Over the long term, the price of assets trends higher. By using dollar-cost averaging, you may be able to use the ebb and ????ow of the market to buy more shares over time than if you made a big one-time purchase.
Invest consistently: Dollar-cost averaging helps you maintain consistency with your investing strategy. If you’re setting aside pre-tax dollars to invest in a company-sponsored 401(k), for example, you’re already making use of dollar-cost averaging.
Set it and forget it: Rather than trying to time the market in the short term, dollar-cost averaging allows you to invest in assets that are more likely to have staying power. This is an especially useful strategy if the idea of monitoring the stock market makes you queasy.

A case for lump-sum investing

There is research that shows that over the very long term, lump sum investing can outperform dollar cost averaging. If you get a bonus or a sudden inheritance in general, you’re better off investing it as soon as possible. While returns aren’t guaranteed, it’s also more likely that you’ll see a return over having that money accrue minimal interest in a bank.

However, there are some key caveats. While lump-sum investing outperforms dollar-cost averaging most of the time, dollar-cost averaging still wins out in one-third of cases. The idea of investing a large sum of money at once can be intimidating to many investors, so it’s important to get an outside perspective to
help you think with a clear head.

Who Should Use Dollar-Cost Averaging?

Dollar-cost averaging is a strategy that can best help beginner investors, or those without much money to invest at the outset. If you’re investing for the long term and aren’t comfortable with the research that goes into the financial market, dollar-cost averaging is a safer way to get started with investing. However,
if you’re investing for the short term, or have a lump sum to invest, you might want to pursue another investing strategy.1,2

Depending on your personal financial situation, dollar-cost averaging may be a smart strategy for you—or it may make more sense to invest a large amount of capital at once. For most people, the financial strategy lies somewhere in between. Working with a financial advisor can help determine which strategy is the best for you.1,2

Regardless of the amount of money you have, the worst thing you can do is not invest at all.

This content is developed from sources believed to be providing accurate information, and provided by Twenty Over Ten. It may not be used for the purpose of avoiding any federal tax penalties. Please consult legal or tax professionals for specific information regarding your individual situation. The opinions expressed and material provided are for general information, and should not be considered a solicitation for the purchase or sale of any security.

What’s In Your Estate Plan?

Kyle Hammerschmidt | May 3rd, 2022

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The older we get, the more critical it is to ensure our affairs are in order and have an estate plan. But what exactly is an estate plan, and what should be included?

Estate Plan Basics

An estate plan is the management and organization of your assets should you pass away. It also includes documentation determining who can make medical and financial decisions should you become incapacitated.

Most people think that estate planning just includes a will. While a will is a beneficial document, other documents should be included in your estate plan.

A will (also called a last will and testament) specifies how you want your estate to be distributed. Besides dividing up your assets, a will also appoints guardianship for minor children. This last item is essential to designate; you don’t want a court determining who your children should live with in the event of your death. If your estate includes a revocable trust, a will is still needed. Called a “pour-over will,” the goal of this document is to cover any assets that may have not made it over to the trust.1
An advanced medical directive (medical power of attorney) establishes who can make medical decisions for you should you become unable to do so. A medical power of attorney also allows you to designate a conservator should you become mentally incapacitated.1
A living will details to your physicians what type of care you want to receive at the end of your life when you face a terminal illness or are in a vegetative state. Do not resuscitate (DNR) and do not intubate orders are listed here. While a last will and testament is designed to specify your wishes upon your death, a living will determines what happens to you while you’re still alive.1
A financial power of attorney, much like a medical power of attorney, appoints someone to handle your financial affairs should you become unable to do so. There are two different types of financial powers of attorney: a durable power of attorney and a springing power of attorney. A durable power of attorney goes into effect as soon as the documents are signed, whereas a springing power of attorney only goes into effect if you become mentally incapacitated.1
A revocable living trust is a more detailed document that details not just what happens after you’re gone or incapacitated but what happens while you’re alive, too. At its core, a revocable trust is a vehicle to hold your assets; meaning that until assets are moved over, it’s essentially just an empty vessel. If you have a more complicated estate, a revocable living trust can help manage a variety of assets and beneficiaries. As the trustee, you’ll still have control over your assets while they’re in the revocable living trust, and assets held in the trust will avoid probate after your death.1,2

Estate plans are a necessary part of life, albeit one that no one really wants to think about. But having an estate plan is one of the kindest things you can do for your loved ones. You’ll gain peace of mind knowing that your family is taken care of, no matter what life throws at you.

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[Infographic] Why You Need an Estate Strategy

Kyle Hammerschmidt | April 26th, 2022

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Why More Americans Are Retiring Now Than Ever

They’re calling it the Great Resignation. This unprecedented phenomenon is observing numerous Americans leave their jobs—some for greener pastures, others for extended periods, and still others, especially older Americans, for retirement. While endless column inches on this matter have been published, one of the big questions is why it’s happening here and now.

The most natural answer is that this is an appropriate response in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s difficult to find anyone or anything that hasn’t been affected by the pandemic. While some people are choosing to stay home because they aren’t interested in risking illness to go into the office, the full picture is a bit more complex, especially for those with jobs where remote work isn’t an option. But there’s another factor at play here. It’s been a long time coming but hasn’t been talked about much because of other more pressing world events.

The Baby Boom Meets the Retirement Boom

These last few years have been a bit different than they were in the past. Reaching retirement age now doesn’t mean exiting the workforce completely. Many retirees start businesses, shift to part-time work, or change their focus from their jobs to working for charities or nonprofit organizations. In 2008, the oldest baby boomers reached age 62. This coincided with the so-called “Great Recession,” when the economy declined and perhaps represented a less-than advantageous time to start retirement. Many people decided to hold off on retiring and wait a few years. In 2021, the economy had distanced itself from those events and faced new developments. Just over half of adults aged 55 or older had exited the workforce and retired. For adult Americans aged 65 to 74, the percentage who had left the workforce was 66.9%, just over two-thirds of this population.¹

Medicare Part B Premium and Deductible Changes

Medicare Part B covers physician services, outpatient hospital services, certain home health services, durable medical equipment, and other medical and health services not covered by Medicare Part A.

Medicare Part B premium, deductible, and coinsurance rates are determined annually. The standard monthly premium for Medicare Part B enrollees is $170.10, an increase of $21.60 from last year. The annual deductible for all Medicare Part B beneficiaries $233, an increase of $30 from $203 in 2021.¹

Catching Up

So, rather than seeing everyone head to the door simultaneously, what we’re seeing is a bit of a “catchup” period. We are looking at a picture of what might have been if the Great Recession had gone a bit differently. The pandemic created a transition period in which people decided that it was a natural time to work less, transition to new things, or retire completely. The pandemic has gone on way longer than any of us could have imagined, with the more potent Delta variant making way for the more contagious Omicron variant. Examining this context makes it easier to see why someone reaching the end of a long and rewarding career might choose to exit the pattern of working during COVID-19 and parachute into a less stressful, more enjoyable paradigm.

Is It Your Time, Too?

You might be thinking that this period of mass retirement presents you with an opportunity to cast off the yoke and ease into retirement. Despite the large numbers of people making this big transition, it is important to remember that moving with the crowd isn’t always a justified action.

It’s also possible that now is a great time to transition into a different opportunity for your last few years of work. Maybe you have a business idea you’ve been working on. Now is a great time to put it into action. Or perhaps you want to transition into a new role at work or with a different firm that will be less demanding when you finally transition into retirement. This is also a great idea.

If you think now is the time, your first step is to set up some time to talk with your friendly financial representative. They can look at your overall financial strategy to give you a better overview of where you stand and the drawbacks and advantages of retiring in the current environment.

https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/11/04/amid-the-pandemic-a-rising-share-of-older-u-s-adults-are-now-retired/

Medicare’s 2022 Premiums and Important Dates

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) have released the 2022 Medicare Part A and Part B premiums, deductibles, and coinsurance amounts.

Medicare Part A Premium and Deductible Changes

Medicare Part A covers inpatient hospital services, skilled nursing facility services, hospice services, inpatient rehabilitation services, and some home health care services.

The Medicare Part A inpatient hospital deductible that beneficiaries pay is $1,556, an increase of $72 from $1,484 in 2021. The Part A inpatient hospital deductible covers beneficiaries’ share of costs for the first 60 days of Medicare-covered inpatient hospital care in a benefit period. In 2022, beneficiaries must pay a daily coinsurance amount of $389 for days 61–90 of a hospitalization (vs. $371 in 2021) in a benefit period and $778 per day for lifetime reserve days (vs. $742 in 2021). For beneficiaries in skilled nursing facilities, the daily coinsurance for days 21–100 of extended care services in a benefit period is $194.50 (vs. $185.50 in 2021).¹

Medicare Part B Premium and Deductible Changes

Medicare Part B covers physician services, outpatient hospital services, certain home health services, durable medical equipment, and other medical and health services not covered by Medicare Part A.

Important Medicare Dates

January 1: Medicare general enrollment begins.
January 1: Medicare Advantage enrollment begins.
January 15: Medicare Advantage and Part D rate release.
March 31: Medicare general enrollment ends.
March 31: Medicare Advantage enrollment ends.
April: Flu season ends.
September: Private plans send notice of any changes in cost, coverage, or service area.
October 15: Medicare open enrollment begins.
November: Flu season begins.1
November 6 (estimated): Medicare Part A and Part B premiums and deductibles announced.
December 7: Medicare open enrollment ends.

To learn more about how these changes could affect you, read about Medicare Parts A and B at CMS.gov.

https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/2022-medicare-parts-b-premiums-and-deductibles2022-medicare-part-d-income-related-monthly-adjustment

Risk Management: Market, Interest Rate and Currency Risk

Currency Risk History has shown that successful investing requires discipline and patience. When emotions and investment risks run high, it can be easy to lose focus on your investment strategy. To help you overcome these challenges, here are some important items to keep in mind:

Do You Know the Risks?

Investors need to remember that markets can be turbulent and that preparing for potential declines is essential. There can be a strong temptation to pull out of markets when they become volatile. However, instead of acting on this temptation, it may be smarter to adjust your investment approach. By remaining flexible, you might be able to take advantage of opportunities while managing risks.

Interest rate risk is the potential for investment losses resulting from a change in interest rates. If interest rates rise, for instance, the value of a bond or other fixed-income investment will decline.
Market risk is the risk that arises from movements in stock prices, interest rates, exchange rates, and commodity prices. Market risk is distinguished from credit risk, which is the risk of loss from the failure of a counterparty to make a promised payment, and from a number of other risks that organizations face, such as breakdowns in their operational procedures. In essence, market risk is the risk arising from changes in the markets to which an organization has exposure.
Currency risk is sometimes referred to as “exchange rate risk” and arises from the change in the price of one currency in relation to another. Investors or companies that have assets or business operations across national borders are exposed to currency risks that may create unpredictable profits and losses.

A Risky Balance

A variety of factors may cause one to act more cautiously than normal, including ongoing global uncertainties and fears about the overall economy. This can lead to investors flocking to low-risk investments despite misalignment with their goals. Remember, while minimizing risk can feel like a safe move, you could miss out on opportunities as a result.

Another mistake can be creating a portfolio that doesn’t reflect your overall risk tolerance. When building a portfolio, the objective is to take on the amount of risk that aligns with your goals and time horizon. This is often accomplished through a diversified allocation of assets that may help manage your portfolio’s risk. It’s important to remember that asset allocation is an approach to help manage investment risk. It offers no guaranteed protection against investment loss.

Leave Emotion at the Door

When markets swing, emotional decision making can wreak havoc on the most carefully designed investment strategies.

Fear and greed can drive anyone’s financial decisions. Fear can cause us to abandon an investment strategy when the outcome is not what we want, while greed can cause us to chase investment fads and assume too much risk. As you invest, you can support your strategy by attempting to manage these emotion-based decisions.¹

An investment professional may be able to help when emotions enter the decision-making process. When markets decline, they can answer questions, provide reassurance, and show you the opportunities that volatile markets may provide.

https://www.investopedia.com/articles/01/030701.asp

Investment advisory services offered by duly registered individuals through ChangePath, LLC a Registered Investment Advisor. ChangePath, LCC and MOKAN Wealth Management are unaffiliated entities. This information is designed to provide general information on the subjects covered, it is not, however, intended to provide specific legal or tax advice and cannot be used to avoid tax penalties or to promote, market, or recommend any tax plan or arrangement. Please note that MOKAN Wealth Management and its affiliates do not give legal or tax advice. You are encouraged to consult your tax advisor or attorney.

Professional Focus

Since 2014, Kyle has helped pre-retirees reduce taxes, invest smarter, and retire on their terms. As MOKAN’s founder and principal advisor, he is our clients’ go-to partner for tax-efficient retirement planning and investment management. Whether he’s presenting to a room full of pre-retirees at a retirement workshop or visiting with clients one-on-one, his objective is to help others pursue their retirement goals in a way that supports their best interests.

Many of his clients previously worked with (what Kyle calls) “disguised financial advisors” who offered them a stack of statements, a diversified pie chart, hidden and confusing fee schedules—and no real plan. Kyle’s goal is to provide massive value to pre-retirees through comprehensive, tax-efficient retirement planning and investment management.

WHAT KYLE DOES DIFFERENTLY

Kyle believes the financial industry is structurally flawed, and consequently, pre-retirees are not properly educated or prepared for their transition into retirement. That’s why he takes a “K.I.S.S.” approach to planning—he makes everything as simple and straightforward as possible—meaning no surprises, no hidden fees, and no fancy jargon or investment terms.

PUBLICATIONS

Kyle has a distinct passion for retirement education, and from the start of his career, his objective has been to teach pre-retirees how to be proactive and take charge of their financial futures. In 2017, he founded Retire Ready Academy, an educational program that teaches pre-retirees and retirees about tax-efficient retirement planning, Social Security, and investment management. In 2020, he published his book, Retire Ready, and today he contributes regularly to Kiplinger and Rethinking 65.

THE KYLE NINE

Kyle lives in Overland Park with his beautiful (and incredibly patient) wife Amy and their three young children, Jovee, Jace, and Jordyn.
Kyle and Amy met while attending K-State but didn’t start dating until six years later when Amy was about to leave the country for two years.
Kyle’s dog Murphy once ate 24 chocolate-chip cookies in one sitting—and lived to tell the tale!
Kyle and Amy enjoy staying active and going to the gym together whenever possible. (Their biggest incentive? The gym’s free two-hour daycare.)
When thinking of a name for his first child, Kyle remembered a unique name from the Christmas movie, Elf—and now Jovee Hammerschmidt is the new head of the household.
Kyle has an incurable sweet tooth. He will never turn down a fresh batch of cookies or a trip to get ice cream.
Kyle is an avid Dallas Cowboys fan and tries to attend the Thanksgiving Day game every year. When he was 12, he had heart surgery in a Cowboys-sponsored hospital and got to visit the players.
His favorite date-night spots are Bristol and J. Gilbert’s.
Kyle’s favorite place in the world is his home.

Uncategorized

What is dollar-cost averaging?

A case for lump-sum investing

Who Should Use Dollar-Cost Averaging?

What’s In Your Estate Plan?

Kyle Hammerschmidt | May 3rd, 2022

Estate Plan Basics

Get more retirement information

[Infographic] Why You Need an Estate Strategy

Kyle Hammerschmidt | April 26th, 2022

Get more retirement information

The Baby Boom Meets the Retirement Boom

Medicare Part B Premium and Deductible Changes

Catching Up

Is It Your Time, Too?

Medicare Part A Premium and Deductible Changes

Medicare Part B Premium and Deductible Changes

Important Medicare Dates

Do You Know the Risks?

A Risky Balance

Leave Emotion at the Door

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