Hidden Financial Mistakes and How to Spot Them, Ep #131

Have you wondered if there are any financial mistakes that you may have been making?

Video recap here: https://youtu.be/9fsWlp56R2U

Sometimes our financial mistakes aren’t obvious, so in this episode of Financial Symmetry, we discuss 3 hidden financial mistakes that you may be making and how you can spot them. 

Uncertain outcomes cannot be predicted

Are you guilty of believing an uncertain outcome is certain? Sometimes we feel confident that things are going to happen. This can be true even with geopolitical events like the Coronavirus. You may have known the virus would happen, but could you have predicted this current situation? 

People are naturally overconfident, but the market is smarter than you. Trying to anticipate corrections will cost you money. In fact, trying to anticipate market corrections will end up costing you more money than the market corrections themselves.

One way to prevent overconfidence is by talking through potential outcomes with a financial advisor or a financial accountability partner. 

Don’t underestimate the market’s ability for positive surprises

Many people have a negative money script or way that we view finances. This scarcity mindset could penalize their financial potential. There will always be reasons to wait it out or not invest, but instead of focusing on those reasons focus on not missing out on opportunities. You don’t want to take a pay cut in retirement because of missed opportunities. 

We often delay financial decisions to give ourselves time to think about it more or evaluate the alternatives and to consider all outcomes. But often the best investments are the most difficult ones that you have to make. This is why having an investment plan makes sense. 

“Investing is a lifelong journey. Making money slowly is much better than making then losing money quickly.” -- David Booth.  Are you missing hidden tax opportunities?

There are different tax opportunities that can be taken depending on your phase of life and how the laws change. One opportunity that many retirees were able to take advantage of this year was the lack of required minimum distributions (RMDs). This allowed people to do Roth conversions. Retirement brings on a wealth of tax planning opportunities since you have more control over your income in retirement. Advanced tax planning early in retirement can help you save on your lifetime tax bill. Listen in to hear how long-term tax planning can save you money over your lifetime. 

Estate planning pitfalls

Estate planning is often the last part of a financial plan that people want to address since it is the least enjoyable part of financial planning. But if you want a say in what happens to your money after you are gone then you’ll need to create an estate plan and review it periodically. Check out episodes 102 and 122 to learn more about estate planning. 

Do you have enough? Are you saving enough? When is the best time to invest? Are you missing out? These are all questions that can be answered with the right financial plan. Think about what a financial plan can do for you. If you are looking for a financial advisor to help you create a financial plan click through to our website.

.Outline of This Episode

• [2:40] Believing an uncertain outcome is certain 
• [10:16] Missing hidden tax opportunities 
• [14:50] Are you taking advantage of an HSA?
• [17:15] Estate planning pitfalls
• [21:18] Today’s progress principle

Resources & People Mentioned

• Charlie Munger
• Episode 91 - Your Retirement Secret Weapon
• Episode 47 - Why Do I Need an HSA?
• Episode 102 - How the SECURE Act Will Impact Your Retirement
• Episode 122 - Leaving and Receiving an Inheritance by the Decades
• Roger Whitney - The Retirement Answer Man podcast

Connect With Chad and Mike

• https://www.financialsymmetry.com/podcast-archive/ 
• Connect on Twitter @csmithraleigh @TeamFSINC
• Follow Financial Symmetry on Facebook

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