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5 Things Every Young Person Should Know About Retirement – You’ve got time, so use that time well!

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If you are young, you’ve got time, and if you use that time well, you may even make up for the possibility of no pension and no Social Security benefits.

1. You won’t have what your parents had – no pension and no social security. Millennials are the first post-war generation to face retirement with virtually no pension. Fewer than 7% of Fortune 500 companies offer pension plans to new hires. Also, the way that the Social Security system is currently funded, there will be no reserves by 2033. Social security benefits are paid to retirees from the tax withholdings of the current workforce and also from the Social Security Reserves. Once the reserves are depleted, it is estimated the tax revenues the collected at that time will only be enough to pay out three quarters of the scheduled benefits. There are measures Congress could take to head off this eventual depletion, like changing the benefit formulas, raising payroll taxes or increasing the cap on taxable wage income. Until any changes are actually implemented, don’t count on any benefits!

2. Learn how to save and spend – now! It’s never too late to adopt good spending and saving habits, and the sooner you do it, the better. The more you can set aside that is invested now, the better off you will be. Also, avoid accruing any high interest rate debts. You can make your coffee at home if that is what allows you to max-out contributions to your 401(k) plan, especially if your employer matches what you contribute. If you do not have employer-sponsored plan, open a Roth IRA or even a traditional IRA. It’s a lot easier to put money aside now than it is to play catch-up in your 40s. And you can set up auto-debits so the investments are made as soon as your paycheck hits your bank account – keeping it out of your shopping slush fund!

3. We’re living longer, healthier lives. Longer, healthier lives are good, but they also require more investments at retirement. If you hit the Social Security full retirement of 67 now, the Center for Disease Control estimates you will live to around 86. That’s 19 years of retirement that you need to fund. But, if you are younger, living a longer, healthier life, then you will likely live longer, requiring more funds, unless you choose to work later in your life.

4. The good news is you have time. The Center for Retirement Research at Boston College suggests that, by setting aside money at age 25, you will need to save only about 10% of your annual income to retire at 65. If you wait to save, the percentage you need each year increases. If you wait ten years, starting at age 35, your target savings increases to 15%. Wait until you’re 45 and you’ll need to save 27% of your annual income. Imagine if you were 55 today and wanted to retire at age 67? The message is: don’t wait!

5. You also have great resources. With smartphone apps and do-it-yourself trading services, investing is more accessible and less costly than ever. Also, there are more affordable investment products available like ETFs (see our post), so you avoid high fund manager fees. Saving on fees means more to grow for your retirement. Over the course of 40 years, those fund manager fees add up to real money.

In sum, start saving now. Set up a simple portfolio and adjust it as you go along. The time you’ve got now will reward you later!

Scam update for more on Cyber-Attackers, Cloud Computing – be Vigilant!

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We wrote before about the need for vigilance to protect you from cybercriminals. We drew on input from Norton Antivirus about social media scams. In this post, we draw upon the Kiplinger’s Tax Letter and SingleHop.com site.

IRS e-mails – You might not think that tax preparers would fall for e-mail scams, but some do. The 2-27-15 Kiplinger’s Tax Letter describes use of bogus e-mails asking professionals to “update their IRS e-services accounts and their electronic filing ID numbers plus provide personal data.” As we have said in prior posts, the IRS categorically states that they do not send out e-mails.

Cloud Computing – SingleHop is a company endeavoring to be private cloud experts. They champion users holding cloud servers accountable for maintaining high level, monitored and updated security for all client files. Their recent newsletter notes that over 250,000 complaints were filed with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (ic3.gov) in 2013 alone, of which over 20% were under age 30. (For more on how “private cloud” computing fits in the internet infrastructure, here is a helpful SingleHop page: [[https://www.singlehop.com/private-cloud-hosting/|SingleHop site]])

They caution you not to rely on links from e-mails to the websites you frequent. Instead, they encourage you to create bookmarks for these websites to ensure that you are logging onto the site you intend. They also favor sites that use two levels to authenticate you before granting access to personal information. “With such methods, after logging in with your password, the site will text or email you a single-use code that must be entered. Only the registered phone number or email address will receive the code, making it that much harder for hackers to gain unauthorized access to your accounts.”

Scam Update – With the cautions from both sources in mind, we updated our post, to help you remain vigilant:

//Hidden URLs// – Those shortened URLs are convenient, but they may be links to websites you don’t want to visit, or worse, they could install malware on your computer. SingleHop admonishes, “Especially look out for slightly misspelled words or words that use unexpected characters, such as substituting a “0” (number) for a “0” (letter) — for example, HOME DEPOT. If something looks even a little bit fishy, delete the email or close the site immediately.”

//Phishing Requests// – When you get an invitation to click on any link, think twice. When you click, you may be taken to a fake Twitter or Facebook or to a bank, credit card issuer, or another financial institution login page. SingleHop says “Phishers will design their sites to look exactly like the website of your” institutions. If you fall for the fake website, and enter you username and password, the cybercriminals can use your information on the real website to gain complete control of your account.

//Hidden Charges// – Be wary of those online quizzes that offer to tell you interesting information about yourself like which 1960s sitcom star you resemble. If the quiz asks you for personal information, such as your phone number, stop. If you continue, you many end up subscribing to some service that charges a recurring monthly fee.

//Cash Grabs// – It’s great to make new friends, but maybe not by “friending” strangers on Facebook. That person you just friended on Facebook may soon be asking you for money. You can avoid this situation by limiting your social media connections to people you know personally. Ignore friend requests when you do not know the person and have no friends in common.

//Chain Letters// – Sure, you want to be sure that Microsoft will donate the millions it promised to some worthy charity if you keep the online chain letter going. However, such “chain letter” e-mails are a way for spammers to access your friends to connect with them later. Also, you never know to whom your friends will forward the letter.

Sites that are popular with users are popular with criminals, so remain vigilant when you are on line, and, of course, keep your antivirus and anti-malware software up to date. Be wary and think twice before clicking on a suspicious link!

Make customer service calls work for you – Get them on your side

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Your goal on these calls is to convert the customer service rep to your side so that their goal is to make you happy. Most people in customer service are there because they want to please others; you want tap into that bent.
Here are some easy tips:
1. Be Respectful: Make them feel important and validated. Ask them their name, if they did not give it, and use that in the conversation.
2. Show Gratitude: thank them.
3. Recruit Them: Use terms like “we” and clearly state your objective so you turn the call into a mission, with the representative committed to helping you accomplish it.
4. Remain Calm: Avoid trigger words, anger and any swearing. Otherwise you risk losing the bond you created. Maintain the position of being empowered to get what you, as the customer, deserve.
5. Communicate Your Determination: Be clear that you are not going anywhere until your mission is accomplished. Be clear that you are not taking any brush off.
6. Escalate: If you are not making progress, then escalate: ask to speak to a manager. Many representatives are judged by the number of calls referred to managers or supervisors, so asking may prompt them to be more helpful.
This approach may take practice (and patience). However, it is quite effective, so you are likely to see good results.

Achieving a Better Life Experience Act – first look

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President Barack Obama recently signed the Achieving a Better Life Experience Act (ABLE Act). The ABLE Act allows individuals and families to open tax-free savings accounts to save for long-term needs associated with an individual’s disability.

These accounts are modeled after 529 college savings accounts. To qualify, a person must be diagnosed with a disability resulting in “marked and severe functional limitations” by the age of 26. An account can be established for an individual without jeopardizing that person’s eligibility for federal programs such as Medicaid. The funds saved in these accounts can be used for a variety of expenses including transportation, housing, employment support and health care.

Like 529 plans, earnings in these accounts grow tax-free, but contributions are made with after-tax dollars. Accounts can be set up at financial institutions and the annual contribution limit is $14,000. ABLE accounts are allowed to accrue up to $100,000 in savings without affecting a person’s eligibility for government aid such as Social Security. This is a great improvement for ABLE account holders over the current asset limit of $2,000. Medicaid coverage would continue no matter how much money is in the accounts.

These accounts can be a useful planning tool for those living with or caring for someone with a physical or developmental disability.

Plan now to avoid surprises from the Affordable Care Act when filing 2014 taxes

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2014 was the first year Americans had access to health insurance options through the Affordable Care Act (the “ACA”). With this new access to insurance came the obligation to purchase it or face new tax consequences. If you opted not to buy health insurance in 2014, you may be faced with a penalty when you file your 2014 tax returns. Even if you did buy insurance through one of the insurance marketplaces, you may have new tax forms to complete and some surprises when it comes to your refund or tax bill.

For most taxpayers, the impact on their tax filing will be minimal, requiring those who were covered to simply check a box indicating they had insurance throughout the year. Those who received subsidies to purchase insurance and who later had increases in their 2014 salary may be required to pay back some of that subsidy. Those whose salary decreased may receive a larger than expected refund.

As these provisions are new to everyone, there may be confusion for taxpayers and tax preparers alike. Unfortunately, due to recent budget cuts, the IRS expects to be able to speak with only half of the people who call in for assistance.

While gearing up for the 2014 tax season, it’s helpful to understand some the most important provisions of the ACA:

  • 1. Exemptions: The ACA provided some exemptions that allow taxpayers to opt out of purchasing insurance without any penalties, including hardship, affordability and religion. There are different methods for applying for an exemption depending on the type of exemption you are requesting. To learn more, go to: https://www.healthcare.gov/fees-exemptions/apply-for-exemption/
  • 2. Penalties: Those who do not qualify for an exemption, were insured for only part of the year, or remain uninsured will be required to pay a penalty called “The Individual Shared Responsibility Payment.” The penalty is set to increase over the coming years, so compare not to see if it is more beneficial for you to pay the penalty or buy insurance. The Tax Policy Center has designed a calculator to help you determine your penalty is you opt to remain uninsured: http://taxpolicycenter.org/taxfacts/acacalculator.cfm.
  • 3. Reconciling: Those who purchased subsidized insurance on the exchanges received an advance on a tax credit. At the time of requesting the subsidy for insurance in 2014, the amount of the subsidy was calculated based on the taxpayer’s 2012 income. The amount of the subsidy granted will be reconciled in the taxpayer’s 2014 filing using the taxpayer’s actual 2014 income and that will affect the taxpayer’s refund or bill. Changes in an individual’s personal circumstances, such as divorce, marriage or a new child can also impact those numbers.

    • There’s still time to plan. Taxpayers facing a loss in premium subsidies because of an increase in income can reduce their income to qualify for the credits. For example, they can contribute to an IRA by April 15, 2015, for the 2014 tax year.