7.9.2023 I A Look Ahead at the Next Three Months
Manage episode 371153551 series 2982853
Four times a year we offer a quarterly planning calendar for people to follow — the monthly milestones you can follow to keep your plan on track.
July: First of all, enjoy your summer! Then glance at your account statements
- There’s no better time than July to ignore the noise from the economy and the stock market — neither is likely to significantly affect your long-term financial plan.
- If you have the time, check your asset allocation in your long-term retirement accounts to make sure it is still aligned with your target stock/bond allocation.
- Check to see if your portfolio has sufficient inflation-hedging assets — especially if you are retired or nearing retirement age.
August: Get ready for back-to-school
- Instead of spending all that money on shopping, consider setting aside some education dollars aside in a 529 college savings plan or Education IRA.
- Later this month (July 23) and late August (August 27), we’ll devote the whole show to education planning ideas. The July program will focus on Education Planning 101, including an update on the student debt cancellation case), and the August program will be all about 529 college savings plans.
September: Pay down debt
- Everyone is tightening their wallets these days, as prices for groceries and gas to fill your car reach nosebleed levels.
- Debt has increased across most categories, with larger (and new record) balances for mortgages, home equity lines of credit, auto loans, student loans, and other consumer loans.
- Make it your personal goal to pay down any high-interest credit card debt over the next few months.
ALWAYS: Keep a close eye of your expenses
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