PROBLEMS WE SOLVE

Maximizing Social Security

Social Security is a long–standing program in the U.S., one that’s changed significantly since it began in 1935. If you’re unfamiliar with the program, you’re certainly not alone. It’s a complex list of rules, regulations, and restrictions that can overwhelm even the most patient of people.

One fact that you may think you know about the system is that it doesn’t pay very much from month to month. Where once people might have been able to rely on a benefit check from the government, that possibility has dwindled with decade after decade of reform.

While few would ever recommend relying on the program, though, there’s no reason to ignore the money that you can receive when you file. Instead, you should look for an expert in the subject who can tell you how to get the most substantial check.

At Merit Advisory Partners, advisors Keith D. Sexton and Bobby Darwin can tell you everything about what you can expect when you file and how it will be taxed based on the rest of your portfolio.

Tips for Maximizing Social Security

If you’re wondering how to maximize Social Security, you need to have an in–depth understanding of how the government decides how much you receive. What you make is specific to your history. It has everything to do with the positions you’ve held and what you’ve given to the system, which means it’s important not to base your opinion of the program on how much your brother or grandmother received.

Your benefit check can be higher when you know how to file, and the right financial advisor can make all the difference. Your retirement should ideally start with a strong foundation of secure monthly income, and Social Security can play a significant role when it comes to covering your daily expenses. When you think of how much you’ve already paid into the system, there’s no shame in getting what you’re owed back from it. Let the financial advisors at Merit ensure that you file correctly the first time.

Tax-Free Retirement

When you’re used to paying taxes, the idea of anything being tax–free can sound like little more than a sales pitch. No matter what, you might assume that the government will get their share one way or another.

The good news is that you may have more options than you think if you want to avoid leaving the government more than they require. If you live in Beaumont, Texas, a financial advisor can show you how anything from deferrals to trusts can affect your bottom line, and how having a nearly tax–free retirement may be simpler than it sounds.

How to Have a Tax-Free Retirement

At Merit Advisory Partners, you consult with an advisor who understands more than just your investment style. Keith D. Sexton and Bobby Darwin are known for giving clients the kind of personalized attention that’s difficult to find at larger firms. They’ll look over your portfolio in search of opportunities that may not have even occurred to you.

Unless you’re deeply entrenched in the local, state, and federal tax codes that impact your margins, it may not have even occurred to you that there are ways to restructure your holdings to minimize or even almost eliminate what you pay in taxes.

No matter what your goals are for retirement, paying less means having money left over to fund everything from new investments to your descendants’ education. For instance, you might defer your capital gains taxes in order to invest in a more lucrative venture. While you’ll still need to eventually account for the profits to the government, your portfolio will be improved by the delay.

Or you might consider setting up a fund for the charities and causes that resonate with you. Whether it’s a local or a global organization, this decision can help you support the people who are doing the most active good. A financial advisor will customize their recommendations based on everything from how you invest to where you picture yourself spending the bulk of your golden years.

Wealth Management

Wealth management typically refers to how those with a high–net–worth allocate their money and assets. However, the basics are similar to other financial principles in that it’s about trying to maximize what you have when times are good and protect what you have when the chips are down. Because the market will fluctuate—sometimes with no warning whatsoever—it’s important to have strategies in play at all times. In short, you need proper asset wealth management for both scenarios. When you have a financial advisor who can help you navigate the process, it can make it all the easier to keep track of your margins so you can still attain your goals.

What You Should Know About Wealth
Management Companies

How you manage wealth depends on who you are, what you value, and how you invest. To some, wealth management may translate to clipping coupons or shopping sales. Others will roll profits from one investment into the next, constantly searching for the most lucrative opportunities out there.

Asset wealth management all comes down to degrees. As people grow their portfolio, it becomes more time–consuming to keep up with the details. From fast–changing economic trends to stagnating accounts, you can end up ignoring a decline in your returns up until you lose a significant amount of money.

The goal of having an advisor is to have a real partner who can provide real oversight. At Merit Advisory Partners in Texas, your wealth investment will be looked after by a professional, so you don’t have to keep up with every minor detail. If you’ve already lost track of where exactly your money is and how exactly it’s performing, there’s no better feeling than to know someone out there has a handle on your assets. Merit is a boutique advisory firm, meaning the staff is there to get to know both how you invest and what you want your retirement to be. It’s that kind of personalized attention that ensures you get the best portfolio treatment possible.

Assets Under Management

The financial concept of assets under management is designed to safeguard your holdings by applying special rules to your portfolio. If you’re looking for assets under management services, it starts with finding someone who knows how to play those strategies.

At Merit Advisory Partners, you’ll find a staff who will implement risk-managed treatment to your assets. The ultimate goal is to both conserve your wealth and maximize it for as long as possible. What does this look like in practice? The specifics will vary based on what you’ve amassed and what you want your retirement to look like.

Assets Under Management Strategies in Beaumont,Texas

Your assets are easy to control when they’re few and far between. Asking you to keep track of their progress wouldn’t be much of a request at all. However, as your wealth accrues from one year to the next, it’s just as easy to let several languish by the wayside.

At Merit, a boutique retirement firm, you’ll learn more about how different strategies are applicable to your finances. You’ll also have the benefit of being able to consult with a professional who will get to know more about your future plans.

Everyone will have their own idea of what their golden years should be. However, whether you picture yourself on a yacht or in a cabin without running water, everyone should be aware of how their investments are performing and what can be done to help yield higher returns.

A financial advisor can make all the difference if you want to improve your margins and give yourself the best chance of success. They’re available to not only summarize the state of your investments, but also analyze if they’re helping you build toward a retirement where you can take care of yourself and your loved ones as you see fit. From there, your advisor will keep an eye on your assets, alerting you if there’s a problem and laying out the facts so you can make informed decisions.

Investing

Investors come in all shapes and sizes in Beaumont, Texas. Some people put their money into relatively safe ventures and then patiently wait until the market appreciates. Other people will want to take their chances with assets that are high risk and high reward. No matter what your strategy is, having a financial advisor can go a long way to increasing your returns. If you’re looking for investment advice, Merit Advisory Partners can tell you more about how your portfolio is performing and how it can be adjusted to maximize every dollar you invest.

What It Takes to Perfect Your Investing Strategy

There’s really no such thing as a traditional investment, even if that’s what many financiers would have you believe. Over the course of human history, investing changes based on what different generations value. Whether that’s action figures, NFTs, or shares of the most popular companies, there are an infinite number of paths you could choose to pursue. Along the way, you’re likely to hear stock advice. Some might tell you to diversify or to stay away from sectors that are unregulated, while others tell you that fortune favors the bold.

A financial advisor isn’t there to make you doubt your instincts. Rather, they’re available to answer questions and to give you more information about whatever strategy you choose to take. For instance, if you’re investing in too many disparate industries, they might suggest that you streamline your portfolio. Bringing your assets into a cohesion may sound limiting, but it actually gives your holdings more focus. In turn, this can make your investments more lucrative. When you know where your money is tied up, it’s easier to monitor and control it. If it’s spread out in too many directions, you can easily lose track.

If you want your retirement to look a certain way, it starts with getting more from your income. A financial advisor can help you step outside your comfort zone, so you can see the possibilities and make better decisions based on your available options.

Retirement Income Planning

A million dollars is sometimes known as the answer to the question “how much do I need to retire?” This inquiry may be common, but it doesn’t make the logistics of the situation any less complicated. No matter where you are in the preparation process, the larger goals may always seem very far away. At Merit Advisory Partners, Keith D. Sexton and Bobby Darwin are financial advisors who can help you put your portfolio into context with the help of retirement income planning.

How to Plan Your Retirement Income in Beaumont, Texas

Retirement income is not entirely unlike your current income. If you have enough money coming in every month, you can use it to cover all of your expenses and still have enough to put into your emergency accounts. Ideally, this will leave plenty left over for your descendants, and this is the case even if you’re planning to take care of the big–ticket items (e.g., college, etc.) for all of your grandchildren.

If you’re asking how a financial advisor can help, they’re available to evaluate your investment strategies before mapping out which source of revenue will work best for you. For some clients, this may mean a combination of short–term rental income, Social Security, and stock dividends. For others, the bulk of their income may come from their pension, which is then supplemented by a part-time job in a sector that the client is passionate about (e.g., a wine pourer at a favorite vineyard). There’s no single formula to follow, it all depends on the person.

No matter what your ideal retirement looks like, whether you picture yourself being a landlord or jetting off to the most exotic countries, finding the right advisor can make all the difference. As you near retirement age, income planning can help you plan for both the expected and the unexpected. It can be an immense comfort to have what you need at your disposal, particularly if you want your golden years to be as worry-free as possible.