Inside Your Wealth - June / July 2021

A Note from Marilyn and Ora 

Re-Opening and Re-Imaging for the Summer! Turning the page on this pandemic!

Welcome back to a lifestyle with fewer restrictions and restraints finally! Whiles many states have re-opened earlier, California has finally lifted the prior mandate along with a few more states like New York, and Delaware this past month. It’s been a heckuva 15 months that we all do not wish to repeat ever again. As we observe and celebrate the upcoming Father’s Day and Independence Day holidays, let’s continue to be safe and mindful that this virus may not quit!

Let’s look forward to a healthy and happy rest of 2021, with the hope that we reach herd immunity with the vaccines available to all. This almost feels like we need to make “New Year’s Resolutions”. So let’s make some “ Post Pandemic Resolutions” or Things I want to change in my life/lifestyle. Many of us found that we could live more simply with less “stuff” and doing things with family and friends that deepen relationships.

Would you consider, reviewing your pre-pandemic lifestyle and make some healthy changes, whether financial, health, and diet, or how you spend your free time? Did you find a new passion during this time that you want to do more? Is it a career, education, or a new hobby?

I found that I like gardening, and will put more time into this hobby at home. Whether I’m successful in growing plants is another topic for another day. We wish you all an enjoyable summer filled with joy and abundance. Stay tuned for more programs and the return of live events in the Fall.

Be Well!  

Ora and Marilyn

Conquering Retirement Challenges for Women

Looking ahead can help you conquer these unique obstacles. 

When it comes to retirement, some women face obstacles that can make saving for retirement a challenge. Women typically earn less than their male counterparts and often take time out of the workforce to care for children or other family members. 

Added to the fact that women typically live longer than men, retirement money for women may need to stretch even further.¹ 

Despite these challenges, there are a lot of reasons to be hopeful.² 

Review your existing situation. Do you want to spend your years traveling together, or do you envision staying closer to home? Are you seeing yourself moving to a retirement community, or do you want to live as independently as you can? Sit down with your spouse, if you’re married, to discuss your visions for retirement. 

You can't see if you're on track for your goals if you haven't defined them. And if you find you’re falling short of where you want to be, you can work together to strategize about how you can either get to where you want to go or to adjust your strategy so that it fits your existing situation.¹ 

Get creative. These challenges don’t have to stop you from saving for retirement if you’re willing to get creative. If you plan to or have taken off time from the workforce, try and increase your contributions to your retirement accounts while you are working. If you’re staying home while your spouse works, you may be able to contribute to an individual retirement account.³ 

Under the SECURE Act, once you reach age 72, you must begin taking required minimum distributions from a Traditional Individual Retirement Account and other retirement plans in most circumstances.  Withdrawals from Traditional IRAs are taxes as ordinary income and, if taken before age 59½, may be subject to a 10% federal income tax penalty. Under the CARES Act, the 10% penalty may be waived in 2020. Traditional IRA may be fully or partially deductible, depending on your adjusted gross income. 

If you’re caregiving for an elderly relative, there are ways to be paid for your time. According to AARP, the Veteran’s Administration or Medicaid may be a potential source of income. Working with a professional who has expertise in this field can help you navigate the complicated medical structure while also helping you earn income for work that you’re doing.³ 

Get involved. One of the best things you can do is to get involved in conversations about finances. Many women undervalue their knowledge in this area and having regular conversations with your spouse, family, and financial professional can help ensure that you always know where things stand.³ 

While women may face additional challenges, careful preparation with your financial professional may help you to live a fulfilling retirement. 

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Citations

1. CNBC.com, March 6, 2020
2. Entrepreneur.com, August 13, 2020
3. MarketWatch.com, March 6, 2020

Succeeding at Business Succession 

According to the Conway Center for Family Business, family businesses account for 64% of the U.S. Gross Domestic Product (GDP), yet 57% of family businesses have no formal succession plan.1 While the number may shock you, it is not surprising that many small business owners are consumed by the myriad responsibilities of running their businesses. Nevertheless, owners ignore succession preparations at their peril and possibly at the peril of their heirs. 

There are a number of reasons for business owners to consider a business succession structure sooner rather than later. Let's take a look at two of them. 

The first reason is taxes. Upon the owner’s death, estate taxes may be due, and a proactive strategy may help to better manage them.² Failure to properly prepare can also lead to a loss of control over the final disposition of the company. Second, the absence of a succession structure may result in a decline in the value of the business in the event of the owner’s death or an unexpected disability. The process of business succession is comprised of three basic steps: 

1. Identify your goals: When you know your objectives, it becomes easier to develop a plan to pursue them. For instance, do you want future income from the business for you and your spouse? What level of involvement do you want in the business? Do you want to create a legacy for your family or a charity? What are the values that you want to ensure, perhaps as they relate to your employees or community? 

2. Determine steps to pursue your objectives: There are a number of tools to help you follow the goals you’ve identified. They may include buy/sell agreements, gifting shares, establishing a variety of trusts, or even creating an employee stock ownership plan if your desire is that employees have an ownership stake in the future. 

3. Implement the strategy: The execution step converts ideas into action. Once it's implemented, you should revisit the strategy regularly to make sure it remains relevant in the face of changing circumstances, such as divorce, changes in business profitability, or the death of a stakeholder. Keep in mind that a fundamental prerequisite to business succession is valuing your business. 

As you might imagine, business succession is a complicated exercise that involves a complex set of tax rules and regulations. Before moving forward with a succession, consider working with legal and tax professionals who are familiar with the process.

1. Conway Center for Family Business, 2019
2. Typically, estate taxes are due nine months after the date of death. And estate taxes are paid in cash. In addition to estate taxes, there may be a variety of other costs, including probate, final expenses, and administration fees.

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Positivity 

Women Tip — Positivity

We all have had bad days. Strive to have more good days than bad. Share your positive days with your family and co-workers, lifting their spirits. Teach them how! Start each day anew leaving yesterday behind. Surround yourself with positive influences and friends. Try to shed the negative influences and thoughts. (It can be difficult, but try!)  

Always be in the moment sharing your brightness with those closest to you.

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There are two ways of spreading light. To be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.

—Edith Wharton 

Try to be a rainbow in someone's cloud.

—Maya Angelou

Yum Nua, Beef Thai Salad  

Ingredients | 4 Servings

DRESSING AND RICE POWDER

½ cup sweet white rice or regular short-grain or other white rice

¼cup fresh lime juice

Tbsps. fish sauce

1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

½ tsp. sugar

Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper. 

BEEF AND ASSEMBLY

1 lb. top sirloin steak, New York strip steak, or other nicely marbled cut of beef, sliced ¼" thick

1 Tbsp. fish sauce

2 tsp. sugar

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil, plus more for grate or skillet

Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper.

1 lb. small and medium tomatoes, halved.

1 large shallot, thinly sliced

2 scallions, thinly sliced

2 lemongrass stalks, tops trimmed, tough outer layers removed, very thinly sliced

2 long hot chiles, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 cups cilantro leaves with tender stems

2 cups mint leaves

1 lb. cucumbers, thinly sliced, plus more for serving

Lime wedges (for serving) 

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT

A spice mill or mortar and pestle

Preparation 

DRESSING AND RICE POWDER

Step 1: Place rice in a medium skillet and set over medium heat. Cook, tossing often, until golden brown and deeply nutty–smelling, 12–15 minutes. Let cool, then finely grind in a spice mill or mortar and pestle; set aside. 

Step 2: Meanwhile, stir lime juice, fish sauce, red pepper flakes, and sugar in a small bowl until sugar dissolves. Season with salt and black pepper. 

Step 3: Do ahead: You can toast and grind the rice a few days in advance (as Suntaranon does). If the smokiness and aroma have faded at all, just toss it in briefly hot skillet to refresh. 

BEEF AND SALAD

Step 4: Place beef in a large bowl and add fish sauce, sugar, and 2 Tbsp. oil. Let sit at room temperature 1 hour, or cover and chill up to 1 day ahead. 

Step 5: Prepare a grill for medium-high heat or heat a large skillet over medium-high. Oil grate or lightly coat skillet with oil. Season beef with salt and black pepper and grill until browned underneath, about 2 minutes. Turn over and grill on other side just until lightly browned (meat should still be slightly pink in the center), about 45 seconds. 

Step 6: Toss tomatoes, shallot, scallions, lemongrass, chiles, garlic, cilantro, mint, 1 lb. cucumbers, and 1 tsp. rice powder in a medium bowl to combine. Drizzle half of dressing over and toss to coat. Taste and season with salt and black pepper. 

Step 7: Add beef to salad. Drizzle with more dressing as desired and top with more cucumber slices and 1 tsp. rice powder (save remaining rice powder in an airtight container at room temperature for another use). Serve with lime wedges for squeezing over.