Financial Planning

Successful retirement planning combines maximum wealth accumulation and tax efficiency strategies to help ensure a safe and lastingly comfortable retirement. Because it often protects a retiree's sole means of support, a retirement plan's efficacy and security are of paramount importance.

Saving for retirement can be done in multiple ways, including:

• Qualified employer-sponsored plans - Including 401(k) and pension plans
• Individual retirement accounts (IRAs) - Attractive because of their low costs and tax incentives, IRAs come in a range of options designed to accommodate different incomes and tax situations. Talk to your advisor about which is most beneficial for you.
• Savings accounts - Are ideal for bolstering qualified pensions, IRAs and social security income, and can be set up to follow a different investment model than those designated as retirement accounts. Some business owners or executives may qualify for specific tax-advantaged retirement savings benefits. Ask your advisor.

Effective accumulation planning comes from careful attention to your investment goals and ensuring the appropriate asset allocation and exposure to risk for your circumstances. It provides practical ways to amass and protect wealth so that even the lengthiest retirement is comfortable and secure.

A properly allocated investment portfolio will consist of stocks, bonds, mutual funds and/or other vehicles that fit your specific timeline, risk tolerance and projected income needs. Your portfolio can be reinforced by separately managed accounts, asset classes and annuities. For people with longer timelines and/or greater risk tolerance, your advisor may recommend hedge funds, tax shelters, real estate, and other alternative investment services.

Part of asset accumulation is asset protection, including active portfolio management, an adequate cash safety net and appropriate insurance. Your advisor can help you devise the right combination of products and services for your needs.

Risk management is designed to limit your exposure to asset depletion and erosion, and help protect you against personal and business liabilities. On the front line, risk management involves identifying potential dangers and avoiding or limiting their reach. On the back end, the right insurance can protect you from unexpected and sometimes catastrophic losses from accidents, damage and destruction, and legal actions.

Business risk management comes with its own set of priorities depending on your type of business, number of employees, tax circumstances, etc., and should be regularly assessed and modified accordingly.

Sound tax planning considers your specific personal or business circumstances and seeks the lowest tax liability that will still support your investment goals. Federal income tax reduction can be achieved through income deferral, deduction planning, tax-advantaged accounts and investments, wash asset sales, 1031 exchanges, year-end tax strategies, estate and gift planning, and more.

A solid investment strategy means knowing when to advance... and when to collect.

The "buy low, sell high" method was once the rule of thumb for market investors. However, today's economy and global markets create increasingly volatile and often protracted up and down cycles. And needing to withdraw assets during a down cycle can be an excruciating experience.

Ingram's Advance and Protect Strategy was designed for people who may not have an uncertain number of years to wait for markets to recover. Our methodology doesn't depend on bull markets or booms in a particular sector - it utilizes wealth-building strategies tempered with investment preservation to help control risk and protect assets. By using quantitative markers such as price, momentum and volume, coupled with expert qualitative analyses of market and investment fundamentals, we're able to determine advantageous times to enter - and exit - markets and sectors.

By monitoring trends in moving averages, price patterns and market confidence and performing a daily algorithmic analysis of your portfolio, your advisor can continually increase or decrease your exposure based on your goals and timeline, and promote consistent returns, risk protection, diversification and cash readiness.

The Ingram team is focused on providing maximum benefit to business owners and shareholders through comprehensive investment planning and protection at every level. We offer proven risk management, asset accumulation and distribution services, succession planning, insurance benefits, qualified retirement plans, stock options, tax-advantaged non qualified plans, executive compensation, and much more.

Charitable planning can foster both personal satisfaction and handsome income and estate tax advantages. Ask your advisor how to construct a charitable plan to secure your gifting priorities as well as the most advantageous tax benefits.

Estate planning not only helps manage your assets and property during your lifetime, it also ensures your desired distribution of wealth after death. It can fund your care in case you become disabled or require long-term care, allow you to transfer assets to heirs and agencies at the lowest cost, minimize tax liability for both you and your beneficiaries, and help eliminate probate problems.

Your Ingram advisor can help you structure estate planning to provide protection and distribution of your assets, insurance, and business and employee benefits, both during and following your lifetime.