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Daily Archives: May 27, 2014

Moving this summer? Navigate the peak season like a pro

27 Tuesday May 2014

Posted by SETX411 in Uncategorized

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(BPT) – Summer is busiest time of the year for home and business moves. In fact, an estimated 65 percent of the 43 million Americans who are moving this year will do so in the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

What does that mean for those with a move in the immediate future? Considering the fact that moving is ranked just behind death and divorce in terms of life’s most stressful events, a summer move might mean stocking up on extra stress balls and taking a few extra deep breaths along the way.

“Whether you are hiring help or doing it yourself, you can expect a fair amount of anxiety,” says Sean E. Burns, a psychologist with Counseling Associates of West Michigan. “It’s helpful to simply recognize that it’s normal that your life is out of order during this period. Once moved, it’s important to resume life’s routines as soon as possible. Don’t worry about getting everything in place right away; put a priority on resuming your workouts and family trips to the park, and the rest will take care of itself over time.”

A summer move also means that you need to plan further in advance and be more flexible with your move dates.

“We moved 1.3 homes or businesses per minute last summer,” says Randy Shacka, president of Two Men And A Truck, the nation’s largest franchised moving company, “In fact, we moved 2,851 homes and businesses in the two days between June 28 and June 29. Based on year-over-year trend analysis of every move within our 260 store system, we believe that same weekend will likely be our busiest again this summer.”

So, beyond avoiding a late June move, how do you begin to navigate the waters of the busiest moving season?

“In a perfect world we’d all plan ahead, but the reality is we’re busy with work and life and next thing you know you have seven days to get moved,” Shacka says. “So while it’s important to be flexible, box things in advance, etc., you might just consider doing a few simple things to make your life a bit easier on move day.”

Shacka suggests the following:

Kids rule: If hiring a sitter isn’t an option on move day, get the kids involved as “supervisors.” Help them with a simple checklist or turn a box into a “treasure chest” of their own belongings so the move becomes a positive experience for them. For more kid-friendly move-day ideas, visit http://www.twomenandatruck.com/moving-with-kids.

Free Fido: If watching the kids weren’t enough, try managing the dog as she tries to skirt through every open door. Ask a family friend to watch the animals, or consider boarding them for the day. The money spent is a good investment in reducing your overall stress.

Space it out: Often homeowners will move all their furniture into one room to save time for their movers. This can be a cost savings for boxes, but when it comes to furniture it can slow the move down. A good moving company will use stretch wrap to protect furniture, so when packed tightly together into one room the pieces have to be moved twice to properly prepare for the move. Go ahead and consolidate boxes, but save yourself the hassle and leave furniture where it lives.

Picture this: Photos are often the last thing to be packed because it seems safer to just leave them hanging until they are ready to be moved. In truth, they often delay a move because movers have to remove them to get furniture past. This time ask your movers to provide you with-the appropriate packing materials in advance and pack your photos yourself. It’s often light lifting, and it’s a fun way to relive memories while thinking about life’s next great adventure.

For more moving advice, visit http://www.twomenandatruck.com.

Courtesy of BPT

Retirement planning crucial for small business owners

27 Tuesday May 2014

Posted by SETX411 in Uncategorized

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retirement
Planning for retirement is crucial for everyone, and it is especially critical for small business owners, the business leaders many cite as the life blood of the American economy.

Indeed, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration, small business owners employ half of all private sector employees, pay 44 percent of total U.S. private payroll, and have generated 65 percent of net new jobs over the past 17 years.

The challenge before American small business owners is keeping their companies financially healthy long-term. This is so that small business owners do not over-rely on the sale of their business alone to take care of them in retirement, and so the business will continue to remain a viable employer in the communities it serves.

 

Because small business owners and entrepreneurs are busy every day working to keep their businesses running strong, their schedule can often interfere with planning for the future. But in this economy, planning is a must in any business strategy. Without it, business owners may be surprised to find that the ultimate sale of their business may not leave enough for them to live on. This is because the sale timing might be off, or their finances are not strong enough to cover a full retirement.

 
“Setting a target number – or dollar figure of what is needed to live on for the rest of your life – is important, and it should be determined at least 10 years before you’re ready to retire,” says Tara Reynolds, corporate vice president with Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual). “And as you approach retirement, it’s also a good idea to re-calculate what the business is worth with a proper business valuation to determine how you will need to fund your non-working years, if the value has changed. Having this plan and expectation in place can help you determine the best way and time to retire from your business.”

 

Retirement%20planning%20crucial%20for%20small%20business%20owners
The average business owner expects to retire at age 68, according to a survey conducted by GfK Custom Research North American for MassMutual this year. Yet only one-third of the respondents had a sound retirement strategy to ensure income for life, having access to income when needed, managing potential health care expenses and leaving a legacy to the next generation.

 
MassMutual financial professional Katheigh Degen of  Kansas City offers the following tips to help small business owners stay financially secure during the run up to retirement.

 
* Anticipate needs – Traditionally, most people need about 70 percent of their current annual income to live comfortably in retirement. Know what your business is worth – both as one entity, and also broken down into smaller parts. Only about 10 percent of business sales involve the entire business as one lump sum.

 
* Save on the side – You’ve probably heard about diversifying your portfolio, and the same is true with diversifying your retirement plan. Put aside 20 to 25 percent of your gross income in savings outside of the business. This provides you with flexibility as you plan your exit from the business. For example, if you have an heir or employee interested in purchasing the company, they might not be able to afford it all at once, but could take over the helm with smaller payments over a period of time. Having additional savings can help you tide over in retirement while you also receive payments for the business.

 
* Explore options – As you near retirement, selling off your business in one setting would make everything easy. But as mentioned earlier, it doesn’t always work that way. Knowing your business’ value can help you evaluate offers that come your way, so you can make an educated decision on whether to sell and live comfortably in retirement, or keep working and pursue a better offer.

 
* Don’t wait too long to find a buyer – Within three to five years of retirement, business owners should start to find a buyer for the business. Of course, this plan demands that the owner set an expected retirement date and stick to it. By waiting too long, owners may begin to experience poor health and low energy, which could affect productivity and potentially the profitability of the company.

 
Planning for retirement is so crucial, and owning a business can often add complications in timing the retirement perfectly.

 
“Business owners put so much hard work into building the business and making it strong and viable in the market,” says Degen. “With additional planning in retirement strategy, a good business owner can retire and see the business continue to succeed even after it has been transitioned over to new owners.”

Courtesy of BPT

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Ben Rodriguez

Triangle Real Estate LLC

Triangle Real Estate LLC

SETX Events

May 2014
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