Vanguard has a good article online that goes over what you should review in the new year. I review my stocks on a regular basis but I review my mutual fund allocation and IRA allocations at the end of each year. Here is the Vanguard info:
1. Review your financial plan. If your personal situation has changed during the last year—perhaps you got married or bought a new home—see if you're still on track to meet your financial and investment goals. And if you don't have a plan, now's a good time to learn the basics of financial planning.
2. Revisit your asset allocation. The turbulent markets of the past year may have changed your mix of stock, bond, or cash funds. Make sure your portfolio still aligns with your investment plan and rebalance if necessary.
3. Take inventory of your savings. Do you have an emergency savings account? Until last year, many people underestimated the importance of having money available to meet unexpected expenses. If you received a year-end raise or bonus, consider salting it away—you won't miss what you can't spend. You also may want to think about starting an automatic investment plan to ensure you're consistently saving and investing your money.
4. Make the most of your IRAs. Whether you're considering a Roth conversion to take advantage of rules changes in 2010 or maximizing your annual contribution, make sure you take advantage of every opportunity to save for retirement. And don't forget—you still have until the 2009 tax-filing deadline in April to make an IRA contribution for 2009.
5. Keep taxes down. You can't always avoid taxes on your investments, but you can make the bite less painful. Taxes can erode your long-term investment returns, so learn how to be a tax-savvy investor.
6.Control your debt. Don't let excessive debt control you. Creating a budget based on what you have—not on what you can borrow—and spending less can help you take control of debt.
7. Review your estate plan. Make sure the beneficiary designations on your investments and other assets are up to date. If you don't have an estate plan, consider working with an estate planning professional to help you deal with complex financial issues and minimize estate taxes.
Good luck on your 2010 financial plans!
7 ways to start the new year off right
Posted by Div Guy | Monday, January 11, 2010 | asset allocation, investing, retirement, savings | 0 comments »
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