We’ve Moved! 6121 Excelsior Blvd. St. Louis Park, MN 55416

“Caregiving” a Parent’s Investment Portfolio

Many individuals often spend large sums of their own money caring for an aging parent. A recent survey found that one out of three caregivers provide $5,000 or more per year helping their loved one, and nearly one in five provide $10,000 or more. One reason is because adult children are uncomfortable talking about their parents’ finances to discover what they can and can’t afford.

This often becomes an issue in the latter stages of retirement, when mature adults begin to have more health and mobility issues. It is important to know how much your parent(s) have in terms of ongoing income, expenses and overall assets. Otherwise, caregivers’ own savings and investments may suffer, making it more likely that they will need to rely financially on their own children during retirement — creating a cycle of dependency.

Parents may not even realize how much their children are contributing to their care or have a clear idea of how their own assets could potentially be used to offset their expenses.

To help evaluate a family member’s financial state, first determine how much income is available via Social Security and pension benefits, required minimum distributions and any automatic payouts. Then, determine the amount spent on bills and other household expenses. If the outgoing is more than the incoming, it’s time to take a hard look at assets.

It is also important to consider the level of risk for any given investment, since seniors do not have the luxury of time to make up for poor market performance. While it may be appropriate to maintain a growth component in the portfolio, it’s also important to consider risk-mitigation strategies such as diversification and insurer guarantees to help offset investment risk.

You should consult with the parent’s financial advisor or your own before making any financial changes to their portfolio.  Contact us at info@securedretirements.com or call us at (952) 460­-3260 to schedule a time to discuss your financial situation and the potential role of investments in your financial strategy.

Share This Article

Get the latest retirement news today!

Subscribe Now

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Pick your topic or keywords

Similar Posts

Getting to the Truth: How Strong is Social Security Anyway?

The number one news headline grab this month isn't the Kardashians or Donald Trump. Nor is it Spieth's distressing loss at the Open Championship by…

Continue Reading
Secured Retirement Radio: Probability Investing vs. Safety First

Blog post written by Dale Decker We all have different tolerances for risk. Some people prefer to go big and climb Mount Everest. Others are perfectly…

Continue Reading
Cary Grant’s Retirement Income Checklist

“You never miss the water until the well runs dry.” His Girl Friday (1940) – Walter Burns (Cary Grant) In the 1940’s movie His Girl…

Continue Reading
Ryan Keapproth

Ryan Keapproth

Retirement Planner

Ryan is dedicated to serving clients to achieve their retirement goals. Ryan’s holistic approach centers on wealth management strategies with a focus on income planning throughout retirement. As a Financial Advisor, Ryan is an Investment Adviser Representative (IAR), life and health insurance licensed and a Certified Tax Preparer. Ryan is a graduate of the University of Minnesota, with an Accounting and Finance major.

Ryan is a lifelong Minnesotan originally from Woodbury and currently residing in Bloomington with his wife, Riamae, and their rescue Terrier Beagle mix, Douglas. He and his family are avid travelers in their free time. Ryan enjoys playing golf and poker, and describes himself as a major foodie enjoying new restaurants around the cities whenever possible. He is a sports fan especially when the Vikings and Timberwolves are playing.