Skip to main content
Monthly Archives

August 2022

Christopher Drew Featured on Yahoo! News

By News

Christopher Drew, the founder of Drew Capital Group, was recently quoted in an article discussing the pandemic’s effect on personal finances.

Among events like the pandemic, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and other world-shaking crises, the American economy has seen dramatic shifts over the past few years. It has many questioning how financial principles have been affected by the new state of reality.

Reporters turn to financial professionals like Chris Drew to answer questions about the state of the economy, personal finance and what you should do now. First and foremost, Drew believes it’s more important than ever to follow timeless money management principles, and to be cautious about spending at the moment. “Be more cautious about your spending habits due to the increase in inflation,” Drew said. Now may be the time to save for long-term goals and reassess priorities.

Other financial professionals and journalists agree, pointing out the importance of saving for the future rather than indulging in goods that only provide instant gratification.

The article also highlighted a change in life philosophy, with more Americans prioritizing family and experiences over possessions. That adjustment appears to have consumers managing their finances with more sentimental goals, focusing on making memories rather than the acquisition of material goods.

Drew outlined the importance of your relationship with your financial advisor. While advisors should always be reaching out and keeping clients in the loop like he does, it’s never a bad idea for clients to pick up the phone and inquire themselves, especially when markets are volatile.

“Because of economic factors affecting the market in today’s environment–such as interest rate hikes, the war between Russia and Ukraine, and a massive spike in inflation–we have had to make adjustments to portfolios along with asset allocation changes to help reduce the [impact of] overall volatility of the markets,” Drew said.

Picked up by multiple media outlets, you can read the entire article on Yahoo!, Yahoo! News, MSN, AOL and GoBankingRates.

 

If you have any questions about ways you can protect your finances from the impact of stock market volatility, please give us a call. You can reach Drew Capital Management in Tampa, Florida at (813) 820-0069.

 

This material is provided as a courtesy and for educational purposes only.  Please consult your investment professional, legal or tax advisor for specific information pertaining to your situation. Advisory services offered through Drew Capital Management, a Member of Advisory Services Network, LLC. Insurance products and services offered through Drew Capital Group. Advisory Services Network, LLC and Drew Capital Group are not affiliated.

As Featured In

What is COLA, and How Does it Affect Retirement?

By Retirement, Social Security

The COLA on Social Security is projected to increase benefits by more than 10%. How does that affect your retirement?

Inflation in the United States is at a 40-year high, and the entire country seems to be feeling the squeeze of rising prices, regardless of income level. Though the debate over the cause of current inflation rates rages on, one thing seems to be certain: the cost of everyday goods, like rent, gas and food, continues to rise [1].

Understandably, that leaves American consumers with questions and concerns. First, as the value of the dollar decreases, which lifestyle adjustments can be made to compensate for the loss in buying power? Second, won’t somebody do something?

This year, the Federal Reserve has taken action by raising interest rates several times in an effort to curb spending and cut demand, ideally forcing the price of goods down, or at the very least, leading them to stagnate [2]. But lately, the Fed has been criticized by experts worried that their actions may not be having the desired effect, but instead may be bringing on a recession [3].

So, what other actions does the government take to protect people from inflation? For retirees and those collecting Social Security benefits, the Social Security Administration began implementing an annual COLA almost five decades ago.

What is a COLA?

No, it’s not the tasty drink you order when you first sit down at a restaurant. COLA stands for “cost-of-living adjustment” and was first introduced by the Social Security Administration in 1975 in an effort to counter inflation for beneficiaries relying on those funds [4]. Beneficiaries of Social Security, which include individuals who have reached the age of 62 or have qualifying disabilities, can receive an increase in their benefit based on the Department of Labor’s Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, or the CPI-W.

For example, at the beginning of this year, Social Security beneficiaries may have noticed their checks increasing by 5.9%. That increase didn’t happen by chance or because of a missed decimal point in the accounting department. It was a carefully constructed adjustment based on 2021’s inflation rate, ideally giving those living on fixed income a chance against rising costs.

And next year’s COLA for 2023 could be the highest we’ve seen since 1981.

How does this affect retirees?

Retiring isn’t easy, and there’s a reason workers open IRAs and employer-sponsored retirement accounts, like 401(k)s, early in their careers to begin building for the future. Retirement comes with a great deal of financial risk, and one of the biggest contributors to that risk is inflation.

Retirees often live on fixed incomes, withdrawing money from savings accounts, retirement accounts, pensions, annuities, investments and Social Security to cover their living expenses. Though a proper financial plan accounts for inflation, it can be difficult to foresee spikes like the one in 2022, potentially upsetting expectations of how long your money will last. Though imperfect, the COLA can offer retirees increases to one of their main sources of income in retirement, hopefully offsetting change that can occur over the course of decades.

What is the next COLA expected to be, and when can I expect it?

A recent COLA projection made headlines with an eye-popping number. The Senior Citizens League estimates that Social Security beneficiaries could see a 10.5% COLA, meaning that the average monthly benefit could increase by about $175[5].

That estimate has steadily climbed over the past few months, though it’s certainly not yet set in stone. The Social Security Administration will announce the next COLA in October, and it will go into effect in January of 2023.

Are there any problems with COLA?

Though an increase in your Social Security check might sound entirely positive, there are drawbacks to COLA and the problems it aims to correct. The COLA is intended to cover the difference between the current cost of living and the previous year’s cost of living, but it is possible that the extra money in your benefit will only partly cover your increased living expenses.

The COLA is not directly aligned with inflation, so it is possible for inflation to rise faster than Social Security’s adjustment. For example, in 2021, inflation climbed 7% [6] while the COLA only increased by 5.9% [7]. Similarly, the Social Security COLA can remain unchanged year over year, just as it did following 2009, 2010 and 2015 when inflation rose 2.7%, 1.5% and 0.7%, respectively [8].

While not completely reflective of each other, the COLA and inflation do correlate, and inflation is currently outpacing wages. In fact, in 2021, wages actually saw a 3.5% drop when living costs are accounted for [9]. Though this doesn’t directly affect Social Security beneficiaries, the Social Security trust funds are built by contributions from income taxes [10]. It stands to reason that inflation’s outpacing of wages would mean that the Social Security trust funds, which currently project to only be able to pay at their current rate until 2035, would deplete even quicker [11].

So, as someone who collects Social Security or hopes to in the future, what can I do?

First and foremost, we would always recommend speaking with your financial professional to assemble a proper plan for your retirement. The right financial plan can be the difference between having adequate funds for your desired lifestyle or running out of money. Social Security is only one income stream, and backup plans with alternative sources of funds are vital.

If you have any questions about your Social Security benefit, please give us a call! You can reach Drew Capital Group Private Wealth Management in Tampa, Florida by calling (813) 820-0069.

 

Sources:

  1. https://www.marketwatch.com/story/coming-up-consumer-price-index-for-may-11654862886
  2. https://www.forbes.com/advisor/investing/another-75-point-fed-rate-increase/
  3. https://www.forbes.com/sites/jonathanponciano/2022/07/27/fed-raises-interest-rates-by-75-basis-points-again-as-investors-brace-for-recession/
  4. https://www.ssa.gov/oact/cola/colasummary.html
  5. https://www.cnbc.com/2022/07/13/social-security-cost-of-living-adjustment-could-be-10point5percent-in-2023.html
  6. https://www.cnbc.com/2022/01/12/cpi-december-2021-.html
  7. https://www.ssa.gov/oact/cola/colaseries.html
  8. https://www.thebalance.com/u-s-inflation-rate-history-by-year-and-forecast-3306093
  9. https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/29/economy/worker-wages-inflation/index.html
  10. https://www.ssa.gov/news/press/factsheets/WhatAreTheTrust.htm
  11. https://www.thestreet.com/investing/social-security-2035

 

This material is provided as a courtesy and for educational purposes only.  Please consult your investment professional, legal or tax advisor for specific information pertaining to your situation.

This blog may contain links to articles or other information that may be on a third-party website. Advisory Services Network, LLC is not responsible for and does not control, adopt, or endorse any content contained on any third-party website.