The Williams-Knust Group of Truist Investment Services, Inc.

[Gayle]: Welcome back! It’s time for your money health and out next guest says you can take a few simple steps, practice delay gratification and put yourself into a path of living a work optional life. Joining us now is Certified Exit Planning Advisor Jennifer Williams. [Jennifer]: Thank you so much Gayle, I am pleased to be here. [Gayle]: So, I know you are with Truist tell us a little bit more about your area of expertise [Jennifer]: Sure, I am Certified Financial Planner & Certified Exit Planning Advisor with Truist Wealth. [Gayle]: Ok so, walk us through some tips because I love the idea of creating a life and taking steps right now that take you to a work optional like. You say that the best way to start is to pay yourself first. [Jennifer]: You are absolutely correct! So, as you know every dollar you spend “on a do that or something of that sort” is one less dollar that you are investing in yourself and in your future. We all’ve experienced how money just magically flies away from our accounts because of unexpected bills, spending, or things of that sort. So, my message is that you need to invest in yourself first. An example would be: if you have a 401k plan through your employer that’s a great way to set up an automatic deduction so the money goes directly into your retirement account. In addition to that, if you have direct deposit then money when it hits your checking account. You can set up an automatic transfer to start building out an emergency savings fund. Once you have funded your emergency savings fund the next thing you want is to reroute your automatic transfers into a risk appropriate investment account. If the money is magically sweeping away into your future and into your accounts that is how you are going to invest in yourself first. [Gayle]: ok, no go! I did not mean to interrupt… [Jennifer]: I am a part of the Williams-Knust group, we really focus on business owners and doing financial planning for business owners. If you are a business owner that same concept told true. For example, if you want to set up a budget were you are investing in CAP-EX, Human Resources, your employees, bonuses, and retention. If you invest in that first, if you think about it as keeping the lights on of your business than you are going to be looking at the future of your business. [Gayle]: That is really cool! I like that. Is important to keep the lights on. You mentioned the 401k. Can you talk more about getting on track for retirement? [Jennifer]: Sure, so my second tip for financial wellness is changing your idea about retirement. So, many people don’t think about retirement as a goal. They have it as an anxiety written idea because of the fact that maybe they don’t want to retire. Maybe they love what they do or they feel like they have not made a plan so, they think can’t think about because they are never going to be able to retire. Or maybe they just don’t imagine themselves sitting in the front porch on a rocking chair kind of wasting away the days. So, what I like to share with our clients let’s move the paradigm from retirement to putting yourself in a work optional situation. So, what I mean by a work optional is that you have enough passive income that is covering your expenses and your bills so that you are able to do what you love. That you are not forced to go to work every single day. [Gayle]: I like that! Because I will be the person very uncomfortable sitting on the rocking chair, in the front porch. I love this idea of being work optional. Umm, so tell us more about the income streams you mentioned earlier and how to help us getting there? [Jennifer]: Sure yes, “so we call passive income streams also mail box money so do speak.” This is money that is coming in that you are not having to go out and work every single day. A really common passive income stream is rental real estate. Just keep in mind. That you don’t have to be wealthy to create passive income streams. You can start in you are renting an apartment or buying your first home. Even by just renting out an additional room or buying a home that has a garage apartment is going to provide rental income as a passive income stream that you are able to invest for your future. Another example, is for business owners we highly recommend that business owners consider owning the property that their business is in rather than renting it because it can pay off that property and that is going to be a passive income stream for them as well. If you are an employee and you get a raise or as a business owner if you get a new account rather than spending your way into that additional income immediately, divert that additional income into an investment portfolio or to save for a rental property that then would generate that passive income stream that is going to put you in that “work optional” situation. [Gayle]: That is so cool! So, how do I get started with all of this? [Jennifer]: Well we all need a little help. I happen to be a Certified Financial Planner and I work primarily with business owners but there are Financial Planners everywhere that work with all sorts of people and professionals. So my recommendation is to find a Financial Planner who is focused on Goal Based Financial Planning because having this goals of such as being work optional that is how you are able to achieve this financial wellness you are looking for. [Gayle]: This is all great advice! Jennifer, I can’t thank you enough for joining us on bloom. I hope you will come back for more money health segments. [Jennifer]: Well, Thank you I’d love to! [Gayle]: All right! You can head to Truist.com/jenniferwilliams if you want more information about getting on the road to better financial health. And we’ll be back with more bloom right after this.