2024 Election: Unprecedented Times Call for Government Employees to Secure Their Financial Futures Now
With the 2024 election on the horizon, we’re living in a year of unprecedented times and uncertainty. Now, more than ever, it’s crucial for government employees to take control of their financial futures and set themselves up for success. For public sector employees (a large part of your audience), the question remains: “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” Many do, if you watch the lines of lottery-ticket buyers when Powerball reaches fantasy payout levels. However, instead of playing those crazy odds, government employees are better off following a path to financial security that’s not available to many in the private sector. Here are three steps for government employees hoping to someday become a “middle-class millionaire.”
First, get the basics right.
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Spend less than you earn.
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Save early, save regularly.
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Have a clear goal.
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Pay yourself first.
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Be prepared for anything.
Second, avoid making these five (all-too-common) mistakes.
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Delaying savings until later in your career.
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Making overly conservative investments.
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Misunderstanding your maximum match vs. maximum savings.
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Having a false sense of security.
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Settling for inadequate retirement planning.
Third, become a smart (or smarter) investor. Savings are vital. But they’re not enough. Investing wisely in stocks and bonds is the only — repeat, only — reliable way to become a “middle-class millionaire.” Government employees are in an ideal position to use one of the most boring, yet effective, investing strategies: dollar-cost averaging. It’s simple but powerful:
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You invest the same dollar amount every pay period or month.
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You buy more shares when the price dips and fewer shares when the price rises.
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Because of that, you can end up ahead of the game because overall, you’ll buy more shares at a discount.
Bonus Tip: Think for yourself, but work with a pro. Money is too central a part of our lives to relinquish full control to someone else, no matter how much you trust them. But consulting with a fee-only fiduciary financial advisor — because they have an ethical and legal obligation to “do unto others” as they would themselves — can help government employees with limited time to spend on their finances avoid emotional investment decisions and get expert advice on what can be highly technical money-management strategies.
NEW BOOK OUT NOW
Government workers can find many more tips in the new book, Middle-Class Millionaire Government Employees, a transformative guide by financial advisors Clark Kendall, CFA, AEP®, CFP®, and Carol Petrov, CFP®. The highly readable and practical book is a treasure trove of strategies to help government employees leverage their benefits and secure a prosperous future. Available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Mascot Books (ISBN: 978-1-63755-984-0).
Kendall and Petrov provide deep insights into maximizing your government benefits. Topics covered include:
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13 steps to becoming a middle-class millionaire
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Non-retirement perks and trade-offs
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State employee benefits
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Navigating federal retirement plans
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TSPs, 403(b)s, and 457s
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Common financial mistakes
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Pre-retirement considerations
Available for Interview: Clark A. Kendall and Carol L. Petrov, President and Vice President of Kendall Capital, are available for interviews to discuss the groundbreaking strategies and insights from Middle-Class Millionaire Government Employees. Who wants to be a millionaire? With the right moves, it could be you!
