Now is time for long-term planning

It's true; you are just about out of time. However, according to the Financial Planning Association, Denver, Colo., it would be wise not to focus on the impending tax deadline so much as your overall retirement strategy. Here are some key moves to get your retirement in shape on a year-round basis.

Start saving. You have until April 17 to make a 2006 tax year contribution to a 401(k) Plan or IRA. If you were under the age of 50 during all of 2006, the contribution limit is $15,000; if you turned 50 by Dec. 31, 2006, the amount is $20,000. Also, income limits rose for making contributions to a Roth IRA. In 2007, singles now can deposit to a Roth if their income is between $99,000 and $114,000, while joint filers can earn between $156,000 and $166,000.

Fund the deadline. If you were under the age of 50 by year-end 2006, you can contribute up to $4,000 to your individual retirement account by April 17. If you were over 50, you can add $1,000 to that amount. That deadline goes for traditional IRAs, SEP-IRAs, Keogh, and Roth IRAs.

Be aware of new 401(k) transfer rules. Thanks to pension legislation passed in 2006, a child or nonspouse who inherits the money in a qualified disbursement can transfer it directly into an IRA and stretch out the distributions over a number of years at a considerably smaller tax bite.

Change withholding if necessary. There is no reason to be paying more taxes than necessary or struggling to pay your tax bill in April. Moreover, if you get a big tax refund this year, do not blow it; sock it away. You even can authorize the refund to be deposited directly into an IRA account.

Get beneficiaries in order. Each year, it makes sense to determine whether the beneficiaries on your retirement accounts and insurance policies are correct. If you have lost a relative, gotten divorced, or if any family circumstances have changed, review whether your money is going to who you want it to after you die. This also is pertinent for any investments you hold jointly with anyone else--if there is a chance you want to change those relationships, make it a point to do so during the year.

Check your will and powers of attorney. Retirement and estate planning should go hand-in-hand. Make sure that any unspent assets in your retirement go to the right people after your death, and that may affect how you plan. Check to see that all the names in your will are correct and that your health and durable powers of attorney are up-to-date. If these documents have not been drawn up, do so this year.

Talk to the kids. If you have adult children and are approaching retirement, discuss your retirement, estate, and long-term care plans with them. If you do not have a plan for long-term care, you need one--speak with a financial advisor about allocating your assets toward that end or the purchase of long-term care insurance.

Get your health in order. It may seem unrelated, but your health is going to become more critical to financial planning as years go by. Insurers long have viewed health records as a way to determine the price of policies but, depending on what happens in the future with records and privacy, health and age may become a critical factor in getting loans and other financial advantages. At the least, get in good shape in case you want to purchase longterm care insurance.

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COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning