Financial Focus


Time for “spring cleaning” of your investments


Spring is here — time to spruce


up your house, get rid of clutter and get things organized. But this year, go beyond your home and yard when you do your spring cleaning and look for ways to re- juvenate your investment portfo- lio.


Of course, you don’t have to take


an “out with the old, in with the new” approach just for the sake of changing things up. But to consis- tently make progress toward your financial goals, you may need to make adjustments in response to


changes in the financial markets, the economy and your personal situation. And springtime is as good a time as any to take a fresh look at your investment situation. So consider these suggestions: • Dispose of things that aren’t


working. Whether it’s a burnt-out computer, a non-vacuuming vacu- um cleaner or a treadmill that lost its grip back when “the Web” was reserved for spiders, we all own things that are no longer useful. And the same may be true of some of your investments. If one hasn’t


performed the way you had hoped, and you’ve given it adequate time, you may be better off by replacing it and using the proceeds to pur- chase another investment. • Get rid of duplicates. If you


went through everything in your house, you might find several items that do the same thing. Do you really need two toaster ovens? And how many radios can you lis- ten to at one time? If you looked at your investment portfolio in this same way, you might be sur- prised to find some redundancies. For example, do you own several stocks issued by similar compa- nies that make similar products? Tis might not be a problem when the stock market is booming, but it could be a definite concern if a downturn affects the industry to which these companies belong. Always look for ways to diversify your holdings. While diversifi- cation, by itself, can’t guarantee profits or protect against loss, it can help you reduce the effects of volatility. • Put things back in order.


Over time, and inadvertently, the spaces in your home can get “out of balance.” Perhaps you have too many chairs in one corner, your flat-screen television is crowding out your family pictures, or your new desk takes up too much space in your home office. With some rearranging, however, you can usually get things back in order. And the same need for rearrange- ment may apply to your portfolio, which might have become unbal- anced with too much of one in- vestment and too little of another. Tis situation could undermine your financial strategy, especially if the imbalance means you are taking on too much risk or, con- versely, if your holdings have be- come too conservative to provide the growth you need. So look for ways to restore your portfolio to its proper balance — one that re- flects your risk tolerance, time ho- rizon and long-term goals. By giving your portfolio an an-


nual spring cleaning, you can help make sure it reflects your current needs and is positioned to help you make progress toward your key financial objectives. And you won’t even have to get near the dust cloths or furniture polish.


Tis article was written by Ed-


ward Jones for use by Bill Bough- ton, Weaverville’s local Edward Jones Financial Advisor.


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REVIEW. RENEW. RETIRE.


There are many opportunities this year to help you renew your efforts to save for retirement and stay focused on reaching your retirement goals. These opportunities include:


❚ ❚ Opening or fully contributing to a traditional or Roth IRA by April 15 to help maximize saving for retirement in a tax-advantaged manner


❚ ❚ Consolidating retirement accounts to get a clearer picture of your retirement


❚ ❚ Converting all or part of a tax-deferred IRA to a Roth IRA so you can receive tax-free income*


in retirement


Call today to schedule a review. We’ll meet face to face to gain a better understanding of your current situation and discuss your opportunities to help move your retirement forward.


* Earnings distributions from a Roth IRA may be subject to taxes and a 10% penalty if the account is less than five years old and the owner is under age 59½.


Bill Boughton, AAMS® Financial Advisor


.


61 Weaver Boulevard Weaverville, NC 28787 828-645-0341


www.edwardjones.com/renew Member SIPC


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