Laela Erickson, BFA

Retirement on your mind? Here are eight steps to help you move more confidently toward the years ahead.

Blueprint to better prepare for retirement Retirement is one of the biggest life decisions you’ll ever make.

One step you should never miss when building generational wealth? Sharing your financial knowledge! What are some of your favorite ways to instill healthy financial habits in your children?

Concerned inflation could impact your retirement investment returns? Learn more about how guaranteed income options can help you minimize this risk. Here are some factors to consider so you can feel confident in your strategy.

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Are you or someone you know going to be a first-time parent soon? Here is a checklist that can help you financially prepare for the arrival of the new family member.

A 7-point financial checklist for new parents The cost of raising a child to age 18 is rising: The United States Department of Agriculture, which has charted this number since 1960, estimates parents will spend approximately $284,570 on food, shelter, and other essentials. What’s more, this estimate can escalate beyond the government average,...

It might make you feel safer to sit on your cash during times of volatility, but it may be losing value every day due to the impact of inflation. Let’s connect today and discuss strategies.

The risk of avoiding risk Investing has many risks, but just as much of a risk could be doing nothing at all.

Having a 401(k) may not cover all of your retirement needs. Have you considered pairing a Roth IRA with your Traditional 401(k)? Here are some benefits of having both.

Pairing a Roth IRA with your 401(k) Having a Roth IRA and a 401(k) can be a helpful step in your retirement planning. Learn more about the differences between the two and benefits of both.

Whether you’re looking to invest for the short term or the long haul, mutual funds may be flexible enough to meet your needs. Read on for more information and how they compare to other investment options.

What is a mutual fund? Mutual funds provide access to the stock and bond markets for a relatively low initial investment and offer potential to grow your money or generate income. Learn about the variety of investing approaches available with mutual funds.

You don’t have to be rich to be generous. Making a simple change to your retirement plan could help you pass down more to the people—and causes—you care about most. You choose your approach:

➜ Keep your retirement plan as-is: Your heirs are burdened with paying taxes on the amount they receive – at their tax rate.

➜ Plan with future generations in mind: Your beneficiaries may pay less in taxes on the amount they receive, leaving them more of what you envisioned.

➜ Plan with future generations and charity in mind. Your loved ones pay no income tax on the amount they receive and organizations you love receive an income tax-free benefit.

Questions? Let’s talk!

Thrivent and its financial advisors and professionals do not provide legal, accounting or tax advice. Consult your attorney or tax professional.

Are dominating your life (or your finances)? Money Canvas, Thrivent's free online money coaching program, helps you find creative ways to save more and spend less.

Connect with a friendly coach to get your spending under control, making it easier to tackle head on --> https://bit.ly/3QDqyEC

Natural disasters can cause a lot of unexpected damage, inconvenience and concern. One way to help make the entire situation more manageable is to have a strong plan in place for safeguarding your financial details.

Creating a financial emergency plan for natural disasters | Thrivent When disaster strikes, it helps to be prepared. Keep reading to learn why it's important to create a financial emergency plan for natural disasters.

Thinking about purchasing life insurance and not sure where to start? Here are the different types of life insurance and reasons why you may want to get coverage.

Protecting what's important: Your insurance options explained Many of the financial decisions we make are motivated by the people we love and care for. Whether we're looking to support our loved ones today or well after we're gone, it's reassuring to know that, with the right financial preparation, we can create a strategy to protect the people that matter to....

Thrivent investment leaders shared some great insights on inflation and interest rates in their recent Market and Economic Update. If you missed it, check out a recording of the event: https://bit.ly/3xn0qqJ

Protect your retirement savings by implementing these five tax-efficient strategies into your retirement plan.

5 tax-efficient strategies to include in your retirement plan Nearing retirement age? These tax-efficient strategies – starting with your 2022 tax filing – can help you reduce your taxes for the long term. While Thrivent does not provide specific legal or tax advice, we can partner with you and your tax professional or attorney.

Whatever happens with the market, there are steps you can take that may help to mitigate the effects of volatility.

3 ways to approach market volatility Volatility is an inevitable part of investing in the stock market, but you can help reduce its impact by diversifying your holdings, staying in the market no matter what, and keeping with your investing plan through the rough patches.

Wondering how you can instill a lifelong habit of investing into your children? Check out these strategies you can use to help them learn the value of investing.

Investing habits you can share with your kids One of the basic truths of life is that your children learn how to do things by watching you. If you want them to treat others with kindness and to practice patience while driving, it’s key that you do those things yourself.

As the economy continues to click in certain key areas like jobs, manufacturing, and consumer spending, the task of the Fed to tame inflation has become even more difficult. Read the full report to stay abreast of the economy and the markets.

August 2022 Market Update: Economy on a teeter-totter as Fed tries to tame inflation The stock and bond markets rebounded nicely in July, unemployment dropped to a post-pandemic low of just 3.5%, demand in the labor market continued to outpace supply, manufacturing remained solid, and gas prices at the pump retreated – all favorable signs for the economy.

Wondering how you should navigate a volatile market? Take a look at these six steps for coping with a declining or volatile market.

How to handle a volatile market: Timely advice for challenging times Recent volatility in the stock market has been unsettling for many investors who may be wondering whether it's time to overhaul their investment strategy-or maybe even pull their money out of the market in case it continues to slide.

Want to make sure you’re prioritizing your child’s education and your own retirement at the same time? Here are some general guidelines on saving for both along with educational funding options you can explore.

Saving for college and your retirement: Finding the balance You can save for your child’s educational costs and your retirement. It may require some sacrifice over many years, but you can help your child without significantly undermining your own retirement plans.

From charitable giving to reinvesting, here are meaningful ways you can use your required minimum distributions (RMDs) in retirement.

6 ways to use required minimum distributions in retirement After focusing on saving for decades, shifting your retirement money mindset to withdrawing those savings could take some effort. But once you’ve retired, that might be exactly what you must learn to do—whether you feel that you need the money or not.

Ever notice how luxuries sometimes become necessities? When your spending increases along with your income, this is known as “lifestyle creep.” Here's how you can stay in control:

✔ Set a budget that works for you and is realistic.
✔ Keep tabs on your spending habits.
✔ Be mindful of new purchases.
✔ Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

Read more about lifestyle creep and how to avoid it: https://bit.ly/3b1YbRE

Rather than fear market volatility, why not take advantage of dollar cost averaging to try and improve your long-term returns?

Don’t Fear Volatility - Capitalize On It Through Dollar Cost Averaging Article Dollar cost averaging lets you ride out market volatility and take advantage of potential upward trends by sticking to a set investment amount every month so you’re buying more shares when prices are low and fewer when they are high.

What kind of retirement lifestyle do you want? Thrivent’s IncomeMatch questionnaire can help you determine the best approach for income in retirement based on your risk tolerance level: https://bit.ly/3JDbymF

It’s almost time for the 2023 Live Generously® T-shirt vote! We all know Thrivent clients love their Live Generously T-shirts and we love your hearts for generosity. Voting opens on August 1. See the new design options here: https://bit.ly/3ILaoa2

Is your child starting their first year of college soon? Make sure they're prepared financially by having a conversation around budgeting and saving.

Have you reviewed your retirement saving strategy lately to see if you are on track? Check out Thrivent’s Ultimate Guide to Retirement by Age for general benchmarks on how much you should be saving during each decade of your life.

The ultimate guide to retirement savings by age This series breaks down retirement savings by age, covering detailed guidelines on the best financial moves to make at every time of your life.

With inflation and fears of a recession rattling the markets, what is ahead for investors? What are the prospects for growth in the stock and bond markets once the bear market has run its course? Thrivent Chief Investment Strategist Steve Lowe offers a detailed look at the current state of the market and prospects for the future.

3rd Quarter 2022 Market Outlook A look ahead as inflation brings bear market realities Accelerating inflation, war in Europe, and aggressive monetary tightening policies by the Federal Reserve (Fed) were the major contributors to one of the worst quarters in decades for financial assets.

Did you know that your Roth IRA can be used for more than retirement? It can also be used towards purchasing a new home or college funding. Read further for more details.

Roth IRA benefits go beyond retirement Roth IRAs (Individual Retirement Accounts) are often touted for their tax-advantaged retirement savings benefits, but your Roth IRA can also serve as a financial resource beyond retirement savings. Learn more.