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3 Financial Statements, Tools, and Budgets

YOU MUST BE KIDDING, RIGHT?

The world of personal finances is getting more complicated and challenging each year. Recent economic times have been tough with some negative impacts on people's personal finances. Which one of the following statements is false?

A. Half of Americans have less than one month's income saved for a rainy day.

B. Half of adults say they do not budget.

C. Sixty percent of Americans say they live paycheck-to-paycheck.

D. Forty percent of Americans say they find it difficult to meet monthly expenses.

The answer is “none of the above” because all the statements are true. Clearly, many Americans are experiencing trouble with their personal finances. You can get smart about personal finances so these statements do not apply to you!

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

After reading this chapter, you should be able to:

Identify your financial values, goals, and strategies.

Use balance sheets and cash-flow statements to measure your financial health and progress.

Collect and organize the financial records necessary for managing your personal finances.

Achieve your financial goals through budgeting.

WHAT DO YOU RECOMMEND?

Austin and Rachel Patterson, both age 26, have been married for four years and have no children. Austin is a licensed electrician earning $46,000 per year, and Rachel earns $41,000 annually as a middle-school teacher. Austin would like to go to half time on his job and return to school on a part-time basis; he is one year short of finishing his bachelor's degree in engineering. His education expenses would be about $20,000 for the year, which could be partially covered by student loans. He has not yet discussed his plans with Rachel.

Austin and Rachel have recently started saving for retirement through their employment and have set aside some savings for emergencies. They have substantial credit card debt and are still paying off their student loans. The couple rents a two-bedroom apartment. Austin always thought it smart to save all of their receipts, bank statements, and other financial documents. His system for organizing their records is very simple; each month he puts everything in a manila envelope and then puts the 12 envelopes into a box at the end of the year.

Austin knows that his educational plans will have financial implications for the couple. He wants to factor these financial issues into his discussion with Rachel about his plans. To this point, they have never developed financial statements or explicit financial goals.

What do you recommend to Austin for his talk with Rachel on the subject of financial planning regarding:

1. Setting financial goals?

2. Determining what they own and owe?

3. Using the information in Austin's newly prepared financial statements to summarize the family's financial situation?

4. Evaluating their financial progress?

5. Setting up a record-keeping system to better serve their needs?

6. Starting a budgeting process to guide saving and spending?

Sixty percent of all adults say they do not budget. Four in ten say they are living beyond their means and rate themselves as fair or poor in managing money. A similar percentage say they find it difficult to meet monthly expenses. They live paycheck-to-paycheck, and they often turn to credit cards. They are incompetent in money matters, and their choices will forever make them the “have nots” in society rather than the “haves.” Living above your means can lead to financial ruin at a young age. If you always live below your means, you will always have means. That's the secret.

To not mess up your financial life you must avoid living paycheck-to-paycheck because this lets your spending dictate your savings. Save first so you can spend later. To succeed you need to follow a spending plan that includes savings, take appropriate actions to achieve results, and regularly measure your financial strength and progress. No matter what your previous financial background, applying the knowledge within this chapter will help you enjoy financial decision making and be successful in managing your money.

What is important is not how much money you have. It is how well you spend your money. At its essence wealth is not measured by how much you make, rather it is how much you hang onto.

3.1 FINANCIAL VALUES, GOALS, AND STRATEGIES

LEARNING OBJECTIVE 1

Identify your financial values, goals, and strategies.

Identifying your financial values and goals sets the stage for financial success. Values and goals help you keep a balance between spending and saving and make you stay committed to your financial plans. Once goals are set, you can develop the strategies necessary for their achievement. Financial planning, which is the process of developing and implementing a coordinated series of financial plans, can help you achieve financial success. By planning your personal finances, you seek to manage your income and wealth so that you reach your financial goals throughout your lifetime.

Figure 3-1 provides an overview of effective personal financial planning. Table 3-1 illustrates one couple's (Harry and Belinda Johnson) overall financial plan.

Figure 3-1 How to Achieve Financial Goals

Table 3-1 Financial Plans, Goals, and Objectives for Harry (Age 23) and Belinda (Age 22) Johnson, Prepared in February 2015

Financial Plan Areas

Long-Term Goals and Objectives

Short-Term Goals and Objectives

FOR SPENDING

Evaluate and plan major purchases

Purchase a new car in two years.

Begin saving $200 a month for a downpayment for a new car.

Manage debt

Keep installment debt under 10 percent of take-home pay.

Pay off charge cards at the end of each month and do not finance any purchases of appliances or other similar products.

FOR RISK MANAGEMENT

Medical costs

Avoid large medical costs.

Maintain employer-subsidized medical insurance policy by paying $135 monthly premium.

Property and casualty losses

Always have renter's or homeowner's insurance.

Always have maximum automobile insurance coverage.

Make semiannual premium payment of $220 on renter's insurance policy. Make premium payments of $440 on automobile insurance policy.

Liability losses

Eventually buy $1 million liability insurance.

Rely on $100,000 policy purchased from same source as automobile insurance policy.

Premature death

Have adequate life insurance coverage for both as well as lots of financial investments so the survivor would not have any financial worries.

Maintain employer-subsidized life insurance on Belinda.

Buy some life insurance for Harry.

Start some investments.

Income loss from disability

Buy sufficient disability insurance.

Rely on sick days and seek disability insurance through private insurers.

FOR CAPITAL ACCUMULATION

Tax fund

Have enough money for taxes (but not too much) withheld from monthly salaries by both employers to cover eventual tax liabilities.

Confirm that employer withholding of taxes is sufficient. Have extra money withheld to cover additional tax liability because of income on trust from Harry's deceased father.

Revolving savings fund

Always have sufficient cash in local accounts to meet monthly and annual anticipated budget expense needs.

Develop cash-flow calendar to ascertain needs. Put money into revolving savings fund to build it up quickly to the proper balance. Keep all funds in interest-earning accounts.

Emergency fund

Build up monetary assets equivalent to three months' take-home pay.

Put $150 per month into an emergency fund until it totals one month's take-home pay.

Education

Maintain educational skills and credentials to remain competitive.

Have employer assist in paying for Belinda to earn a master of business administration (MBA).

Have Harry complete a master of fine arts (MFA), possibly a PhD in interior design.

Both take one graduate class per term.

Savings

Always have a nice-size savings balance.

Regularly save to achieve goals.

Save a portion of any extra income or gifts.

Save $26,000 for a down payment on a home to be bought within five years.

Save enough to pay cash for the newest smart phone.

Pay off Visa credit card balance of $390 soon.

Begin saving $400 per month for a down payment on a new home.

Investment

Own substantial shares of a conservative mutual fund that will pay dividends equivalent to about 10 percent of family income at age 45.

Start investing in a mutual fund before next year.

Retirement

Own some real estate and common stocks. Retire at age 60 or earlier on income that is the same as the take-home pay earned just before retirement.

Establish individual retirement accounts (IRAs) for Harry and Belinda before next year.

Contribute the maximum possible amount to employer-sponsored retirement accounts.

Estate planning

Provide for surviving spouse.

Each spouse makes a will.

YOUR NEXT FIVE YEARS

In the next five years, you can start achieving financial success by doing the following related to financial statements, tools, and budgets:

1. Develop financial goals and update them annually.

2. Develop a cash-flow statement and spending plan every month to ensure that you spend less than you make.

3. Track your net worth and financial ratios annually to assess your financial progress.

4. Use an uncomplicated but effective personal financial record-keeping system.

5. Openly and honestly communicate about money matters with key loved ones on a regular basis.

Such excellent managerial efforts help push them toward achieving financial success. The couple has made plans in 15 specific areas spread across three broad categories: (1) spending, (2) risk management, and (3) capital accumulation. Some people choose not to make a financial plan. The fact is that not having a financial plan is still a plan, it is just a really bad plan.

3.1a Values Define Your Financial Success

Your values provide the underlying support and rationale for your financial and lifestyle goals. Your values are your fundamental beliefs about what is important, desirable, and worthwhile. They serve as the basis for your goals. All of us differ in the ways we value education, spiritual life, health, employment, credit use, family life, and many other factors. Personal financial goals grow out of these values because we inevitably consider some things more important or desirable than others. We express our values, in part, by the ways we spend, save, invest, and donate our money.

values Fundamental beliefs about what is important, desirable, and worthwhile.

3.1b “Sacrifice Now or Suffer Later” Is a Key Value

One major benefit of financial planning is using money wisely. People who are smart about personal finance typically value saving some of their income. They adhere to the personal finance philosophy of “Pay myself first.” If you earn money, shouldn't you be “paid” first? Successful money managers do this instead of spending it all or, even worse, spending even more than they earn by using credit. They establish a current spending level based on the necessities of life. They set aside money for future spending, such as for a vehicle purchase, home, child's education, vacation home, and living expenses during the years of retirement. They live well while preparing for the future. If you do not save early in life, you definitely will have a lower level of living later.

3.1c Financial Goals Follow from Your Values

Successful financial planning evolves from your financial goals. Financial goals are the specific long-, intermediate-, and short-term objectives to be attained through financial planning and management efforts. Financial and lifestyle goals should be consistent with your values. To serve as a rational basis for financial actions, they must be stated explicitly in terms of purpose, dollar amounts, and the projected dates by which they are to be achieved.

financial goals Specific objectives addressed by planning and managing finances.

Set Specific Goals Setting goals helps you visualize the gap between your current financial status and where you want to be in the future. Make a list of your goals. Examples of general financial goals include finishing a college education, paying off credit card debts, repaying education loans, meeting financial emergencies, taking a vacation, owning a home, accumulating funds to send children through college, owning your own business, creating peace of mind, ensuring family harmony, and having financial independence at retirement.

The path toward turning a wish into reality begins with writing it down. If buying a condo is your goal, tape a photograph of a beautiful one onto your refrigerator. Then tell others about your financial goal. The public affirmations and constant reminders will help you make it into a reality.

Put Target Dates on Your Financial Goals Setting target dates for financial goals is important for success. Consider the example of Stephanie Vogel, a dance instructor from Champaign, Illinois. Stephanie has just made the last $347 payment on her four-year car loan. She does not like being in debt, so she does not want to take out such a large loan again. Stephanie would like to put at least part of the money she has been paying monthly for the loan into a savings account, which would allow her to replace her current vehicle in four or five years. Stephanie figures that it would take about $22,500 to buy a similar inexpensive high-mileage used vehicle in five years. She assumes she could earn a 2 percent return on her savings and, using Appendix A.3 , has determined that she would need to save $4323 per year ($22,500 ÷ 5.2040 for five years at 2 percent interest), or roughly $360 per month.

Stephanie's thinking offers a good example of how proper financial goal setting works. She recognized the value she put on staying out of debt and proceeded to the general goal of trying to pay cash for her next car. After determining an overall dollar amount needed, she broke that amount down into first annual and then monthly amounts. For only $13 more per month than she has been paying on her loan ($360−$347), Stephanie will be able to pay cash for her next car. This is the sacrifice she is willing to make to avoid using credit to buy a vehicle in the future.

Prioritize Your Goals Once your financial goals are clearly identified, you can decide which are the most important. You simply prioritize the list by making trade-off decisions on what you can do with your finances in the near term as well as in the more distant future.

3.1d Financial Goals Require Wealth-Building Principles

Following are several wealth-building principles that may help you achieve your financial goals:

1. Set clear financial goals both in the short and long term.

2. Save by paying yourself first out of your paycheck.

3. Pay credit card balances in full each month.

4. Spend less than you earn.

5. Participate in the retirement plan at work.

6. Take full advantage of your employer's match on retirement savings.

7. Buy a home for the tax advantages.

8. Pay off your home before retirement.

9. Be patient when investing for the long term.

10. Live every day knowing that your financial future is under control.

3.1e Financial Strategies Guide Your Financial Success

Financial strategies are pre-established plans of action to be implemented in specific situations. Stephanie Vogel implemented an effective strategy in the preceding example. That is, when a loan has been repaid, start a savings program with the same monthly payment amount. Saving may be easier for Stephanie if she arranges for the amount she would like to save to be automatically deposited from her paycheck into her savings account. Another useful savings strategy is to arrange for as much as 75 percent of any raises or bonuses to go into savings before you become accustomed to the additional income.

financial strategies Pre-established action plans implemented in specific situations.

CONCEPT CHECK 3.1

1. Summarize the financial planning process.

2. Explain the relationships among financial values, goals, and strategies.

3.2 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS MEASURE YOUR FINANCIAL HEALTH AND PROGRESS

LEARNING OBJECTIVE 2

Use balance sheets and cashflow statements to measure your financial health and progress.

Financial statements are compilations of personal financial data that describe an individual's or family's current financial condition. They present a summary of assets and liabilities as well as income and spending of an individual or family. The two most useful statements are the balance sheet and the cash-flow statement.

financial statements Snapshots that describe an individual's or family's current financial condition.

DID YOU KNOW

Money Topics to Discuss with Your Partner

When you find the right partner, it is smart to do the following:

• Change beneficiaries. Life insurance policies, mutual fund accounts, and retirement accounts all have beneficiaries (the people who will receive the funds at your death) named when you set them up. (See chapters 12, 15, and 17.)

• Coordinate employee benefits. Couples often have two incomes today, so each has a menu of employee benefits from which to choose. As a result, one spouse may drop a benefit that is being received via the other's plan. (See chapter 1.)

• Update life insurance coverage. Focus on term life insurance for the bulk of your needs. (See chapter 12.)

• Review auto and homeowner's insurance coverages. Also inventory your personal property. (See chapter 10.)

• Update names with government agencies. If one or both partners' names are changed as a result of your new status, you need to notify the Social Security Administration and driver's licensing office of that change. You will need to show your marriage certificate as proof of the change.

• Close redundant bank accounts. Reducing the number of accounts that each partner brings into the marriage can save money on account fees. Decide which accounts are “yours, mine, or ours.” (See chapters 5 and 6 for more on managing accounts.)

• Get out of debt. One or both of you may bring debts into the new family. Because a couple can live together a little more cheaply than two individuals who live apart, funds can be freed up to pay off credit cards, student loans, and other borrowing. (See chapters 6, 7, and 9.)

• Decide on how to manage money. Decide on who pays what bills and makes investment decisions. Decide on whether or not each person will have individual control over certain money. Decide on who pays for the debt that precedes the relationship. Decide on who pays for gift giving. Decide on what money tasks you will do together, such as establishing annual financial goals, making purchases with debt, and agreeing on which expenditures require joint agreement, like an expense over $300. (See chapter 5 for how to effectively discuss money matters.)

• Save for retirement separately. Day-to-day living expenses will go down somewhat when you team up as a couple. use some of that money to allocate additional amounts to your individual retirement plans. (See chapter 17.)

• Update estate transfer plans. With a new “number one” in your life, you should change (or set up) your will, durable power of attorney, living will, and health care proxy. (See chapter 11.)

A balance sheet (or net worth statement ) describes an individual's or family's financial condition on a specified date (often January 1) by showing assets, liabilities, and net worth. It provides a current status report and includes information on what you own, what you owe, and what the net result would be if you paid off all of your debts. It answers the question, “Where are you financially right now?”

balance sheet or net worth statement Snapshot of assets, liabilities, and net worth on a particular date.

A cash-flow statement (or income and expense statement ) lists and summarizes income and expense transactions that have taken place over a specific period of time, such as a month or a year. It tells you where your money came from and where it went. It answers the question, “Where did your money go?”

cash-flow statement or income and expense statement Summary of all income and expense transactions over a specific time period.

3.2a The Balance Sheet Is a Snapshot of Your Financial Status Right Now

To benchmark where you are on the wealth-building scale, determine your net worth. If you are indeed serious about your financial success, then you will sit down soon with pencil and paper or at your computer to see exactly where you stand. You do so by preparing your balance sheet, which summarizes the value of what you own minus what you owe. Your balance sheet should be updated at least once each year and compared to previous ones, so save all your old financial statements. Then you can assess your progress over the years. Net worth grows slowly, but it definitely increases over time. If you are successful in your career and follow the basic principles outlined in this book, there is no reason why you cannot have a net worth of $1 million, or $2 million or more, later in your life. Net worth typically peaks for people in their 50s or 60s (see Figure 3-2 on page 73) and declines thereafter as one lives off their financial nest egg in retirement.

Components of the Balance Sheet A balance sheet consists of three parts: assets, liabilities, and net worth. Your assets include everything you own that has monetary value. Your liabilities are your debts—amounts you owe to others. Your net worth is the dollar amount left when what is owed is subtracted from the dollar value of what is owned—that is, if all the assets were sold at the listed values and all debts were paid in full. Your net worth is the true measure of your financial wealth.

assets Everything you own that has monetary value.

liabilities What you owe.

net worth What's left when you subtract liabilities from assets.

What Is Owned—Assets Are “The Things You Own.” The assets section of the balance sheet lists items valued at their fair market value—what a willing buyer would pay a willing seller, not the amount originally paid or what it might be worth a year from now. It is useful to classify assets as monetary, tangible, or investment assets.

Monetary assets (also known as liquid assets or cash equivalents ) include cash and low-risk near-cash items that can be readily converted to cash with little or no loss in value such as checking and savings accounts. They are primarily used for maintenance of living expenses, emergencies, savings, and payment of bills.

monetary assets/liquid assets/cash equivalents Assets that can be used as cash.

Tangible (or use or lifestyle ) assets are personal property whose primary purpose is to provide maintenance of one's everyday lifestyle. Tangible assets, such as furniture and vehicles, generally depreciate in value over time.

tangible/use/lifestyle assets Personal property used to maintain your everyday lifestyle.

Investment assets (also known as capital assets ) include tangible and intangible items that have a relatively long life and high cost and that are acquired for the monetary benefits they provide, such as generating additional income and appreciation (or increasing in value). Examples include stocks and bonds. Investment assets generally appreciate and are dedicated to the maintenance of one's future level of living.

investment/capital assets Tangible and intangible items acquired for their monetary benefits.

Following are some examples of each kind of asset.

Monetary Assets

• Cash (including cash on hand, checking accounts, savings accounts, savings bonds, certificates of deposit, and money market accounts)

• Tax refunds due

• Money owed to you by others

Tangible Assets

• Automobiles, motorcycles, boats, bicycles

• House, condominium, mobile home

• Household furnishings and appliances

• Personal property (jewelry, furs, tools, clothing)

• Other “big ticket” items

Investment Assets

• Stocks, bonds, mutual funds, gold, partnerships, art, IRAs

• Life insurance and annuities (cash values only)

• Real property (and anything fixed to it)

• Personal and employer-provided retirement accounts

What Is Owed—Liabilities Are “The Money You Owe”The liabilities section of the balance sheet summarizes debts owed, including both personal and business-related debts. The debt could be either a short-term (or current ) liability , an obligation to be paid off within one year, or a long-term (or noncurrent ) liability, debts that do not have to be paid in full until more than a year from now. To be accurate, record debt obligations at their current payoff amounts (excluding future interest payments). Following are some examples of items to include in the liabilities section of a balance sheet, with some suggested subheadings.

short-term (current) liability Obligation paid off within one year.

long-term (noncurrent) liability Debt that comes due in more than one year.

Short-Term (or Current) Liabilities

• Personal loans owed to other people

• Credit card and charge account balances

• Other open-end credit obligations

• Professional services unpaid (doctors, dentists, chiropractors, lawyers)

• Taxes unpaid

• Past-due rent, utility bills, and insurance premiums

Long-Term Liabilities

• Automobile loans

• Real estate mortgages

• Home equity (second mortgage) loan

• Consumer installment loans and leases (although a lease is technically not a debt)

• Education loans

• Margin loans on securities

DO IT IN CLASS

Net Worth—What Is Left Is “A Measure of Your Financial Worth” Net worth is determined by subtracting liabilities from assets, as indicated in (Equation 3.1) the net worth formula:

or

This formula assumes that if you converted all assets to cash and paid off all liabilities, the remaining cash would be your net worth. For example, if your items of value had a fair market value of $8000 and the amount you owe to others is $4500, your net worth, or wealth, is $3500($8000-$4500). Figure 3-2 shows household net worth figures by age group. College students typically have more debts than assets; thus they are technically insolvent because they have a negative net worth. When students graduate and take on full-time jobs, typically their balance sheets change dramatically after a few years.

insolvent When a person owes more than he or she owns and the person has a negative net worth.

Sample Balance Sheet The total assets on a balance sheet must equal the total liabilities plus the net worth. Both sides must balance, which is the source of the name “balance sheet.” You decide how much detail to include to show your financial condition accurately on a given date. The balance sheet shown in Table 3-2 (page 74) reflects the degree of detail and complexity that might be included for a couple with two children (Victor and Maria Hernandez).

3.2b Strategies to Increase Your Net Worth

You can increase your net worth by increasing assets, decreasing liabilities, or doing both. One way to increase assets and net worth is to cut back on spending. Perhaps consider forgoing the cup of coffee or soda you buy each day as you head to class, as any decrease in spending leaves money in the bank as an asset ($5 day × 200 days = $1000). Reducing expenses on high-cost items, such as housing and transportation, will have an even greater effect on assets. A second way to increase net worth is to increase income to build assets or pay down debts. For example, as you earn more money, perhaps consider saving half or more of the difference between your new income and your old income rather than using the added money for more spending. Third, paying off debt, especially high-interest credit card balances, can quickly increase net worth.

Figure 3-2 Median Net Worth by Age

3.2c The Cash-Flow Statement Tracks Where Your Money Came From and Went

The cash-flow (or income and expense) statement summarizes the total amounts that have been received and spent over a period of time, usually one month or one year. It shows whether you were able to live within your income during that time period. It reflects the flow of funds in and out.