Assignment

Imagine you are meeting with friends to discuss the importance of investments as part of a retirement plan.

Read the following summaries of the financial situation and goals of two of your friends:

Kathy

Kathy is a 28-year-old, single mother of twin boys. She has been working as a public relations media specialist for three years, having worked at the same company where she started out answering the phones. She has her B.A. in Communications and a student loan of $20,000 she has not yet begun to pay off. Her job pays $70,000 a year. She receive no financial support from the father of her twins. Her costs include paying for childcare, credit cards, and a mortgage. She is able to set aside between $200-325 a month in a savings account. Her financial goals are to pay off the remaining $1,000 of her credit card debt, and to begin contributing to a retirement plan. Her employer offers a 401k with a 3% match, and she is not yet enrolled in that plan.

Jackson

Jackson is a recently graduated 44-year-old, single man. He earned his B.S. in Criminal Justice and just recently started a job at the local police department earning $45,000 a year. Jackson pays child support for one child from a previous marriage. His student loans total $30,000, and he has no other debt at this time. He expects to have $200 a month to contribute toward his goals of owning a home and having a more secure retirement.

Choose one friend and write an APA-formatted, 3- to 4-page proposal advising a friend about investing for the future. The text of your proposal should be a minimum of 700 words. You may add any graphics or illustrations that support your proposal.

Address the following in your proposal:

· Why is investment planning important?

· How would you suggest your friend start retirement planning? What steps should he/she take to start?

· What investment strategy would you suggest? Why? (Note: Your strategy should explain how money could be invested in stocks, bonds, mutual funds or a mix of all.)

· Of what risks and rewards of investing should your friend be aware?

· How could your friend minimize the risks associated with investing risk?

· Provide two to three resources you would offer to your friend to continue learning more about investments and retirement planning and discuss how these can help.

Your paper must cite two to three academic resources (only one source can be your class textbook).