Financial Advisor Brian Raleigh Explains How Gas Prices and Inflation Affect Retirement Planning

Financial Advisor Brian Raleigh discusses how higher gas prices and inflation will affect your retirement and income planning.

Cary, NC – December 14, 2012 – Brian Raleigh, Founder of TruWealth Strategies in Cary, North Carolina, recently discussed how gas prices will affect your retirement planning and how inflation is a “stealth tax” waiting to happen.

“Gas prices affect us in many ways. The vast majority of what we eat and what we wear gets to stores by long haul truck delivery. For example, higher oil prices increase the production cost of fertilizers and food processing and these higher costs are passed on to consumers in the form of higher prices at the grocery store. As these cost increases ripple across multiple supply chains, they can push core inflation higher,” remarked Brian Raleigh.

The inflation rate in America is based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and is calculated by the government monitoring a “market basket of goods and services” to accurately index the cost increases we all deal with over time. The Bureau of Labor Statistics explains that the CPI represents all goods and services purchased for consumption by the reference population. These goods and services are broken into major categories such as Food/Beverages, Housing, Apparel, Transportation, Medical Care, Recreation, Education/Communication and others.

“The CPI does not include investment items, such as stocks, bonds, real estate, and life insurance, since these items relate to savings and not to day-to-day consumption expenses,” explained Brian Raleigh. “I found that quite interesting, because it is blind to market pressures and it excludes taxes which we already know are going up, starting in 2013. So, my clients who are in retirement face an increase in their cost of living due to higher taxes, but there isn’t any relief for that cost.”

Brian also offered three insights as to how this information informs the retirement-planning strategies for his clients. “First, taxes are undoubtedly going up. Second, regardless of economic maneuvers (what they call quantitative easing), what our clients buy is likely to get more expensive – even if the government’s ‘basket’ doesn’t want to own that reality.  Finally, we keep a close eye on our income-planning strategies, so that the retirees who place trust in us can continue to live the lifestyle they earned.”
For more information on how Brian Raleigh can help, please visit www.truwealth.us

About Brian Raleigh:

Brian began as an advisor in November of 1995 and spent more than eight years where he often ranked in the top 1 percent in his company. In 2004, he became an independent advisor and formed his own firm, TruWealth Strategies in Cary, NC.

In addition to keeping his clients satisfied, Brian’s proud to be finishing up a book. Keeping with his sports background, the book is titled, “Rounding Third and Heading for Home.” It’s due out this summer and discusses mistakes people can’t afford to make when they retire. He also reveals strategies on how to lower taxes, manage market risks, and create a consistent income stream in retirement that never runs out!

Brian obtained his LUTCF in 1999, with a focus on Estate and Business Planning. He is also a member of the Better Business Bureau and National Ethics Bureau. Brian is an active member in the Raleigh Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (RAIFA), where he served on the board for four years, and is a member of NAIFA the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors since 1997.

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