USWCC | Asset Ownership by U.S. Women's Chamber of Commece

Confidence, Mastery, Achievement

ASSET OWNERSHIP: An Ownerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Guide to effective growth and management of assets and opportunities to achieve independence, influence, mobility, and retirement security.

Growth Master \'groth 'mas-ter\ n. One who has mastered the skill to effectively leverage, manage and grow their assets.

ASSET OWNERSHIP: An Owner’s Guide to effective asset and opportunity management

Introduction: Owner’s Guide

e live in a society driven by assets – many types of assets. Musicians leverage their talent asset by entertaining us and build a financial return on their asset by performing in orchestras and in concert. But, if a musician did not practice (grow), or perform (leverage), they would most likely never see a financial return on their asset. Assets are all around us – skills, education, homes, cash, businesses, jobs, savings, investments and even talent. The key is recognizing our available assets, actively managing our assets, and leveraging assets to achieve future benefit. Asset: A resource having economic value that an individual, corporation or country owns or controls with the expectation that it will provide future benefit. Ownership: The act of having and controlling. Ownership is not passive; it requires action. To maximize the value of an asset, the owner must act, must control. For example, a business owner purchases a piece of machinery used in the manufacturing of a product. If she never plugs it in, never turns it on, never places it into operation, the value sits dormant and the asset is wasted. This is why effective Asset Ownership is the key to achieving economic value and why becoming a Growth MasterTM is a key for women. To achieve a maximum return on our assets, we must commit to growing, managing, protecting and effectively leveraging our assets every day. This Owner’s Guide provides concepts of asset growth and management and lays the groundwork for individuals seeking to become masters of growth.

he effective management of assets and opportunities is essential for women seeking independence, influence and retirement security. Studies show that women have less assets available to them than men. And, women who are single heads of households have significantly less assets to leverage for long term security and retirement. Ultimately, assets are leveraged to achieve independence, mobility, influence and retirement security. So, women must work hard to grow, protect and leverage their assets. By becoming a Growth MasterTM we are empowered to competently initiate, grow, maximize, protect, use and pass-on wealth. Margot Dorfman, CEO U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce

Did you know? “Women’s earnings, upon which most of their asset accumulation relies, is only 76% of men’s. This wage gap adds up. Over a lifetime, a woman, on average, will earn $300,000 less than a similarly situated man. Compounding the problem of lower wages is the fact that women and minorities are disproportionately working in jobs that do not offer benefits like affordable health insurance or on-the-job training that allow them to advance. These expenses, if incurred, must be paid out of pocket and can cut substantially into savings that otherwise might be used for purchasing a home or planning for retirement.” – Women and Wealth: Expanding the Asset Development Paradigm (Anita F. Hill)

ASSET OWNERSHIP: An Owner’s Guide to effective asset and opportunity management

Mind-Set First. Then Skill-Set and Tool-Set. MIND-SET

TOOL -SET TOOL-SET

To become a Growth MasterTM, you must begin with a strong mind-set. No one else owns your assets. No one else is responsible for initiating, growing, maximizing, protecting, leveraging or passing on your assets. As the sole owner of your assets and opportunities, you are in charge. This is the mind-set of an owner – the mind-set of an effective Growth MasterTM.

With a powerful mind-set and skill-set, you are prepared to select and leverage the appropriate tools necessary to achieve your goals.

The ownership mind-set is active – with the privileges and responsibilities of ownership never outsourced. The complete acceptance of the ownership role drives the individual to gain asset management skills and to leverage efficient and effective tools to maximize and protect one’s assets.

You make good decisions and select the most efficient and effective tools that enable you to be the master of the process and achieve mobility, independence, influence, and retirement security. You maximize your opportunities and never let assets languish underutilized. You confidently select tools that leverage your assets and protect you from external risks and threats. As a complete Growth MasterTM you drive your own future.

SKILL -SET SKILL-SET Once you embrace an ownership mind-set, you are ready to move forward developing the skills necessary to make good decisions and take positive actions towards the management of your assets. As you grow your asset management skillset, you will learn how to see and value assets, accumulate assets, effectively and efficiently leverage assets, protect assets, and use assets to provide you with long term value. Becoming skilled at asset management is an essential step before moving forward to selecting the tools and methods you will use to achieve your goals. To be most effective, you should begin with mind-set and skill-set before moving forward to tool-set.

Have you accepted the ownership of your future? Ownership: The act of having and controlling. Ownership of: . . . your life . . . your choices . . . your business or career . . . your assets . . . your attitude . . . your influence . . . your financial future

AS ASASSET OWNERSHIP: An Owner’s Guide to effective asset and opportunity management

Examples of Effective Asset Ownership

CAREER

BUSINESS

HOME

RETIREMENT

Karen has one child and is planning to have a second. After her first child, Karen lost significant income when she took six months off of work and her employer promoted others instead of her. After returning to work, Karen seeks out a more familyfriendly employer and proves her value to the new employer.

Karen earns a promotion and works out a plan to smoothly enable her family leave and return. Karen’s husband also leverages his employer’s family leave benefits allowing Karen to return to work sooner. During her time home with her child, Karen continues her education through an online university. Upon return to work, she makes her employer aware of her continued education.

Susan has worked hard building her consulting business over the last ten years. Susan is a single mom/ head of the household. She realizes that she has a significant untapped asset – accounts receivables. Susan wants to put this asset to work and protect her business from the risk of claims that could seize this asset.

Susan also wants to assure that her retirement is secure, without worrying about selling her business or ongoing risky investments in securities. So, she leverages her accounts receivable asset to a secure a simple interest loan to purchase a life insurance policy that will guarantee the loan, protect her business asset and provide a steady stream of income for her retirement.

Maria and Matt have lived in their home for five years. During that time, the value of their home has gone up over forty percent.

Maria also checks with the auto dealership and knows that she and Matt qualify for a very low interest loan through the dealership’s lending program.

Matt wants to get a home equity loan to purchase a new truck. Maria realizes that a new truck will begin to depreciate immediately and that this is a poor use of this large asset.

Maria and Matt agree to make the most of this asset and assure that their retirement is secure. They leverage this asset to secure a financial product that will guarantee lifetime income.

Adrienne and Lee have retired and are living of f the cash flow generated by their retirement plan. However, they learn the life insurance they carry is worth much less than their total net worth. This means they have an impor tant asset that, if not

leveraged now will pass with them. But, they don’t want to disturb their current cash flow and investments. Their financial advisor shows them how to secure premium financing to leverage their net worth, secure additional life insurance and leave a legacy for their family or charity without any funds out of pocket. They work with their advisor, CPA and attorney to leverage this asset.

ASSET OWNERSHIP: An Ownerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Guide to effective asset and opportunity management

Leverage your Assets for Income, Profits & Fulfillment of Potential Whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s benefiting from the profits of your business? Have you realized the full value of your business assets? Many times business owners invest all their time and money in their business, believing they will sell their businesses to fund retirement. Unfortunately 74% of business owners fail to sell their businesses. How will you fund your retirement?

Whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s benefiting from your home loan?

Have you leveraged your net worth?

Have you ever stopped to think how mortgage lenders make money?

Have you leveraged your net worth without disturbing your cash flow to establish a legacy for your family or favorite charity?

A mortgage is a method of using property (asset) as security for the payment of a debt. Mortgage lenders leverage YOUR ASSET (your house) to secure the loan. Then, they take YOUR monthly payment (assets) and leverage that payment to earn interest on their investment. Or they simply sell YOUR ASSET to someone else and make money off of the sale. Can you do a better job of leveraging your assets?

If you are not looking at your net worth as an asset to be leveraged, you should. Many seniors plan for their retirement, leverage their assets to fund their retirement, and forget that they may have additional value in their net worth that can be leveraged to increase their legacy. Unleveraged net worth may pass with your death. Act to maximize the product of your hard work and leave a legacy.

ASSET OWNERSHIP: An Owner’s Guide to effective asset and opportunity management

Asset Management is a Lifelong Process

sset management is a lifelong process that includes the management of skills, education, homes, cash, businesses, jobs, savings, and investments. STAGES OF ASSET MANAGEMENT Each individual goes through several economic stages over the course of their life. The effective management of these stages will bring the greatest economic return, security and legacy. Initiate Wealth • Business and Career Education Grow Wealth • Business and Career Growth Maximize Wealth • Tax & Wealth Building Strategies Protect Wealth • Family & Home Use Wealth • Retirement

The Link Between Assets and Wealth

Pass On Wealth • Legacy

The identification of “wealth” and “assets” are closely linked. Wealth is something of value (an asset) that is capable of being appropriated or exchanged.

“Be the chess player, not the chess piece.”

Wealth: Anything that has utility and is capable of being appropriated or exchanged. Asset: A resource having economic value that an individual, corporation or country owns or controls with the expectation that it will provide future benefit.

ASSET OWNERSHIP: An Owner’s Guide to effective asset and opportunity management

The Circle of Wealth: Initiate, Grow, Maximize, Protect, Use and Pass On Assets

INITIATE WEALTH: Initiating wealth comes with the development of assets like education, career, or a business.

PASS ON WEALTH: One of the great values of asset management, is the ability to leave a legacy. Through effective asset management you will positively impact future generations.

® GROW WEALTH:

Many assets require nurturing and development to mature into the size or power necessary for leveraging. For instance, new businesses must develop positive cash flows, careers must advance, etc.

USE WEALTH: At some point, you will begin to use your wealth (and you may see the end of the wealth initiation stage). It is very important that you manage your assets effectively and have enough wealth to last through your retirement years.

MAXIMIZE WEALTH: As your assets grow and mature, you must learn and leverage tools that can limit taxation and maximize your return on assets.

As wealth grows, it is important to protect your assets from risks like natural disasters, health issues, legal claims, and loss.

PROTECT WEALTH:

ASSET O WNERSHIP: An Owner’s Guide to effective asset and opportunity management OWNERSHIP:

The Next Step is Yours

his Introduction to the Owner’s Guide to Asset Ownership provides concepts of asset growth and management and lays the groundwork for individuals seeking to become Growth MasterTM. The next step is yours. In following chapters of this Owner’s Guide, we will dig deep into all aspects of effective asset management. If you want to learn more, join our local or on-line Growth MasterTM sessions. Be part of the community of individuals who are mastering growth skills to leverage, manage and grow their assets – increasing their personal, financial, professional and community opportunities. Learn more at http:// www.uswcc.org/html/growth.aspx.

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