- Introduction
- Fund Your Retirement Plans First
- Liquidity Needs
- Deposit Insurance
- Money Market Funds*
- Savings Bonds
- Emergency Funds
- Goals and Time Horizon
- Defining Risk
- What's Your Risk Profile?
- Why Take Any Risk?
- Asset Allocation
- Dollar-Cost Averaging
- Portfolio Management
- Buying Investments
- Putting It All Together
What If You Have an Emergency and Just Don't Have Enough Money in Liquid Assets?
It's important that you start to develop cash reserves. But you can't plan emergencies. So, here are some alternatives if you suddenly need money:
- a home equity loan or line of credit (you should establish this now if you think you will need it in the future)
- cashing in investments
- a loan on a margin account (if you own securities)
- a loan from a cash-value insurance policy
- a personal loan from your bank or credit union
- a loan from your 401(k) plan (NOTE: The unpaid balance is payable in full when you leave the employer.)
- Credit cards (least favorable)
Which you should select depends on your own situation. Choose whatever borrowing method has the lowest effective interest rate. The reason you shouldn't count non-cash investments as emergency funds is that they can fluctuate in value. Emergency funds, by definition, should be there when you need them. And you should have a very good idea of what their value will be. You can't do that with stocks and bonds and real estate.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Some planners recommend keeping part of your emergency reserves of liquid assets in short-term bond funds—bonds having maturities less than three years. But be aware that a sudden rise in interest rates can lower the value of your principal in the fund. Even short-term bond funds can fluctuate in value. So limit the amount of money you keep in these funds that you may need to quickly to convert to cash.
If you know that you don't have enough in emergency funds, but you do have good credit, this might be a good time to establish a line of credit which you can draw on in the future if you need to.
Securities and advisory services are offered through LPL Financial (LPL), a registered investment advisor and broker-dealer (member FINRA/SIPC). Insurance products are offered through LPL or its licensed affiliates. Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union and Mint Wealth Advisors are not registered as a broker-dealer or investment advisor. Registered representatives of LPL offer products and services using Mint Wealth Advisors, and may also be employees of Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union. These products and services are being offered through LPL or its affiliates, which are separate entities from, and not affiliates of, Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union or Mint Wealth Advisors. Securities and insurance offered through LPL or its affiliates are:
| Not Insured by NCUA or Any Other Government Agency | Not Credit Union Guaranteed | Not Credit Union Deposits or Obligations | May Lose Value |
*The LPL Financial Registered Representatives associated with this site may only discuss and/or transact securities business with residents of the following states: NJ, PA, NY, DE, AZ, MI, FL, MD, TX, VA, GA, NC.
Financial Learning Center content created by TrueBridge, Inc. The information provided is based upon sources and data believed to be accurate and reliable. The content contained herein is intended for information and illustrative purposes only, should not in any way be construed as a personal recommendation, and should be used in conjunction with individual professional advice.
