Millionaire Money Moves
to Make in 2020
By Chris Hogan
Ready or not, it’s here: 2020. I’ll bet you’ve already heard all kinds of speculation from the “experts” about the economy this year. How will the election impact the stock market? What about real estate trends?
No matter what happens, I want you to hear me loud and clear: The American Dream is alive and available to those who are willing to work for it. Anyone in this country can become a millionaire, but it won’t happen by accident.
The key is to start acting like a millionaire before you become one. And you can do that today. Kick-start your year by making one (or all) of these three millionaire money moves.
Double down on your mortgage payments. It takes the average millionaire 10.2 years to pay off their home. These folks understand a key wealth-building principle: Interest that you pay is a penalty, and interest that you earn is a reward.
Make yourself rich—not the bank or the mortgage company! Even if you can only increase your monthly payment by a couple hundred dollars, do it. Every dollar counts. Can you imagine how exciting it will be to invest your monthly payment instead of pouring it into your house? Of course, if you have consumer debt from credit cards, vehicles or student loans, knock those out first and then focus on the mortgage.
Increase your workplace retirement plan contributions. I’ve got some good news for you! The IRS is raising the annual contribution limits for employer-sponsored retirement plans (like 401(k)s) from $19,000 to $19,500. It might sound boring, but consistent investing in a workplace retirement plan is the number one contributing factor to millionaires’ high net worth. If you’re debt-free and you get a raise this year, consider increasing your contributions instead of upgrading your lifestyle.
Open a Roth IRA. Over 70% of millionaires invest in both their company plan and in outside investments. You should invest at least 15% of your income in retirement plans—and up that number once your home is paid for. Unless you have a Roth 401(k) option at work, open up your own Roth IRA. Contribute to that after you’ve invested up to your company’s match. The beauty of a Roth IRA is that you invest after-tax dollars now, and that allows your money to grow tax-free. Even better, you can withdraw that money tax-free when you retire. Now that’s what I’m talking about!
You don’t have to have a lot of money or a finance degree to start investing. It just takes wisdom and consistency. I want you to win this race, no matter how long it takes. You can download my free investing guide to get started!
About Chris Hogan
Chris Hogan is a two-time #1 national best-selling author, financial expert and host of The Chris Hogan Show. For more than a decade, Hogan has served at Ramsey Solutions, equipping and challenging people to take control of their money and reach their financial goals. His second book, Everyday Millionaires: How Ordinary People Built Extraordinary Wealth—And How You Can, Too, released in January 2019. You can follow Chris Hogan on Twitter and Instagram at @ChrisHogan360 and online at chrishogan360.com or facebook.com/chrishogan360.
