Year-End Estate Strategies September 28, 2020 What you need to know to get ready for the end of the year. With one year ending and a new one on the cusp of starting, many people will consider their resolutions—not their estate strategy. But the end of the year is a great time to sit down and review your preparations, especially when [...]
How Much Do You Really Know About Extended Care? September 21, 2020 Separating some eldercare facts from eldercare myths. How much does eldercare cost, and how do you arrange it when it is needed? The average person might have difficulty answering those two questions, for the answers are not widely known. For clarification, here are some facts to dispel some myths. True or false: Medicare will pay [...]
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Why Roth IRA Conversions May Now Be Advantageous September 14, 2020 Thanks to a couple of factors, some investors are thinking about this move before 2020 ends. Roth IRAs have attracted retirement savers since their introduction in 1998. They offer the potential for tax-free retirement income, provided Internal Revenue Service rules are followed. Do Roth IRAs seem even more attractive these days? Perhaps. You can cite [...]
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Conquering Retirement Challenges for Women September 14, 2020 Looking ahead can help you conquer these unique obstacles. When it comes to retirement, some women face obstacles that can make saving for retirement a challenge. Women typically earn less than their male counterparts and often take time out of the workforce to care for children or other family members. Added to the fact that [...]
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Eldercare Choices in the COVID-19 Era July 20, 2020 Exploring your extended care options may be wise at this time. Given the threat of COVID-19, seniors today may be considering their extended care alternatives with extra caution.1 In addition to health factors, the cost can be an issue. According to Genworth’s 2020 Cost of Care Survey, the median annual cost of a semi-private room [...]
Retirement Is a Beginning July 13, 2020 See if you are prepared to begin your retirement by answering four key questions. How do you know you are psychologically ready to retire? As a start, ask yourself four questions. One, is your work meaningful? If it is emotionally and psychologically fulfilling, if it gives you a strong sense of purpose and identity, there [...]
That First Distribution from Your IRA July 6, 2020 What you need to know. When you are in your seventies, Internal Revenue Service rules say that you must start making withdrawals from your traditional IRA(s). In I.R.S. terminology, these withdrawals are called Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs).1 Generally, these distributions from traditional IRAs must begin once you reach age 72. The money distributed to you [...]
Lesser Known Provisions of the SECURE Act July 6, 2020 What younger investors need to know. The SECURE Act passed into law in late 2019 and changed several aspects of retirement investing. These modifications included modifying the ability to stretch an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) and changing the age when IRA holders must start taking requirement minimum distributions to 72-years-old.1,2 While those provisions grabbed the [...]
Tax Considerations for Retirees June 29, 2020 Are you aware of these potential tax breaks and tax-saving opportunities? The federal government offers some major tax breaks for older Americans. Some of these perks deserve more publicity than they receive. At age 65, the Internal Revenue Service gives you a larger standard deduction. For 2020, standard deductions look like this for taxpayers [...]
A Roth IRA’s Many Benefits June 29, 2020 Why do so many people choose them over traditional IRAs? The IRA that changed the whole retirement savings perspective. Since the Roth IRA was introduced in 1998, its popularity has soared. It has become a fixture in many retirement planning strategies because it offers savers so many potential advantages. The key argument for going Roth [...]