We all have our “blue sky” visions of the way retirement should be, yet our futures may unfold in ways we do not predict. So, as you think about your “second act,” you may want to consider some life and financial factors that can suddenly arise. Nobody likes having retirement blind spots
You may end up retiring earlier than you expect. If you leave the workforce at “full” retirement age (FRA), which is 67 for those born in 1960 and later, you may be eligible to claim “full” Social Security benefits. Working until 67 may be worthwhile because it will reduce your monthly Social Security benefits if you claim them between age 62 and your FRA.1 (more…)
In corporate America, pension plans may be fading away. Only 14% of Fortune 500 companies offered them to full-time employees in 2019. In contrast, legal, medical, accounting, and engineering firms are keeping the spirit of the traditional pension plan alive by adopting cash balance plans.1 (more…)
As Wall Street pushes higher, a pandemic-weary Main Street is relearning how to manage cash flow with the hope of keeping its retirement dreams alive – and for those self-employed, this is paramount.
Self-employed Americans, and the people working for them, account for roughly 30 percent of the nation’s workforce.1
In the best of times, putting aside money for retirement was a challenge for this group. (more…)
Are prescription drug costs burdening your finances? Some people find it a challenge to manage the cost of prescription drugs. Americans pay an average of $1,200 per year for medicine. For those facing greater and more dangerous ailments, some drug costs are $10,000 per month or even lump sums in excess of $80,000 for certain drug therapies. Yes, health insurance and Medicare Part D can help you, but not everyone has access to Medicare, and not every insurance company has the same formulary. This means that your coverage may fall short—not something you want to hear when wrestling with a major diagnosis.1 (more…)
As the United States sees a rise in cases of COVID-19 across the nation, news of two promising vaccines out of hundreds being tested has offered a ray of hope for a fatigued world.1
A positive reaction to these vaccines affects every aspect of human life, including the financial world. On Monday, November 16th, The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 450 points on the news of a second effective vaccine, hitting a record high.2
Markets are not merely reacting to the positive news, but what a vaccine might mean for the economy. Investors are likely picturing people returning to something resembling their old lives. Stocks related to travel, such as airlines and cruise holidays, have seen an uptick. (more…)
With the Federal Reserve keeping interest rates at or near zero, you may wonder about your mortgage. Is it a good time to refinance or even pay off the debt entirely? After all, your mortgage is one of the biggest expenses you may have in life, so why not rid yourself of that debt as soon as possible? (more…)
As an investor, it can be tempting to get caught up in daily news headlines. From election news to vaccine updates, these headlines can lead to additional volatility in the markets. Consider how news about the election and COVID-19 vaccines have moved the markets over the past several weeks. But having a financial strategy can help you ignore short-term volatility and focus on your long-term vision. (more…)
Here’s a windfall scenario for you: You pick up what appears to be a lottery ticket. You check the numbers for a laugh and discover a winning combination, offering you millions of dollars in prize money. What are the chances of that? (more…)
With all the election chatter and stock market volatility, it may have been easy to miss the ongoing uptrend in long-term interest rates. (more…)
Now that several major news groups have projected Joe Biden the winner of the presidential election—and Congress appears divided with Democrats in control of the House and Republicans the Senate—it’s a good time to review what type of legislative support would be needed to pass certain proposals. (more…)
Medicare won’t cover all of your health-care costs during retirement, so you may want to buy a supplemental medical insurance policy known as Medigap. Offered by private insurance companies, Medigap policies are designed to cover costs not paid by Original Medicare (Parts A and B), helping you fill the gaps in your Medicare coverage. You’ll … Continue reading “Buying Supplemental Health Insurance: Medigap”
Incapacity can strike anyone at any time. Estate Planning plans for it By definition, estate planning is a process designed to help you manage and preserve your assets while you are alive, and to conserve and control their distribution after your death according to your goals and objectives. But what estate planning means to you … Continue reading “Estate Planning Intro”
You’re beginning to accumulate substantial wealth, but you worry about protecting it from future potential creditors. Whether your concern is for your personal assets or your business, various tools exist to keep your property safe from tax collectors, accident victims, health-care providers, credit card issuers, business creditors, and creditors of others. To insulate your property … Continue reading “Estate Planning – Protecting Your Assets”
It seems like we just can’t stop talking about the Federal Reserve (Fed). After an aggressive rate hiking campaign that we think ended last year, markets were expecting the Fed to start cutting interest rates as early as next month. But withan economy that continues to surprise to the upside, along with inflationary pressures that … Continue reading “Market Update – The Patient Pause”
A thoughtful retirement strategy may help you pursue your many retirement goals. That strategy must consider many factors, and here are just a few: your income needs, the order of your withdrawals from taxable and tax-advantaged retirement accounts, the income tax implications of those withdrawals, and sequence of return risk.
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