Tag: Retirement Planning

Rehearsing for Retirement

Mar 6, 2023

Try rehearsing your retirement

 Imagine if you could preview your retirement in advance. In a sense, you can. Financially and mentally, you can “rehearse” for the third act of your life, while still enjoying the second. (more…)

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What Happens When There Are No Beneficiaries

Feb 8, 2023

Blank Book on desk
Where do these accounts and policies end up?

Some accounts have no designated beneficiary. Rarely, the same thing occurs with insurance policies. This is usually an oversight. In exceptional circumstances, it is a choice. Without beneficiaries what happens to these accounts and policies when the original owner dies? (more…)

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Talking to Your Heirs About Estate Planning

Jan 23, 2023

Scales of Justice
Using a lawyer to create an estate plan is a key component of achieving financial wellness

Talking about “the end” is not the easiest thing to do, and this is one reason why some people never adequately plan for the transfer of their wealth. Those who do create estate plans with help from financial and legal professionals sometimes leave their heirs out of the conversation. (more…)

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SECURE Act 2.0 Passed in Final Days of 2022

Jan 4, 2023

GavelCongress spent the final days of 2022 on new reforms designed to help Americans save more for retirement (SECURE Act 2.0).

You may hear the changes called SECURE Act 2.0, which is a follow-up to the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act enacted into law in late 2019. (more…)

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A Roth IRA’s Many Benefits

Oct 19, 2022

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.  (more…)

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Eight Retirement Mistakes to Avoid

Oct 12, 2022

retirement mistakes spilling coffee over desk of papers
Will you avoid these retirement mistakes?

Pursuing your retirement dreams is challenging enough without making some common, and very avoidable, mistakes. Here are eight big mistakes to steer clear of, if possible.

No Strategy.

Yes, the biggest mistake is having no strategy at all. Without a strategy, you may have no goals, leaving you no way of knowing how you’ll get there – and if you’ve even arrived. Creating a strategy may increase your potential for success, both before and after retirement. (more…)

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Should We Reconsider What “Retirement” Means?

Oct 5, 2022

The notion that we separate in our 60s might have to go.

An executive transitions into a consulting role at age 62 and stops working altogether at 65; then, he becomes a buyer for a church network at 69. A corporate IT professional concludes her career at age 58; she serves as a city council member in her sixties, then opens an art studio at 70. (more…)

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Should You Prepare to Retire on 80% of Your Income

Sep 9, 2022

piggy bank
Examining a long-held retirement assumption

A classic retirement preparation rule states that you should retire on 80% of the income you earned in your last year of work. Is this old axiom still true, or does it need reconsidering?

Some new research suggests that retirees may not need that much annual income to keep up their standard of living. (more…)

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Systematic Withdrawal Strategies

Sep 2, 2022

Doors
Should you arrange automatic distributions from your retirement or investment accounts?

Some retirees wish they could simplify money management.Estimating investment income, annual retirement plan distributions, and quarterly taxes can be a chore.

This is why some retirees choose to make systematic withdrawals. Just as they contributed a set amount per month to their retirement accounts while working, they now withdraw a set amount from their accounts each month, quarter, or year.

The simplicity of this may appeal to you. The potential drawback is that a systematic withdrawal strategy can risk oversimplifying the complex matter of retirement income distribution. (more…)

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Retirement Is a Beginning

Aug 17, 2022

Start line on Train Tracks
See if you are prepared to begin your retirement by answering four key questions.

How do you know you if you are psychologically ready for retirement?

As a start, ask yourself four questions. (more…)

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More Insights

Jul 26, 2024

Key Takeaways Volatility came back with a vengeance this week as selling pressure in the mega cap space dragged down the broader market. Counterbalancing weakness in these heavyweight names poses a challenge for the rest of the market. Overbought conditions can also be blamed for the recent weakness. The S&P 500 reached a 14.9% premium … Continue reading “Market Update – Assessing the Technical Damange”

Jul 24, 2024

Life insurance can be an excellent tool for charitable giving. Not only does life insurance allow you to make a substantial gift to charity at relatively little cost to you, but you may also benefit from tax rules that apply to gifts of life insurance.

Jul 22, 2024

When you think of Social Security, you probably think of retirement. However, Social Security can also provide much-needed income to your family members when you die, making their financial lives easier. Your family members may be eligible to receive survivor benefits if you worked, paid Social Security taxes, and earned enough work credits. The number … Continue reading “Social Security Survivor Benefits”

Jul 19, 2024

Information vs. instinct. When it comes to investment choices, many people believe they have a “knack” for choosing good investments. But what exactly is that “knack” based on? The fact is, the choices we make with our assets can be strongly influenced by factors, many of them emotional, that we may not even be aware … Continue reading “Making Investment Choices”

Jul 17, 2024

As a business owner, you should carefully consider the advantages of establishing an employer-sponsored retirement plan. Generally, you’re allowed certain tax benefits for establishing an employer-sponsored retirement plan, including a tax credit for establishing the plan and a deduction for contributions you make. In return, however, you’re required to include certain employees in the plan, … Continue reading “Retirement Plans for Small Businesses”

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