Yes, You Can Make a Solid Long-Term Care Plan: Here’s How and Why It’s Important
By Matt Lewis, CLTC®, Vice President, Insurance In today’s world it’s fair to say that most reasonable people believe they are going to live a long life. And when you live a long life, it’s also fair to say that sooner or later, we’re going to need some form of care.
Medicare Time – Now What? Things to Know as You Start Out
By Matt Lewis, CLTC®, Vice President, Insurance You’re turning 65 this year and Medicare is on your mind. Medicare is a subset of Social Security and run by the Social Security Administration. In my experience, it may be almost as complicated as the Internal Revenue Code! With that said, le …
The Basics of Required Minimum Distributions With Your Retirement Account
Retirement accounts like 401(k)s and IRAs allow individuals to save for their future in a tax advantaged manner. IRA and 401(k) contributions are often tax deductible and gains are tax deferred – meaning you may only pay taxes when you withdraw money from your account.
What You Need to Do in the Year Before You Retire
Your retirement is the culmination of years of careful planning, and you don’t want to fumble the ball when the end zone is in sight. Download our checklist of key tasks to complete in the year leading up to your retirement to make sure you’re prepared for this major life milest …
4 Hurdles in Retirement Beyond Your Investment Portfolio
Becoming hyper-focused on only one aspect of a problem is pretty much never a good approach. A racecar driver who only focuses on speed and ignores strategy won’t win races, at least not many of them. A carpenter who only hammers in nails won’t build strong structures.
Thinking About Retiring Early? 8 Things to Consider First
Tom Fridrich, JD, CLU, ChFC®, Senior Wealth Planner We’ve all asked ourselves whether it’s too early to retire (usually after a particularly challenging commute or dealing with a difficult client). You may have even gone so far as to take a sneak peek at your account statements …
Planning for Your First Required Minimum Distribution in Retirement
Mike Valenti, CPA, CFP®, Director of Tax Planning Qualified retirement plans – such as 401(k)s, 403(b)s and IRAs – offer clear tax advantages. Traditional 401(k)s, 403(b)s, and IRAs offer a tax deferral on contributions and growth until distribution. Their Roth counterparts can provide an i …
SECURE 2.0 Act Aims to Increase Retirement Savings for Americans
By Jamie Hopkins, Managing Partner, Wealth Solutions The SECURE 2.0 Act has passed, making it the largest retirement legislation since the original Secure Act hit in the late 2019.
Your Most Common Social Security Questions Answered
Chances are good we’ve all felt a bit like Rachel on “Friends” when she peruses her first paycheck in bewilderment and says, “Who’s FICA? And why’s he taking all my money?”
Claiming Your Social Security Benefits Early: When It May Not Pay to Wait
Ryan Yamada, CFP®, Senior Wealth Planner We’ve all heard the conventional wisdom when it comes to claiming Social Security: you should wait as long as you can before claiming benefits. Wait right up to age 70, if possible. After all, that’s when you would get the greatest monthly benefit.
How Much Do I Need to Retire? Planning for Your Unique Retirement Needs
By Craig Lemoine, Ph.D., CFP®, Director of Consumer Investment Research “How much do I need for retirement?” It’s a question I often hear, and one that seems straightforward enough to tackle. Unfortunately, the answer isn’t quite so simple.