Medicare plan options are confusing. This book may help.

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Medicare Made Simple? Not Quite: Decoding the Alphabet Soup to Maximize Your Coverage   Medicare plan options are confusing. This book may help. By Michelle Singletary, November 22, 2024 For all its pluses, Medicare can be a hellish system that befuddles and frustrates so many beneficiaries. Medicare provides health insurance for millions of Americans 65… Continue reading

 

Backdoor Roth IRAs Are Promising — and Perilous

The “backdoor” Roth IRA presents a tantalizing solution for those keen on maximizing savings, offering tax-free growth and withdrawals. Read Laura Saunders’ article from the Wall Street Journal below to learn more. Backdoor Roth IRAs Are Promising — and Perilous by Laura Saunders, May 3, 2024 For determined savers, the backdoor Roth IRA is an… Continue reading

 

Does the 4% Withdrawal Rule for Retirees Still Make Sense?

Read this Barron’s article to learn why the 4% withdrawal rule for retirees is still relevant amidst changing markets. Discover strategies like adjusting withdrawal rates, optimizing asset allocation, and utilizing Roth conversions to make the most of your retirement savings. Does the 4% Withdrawal Rule for Retirees Still Make Sense? By Elizabeth O’Brien, February 9,… Continue reading

 

Two Retirees Consider Their Nightmare: What Will We Do if One of Us Dies First?

In this Wall Street Journal article, delve into the emotional journey of retirees confronting mortality and the necessity of a backup retirement plan. Two Retirees Consider Their Nightmare: What Will We Do if One of Us Dies First? by Stephen Kreider Yoder, February 1, 2024 Steve We came 6 inches from death, maybe 4, just… Continue reading

 

An Inheritance With Strings Attached

Have you recently received an inheritance? Avoid hefty tax bills that can come from inherited IRAs. An Inheritance With Strings Attached New rules for inherited IRAs could leave some heirs with a hefty tax bill. By Sandra Block, September, 2023 In the first quarter of 2023, Americans held more than $12 trillion in IRAs. If… Continue reading

 

Why It’s Smart to Revisit New Year’s Savings Goals Now

Summer is the perfect time to check in on the financial goals set in January at the beginning of the year. Columnist Ann Carrns outlines how to conduct a personal audit, which is essentially a financial health “checkup.” Why It’s Smart to Revisit New Year’s Savings Goals Now There’s still time this year to make adjustments, especially with… Continue reading

 
With the Odds on Their Side, They Still Couldn’t Beat the Market

With the Odds on Their Side, They Still Couldn’t Beat the Market

The Rebalance tried-and-true adage remains the same, echoed by this NYTs columnist: it is nearly impossible to beat the stock market. The most prudent long-term investing strategy is to “own” the entire stock market through low-cost, broad exposure index funds. Source: The New York Times April 14, 2023. With the Odds on Their Side, They… Continue reading

 
Power of Donor Advised Funds

Should I Start a Donor-Advised Fund?

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It seems like everyone these days has started a foundation. There’s a reason for that. It’s easier than ever to create one and there are many incentives to go down that path, even with smaller amounts of money. The reason such “foundations” are so prevalent now is because most of them are, in fact, the… Continue reading

 
a group of old friends singing, dancing, and playing guitar together

3 Questions Your Advisor Should Ask About Aging

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When we’re young, retirement can feel like a far-off concept, more fantasy than reality. It’s in our middle years that the reality of aging and approaching retirement starts to hit home. By “home,” I mean your actual home, if you live with or near your own aging parents. Many folks in their 40s and 50s… Continue reading