Retirement Watch Weekly
Bob’s Journal for 10/8/20
Long-Term Treasury Bonds Grabbed My Attention This Week Long-term treasury bonds could be near a turning point. Let’s look at the exchange-traded fund (ETF) iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond (TLT). The fund moved higher the last several years, even outperforming stocks for periods of time. But it started to stumble with the liquidity crash in […]
Make These Moves to Your Estate Plan Before the Election
Rarely has the estate planning environment been as uncertain as it is now. The current estate tax law is set to expire after 2025. After that, the lifetime exemption will be cut in half and other changes will be made if Congress doesn’t act. Key income tax breaks also will expire after 2025 without congressional […]
Bob’s Journal for 10/1/20
Notable News That Grabbed My Attention This Week It’s official. The first half of 2020 was ugly for U.S. retailers. A record number of retail stores closed in the first half of the year, according to a report by BDO USA LLP. The entire year is likely to set records for closings, as well as […]
What You Need To Know About the Probate Process
Probate is the legal process that ensures your debts are paid and the legal title of your assets is transferred to the appropriate heirs and beneficiaries. If you have a will, the probate process will determine whether the will is authentic and valid. Each state sets its own probate process and rules in its probate […]
The Fed’s No Longer Worried About Inflation
It’s official. The Federal Reserve re-turned to the monetary policies of the World War II years and is asking Congress to resurrect the fiscal policies of that period. At the end of August, Fed Chairman Jerome Powell confirmed the Fed’s policy for the long term is to keep interest rates very low and ensure the […]
Here’s the Right Way to Decide Where to Relocate
Many people are moving from cities and major suburbs, according to anecdotal and news reports. Unfortunately, many are making hasty decisions and will wish they’d taken more time to analyze their choices. I’ve seen numerous media reports that homes in the outer suburbs and other less populous areas are being purchased by residents of cities […]
How to Avoid the Medicare Mistakes Most People Make
Retirement medical expenses are high enough when you don’t overpay, but many retirees don’t fully understand Medicare and make mistakes that cost them quite a bit during the course of retirement. The latest estimate of total retirement medical expenses is $295,000. That is how much a married couple, each spouse each 65 today, will spend […]
5 Retirement Tax Traps You Need to Avoid
Taxes are one of the top three expenses of most retirees, and too many retirees overpay their taxes.Gone are the days when retirement-aged Americans receive tax breaks. Instead, today retirees are likely to face taxes targeted at them. That’s why tax planning, tax management and especially tax diversification should be important parts of your retirement […]
