Retirement Watch Weekly
Investors Finally Find Things to Worry About
Investor complacency finally was broken in late February. In the 11 years since the bull market began, investors ignored a lot of reasons to sell stocks, especially in the last few years. We never know what will begin a market correction or bear market. We do know that when markets climb for so long, become […]
Bob’s Journal for 3/19/20
Some Notable Events That Grabbed My Attention This Week In the last week, we moved from concerns about economic growth to concerns about liquidity for businesses and individuals. The first sign of the change was the Federal Reserve’s emergency move to reduce the interest rates it controls down to zero and institute other measures. The […]
More Tips to Maximize the Benefits of HSAs
Too many health savings account (HSA) owners don’t reap all the advantages of their accounts. Last month, I reviewed the triple tax benefits of HSAs and how the accounts can be powerful retirement savings vehicles. Use of the accounts is increasing rapidly, yet there are misunderstandings about the accounts. Even many people who benefit from […]
Three More Strategies That Beat the SECURE Act
The Stretch IRA is history, and you need to revise your estate plan to ensure your heirs receive maximum after-tax value from inherited retirement accounts. You know the basics, because I’ve been covering them since the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act started rolling through Congress in May 2019. You can read […]
Be Sure Your Insurance Premiums Aren’t Wasted
Billions of dollars of life insurance benefits go unclaimed each year, and it’s mostly the fault of the people who bought the insurance. You buy life insurance to provide financial protection to loved ones. They might need the money to pay debts, bills, taxes and more. The insurance also can provide a nice legacy.Yet, too […]
How to Maximize the Tax Benefits of Estate Planning Gifts
You need to plan on how to minimize taxes on lifetime gifts, even when the federal estate and gift tax isn’t a factor. Because of the $11.6 million lifetime federal and gift tax exemption, most people don’t have to worry about owing gift taxes on their lifetime giving. Most people also don’t need to make […]
Understanding the Risks of Estate Plan Mistakes and Neglect
Many people have their estate plans on the backburner. Two fairly recent cases show why procrastinating about or neglecting an estate plan is dangerous. In the first case, a family corporation’s ownership was divided among the husband, wife, and two adult sons. The wife passed away first. There apparently was no will, and no estate […]
7 Questions Your Adult Children Must Be Able to Answer
In my new Retirement Watch Spotlight Series, I’ll share my newest breakthrough strategies for protecting your assets and growing your portfolio, including how to prepare for the next market downturn. Click here now to learn more. […]
