Retirement Watch Weekly
7 New Retirement Lessons for The Post-Pandemic Era
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. […]
Bob’s Journal for 7/11
Tony Bennett’s Children Are Suing Each Other The latest celebrity estate plan gone wrong is from the late singer Tony Bennett, according to Rolling Stone. Bennett, who died in 2023 at age 96, had two sons with his first wife, and two daughters with his second wife. Both those marriages ended in divorce. He was […]
How Innovative Modern Trusts Improve Your Estate Plan
Trusts have been around since at least medieval times, but their details change over time. Recent innovations can make your trusts more powerful and effective. These innovations apply to a couple of features that frequently are treated routinely: the definition of a trustee’s powers and the selection of the trustee. The first step is to […]
Where We Stand After Two Years of Higher Interest Rates
There have been a lot of surprises in the two-plus years since the Federal Reserve began its historic interest rate increases. Continue to expect the unexpected. In May 2022, the Fed finally realized, much too late, inflation wasn’t transient. It needed to act. In June 2022, the 12-month increase in the Consumer Price Index peaked […]
Maximize the Benefits of Charitable Gifts for Your Charity
Many people include some level of charitable giving in their financial and estate plans, but too often they don’t develop a giving plan that optimizes the impact of their donations. A solid giving plan can increase the effect on charities and the causes that most interest the donor while ensuring the benefits to the donor […]
Can You Really Switch Medigap Policies and Medicare Advantage Plans Any Time?
The ability to switch Medicare plans isn’t as available as many beneficiaries are told or believe. Most Medicare beneficiaries know that each year during open enrollment (Oct. 1–Dec. 7) they’re allowed to change their coverage. The new coverage will take effect the following Jan. 1. During open enrollment, a beneficiary can switch from one Medicare […]
The Dangers of Rolling Over RMDs to Other Retirement Accounts
Some retirees continue to make a key mistake with required minimum distributions (RMDs), and that could cost them a lot of money. Retirees who don’t need the RMD to pay living expenses sometimes move the money to a Roth IRA, treating it as a conversion of the RMD to a Roth IRA. Others try to […]
IRA Tragedies: Four Cases Show the Pain Caused by Overlooking Simple Details
Many people are surprised and shocked when they learn what happens when retirement account owners neglect simple details about their accounts. They don’t know the significant powers IRA and 401(k) custodians have or other important facts about qualified retirement accounts. A review of some recent court cases should bring the points home. The newest case […]
