Retirement Watch Weekly
Using a 401(k) to Boost Roth IRA Assets
The Roth IRA appeals to many people because of its long-term advantages. Sure, there are no tax breaks when you make contributions. You must contribute after-tax dollars. After that, though, the tax breaks multiply. Income and gains compound tax free within the IRA. You can take tax-free distributions of income and gains at any time […]
Slashing 2015 Taxes with Year-End Planning
Year-end tax planning should begin soon. Many people wait too long. By the time they come up with a year-end tax reduction plan, it is too late to execute much of it or they missed opportunities earlier in the year. Start early and reap the savings of a solid plan. A good year-end tax plan […]
Avoiding Expensive IRA Mistakes
Too many people leave too much money on the table when managing their IRAs. It’s not surprising. IRA rules and strategies can be more complicated once the early contribution and accumulation years are behind us. There are various tricks and traps in the IRA rules, and there are strategies for maximizing IRA values that aren’t […]
August 2015
August 28, 2015 04:15 p.m. Your Retirement Finance Week in Review There’s not much about the latest market turmoil that I can add to the email I sent out on Tuesday. I ventured that investors overreacted, that recent events were not another 2008. We likely would have a rally that would last for a few […]
Payoffs from Making Charitable Gifts Now
Estate planning often has multiple goals, especially in this era when most people don’t have to worry about federal estate taxes. Estate planning should be coordinated with your income tax planning and your income needs as well as your charitable gift giving plans. These needs and goals should be included in your estate planning along […]
Popular Tax Exemption Strategy Upheld
The IRS recently lost a Tax Court case involving an estate and gift tax exemption strategy that the IRS and some in Washington have been trying to eliminate. The estate planning strategy is known as the Crummey trust, named after the taxpayer in the case that originally approved it. The recent case not only upheld […]
The Truth About Retirement Living
Retirement living and housing myths still circulate. The myths continue not only among prospective retirees but also among financial advisors and the media. That’s unfortunate, because where to live is one of the most important and far-reaching retirement decisions. It affects both the financial and non-financial aspects of your retirement. Let’s take a look at […]
Getting the Most for the Least from Your Insurers
Perhaps the most neglected area of financial planning is insurance. The older you are, and the more wealth you have, the more likely you are to have the wrong coverage and be paying too much for the coverage you have. I’m talking here about the plain vanilla policies for insuring your home, autos, and any […]
