Retirement Watch Weekly
How to Plan for the Largest-Ever IRAs and RMDs
The surge in stock and bond prices in late 2023 brought benefits but created tax problems for some IRA owners. Some IRA owners must take required minimum distributions (RMDs) each year. The year’s RMD is based on the IRA’s value on Dec. 31 of the previous year. The rise in stock and bond prices means […]
Your Home and Your Estate Plan: Sell It or Hold It?
Current income taxes aren’t the only factor to consider when deciding whether to sell a longtime residence or hold it for the rest of your life. In the February 2024 issue, we discussed how a gain from the sale of a home is taxed when sold by the owner who used it as a principal […]
Don’t Burden Your Heirs with an Inherited Traditional IRA
Many American retirees are making significant mistakes with their traditional IRAs by planning to leave the accounts to their children or other heirs. Inheriting a traditional IRAs never was a great deal and is significantly less appealing to heirs now. An IRA owner can take actions to increase the value of inheriting the assets. Most […]
Bob’s Journal for 2/15/2024
Federal Debt Projected to Steadily Increase, But at a Slower Rate The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) issued its latest budget and economic forecast last week. It has some good news, but mostly bad news. The good news is the federal budget deficit, as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP), is projected to decline every […]
Do Boomers Have Too Much Invested in Stocks?
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 2/8
The Case for Being 100% Invested in Stocks During Retirement The investment principles most people follow are wrong, according to a recent academic paper. We should always be 100% invested in stocks, 50% in U.S. stocks and 50% in international stocks, according to the researchers. Standard investment advice is that people should have diversified portfolios […]
Bob’s Journal for 2/1
What You Can Learn From Jay Leno’s Estate Planning Problems Former “Tonight Show” host Jay Leno recently petitioned a court for conservatorship of his wife’s estate. Multiple news reports said the petition stated that Mavis Leno was diagnosed with dementia and is unable to make decisions about her estate and other matters. The court action […]
Investors Expect a Repeat of the 2010s
A replay of the last decade or so is priced into the markets, and that’s an aggressive posture. A burst of investor optimism in late 2023 pushed stock and bond prices well beyond economic fundamentals to reflect a widespread expectation that an ideal scenario will unfold over the next year. Investors expect inflation will return […]
