Retirement Watch Weekly
How to Invest IRA Accounts
IRAs seemed so simple when they were started. Make the maximum contribution; invest the money until retirement; and then take money over time to pay for retirement. Managing IRAs, however, requires more thought if one wants to maximize after-tax retirement income. One issue that is not considered enough is which investments are best held in […]
Term Insurance: New Developments
Term life insurance is one of the simplest and least glamorous insurance products. It also is a work horse and, unknown to most, has become quite a bargain in the last few years. If you have not reviewed your policies in a few years, or if you didn’t buy in the past because it was […]
Kiddie Tax Rule Updates
Congress changed the kiddie tax rules for 2006 and is getting ready to change them again. Each change results in higher taxes for most families if strategies are not changed. Family income splitting has been a valuable tax strategy. A high tax bracket family member, such as a parent or grandparent, gives income producing property […]
Are the New Life Insurance Annuities Worth the Cost?
Insurers want you to buy more annuities. They expect that as the Baby Boomers age they will need dependable sources of lifetime income, and annuities will provide a large portion of that income. The sticking point is that many people do not want to buy annuities, because the annuity payments last only for life. If […]
June 2007
June 25, 2007 12:00 p.m. Will Congress Stop This Market? Last week I asked what can stop this bull market. There are only a few things that derail a stock market rally. The current bull run has been in place since March 2003 without a correction approaching 10%. The small correction in 2006 bottomed about […]
Are You Saving Too Much for Retirement?
People are saving more for retirement than is generally believed, but are they saving enough? Or are they saving too much? Two recent studies found that most people are on course to have enough saved for retirement. One study surveyed those born between 1931 and 1941 and found that at least 80% accumulated adequate funds […]
Social Security and Medicare: What Lies Ahead?
The trustees of the Social Security and Medicare Trust Funds issued their annual report recently, and as usual it was dismal. Yet, buried within the report is some reasonably good news for those who want to see it. That news also is important to those who are planning their retirement income over the next few […]
Trusts that Save Taxes and Families
The family residence often is one of the most valuable assets in a person’s estate. Despite recent price declines in numerous markets, many people own homes worth far more than they paid for them. The residence often accounts for a significant portion of a person’s net worth. The personal residence can create both estate tax […]
