Retirement Watch Weekly
The Fed’s Changing Monetary Policy
The markets are changing as investors anticipate and worry about the Federal Reserve’s plan to remove some of the liquidity it pumped into the economy since March 2020. Liquidity provided by the Fed has been the main influence on the economy and investment markets since 2009. The Fed’s motivation has been to avoid a depression […]
How to Use a FLIP Trust to Meet Two Key Retirement Planning Goals
Many people want to save income taxes today and create a stream of retirement income in the future. The FLIP trust, especially the FLIP-CRUT, is a venerable way to accomplish both goals.The FLIP-CRUT strategy begins with a charitable remainder trust (CRT). An individual (known as the grantor) executes a trust agreement creating a CRT and […]
SECURE Act 2.0 and Other Changes Are in the Works. Here’s What You Need to Know
Officials in Washington, D.C., are planning to enact a series of laws that will affect your income and estate taxes and will especially affect your IRAs and other retirement plans. This year could be your best chance to take actions that will maximize the after-tax wealth you and your family receive from retirement accounts.On May […]
The Unique Estate Planning Needs of the Unmarried
Estate planning discussions often give the impression that every senior in America is married with two or more kids. We know that is not true, and those who do not fit the profile need estate planning guidance at least as much as the stereotypical couple does. Unmarried people should put a priority on developing the […]
Consider Tapping into the Talent of a Team of Trustees
Trustees can make or break an estate plan. That’s why a growing number of estate plans now include the directed trust, an innovative way to use multiple trustees. There are two traditional options for selecting trustees. The first option is to appoint one or more family members or friends as trustees. This approach can reduce […]
The Retirement Watch Outlook for Inflation & the Markets
Inflation is likely to rise quickly in the next few months, and that could put the Federal Reserve in a difficult situation much earlier than it anticipated. A number of inflation pressures are increasing. One example is rising demand for many goods and services as more vaccines are administered and economic activity increases. That puts […]
Dow 36000: It Keeps Coming Close
Some of you remember when the book Dow 36,000 was released in 1999. The subtitle to the book was “The New Strategy For Profiting From The Coming Rise In The Stock Market,” and it was written by James K. Glassman and Kevin A. Hassett. The authors had the bad timing to publish their book when […]
Warning: Your Kids May Have To Foot the Bill for Your Long-Term Care
What’s the cost of not planning for your long-term care? Your estate or your children might be required to pay for it. Some little-used laws make this situation possible. Use of these laws increased the last few years, and they are likely to be used more in the future. Either the government or non-government providers […]
