- Mercer Advisors

Hidden Retirement Costs—What You Don’t Plan for Can Impact Your Finances

What exactly are “hidden costs” in retirement? Hidden costs are the expenses that don’t make it into your retirement spreadsheet—but still show up in real life. They include things like rising healthcare bills, inflation, home repairs, and financial support for family. While not necessarily “surprise” expenses, they’re often underestimated or completely forgotten in retirement planning. How much can hidden costs affect my retirement financial stability? How worried should I be? You don’t need to panic. Instead, [...]

Rebecca Mack2025-10-03T14:30:43+00:00October 3, 2025|Financial Planning|

Follow the Bond Market to Better Understand Your Finances

On May 16, 2025, Moody's downgraded the U.S. sovereign credit rating from Aaa to Aa1, citing concerns over the nation's rising debt and interest payment burdens.¹ This move follows similar downgrades by S&P in 2011 and Fitch in 2023, marking the first time all three major credit agencies have rated U.S. debt below their top tier.² Understanding Bond Ratings Bond ratings assess the creditworthiness of debt issuers. Moody's scale ranges from Aaa (highest quality) to C [...]

Rebecca Mack2025-09-11T21:29:24+00:00September 11, 2025|Financial Planning, Investing, Stock Market|

“What Can I Do with $100K in Retirement?”

Understanding the Shift from Accumulation to Income As a financial advisor, one of the most common questions I hear—especially from clients entering retirement—is: “What should I actually do with these savings I’ve amassed for retirement?” It’s a great question. And it usually signals something deeper: the start of the distribution phase of retirement. You’ve spent years in the accumulation phase working, saving, and investing. But now, the mindset begins to shift. It’s no longer just about [...]

Rebecca Mack2025-08-26T11:20:49+00:00August 26, 2025|Financial Planning, Investing, Retirement Income, Retirement Planning|

What Retirees Need to Know About the New “One Big Beautiful Bill”

President Trump’s newly passed “One Big Beautiful Bill” (OBBB) is making headlines, and retirees might want to pay close attention. Aimed at expanding the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), this sweeping legislation includes a mix of tax breaks and potential pitfalls that could impact seniors for years to come. Potential Benefits of the “One Big Beautiful Bill” Proposal A $6,000 Senior Bonus Deduction One of the most direct benefits for retirees is a proposed [...]

Rebecca Mack2025-07-22T16:38:42+00:00July 22, 2025|Financial Planning, Government|

Why It’s Crucial to Boost Savings Before Retirement

For those nearing retirement, there’s one truth that becomes increasingly clear: the window to build wealth narrows with each passing year. While starting early is always ideal, it’s not too late for pre-retirees in their 50s or early 60s to make meaningful progress toward financial security. In fact, now is the time to double down on savings—and fortunately, there are tools designed to help. A recent report revealed that retirement savings balances have reached a new [...]

Rebecca Mack2025-07-02T02:36:36+00:00July 2, 2025|Financial Planning, Investing, Retirement Planning|

4 Key Birthday Milestones in Retirement—and What They Mean for Your Financial Strategy

Birthdays in retirement aren’t just a reason to celebrate—they’re also checkpoints that can unlock new financial opportunities (or trigger important deadlines). From Social Security eligibility to Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs), several key ages mark turning points in your retirement journey. Here are four birthday milestones every retiree should know—and what they mean for your financial strategy. Age 59½ – Penalty-Free Access to Retirement Accounts Reaching age 59½ marks the first major turning point in retirement account [...]

Rebecca Mack2025-06-24T22:29:32+00:00June 24, 2025|Financial Planning, Retirement Income, Retirement Planning|

Protecting Your Legacy: How to Navigate Wealth Transfer Taxes Amid Uncertainty

Careful planning is essential to help ensure your wealth passes efficiently to your loved ones. With significant changes potentially on the horizon, estate and tax planning remains crucial. The federal estate tax exemption stands at $13.99 million per individual and $27.98 million for married couples in 2025. However, there’s growing uncertainty about whether these historically high exemption levels will remain in place. If exemption levels change, it may impact estate planning strategies Fortunately, there are proactive [...]

Rebecca Mack2025-06-12T16:03:08+00:00June 12, 2025|Estate Planning, Financial Planning, Tax Planning|

Post-Tax Season Tips for Pre-Retirees

Tax season is behind us, but for pre-retirees—those within 10-15 years of retirement—this is the perfect time to reassess financial strategies. The decisions you make now can potentially impact your retirement lifestyle, taxes, and financial security. Here are five key post-tax season moves to keep you on track. Tax-Advantaged Retirement Contributions If you’re still working, post-tax season is a great time to adjust your retirement savings contributions based on any tax refund or unexpected expenses. In [...]

Rebecca Mack2025-05-21T16:23:18+00:00May 21, 2025|Financial Planning, Tax Planning, Taxes|

Is It Time to Refresh Your Annuity? Here’s Why You Might Consider It

Annuities have long been a cornerstone for those seeking a steady income stream in retirement. However, the financial landscape is ever-evolving, and what worked a few years ago might not be the best fit today. With rising interest rates, inflation concerns, and innovative annuity products entering the market, now might be a great time to reassess your annuity strategy. Capitalizing on Higher Interest Rates Since 2022, the Federal Reserve has steadily increased interest rates, only slowing [...]

Rebecca Mack2025-04-23T00:39:55+00:00April 23, 2025|Financial Planning, Investing, Retirement Planning|

6 Tips for Building a Retirement Budget

Building a retirement budget is critical to working toward an independent and relaxing life after leaving the workforce. Creating this budget can positively impact one's lifestyle, provide confidence and control over one's money, and safeguard against potential financial pitfalls. Here are the foundational steps to establishing a retirement budget. Step #1 Identify retirement income sources. These sources may include retirement savings, Social Security benefits, pensions, annuities, 401(k)s, IRAs, or other investments contributing to retirement income. Less [...]

Rebecca Mack2025-04-07T02:05:04+00:00April 7, 2025|Financial Planning, Retirement Planning|