If you have a financial plan in place, you may think you’re set. However, the rules of retirement are always subject to change. We’ve seen new retirement legislation in the last few years and could see more soon. It’s important to understand how you could be affected and think about how you will respond. The End of the “Stretch IRA” The first SECURE Act, passed in 2019, changed the rules for inherited retirement accounts: Instead of [...]
General retirement planning advice says that you’ll need about 80% of your pre-retirement income in retirement, but this may not be the case for everyone. Inflation, taxes, and long-term care costs are easily overlooked - but these expenses could be high. When creating your retirement budget, don’t forget to include these three expenses. Taxes: How Much Will You Pay in the Future? It’s easy to forget about taxes after you file, but it’s important to think [...]
When we think of milestone birthdays, we often think of ones that are already behind us – like 18 and 30. But there are plenty of important birthdays ahead of you, especially as you near and enter retirement. Starting at age 50, several birthdays are critical to acknowledge because they can have implications for your retirement and tax situation. Age 50 At age 50, workers can make annual “catch-up” contributions in addition to their normal contributions. [...]
Once you’ve saved enough for retirement, the question becomes how you’ll make your savings last for the rest of your life. Higher costs make this difficult, and we’ve been seeing higher costs as a result of inflation for some months. It’s important to know how inflation can erode your savings over time and how to create a plan to address this. We Could See “Persistently Higher Inflation” Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said last year that [...]
Football fanatics spend hours learning about their team’s tactics, dynamics, and playing history. Those who pay attention don’t just notice how many wins their team has, but how they got to be so good. There’s a lot we can learn from football when it comes to retirement planning. For instance, you have to know how to adapt to unexpected challenges and recognize the importance of good coaching. Adapt to New Challenges Whether your team won or [...]
Retirement planning can seem overwhelming, even if you feel you’ve saved enough to retire. It’s hard to know where to begin because a comprehensive retirement plan involves so many elements, from an investment strategy to tax minimization. When faced with a complex problem, we can often end up procrastinating. But a better approach is to start with a few easy things. #1 Estimate How Much Money You’ll Need Each Year in Retirement A financial plan starts [...]
For many people, retirement planning is a joint effort. Whether you’re newlyweds or celebrating another milestone anniversary, there are some important conversations that you may want to consider having with your spouse regarding retirement. Here are some topics you may want to cover when creating a retirement plan built for two. How Much Do We Have Saved? First, it’s important that you both are on the same page about your finances and how much you actually [...]
If you’ve ever owned a house, you know how much upkeep it requires. Something always needs to be fixed or replaced, and if small problems go unchecked for too long, they can turn into bigger problems. The same is true for retirement planning. Here are three important questions to ask yourself to keep your retirement plan up-to-date. Are You Protected Against a Major Market Correction? We saw a rise to record highs in 2021, but what [...]
Will 2022 be your retirement year? And how do you know when it’s time to retire? For some, retirement comes at a milestone. Maybe it’s 35 years on the job or your 65th birthday, or maybe your goal is to retire when you have a certain amount in savings. Retirement is different for everyone, and it’s a big decision to make. You might not be ready on your 65th birthday, or maybe you’ll be ready before [...]
The only certainty in life is that there will be uncertainties. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t create a plan to address them. Retirement shouldn’t be a time of anxiety or worry; it should be a time when you feel financially secure and can enjoy the money you’ve worked hard to earn for decades. The first step is to understand the uncertainties you could face in retirement. We Could Continue to See High Inflation Interest rates [...]