Retirement Watch Weekly
Answers to Key Issues About IRAs or 401(k)s and Annuities
Combining annuities with IRAs or 401(k)s can be powerful. But often people don’t even consider the combination because of widespread misinformation and confusion. Many people want the principal protection or guaranteed lifetime income available from annuities. When most of their investable assets are in IRAs or 401(k)s, questions about how those accounts interact with annuities […]
Pros and Cons of SLATs for Married Couples
In recent years, the most talked about tool among estate planners probably is the spousal lifetime access trust, or SLAT. The major appeal of a SLAT is a person can continue to benefit from valuable assets while shielding them from estate and gift taxes. It’s a way to hedge against the lifetime estate and gift […]
Here’s What You Need to Know About 7 Widely Used Trusts
Trusts aren’t reserved for the estate plans of the very wealthy. Estate planners frequently recommend at least one trust for most estate plans. Most people should consider having trusts in their estate plan, and you want to make good decisions about which trusts, if any, to have in your estate plan and what the structures […]
Bob’s Journal for 7/25
IRS Issues Final Regulations on SECURE Act, Inherited IRAs The IRS last week issued final regulations on the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act, enacted in late 2019. The final regs generally follow the proposed regulations issued in 2022. Despite receiving many requests for change, the IRS kept the most controversial rule […]
Bob’s Journal for 7/18
Two Alerts Issued by Social Security The Social Security Administration (SSA) recently issued two alerts about the program. Many people who access information about their Social Security benefits through a “my Social Security” account on the Social Security website (which I recommend doing) soon will experience changes in how they access the website. The SSA […]
6 IRA Moves to Take During 2024
The halfway point of 2024 has passed. This is a good time to plan how you’ll manage IRAs for the rest of the year. Don’t be like most people and scramble in November and December. Here are some key steps most people should consider. Donate via a QCD. A qualified charitable distribution (QCD) is the […]
7 New Retirement Lessons for The Post-Pandemic Era
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 7/11
Tony Bennett’s Children Are Suing Each Other The latest celebrity estate plan gone wrong is from the late singer Tony Bennett, according to Rolling Stone. Bennett, who died in 2023 at age 96, had two sons with his first wife, and two daughters with his second wife. Both those marriages ended in divorce. He was […]
