Retirement Watch Weekly
Avoiding The Estimated Tax Trap
Estimated tax payments are a traditional trap for retirees. Most retirees were employees during their careers and had income taxes withheld from their paychecks. They never had to deal with the estimated tax rules and are surprised by the process in retirement. If you expect to owe more than $1,000 in federal taxes that will […]
Minimizing the Most Important Number on Your Tax Return
The most important number on your federal income tax return is on line 37, the last line on the first page of Form 1040. It’s your adjusted gross income (AGI). For retirees, AGI is even more important than for most other taxpayers. Your taxable income used to be the most important line on your return, […]
Avoiding RMD Mistakes with Retirement Accounts
Most people know that after reaching age 70½, they have to take required minimum distributions (RMDs) from their IRAs. But that rule is only the tip of the iceberg. Not knowing all the RMD rules is a source of many mistakes, resulting in extra taxes and penalties. Required minimum distributions also must be taken from […]
Making the Most of 401(k) Plans
Rollovers from 401(k) accounts are the main reason IRAs are among the most valuable assets many retirees own. When people leave a job, for either a new job or retirement, they often roll over the 401(k) balance to an IRA. To maximize the value of your IRAs in retirement, you need to maximize 401(k) account […]
Two Basic But Crucial Steps to Make Estate Planning Work
Some of the most important work on your estate plan doesn’t take place in the lawyer’s office. It doesn’t even involve the details of the will, trusts, Probate, powers of attorney, and the rest of the cornucopia of Estate Planning documents and strategies. Often the ultimate goal in estate planning is to ensure the wealth […]
Warren Buffett’s Latest Letter
The 2016 shareholder letter from the chairman of Berkshire Hathaway was posted on Saturday. In his review of the year’s business operations, Buffett also reviews how his investment strategy has changed over time. I’ve seen this discussed elsewhere, but it’s not something Buffett often draws attention to or gives his perspective on. He also gives […]
Underestimating Safe Spending in Retirement and the 4% Rule
Many people are familiar with the 4% rule, or the safe spending rate. Research indicates you can withdraw the same inflation-adjusted amount from your nest egg for at least 30 years if you withdraw about 4.2% the first year. But a lot of assumptions go into that number. This article points out that one assumption […]
Rising Investor Confidence
A little more than a year ago on February 9, 2016, the global economy and markets hit an important turning point. You might remember that in early 2016, global markets other than for government bonds were in steep decline. Investors were convinced that we were on the cusp of a deflationary decline. China had a […]
