Retirement Watch Weekly
Building Brain Fitness
The money fears of retirees and pre-retirees grab most of the headlines. But what retirees are most likely to fear is becoming a burden on others and being unable to take care of themselves, especially because of reduced cognitive function. Yet, you really can help your brain remain fit and relatively young, reducing the risk […]
Finding States That Are Retiree Tax Havens
Taxes, especially when all types of taxes are added together, are one of the largest expenses of most retirees. State and local taxes are a big portion of the taxes paid, and many people don’t realize the total they’re paying in all those taxes. Of course, some states are considered high-tax states and others are […]
Arranging Your Finances to Make an IRA Conversion Less Costly
Last month, we addressed the different factors to consider when evaluating whether it makes sense to convert a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA. While a Roth IRA has many benefits, there is a cost to the conversion. You have to include the converted amount in gross income as though it were distributed to you […]
Time to Update Your Digital Assets Estate Planning Strategy
Estate planning laws and practices are catching up with the reality of today’s digital world. It is a slow process and still has a way to go, but big strides recently were made. You need to review how your estate plan handles digital assets and decide if an update is in order. There are several […]
The Year So Far
There are only a few trading days left in 2016, so it’s a good time to step back and look at the trends and returns for the year. Before we look at the numbers, consider the changes in fortune during the year. It started with a stock bear market and other problems in China. These […]
Those Year-End Stock Market Forecasts
The big investment firms almost always have their economists or strategists issue forecasts of how much the market indexes will rise or fall the following year. In the past, I’ve urged readers to view these forecasts as entertainment. Don’t use them to manage portfolios. Here’s a good post from a statistician who took forecasts from […]
More Reasons to Avoid Supplements and Vitamins
This article dives deep into how nutritional supplements became popular and why that’s a bad things. It focuses on the research about free radicals, antioxidants, and the movement to increase consumption of antioxidants. The article says the latest research indicates that taking artificial antioxidants doesn’t improve health or postpone aging. Some studies show that taking […]
Improving Your Financial Power of Attorney
The financial Power of Attorney (POA) could be the most important document in your estate plan. Yet, many people don’t have one. Many people who do have a POA didn’t give it much thought and have inadequate documents. Adverse results can range from bills not being paid on time to trusted people committing financial abuse […]
