Retirement Watch Weekly
Countering the Attack on Medicare
Once the Affordable Health Care Act of 2010 was enacted, government leaders began the push to reduce the cost of the program. Their main focus is to reduce care and treatment, claiming much of it is unnecessary and doesn’t provide benefits. But they might not be using the best analysis and studies to decide the […]
Using Low Interest Rates to Cut Your Taxes
Low interest rates put a crimp in your investment income, but they can help reduce your income, estate, and gift taxes. Treasury rates and mortgage rates recently hit record lows, and that means the rates the IRS uses to calculate taxes on different strategies also were at all-time lows. Around the middle of each month […]
Comparing Annuities and Bond Ladders
Which is better: an immediate annuity or a bond ladder? I’m asked that frequently these days, and the frequency increases as more Baby Boomers inch closer to their post-career years. First, let’s define terms. A bond ladder is constructed by purchasing a portfolio of bonds that mature in different years. The simplest ladder is equally […]
November 2011
December 1, 2011 11:15 a.m. Responding to the Central Bankers’ Big Move Central bankers made a big splash Nov. 30 with coordinated announcements to make dollar loans available to European banks at lower interest rates. Global markets in risky assets responded with large gains. Here’s my take. There’s been a quiet run on European banks […]
How to Close a Major Gap In Most Estate Planning Strategies
Some people with estate plans do some-thing that is almost as bad as not having a plan. They avoid key decisions in their plans. The result can be the same as having no estate plan: Potential problems for loved ones, including loss of wealth and family disharmony. Once people start on an estate plan, they […]
Writing Family Love Letters for Estate Planning
The typical result of an Estate Planning strategy is a collection of legal documents with sterile discussions of trusts and property distributions. It need not be that way. Your estate planning and your legacy can be enhanced by adding to your plan documents that are more personalized and speak directly to your loved ones. Certainly […]
Avoiding Penalties on Your IRA Investments
Alternative investments are growing in popularity. These include precious metals, real estate, and small businesses. Owning these through IRAs or other qualified retirement accounts could be a good financial move, or it could lead to trouble. Make this move without the right advice and you could fall into one of the many traps in the […]
Social Security – The Issue They Won’t Discuss
You won’t hear many politicians discussing Social Security these days, and probably even fewer will next year. But changes are occurring in the program. Not long ago, the trustees of the Social Security Trust Fund were projecting that tax revenue would exceed benefit payments for some years to come. Things have changed. According to The […]
