Retirement Watch Weekly
Adjusting Withdrawals to Market Changes
Retirees are learning there’s no magic in the magical 4% Rule. For years financial advisors touted this as the safe rate of withdrawal from retirement funds. For many people, it’s not looking so safe now. Fortunately, there are alternatives that have more reliable results. The 4% Rule states you can withdraw about 4% of your […]
Knowing How Much to Give Away and How to Give It to Optimize Estate Planning
Use it or lose it. That’s what many Estate Planning specialists are saying in the wake of the new estate and gift tax law enacted last December. You should act now, they say, to make large gifts and put other estate planning strategies in place. Give as much away as fast as you can. It’s […]
Finding the Bargains in Long Term Care Insurance
People who should consider buying long-term care insurance often report that they don’t because they believe it’s too expensive. LTCI is more costly than it needs to be because people make two critical mistakes when evaluating it. Avoid those mistakes, and you might find LTCI is more affordable. The first mistake is that people don’t […]
Investing IRAs and Other Accounts
Investors leave a lot of nickels and dimes on the table, and over time those pennies can total up to quite a few dollars. One way to avoid those leaks from your nest egg is to optimize the benefits of tax-advantaged accounts. An investor might have taxable accounts, traditional IRAs and retirement accounts (such as […]
Updating State and Local Tax Burdens
State tax codes are being shaken up, and that could shake up your retirement plans. State and local taxes are growing in absolute terms and relative to federal taxes. Total taxes paid are among the top three expenses for many retirees, and the share of state and local taxes is rising. We review the state […]
How to Respond to Changes in Annuities
The annuity market is changing rapidly. Investors interested in any type of annuity or that already own annuities need to be aware of the changes. They also need to stay informed of what’s happening in the market, because more changes are likely. One major change is insurers dropping out of annuity markets. Both fixed and […]
April 2011
April 29, 2011 08:00 p.m. A Turning Point in the Economy The economy is nearing a turning point, and few investors seem to realize it. We’ve been expecting it for a while and have our portfolios well-positioned for it. But as the point draws near, we’re becoming more cautious with the portfolios. The sell signals […]
The New Focus on Estate Planning Beyond Just Taxes
Estate Planning isn’t dead, not by a long shot. Traditionally, for many people estate planning means estate tax reduction. They figure if their estates aren’t going to be hit with federal estate taxes, they don’t need a plan. Now, with estates up to $5 million ($10 million for married couples) exempt from the federal estate […]
