Retirement Watch Weekly
Estate Planning to Ensure Wealth, Heirs Are Secure
You worked hard to build your estate, and you’re working harder than ever to keep it. One of your Estate Planning goals is for your estate eventually to make life easier for younger loved ones. Yet, you want to ensure the wealth isn’t wasted and also that it doesn’t make your heirs too comfortable. You […]
Preparing for Medicare Open Season
It’s almost time to review your Medicare options. The time to make changes in some of your coverage is from Nov. 15 through the end of the year, so this is a good time to review all your Part B, C, D, and Medigap plan choices. You’ll be able to review your options before Nov. […]
Evaluating the New CLASS Program
One of the many little-known facets of the new health care law is the CLASS program. This is intended to be a voluntary long-term care assistance program that will pay at least a minimum amount for participants to purchase community living assistance services and supports (CLASS). Participants will receive cash so they can hire home […]
How 2010 Taxes Affect Medicare Premiums
Your tax return for this year will determine your Medicare premiums in two years, if you’ll be a Medicare participant then. Since 2007, as income rises Medicare Part B premiums rise. More people will pay the higher premiums each year under the Affordable Health Care Act of 2010. Through 2010, the incomes at which the […]
Estate Planning to Make Gifts While Avoiding Taxes
The estate tax is suspended for 2010, but the gift tax still is in place and will remain when the estate tax is restored. An advantage to adjusting your Estate Planning and making gifts in 2010 is the gift tax rate is its lowest in decades: 35%. Also the generation-skipping tax is repealed for the […]
Strategies for Recharacterizing IRAs
Don’t rush the decision to reverse an IRA conversion. Some people who converted their traditional IRAs into Roth IRAs are moving too quickly to switch back. This has been the year of the IRA conversion. Many people are taking advantage now that people of any income level can convert their traditional IRAs into Roth IRAs. […]
Surging Interest in Stock-Based Annuities
Reader inquiries about equity-indexed annuities (EIAs) are rising. It’s not surprising. Investor interest in EIAs surges during difficult markets, and data show money is pouring into these annuities. As with most insurance products, the question is whether investors are buying these annuities or being sold them by strong presentations. Events are lined up in favor […]
September 2010
September 24, 2010 02:15 p.m. Approaching the Precipice Again The housing data over the last week was very bad. Here’s one of many examples. There is no demand for homes. The government support for the market is withdrawn, and it did not put a floor under prices and lead to the higher demand for homes. […]
