Retirement Watch Weekly
Why Fixed Annuity Sales are Soaring
Fixed annuities are drawing many more investors these days, especially annuities sold through banks. Insurance companies report sales are 80% and more above last year’s sales. Several factors make fixed annuities more attractive relative to other investments than in the recent past: Volatility and steep losses in stocks and many types of bonds make them […]
Pros and Cons of the New Annuities
Variable annuities long have been a controversial financial product. They became more controversial and confusing as insurers added features to make them attractive to more consumers. The controversy heated up recently in the pages of Financial Planning, a magazine for financial planners. It started with a white paper issued by Ibbotson Associates in October 2007 […]
April – September 2008
September 30, 2008 10:30 a.m. The Shadow Bank Run Well, so much for the notion that short sellers were driving stock prices down. You know how much stocks declined yesterday, and they fell that far without anyone being allowed to sell short 900 or so stocks. I don’t know if the rescue plan that was […]
How to Save Your Estate Plan
Too often what seems like a great estate plan fails to achieve its goals. Sometimes the execution is wrong. Other times the owner failed to take one or more key steps. One often-overlooked step is to ensure that the estate prevails in any audit by the IRS or state tax authorities. Estate tax returns are […]
How Heirs Can Secure the Stretch IRA
Estate plans often go awry simply because beneficiaries were not aware of the actions they needed to take or that the estate owner wanted taken to fully implement the plan. IRAs are the assets beneficiaries are mostly like to handle poorly. In a recent IRS ruling, an IRA beneficiary avoided a tax disaster, but she […]
Senior Protection Moves to the Forefront
Seasoned investors might find reduced opportunities to receive free lunches and other treats. But they will gain better and swifter legal protection. After decades of bearing the brunt of most financial scams, senior Americans are receiving help. Scams that involve possible fraud against senior investors will be on the investigative fast track. The Financial Industry […]
2008 Election and Your Tax Planning
The Presidential election is approaching. We cannot forecast a winner, but we can make judgments about how the tax law will change starting in 2009 and steps you should consider today in light of the likely changes. Some wealthy people already anticipate big changes and are making tax-saving moves this year. For, example, the announcement […]
How the New Tax Law Affects Homeowners
Congress passed a housing assistance law in July, but some tax rules buried in the law did not receive much attention. Some homeowners will be affected, especially those with second homes or rental houses. In 1997 the home sale rules were overhauled. On a primary residence, the first $250,000 of capital gains are excluded from […]
