Retirement Watch Weekly
Should you Stay in the 401(k) or Roll Over?
Handling the 401(k) balance at retirement once was an easy decision. In almost all cases, it made sense to have the balance rolled over into an IRA. Things are changing. New retirees might find it advantageous to stay with their 401(k) plans after retirement. There are many reasons to transfer out of the 401(k) plan […]
How to Shield Home Sale Gains from Taxes
Rising home prices raise a tax problem that many people have not worried about for years. To avoid paying high taxes on gains from home sales, home sellers need to keep track of the tax basis of their residences. Long-time homeowners, especially on the coasts and resort areas, have substantial home equity. The tax law […]
Investing Education for Grandkids
Recently, when I was the guest on a radio show, the host asked where young people learn about money, investments, and personal finance. Schools are too busy with diversity training and sex education to teach personal finance. Even at the college level practical money management is scarce. Many parents, especially, the Boomers, try to keep […]
Medicare Drug Deadline Draws Near
The deadline for Medicare beneficiaries to sign up for the new prescription drug plan is drawing near. To avoid penalties, seniors who are in Medicare must sign up for a plan under Part D of Medicare by May 15, 2006. The penalty, if you sign up for a plan later, is an increase in the […]
How to Jump Start a Lagging Retirement Plan
There is a little-known retirement plan that can boost the retirement savings and tax benefits of small business owners. For the right person, the plan can boost retirement and tax benefits well beyond those of traditional plans. Unfortunately, some advisors are abusing the law and putting their clients’ retirements at risk. The retirement plan is […]
How to Make Your Portfolio Last Forever
Managing your assets as you roll into retirement is a lot different than it used to be. Or at least it should be. The days of rolling all your assets into bonds or CDs are over. Traditional retirement or financial plans make a number of simple assumptions. At retirement, the plans assume the retiree will […]
Biggest Retirement Mistake
Americans approaching Retirement remain mistaken about key aspects of retirement. Becauase of this, they risk going into their nonworking years with inadequate resources. Retirement could be full of surprises for a number of Baby Boomers. An annual survey by the Employee Benefits Research Institute shows many Americans are confident about their retirement years. In the […]
6 Easy and Legitimate Ways to Protect Assets
Many people consider asset protection to be part of an estate plan. Protecting wealth from creditors, lawsuits, and other claims during life can be just as important as protecting it from taxes. A good plan also can protect assets from claims against your heirs. Assets can be protected without elaborate schemes that involve multiple levels […]
