Retirement Watch Weekly
Maximize the Tax Opportunities of the ‘Bridge Years’
Many retirees and pre-retirees go through a period called the “bridge years” but don’t take full advantage of the tax reduction opportunities of that period. The bridge years are a period when a person is phasing into or is in the early years of retirement. Income is lower, because the person no longer is working […]
11 Questions to Ask IRA Custodians
There can be time bombs and trap doors in your individual retirement accounts (IRAs). They are easy to find. Often, people don’t learn about them until it’s too late because they don’t know the questions to ask. Most people know to ask about the basic issues. They look for annual account fees, restrictions on investments, […]
The New Rules of Incentive Trusts
Incentive trusts were one of the hottest estate planning tools of the 1990s. Much has been learned about their advantages and disadvantages, and it’s import- ant for estate owners to know the lessons learned. Incentive trusts became popular among people worried that bequeathing their wealth might have negative impacts on their children and grand-children. They […]
How To Maximize the Tax Benefits of Estate Planning Gifts
Today’s high estate and gift tax exemptions could be slashed in a few years. Maximize those and other benefits now. The substantial increases in estate and gift taxes that were widely discussed in 2021 appear to be off the table, at least for now. But the current lifetime estate and gift tax exemption is scheduled […]
Bob’s Journal for 10/27/22
Interest in Medicare Advantage Plans Surges This year’s Medicare open enrollment season could be historic. Enrollment in Medicare Advantage plans steadily increased over the years while the percentage of beneficiaries in original Medicare declined. Medicare Advantage plans might enroll more than half of Medicare beneficiaries for the first time after the 2022 season. About 20% […]
7 Critical Year-End Questions for Your IRA and 401(k)
It is the last quarter of the year, so there are some critical questions about IRAs and 401(k)s that should be asked and answered. And that could potentially mean key actions to take the rest of this year, and early in 2023. Retirement plans are among the most valuable assets of most people, so it’s […]
Bob’s Journal for 10/20/22
Last Chance for I-Bonds at 9+% You have only a few more days to lock in a yield of 9.62% on Series I U.S. savings bonds, known generally as I-bonds. The interest rate on I-bonds is variable and changes on the first day of every May and November. The interest rate is a combination of […]
Understanding the Key Changes to Medicare Part D
The Inflation Reduction Act made a lot of headlines when it was enacted in August. Most of those headlines were for its provisions related to climate change, but the new law also made significant changes to Medicare’s Part D prescription drug program. The most significant near-term reforms are to the coverage gap, also known as […]
