Retirement Watch Weekly
Is Long-Term Care Insurance Worth It?
As an individual ages, a decision must be made about whether or not to buy Long-Term Care Insurance (LTCI). Long-term care is the provision of personal services and medical care to someone who is cognitively impaired or can’t perform two or more of the six Activities of Daily Living (ADLs). The ADLs are dressing, bathing, […]
The Tradeoff: Inflation vs. Growth
The Federal Reserve now must choose between infla- tion and eco- nomic growth, and indications are it will sacrifice growth to reduce inflation. Since the financial crisis, the Fed hasn’t had to make this choice. Long- term factors contained inflation. There was little risk monetary stimulus would trigger an inflationary spiral. Things are different now. […]
Why Sophisticated People Are Likely to be Scammed
The stereotype of which people are susceptible to scams and frauds often is wrong. People who never expected to be victims of scams and frauds often are scammed and really are among the most vulnerable. The stereotype is that older people with reduced cognitive abilities are the most likely to be scammed. But many other […]
How to Decide When to Sell in Taxable Accounts
Many people with appreciated investments often are in a conundrum. The price reaches a point where there isn’t a margin of safety. But the investors are hesitant to sell because they know part of their gains will be reduced by taxes. Here are a couple of ways to make the decision. Compute what the taxes […]
Shrewd Ways to Increase After-Tax Investment Returns
The old adage is, “You can’t spend pre-tax returns.” Af- ter-tax returns are what count. The tax rules on investments are in effect all year, but few people take advantage of that. Too many people don’t start thinking about investment taxes until near the end of the year, or even after the year is over. […]
IRS Proposed New Rules for Inherited IRAs Under the SECURE Act
The rules for inherited IRAs were upended when the Setting Every Commu- nity Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act was enacted in 2019. They were upended yet again in late February 2022 when the IRS released proposed regula- tions under the SECURE Act. The SECURE Act ended Stretch IRAs for most taxpayers who inherit IRAs […]
Key Questions Your Spouse and Children Must Be Able To Answer
Most estate plan failures aren’t due to flaws in the documents or the strategies. A high percent- age of plans fall short of their goals, and it’s often because the people implementing them didn’t have all the information they needed. An estate plan covers more than the property you leave to others. It covers other […]
Bob’s Journal for 5/5/2022
Medicare Could be Changing Without Action by Congress Become familiar with these terms and acronyms, and look for them in any communication from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) or involving Medicare late this year or early in 2023. There’s the Accountable Care Organization (ACO) and the medical care model it is part […]
