Archive for the Retirement Planning Category

While the reasons for earning two incomes may vary from couple to couple, these families often face a similar financial challenge: participation in separate retirement programs. As a couple, your combined retirement assets are not just limited to what you may have accumulated in your current employers’ […]

When it comes time to start withdrawing the money you’ve spent a lifetime accumulating in your retirement portfolio, you want to ensure that you make the right decisions. One that the government makes for you is requiring that you withdraw at least some of your funds annually, […]

A sound retirement income plan takes into account several financial risks, including the potential for the retiree to outlive his or her assets, the effects of inflation on future income, rising health care costs, and the uncertain future of the Social Security system. For example, inflation increases […]

Women often face greater obstacles when it comes to investing for retirement. On average, women work fewer years and earn less than men. This means that they have lower pension and Social Security benefits. But they also have longer life expectancies, so they need to save even […]

Given changes in tax laws that have occurred during the past few years, a retirement readiness review could be a good idea if you have an individual retirement account (IRA). Most of us understand that visiting a doctor periodically is important in maintaining our long-term health. Sometimes […]

Tax-deferred accounts such as IRAs and 401(k) plans are excellent vehicles for saving for retirement. But the IRS imposes a number of distribution requirements that, if not met, can result in penalties. For both traditional and Roth IRAs, you may begin taking penalty-free distributions as soon as […]

Whether an investor benefits from converting assets within a traditional IRA to a Roth account may depend on the amount of time he or she plans to leave the assets invested, estate planning strategies, and his or her willingness to pay the federal income tax bill that […]

Entering your 50s and behind in your retirement planning goals? Don’t fret. You’ve still got time to get your financial plan back on track. There are many steps that older investors can take to better prepare themselves financially for retirement. Here are six tips that may help […]

For those in or near retirement, the age of 70½ is a key transition point: Retirees need to begin planning for required minimum distributions (RMDs) that are taken annually from employer-sponsored retirement plans and traditional IRAs. Understanding the rules can help to ensure that you take these […]

The truth is there is ample motivation to make the most of retirement planning opportunities. Reality Check It used to be that Americans could count on a pension plus Social Security to get them through their Golden Years. But traditional pensions only account for an estimated 18% […]