Retirement Planning
Browse our resource library for information about all aspects of smart retirement planning.
The 99% Rule for Spousal Beneficiaries of Retirement Accounts
The death of a spouse is a painful and troubling time, and though many people name their spouse as the beneficiary of their IRA plans to help provide support after their passing, this situation may actually cause additional stress and confusion. IRA accounts have a set of special rules for spousal beneficiaries; familiarize yourself with the situations and outcomes that may arise before encountering your own difficult scenario.
Do You Need to Sign Up for Medicare at 65 if You’re Still Working?
While the retirement landscape continues to develop and change, the Medicare eligibility age has remained at 65 despite trends in retirement age shifting towards the late 60s or even into the 70s. If you or someone in your family is approaching eligibility, learn more about the exceptions and penalties to the age-anchored enrollment period to ensure proper coverage.
Developing a Realizable Vision for Retirement
One of life’s biggest changes is leaving the workforce to enter retirement. The plethora of adjustments that are inherent in this transition can be overwhelming, but some forethought and planning can launch you into retirement on the right foot. Start to envision your goals and plans in advance using this conceptual model.
Holistic Help for Caregivers of Aging Parents
In financial planning, there are many unknowns that must be accounted for, and one of the most difficult situations is end-of-life financing. With length of life and the ability to care for oneself so variable between individuals, it can be a challenge to properly allot enough funds. Consider forming an integrative caregiving plan to keep the entire family involved and protected as aging parents become more and more dependent on their children.
Using Life- and Health-Expectancy Scenarios in Financial Planning
Tragic events are often considered “unthinkable”, but spending time considering even the saddest outcomes and futures can prepare you and your family for a difficult situation long before it ever happens. Learn more about how expectancy data can help you protect your family from unforeseen events.
Building Healthcare Costs into Retirement Planning
Healthcare costs are continually on the rise, and planning ahead for those costs has become more important than ever. Start the conversation with your financial advisor early, and learn how to start planning for post-retirement healthcare long before you’ll need it.
How to Keep Health Care Costs
Under Control in Retirement
Switching to Medicare as you enter retirement may feel like a blessing, but there are still many costs for which you’ll be responsible. Understand the costs you may need to cover out-of-pocket and learn strategies to help plan for and manage those charges.
7 Key Differences Between a Roth 401(k) and a Roth IRA
Tax-free retirement savings accounts are an appealing way to get a jumpstart on your later-in-life financial planning. But what distinguishes one type of account from another? Learn more to better leverage your options.
A Workable Solution for Baby Boomers
Studies show that when most baby boomers think about their retirement, they are still planning on working in some capacity, such as a casual work environment that will allow them to still bring in some money. However, there is data that shows working a few more years in one’s primary career, can make a big difference in the amount of money that can be available to them in retirement.
Planning for a 30-Year Retirement
There are many challenges that are faced in retirement planning, but with careful preparation, they won’t seem so overwhelming. It’s important to have a good idea of how much you will need each year for your desired standard of living. Read more for an idea of what aspects to consider and tips for a good plan.
A Workable Solution for Baby Boomers Near Retirement
The Baby Boomer generation is beginning to cross the bridge into retirement – but recent data has shown that many Boomers intend to continue some type of work capacity even after leaving the workforce. Learn how delaying your official retirement period just a few years longer can actually give you an edge on saving for your retirement.
5 Questions to Ask Yourself 5 Years Before You Retire
Do you ever imagine your dream retirement? If so, it is important to start planning far in advance to help you to avoid having to make major adjustments down the road. These questions can you help you rethink your retirement plan and make sure it’s set up for the retired life you have in mind.
Will Working Longer Help – Or Hinder – Your Social Security Benefit?
As the age for retirement approaches, many people wonder if they continue working will their social security benefits get better. To find the answer, it is helpful to know how the benefits get calculated.
Funding a Start-Up in Retirement
For retirees who prefer a day at the office to a day at the beach (or just want a mixture), the idea of starting a business in retirement may sound very appealing. However, using retirement funds to do so is a big risk. Before making the decision, it’s important to meet with your advisor to recalculate your retirement income needs and review your investments in your retirement. Take a look at this article for some tips and a glimpse into the good, the bad and the ugly of start-ups.
5 Things You Need to Know About the Secure Act
The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act, or the SECURE Act, was passed in late 2019 and it is the biggest retirement-oriented legislation to be enacted in over a decade. Take a look at the article for a some key takeaways about the act and what you need to know about it.
The Most Important Question in Retirement Planning
A common fear many people have in retirement planning is outliving their income. The best way to ensure that doesn’t happen is by contemplating the difficult question of life expectancy. Life expectancy averages have been increasing every year, so mathematic tables and statistics aren’t always reliable. Overestimating the time table isn’t always good either as it can force you to spend less than you actually could. Working with your financial advisor on an individual life expectancy analysis can help you increase the probability of success for estimating your life span. Going over questions about things like medical history, family history and lifestyle habits with your advisor can help you both come up with a more targeted plan for your retirement.
Retirement Income: Which Accounts to Tap First
In retirement, it’s essential to have a good strategy and solid understanding of your accounts so you can plan best for which ones to tap first. Be sure to consider the character of the account, along with the investments that are in each account as well.
Downshifting: Working Longer and Loving It
“Retirement” has long held the connotation of “stopping work entirely” for the remainder of one’s years. More and more, though, people nearing retirement are realizing that a complete break from any type of work activity would be unfulfilling. Instead, consider a transitional downshifting period where you continue to engage in meaningful work at a less demanding pace.
Can You Reduce Your Lifetime Health Care Costs by Staying Healthy?
A common assumption is that if you are healthy, you will have lower health care costs than those who are unhealthy. However, The Center for Retirement Research at Boston College has observed that the opposite is actually true – healthy people pay more in health care in a lifetime than their unhealthy counterparts.
New Retirement Rules Card – SECURE Act of 2019
You may have heard that some major retirement rules have changed following the passage of the SECURE Act late last year and may have questions on what it means for your retirement plans. This reference card offers an overview of the new law changes and hopefully, clarity about any confusion you may have. It lists major changes such as the increased Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) age, the “death of the stretch IRA,” changes to IRA contribution age limits and more.