Nobel laureate, the late Daniel Kahneman, proposed a question; “How does the experience of a loss compare with the experience of a gain?” There were four possible answers to choose from: Which answer would you choose? Kahneman’s research study concluded that losses are twice as painful as gains are pleasurable: “This phenomenon—known as loss aversion—suggests […]
How Would You Answer the Question? Read More »
A big part of planning for your retirement future is accounting for the “what-ifs.” No matter how careful anyone is, unexpected changes can occur: accidents, illness, and deaths. That’s where insurance comes in. Life insurance and the features it offers are definitely worth considering, and not only to provide for your loved ones after you’re
Financial Stability Read More »
It’s been a while since the Secure Act of 2022 came about, but it’s time to refocus on its impact in 2024. Did you know that, beginning in 2024, Roth 401(k)s are no longer subject to RMDs? This means that Roth savers, whether in a 401(k) or an IRA, can keep their contributions invested their
Fine-Tuning Your Retirement Read More »
Strategists who work with couples have found there to be a few conflicts that are most common between them. Different priorities: financial management done predominately by one partner, helping adult children, and disagreements over an inheritance. Each seems to resonate in different ways as we all know how common it is to have one partner
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We’ve been asked a few questions regarding what happens to those portions of your estate that aren’t treated consistently with what you say in your will. Many people assume wills and trusts are the pillars of a perfect estate plan. However, asset titling–the way you own an asset–is just as critical. Conflict instructions can create
Having just taken a look at your traditional IRA, you may be wondering if the time is now to convert it to a Roth IRA. Choosing between a Roth and a traditional IRA requires you to estimate what your tax situation will be when you start drawing from the account. This analysis is different from
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It’s usually around this time of year, when individuals are preparing paperwork for filing their tax returns, that we are asked what the deadlines for contributions are, and what happens if one spouse is non-working but still wants to make IRA contributions. As a general rule, you have until tax day to make IRA contributions
It’s That Time of Year Read More »
What does retirement really, truly mean? What are your plans for after you retire? We’ve been thinking about this recently. Many would define it as “retreating from the ‘busyness’ of life.” When do you plan on retiring? How old will you be? How long do you think you’ll spend in retirement? Getting away from all
The Busyness of Life Read More »
We’ve heard many times that it’s a good idea for retirees to put off receiving Social Security payments, as waiting can allow you to get more out of them than if you were to start as soon as age permits. One way to make this more feasible is to include annuities in retirement strategies to
Retirement is a new beginning. As a new retiree, you enter a new stage of your life, where your time is now regulated by you and you alone, rather than revolving around your work. Unfortunately, many new retirees find this isn’t what they’d expected it to be. Many people begin to feel bored, and worry
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