Here is a short list of fraught, nearly unanswerable questions a financial advisor gets at a dinner party: Is $ 1 million enough for me to retire? Will Social Security be there for me? How much will I spend on health care in retirement? How does anyone afford long-term care costs? Is it a good…
Retirement often begins with a question many people have quietly postponed for years: “If we can live anywhere… where should we go?” For retirees, relocating is often part financial strategy, part lifestyle upgrade, and part realization that shoveling snow at age 72 has officially lost its charm. One of the biggest reasons retirees move is…
The Mega-Back-Door Roth 401 (k). Oh, how the government likes to look like they are helping us create our own financial security in the face of a very small social safety net for our country’s ill and elderly. And you know who else loves it? That’s right, the financial news industry! Every time the government…
If you’re age 50 or older, you’ve probably heard of “catch-up contributions.” It’s the IRS saying, “You are making more money, maybe those expensive kids are launched, go ahead and pile on the retirement savings. We’ll let ya.” Up until this year, you could also protect those extra contributions from current income taxes. But, as…
What is the trickiest part of being a financial planner? Is it outsmarting the markets? Knowing the “best” investments to recommend to clients? Figuring out someone’s lost crypto-wallet password? None of the above! At least not for me. The hardest part of financial planning is helping people determine that just-right amount of retirement spending. That…
After a strong year for international stocks in 2025, I’m getting more client questions about increasing the percentage of International in their portfolios. Many foreign stock funds saw double-digit returns, and the financial media (who are paid to get you riled up, not be a better investor!) is abuzz about “the comeback of international investing.”…
One of the biggest hurdles I face as a planner is convincing clients whose numbers support retiring that they can take the leap. That’s because one of the biggest fears new retirees have is their investments suddenly dropping just as they stop earning a paycheck. It’s a scary thought. Imagine you’re climbing down a mountain…
When is contributing to an IRA not what your financial advisor (or CPA) advises? I’m so glad you asked! It’s very simple: Most of you reading this should NOT be making tax-deferred IRA contributions. Why? Not all IRA contributions are deductible. If neither you nor your spouse is covered by a workplace plan, your traditional…
Just when you think you’ve got your retirement savings on autopilot, wham, a new tax bill comes along to change your plans. Today, I’m focusing on the changes in catch-up contributions to employer retirement plans brought on by OBBRA (the 2025 tax bill). The following does not apply to Individual Retirement Accounts (Traditional, SEP, Roth,…
An element of retirement income planning that never ceases to confuse is taxes. Accounting for your tax bill as a retirement expense is important. Over-or-under estimating the cost can lead to errors in a retiree’s monthly spending targets. The biggest misconception is that your marginal tax bracket is the amount you pay on all of…
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