Retirement News & Updates
Preparedness Plan
Nearing retirement can be a stressful time as we shift from working to provide an income, to needing our money to work at providing that dependable income. Many people underestimate the financial stress of this major shift and seek ways to lessen it. We may have some suggestions to do
Federal Retirement
We’ve been having many conversations about the potential impact of the pending legislation, known as H.R.1, which proposes the elimination of the FERS annuity supplement, a move that could drastically alter the retirement landscape for federal workers. The potential impact on federal retirement benefits has sparked widespread debate and anxiety
Which are you more worried about?
The 2025 Annual Retirement Study from the Allianz Center for the Future of Retirement revealed that nearly two-thirds of Americans worry more about running out of money than about death. Many factors and economic pressures contribute to this fear of running out of money. Most cited either high inflation, social
Working Longer, Retiring Later
According to a new Gallup survey, which interviewed 1,018 adults across America, the average reported retirement age has increased from age 57, where it was in 1991, to age 66. This trend of working longer and retiring later was attributed to an increased full retirement age for Social Security, a
Core Values
As we age, we are increasingly confronted by those younger who insist on pointing out “things have changed,” and they, as part of the younger generation (which they take pride in telling us we are not), know a better way to go about planning for the future than we do.
Distracted?
While there is no way of predicting how things will play out in the financial markets in the coming months, allowing yourself to become distracted and unsettled by volatility will likely lead to rash decisions that can disrupt your well thought out long-term plans. Instead, stay focused on what you
When is the Best Time?
We all want to eventually retire, and a dream for many would be to retire rich. Choosing when is the best time to retire is one of life’s big decisions, and one that requires thought before taking the plunge. While financial markets should never be the main driver behind this
Managing the Cost
The cost of long-term care is significant and is something that most retirees will face. There are a few ways those costs can be covered, and you may not be aware of them. The obvious ones include self-funding or purchasing long-term care insurance. But did you know that some Fixed
Unsettled
After years of diligent saving, many retirees become unsettled by the volatility in the markets, along with the risk of the unknown. The free-floating anxiety that exists when questions like when should you start withdrawing funds, how much is too much, will you have enough money to cover unexpected expenses,
Our Ideas are Resilient by Design
Uncertainty continues to be the only constant, and volatility is likely to continue as the market reacts to the changing trade landscape. While that can be nerve-racking, our position has always been one of prudence and remaining resilient when mitigating the risk of you losing your hard-earned retirement savings. We
Co-Piloting
We all know that it is not uncommon for one spouse to be the primary decision-maker when it comes to managing a couple’s money. But this approach can have consequences. One major consequence is if the spouse with the hold on the couple’s financial situation becomes incapacitated or dies, the
Chances of Success
We often speak with individuals who provide us with calculations for our retirement income, which calculations are based on various assumptions, from asset allocation to market projections to future returns that may turn out to be wrong. Assumptions are only ever indicative or directional, and while a valuable exercise, a
Blended Families
We frequently receive inquiries from family members of decedent owners of various insurance products where there is a disconnect between their impression of who the owner of the policy wanted to be a beneficiary, and who, in fact, ended up becoming the beneficiary. So, we thought to address that topic
Near or Far
It isn’t always easy to save for retirement, in part because, for many people, it is far enough away that we don’t feel any sense of urgency. One possible solution? Make the future feel closer. You can start this process by asking what future benefit could be provided by choosing
Married Couples and Social Security
We were recently asked a question that led us to believe this week’s topic might be useful to many of you. While most of us are aware of how Social Security works, here are the five most important things every married couple should know about Social Security. 1) Nothing keeps
Last Week
Last week, we spoke about RMDs and we were then asked to take it a step further and talk about the issue of leaving an IRA to beneficiaries once you have begun to take your annual distributions. With an Inherited IRA, you may either need to take annual distributions no
RMDs
For many investors entering their 70s, diligently contributing to and saving in tax-deferred retirement accounts must soon turn to making mandatory annual withdrawals. That’s because the government requires retirees to take required minimum distributions (RMDs) from such accounts after a certain age. Retirees may find RMDs to be a bit
Lifespan Variation
An interesting study performed by the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College delved into the concept of lifespan variation, and why it provides valuable information about mortality beyond life expectancy. “It is precisely this uncertainty around the average lifespan that gives rise to “longevity risk” – the possibility of
