The Great Wealth Transfer is Coming – Right?

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It’s no secret that Americans today are facing some tremendous hurdles reaching a comfortable retirement in ways that previous generations didn’t. Disappearing pensions mean that many have to create steady income streams of their own in retirement. Longer lifespans coupled with rising inflation and healthcare costs make that task even more challenging. Add in an […]

I Want to Retire. Don’t I?

I Want to Retire. Don’t I?

The decision to continue working in retirement is both personal and multifaceted. Various studies highlight the range of reasons behind such choices. Get this, a 2023 survey from Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies₁ found that 55% of people said they plan to continue working after retiring, citing both financial reasons and a desire for healthy aging, including staying active.

Why it’s important to start a retirement plan in your 20’s

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Folks, one of the most common excuses I hear younger people make to justify not saving for retirement is that they are still young. Anyone who is nearing retirement will tell you that the years suddenly go by and building a retirement nest egg is much harder the longer you delay saving.

What Does the Fed’s Interest Rate Cut Mean for Retirees?

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The federal funds rate has a number of possible implications on the markets, and how or if they will affect you personally will depend on your unique financial circumstances. And if you’re like many retirees, there could be both positive and negative effects on your finances. 

Too Late for A Roth? Think Again…

Unlike a traditional IRA or regular 401(k) plan, you pay the taxes up front when you put money in a Roth account. If you follow the rules of the plan, all the interest you subsequently earn on the investment is tax-free in retirement. By design, the Roth works best for those who contribute early and withdraw late.

Financial Lesson to my 23 Year Old

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Saving for retirement in your 20’s, or even your 30’s can be relatively painless as opposed to starting in your 40’s or later. While retirement may seem a long way off, putting a plan in place now is a smart move.

While it may not seem like an important task to do now, I told her that saving for retirement is probably the biggest financial goal of her life and starting earlier gives her a number of significant advantages. 

Who Should Consider a Mega Backdoor Roth Conversion?

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For many folks saving for retirement these days, they have a dizzying array of choices to fund their plan. Heck, just Google “retirement planning” and you’ll get over 4 million hits alone on the subject. You can choose from investments such as stocks, bonds, mutual funds, ETFs, bank CDs and money market funds, insurance products, and the list goes on. You also need to consider the account type that will house your investments, from a tax perspective. For example, funds can be invested in a taxable account – think of a brokerage account or other account in which you pay taxes on your gains each year.

401k? A Roth? Which is Right for Me?

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If you’re like most retirement savers, you regularly hear a lot of industry acronyms and jargon thrown around by the media, by friends and family, by your employer, and perhaps your financial professional too. Things like the 401k, the 403b, the IRA, The SEP-IRA, the Roth IRA, the Roth 401k . . . I know it’s a lot.

The Final Piece of Your Retirement System

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Planning for retirement is often considered a marathon, not a sprint. It starts when we’re young and get our first “real” job and we’re encouraged to start contributing to the company’s 401k plan. Over the years, we may seek retirement planning advice from friends or family, but we still have years before we retire so we don’t usually have a real plan at this point. We have a smattering of various financial products that were purchased for specific, isolated needs.

But as we approach our 40’s and 50’s, we start to realize that it’s time to get serious about it.