By Ted James

Building personal financial health is crucial for reducing reliance on Social Security and Medicare. Proactive financial planning not only secures long-term stability but also empowers you with the freedom to make choices that align with your life goals. By adopting a strategic approach to managing your finances, you can ensure a more secure and independent future. In this article, we will explore practical tips for enhancing your financial health.

Prioritizing Budgeting

A comprehensive budget…

When Low Risk Means High Risk

From: www.morningstar.com

Investment caution can be dangerous, too.

Treasury Bill Rivals

In total, 169 mutual funds and exchange-traded funds registered in the US officially list a Treasury bill index as their prospectus benchmark. That selection is indefensible. Every investment has a higher expected return than Treasury bills because every investment is riskier. Thus, the test is rigged. (Insert election joke of your choice.)

Those 169 funds are a…

10 Worst Things to Carry in Your Wallet

From: www.aarp.org

With identity theft rampant, keep only the essentials in your pocket or purse

In an episode of Seinfeld, Jerry’s neurotic friend George Costanza has so much stuff jam-packed into his wallet that it’s ridiculed as a “filing cabinet.” Walking down the street, Costanza the pack rat tries to stuff one more thing inside, and the billfold explodes, scattering its contents to the wind.

Jon…

Medicaid and Annuities

From: Jackson

What is an annuity?

Annuities are long-term, tax-deferred vehicles designed for retirement. Variable annuities involve investment risks and may lose value. Earnings are taxable as ordinary income when distributed. Individuals may be subject to a 10% additional tax for withdrawals before age 59½ unless an exception to the tax is met. Optional living and death benefits, if available, involve additional cost and may be subject to limitations…

Tax Planning For The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) Sunset

The law known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017, P.L. 115-97, included some major changes to the Code, but not all of them are here to stay. A number of significant provisions are set to expire after 2025. Although Congress may act to extend some or all of them, it is important to know which provisions are expiring so taxpayers…

Top 10 Things to Know About Building a Diversified Portfolio

From: www.morningstar.com

Here’s how some key asset classes fare as portfolio diversifiers and what that means for building your portfolio.

Diversification is a core principle of sound investing. A portfolio that includes assets with different performance characteristics often leads to better risk-adjusted returns than one that relies on a single asset class. But building a diversified portfolio can be easier in theory…

Maximum Estate Value to Avoid Probate

In the mid-1960’s, efforts to modernize the probate system through adoption of the so-called Uniform Probate Code were conceived as joint projects of the American Bar Association and the National Conference of Comissioners on Uniform State Laws. The project attempted to bring some order to a system that was so archaic and complex that few, if any, of the country’s scholars of jurisprudence could find any redeeming…

4 Mistakes to Avoid During Tax Season

From: www.morningstar.com

IRA specialist Ed Slott discusses ‘gotchas’ to watch out for when filing your tax return.

Key Takeaways

You can do QCDs, qualified charitable distributions, before RMDs begin. So you have a little gap there to start knocking your IRA balance down. You do a transfer from your IRA to the charity. Why are there mistakes on that? Because there is no code. When you…