Blog & Helpful Articles

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5 Myths About FIRE And Early Retirement That Just Won’t Die

15th Aug, 2019

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5 Myths About FIRE And Early Retirement That Just Won’t Die

From: www.forbes.com

You’d think that personal finance gurus and pundits would embrace the FIRE movement (Financial Independence / Retire Early). The FIRE crowd preaches a debt-free lifestyle, healthy savings rates, smart low-fee investing, and life over money.

What’s not to love?

Yet it seems that some just can’t help hating on FIRE. They claim few can save the amounts of money…

New research from Principal shows annuities improve retirement outcomes

7th Aug, 2019

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New research from Principal shows annuities improve retirement outcomes

From: www.principal.com

10,000 simulations highlight impact of guaranteed income for retirees

The simulations have been run and the numbers have been crunched: annuities help improve retirement outcomes compared to investments alone. This is according to new research commissioned by Principal Financial Group® and conducted by Michael Finke, Ph.D., CFP®, and Wade Pfau, Ph.D., CFP®.

The research looked at how retirees can use guaranteed…

25th Jul, 2019

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How and when should you rebalance?

From: REAP, LLC. | Retirement & Estate Advisors & Professionals

When was the last time you checked your portfolio’s asset allocation? If your answer is “never” or “I can’t remember,” then it may be time to rebalance.

Maintaining the right balance of stocks and bonds across all your accounts is important when it comes to managing risk, and rebalancing every year or so helps you do that.

Here’s what…

How Much Can You Contribute to a Traditional IRA for 2019?

22nd Jul, 2019

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How Much Can You Contribute to a Traditional IRA for 2019?

From: kiplinger.com

The IRA contribution limit is $6,000 for 2019. If you are age 50 or over, you can contribute an extra $1,000 as a catch-up contribution.

Good news for retirement savers: The maximum amount that can be contributed to a traditional IRA increased by $500 for 2019. It’s the first increase for the IRA contribution limit since 2013. The…

WSJ Editorial on Secure Act’s ‘Stretch IRA’ Provision Sparks Debate

18th Jul, 2019

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WSJ Editorial on Secure Act’s ‘Stretch IRA’ Provision Sparks Debate

From: www.thinkadvisor.com

Ed Slott and other retirement experts debate the bipartisan retirement bill’s strict limits on the stretch IRA strategy.

An editorial in The Wall Street Journal criticizing the elimination of the “stretch IRA” in the Secure Act retirement bill is sparking a lively debate among retirement industry officials.

The opinion piece, IRAs in Political Sights, argues that…

15th Jul, 2019

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Should you always keep an emergency fund?

From: REAP, LLC. | Retirement & Estate Advisors & Professionals

You’ve probably heard that you should have an emergency fund. The purpose? To tide you over for a few months in case you lose your job.

So does that mean you can stop worrying about maintaining this rainy day account once you retire?

Not really. Retirees should probably consider keeping their emergency funds intact for several reasons.

Here’s why…

Trust Management Issues?

3rd Jul, 2019

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Trust Management Issues?

From: www.wealthmanagement.com

Multi-generational Planning Opportunities Utilizing Tax-Deferred Annuities

The end and beginning of each year is always a challenge for trustees. Usually state-regulated trustees will complete administrative reviews to ensure trustees are meeting all their fiduciary duties. It is also a time for trustees to ensure the asset allocation and rebalancing of trust investment portfolios comply with the Prudent Investor fiduciary rules. This can be an ordeal and…

27th Jun, 2019

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A Guide to Giving and Lending Money

From: REAP, LLC. | Retirement & Estate Advisors & Professionals

Has a friend or relative ever asked you for a sizeable loan or financial gift? Handling this situation can be tricky. You don’t want to damage your relationship, but you also need to do what’s right for yourself.

With a careful approach, however, you can smoothly manage whatever request comes your way.

Saying Yes

If you’re comfortable saying yes…

14th Jun, 2019

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Put Catch-Up Contributions to Work

From: REAP, LLC. | Retirement & Estate Advisors & Professionals

Say you’ve reached your 50s or 60s and wish you’d saved more for retirement. Those work-free years that were once a distant fantasy have almost arrived, and while you’re looking forward to them, you’re also feeling a little nervous.

Why? Well, you don’t want to rely too heavily on Social Security, which probably won’t pay enough for a comfortable…

Consequences of Modifying an Irrevocable Trust

4th Jun, 2019

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Consequences of Modifying an Irrevocable Trust

From: www.aaepa.com

In the past, trusts often were drafted with little flexibility. Now, more and more, trusts tend to be drafted with increased flexibility and there are even ways to change trusts which have become “irrevocable.” There are several ways to modify a trust, including by a Trust Protector, by a procedure under the state’s version of the Uniform Trust Code, by decanting under…