Retirement

One of the defining challenges of our time is the growing problem of economic inequality in the United States. In 2021, the top ten percent of Americans held nearly 70 percent of U.S. wealth, up from about 61 percent in 1989. The share held by the next 40 percent dropped correspondingly over that period, while

“I know what the numbers say,” more than one client has told me after looking at a positive statistical analysis suggesting they’ll not likely run out of money, “but I just don’t know how to be comfortable spending in retirement.” And who could blame them? Half of the financial world focuses on how woefully underprepared

A new open enrollment period for Medicare is about to begin, and Americans 65 and older will be making or reconsidering one of their most important decisions. Open enrollment runs from October 15 through December 7. It’s important to ignore all the Medicare ads delivered through television and the mail during the period. Establish a

Today is World Alzheimer’s Day, a global effort to raise awareness and challenge the stigma around Alzheimer’s disease. We read about it, we fear the disease and we still avoid discussing it with aging loved ones. It’s not just our elders who fear delving into the subject of possible dementia. It’s us, too, the adult

Most people think you only talk with a financial advisor about money. However, there is another thing that you should discuss. Your health should equally be addressed and considered when planning for retirement. If you aren’t healthy enough to enjoy your money, you probably aren’t living your dream retirement. To be even more blunt, if

Most people with significant assets in IRAs and 401(k)s let Congress and the IRS determine their spending and distribution strategies. That’s a big mistake that can cost them and their families quite a bit of money. Most people don’t begin taking money out of their qualified retirement accounts until the required minimum distribution rules say

Perhaps you are part of a family that includes siblings in conflict. Maybe there are some in your family who have been estranged for a long time. These issues may have existed unchanged for years until their aging parents’ situation reaches a crisis point. Rather quickly, siblings or others are forced to communicate about what

If you’re currently in your 60s or early 70s, there’s a good chance you’ll need to generate retirement income for 20 to 30 years. If you take care of your health and have above average income and educational attainment, you could easily live into your 90s or even reach age 100. As a result, it’s

It could be argued that it is easier to prepare for retirement if you don’t have children. Think about all the extra time you have to advance your career and, assumedly, make more money over time while avoiding the astronomical cost of raising children. However, these benefits may run out as we age. Not having

It hardly is news that nursing homes are in trouble. Consumers think they are unsafe; nurses, aides, and other staff are reluctant to work for them; hundreds of facilities are shutting and others are closing beds and even entire wings because they can’t staff them. How can these multiple problems be fixed? The Centers for

I’m usually skeptical of stories about “a friend of a friend.” But in this case, I know that it’s a true story. A friend of a friend was staying in Bali, Indonesia’s paradise island that’s popular with partygoers and backpackers. My “friend of a friend” bought a van to use for transportation. The Balinese authorities

The pithy aphorism that “the best things in life are free,” while no doubt well-intentioned, is simply false. It’s slightly more accurate to suggest that the best things in life can’t be bought, but even this claim can be quickly debunked when you attempt to concoct a scenario in which nary a single penny was

Forbes screened more than 800 locales in the U.S. for everything from climate change risk to crime to availability of doctors. We then compared those that made the cut for what they offered in leisure pursuits—from the arts, fine dining and learning to hiking, skiing, watersports and golf. Here are the top 25. by William

Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin S till in their mid-50s, Gloria and Kevin Murray of Morgan Hill, California, at the Silicon Valley’s southern tip, are planning well ahead to enjoy their future empty nester status, and ultimately, their retirement years. They recently bought a house 500 miles to the north in

The benefits of tax planning for gay couples can be quite fabulous is you ask this gay tax planner. Our country’s tax code is not very friendly to double-income households, especially those without kids (enter many LGBT couples). According to the US Treasury Department, gay married men earn more, on average, than our straight married

Broker-dealers are in an industry overseen by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), but mostly, no one is closely watching them. Making a good profit is their motivator. Sometimes, profit gets all too tempting and those in the position of having control over another’s money take advantage of that power. One wants to believe that

This is a little nerdy but since the FTC is embracing new research from labor economics and law, I thought readers would like to know what experts are talking about — see the New School’s recent event on this topic. First, a speedy overview of labor relations in telecom and tech. Bear with me it’s

Public policy has been the major factor preventing the integration of retirement plan components: financial asset management, annuities and HECM reverse mortgages. As a result, annuities and HECMs are substantially underutilized, potential synergies between them are unrealized, and the retirees who use these markets often overpay. The result, illustrated by the chart below, is that

When it comes time to shop for Medicare coverage, Medicare Advantage plans have become a very popular option. More than half (51%) of eligible Medicare beneficiaries are enrolled in Medicare Advantage in 2023. That’s an increase of 19% to 46% from 2007 to 2021. What makes these plans so popular? One reason might be costs,

Anyone, and I mean anyone, can become a 401(k) millionaire if given enough time. According to Fidelity, the number of 401(k) millionaires on their platform has grown an astounding 25% this year. That doesn’t include all retirement account millionaires (those combining assets in all their retirement accounts). Keep reading as we share the reasonably easy