Retirement

The labor market in general remains remarkably strong with all of the jobs lost during the pandemic long recovered. But, public employment is not doing so well. Parts of state and local government employment are still well below their levels before the pandemic. Governments have a difficult time attracting the talent that they need for

You’ve worked hard your entire career. With your nose to the grindstone, you’ve let your retirement assets grow on autopilot. Suddenly, you find yourself sitting on a pile of money. What do you do next? What is a fiduciary advisor? While the Department of Labor has a complete booklet outlining fiduciary responsibilities, the essential elements

I have been a strong advocate of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) from its inception, but a recent measure that targets multi-lender web sites (MLs) are more likely to damage than protect mortgage borrowers. There are two approaches toward protecting mortgage shoppers dealing with multi-lender web sites. One approach, the one deployed by CFPB,

As part of your retirement planning, you may have invested in a deferred annuity. And, hopefully, over the years you’ve enjoyed tax deferred growth in the contract. The annuity may be a fixed annuity, where the insurer credits interest based on its own investment experience, or a variable annuity, where you choose the subaccounts (i.e.,

It may be my profession, but I am not prone to being very optimistic or highly positive on economic data releases. My colleagues have alternatively called me the “skunk at the party” or “Dr. Doom”. Yet, the latest jobs report left me speechless – in a positive way. One collaborator even remarked that “even Christian

If you’d like to align your retirement investments with your values regarding environmental and social goals, then an important question to ask yourself is whether focusing on sustainable investments will create a drag or a boost on your investment returns. The short answer is, “It depends on a few things.” Specifically, it’s critical to compare

Should be required reading: The article in the Palm Beach Post by the renowned columnist Frank Cerabino on how proposed social security fixes would impoverish over 1 million Floridians (not to mention millions of other Americans). This article should be required not just for retirees but especially for all decision makers. As Cerabino makes clear,

Introduction Grantor trusts are groovy. They have so many potential benefits that they are the cornerstone of many, maybe even most estate plans. Grantor trusts let you transaction business with your trust without triggering gain for income tax purposes. Rev. Rul. 85-13. So, you can sell your family business or rental real estate to the

The short answer is NO! This issue has been around for many years and seems to have resurfaced recently as we get closer to 2034. The definition of bankruptcy is the inability to pay outstanding debts or obligations. The key word here is inability. The Social Security program, as designed, has become antiquated and is

Many retirees nowadays are concerned about the world they’re leaving for their kids and grandkids, with a particular focus on the potential impact of climate change. And financial institutions are paying attention: The New York Times reports that according to Morningstar, there were 588 sustainable mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in the U.S. in

The Wall Street Journal recently pronounced that “A generation of Americans is entering old age the least prepared in decades.” The article authored by Heather Gillers, Anne Tergesen and Leslie Scism documents how a “combination of economic and demographic forces has left older Americans with bigger bills and less money to pay them… more than

We’re fast approaching the three year mark of COVID-19 shutdowns in 2020 that reverberated through the United States and global economies. According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), median global GDP dropped by 3.9% from 2019 to 2020, making it the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. All too well we remember that in

Cryptocurrency Donations More Complicated Donating cryptocurrency and getting a charitable contribution deduction has just gotten more complicated and costly as a result of a new IRS pronouncement. If Taxpayer A donates cryptocurrency for which a charitable contribution deduction of more than $5,000 is claimed, a qualified appraisal is required under section 170(f)(11)(C) to qualify for

Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Washington’s runaway spending is highlighting the seemingly unstoppable growth of the big entitlement programs: Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. Moreover, the trust funds for Social Security and Medicare are headed for insolvency. These looming disasters are prompting plenty of proposals on what to do: raise eligibility

Key takeaways The Fed is expected to introduce a 0.25% interest rate hike today, bringing the target up to 4.75% Inflation is already showing signs of cooling, so now the Fed risks higher interest rates causing a recession The shifting global economic landscape means the Fed may need to revisit its rate hikes sooner than

Five Key Considerations With two exceptions, my wife and I have owned at least one dog throughout our 44 years of marriage. The first exception was some thirty years ago when we still had two cats. The second exception is now. Our beloved border collie, Skye, crossed over the rainbow bridge this past summer and

SECURE 2.0 was enacted as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023. It introduces a significant number of changes to retirement preparation including, contributions, simplicity of participation, and the date for beginning Required Minimum Distributions (RMD). There is a significant new provision for the surviving spouse of a deceased participant in an employer retirement plan.

You may think that your aging loved ones are safe from being ripped off because they’ve been careful about their estate planning, particularly if they have a lot to steal. But there is more to keeping them safe financially than a will and trust. The elders tell you “we’ve taken care of all that. Don’t

Portugal is the number-one destination in Europe for ease of residency. The Portuguese government is eager for foreign investment, offering a wide range of residency visa options designed to attract different types of people. It’s innovative and adaptable, introducing new visa options like its Digital Nomad Visa, launched in October 2022, in response to changing

Households of color often find themselves in a tighter financial bind than is the case for white households. Black, Latino, many Asian households as well as households of other and multiple races and ethnicities tend to have fewer savings, while they face greater financial risks from unemployment, health emergencies, and widespread discrimination, among others. Squeezed