Insights
Market Commentary
Weekly Market Commentary February 19, 2019
The S&P 500 surged 2.6% on the news an agreement had been reached to avoid a government shutdown and increased optimism about trade negotiations. Global stocks participated in the rally. Read more
Blog
Medicare Time – Now What? Things to Know as You Start Out
By Mark Petersen, Vice President, Affluent Wealth Planning
You’re turning 65 this year and Medicare is on your mind. Medicare is a subset of Social Security and run by the Social Security Administration. In my experience, it may be almost as complicated as the Internal Revenue Code!
With that said, let’s look at some common questions about Medicare. Read more
News
How 5 U.S. Presidents Continue To Influence Your Retirement Readiness Today
Following our first President’s death in 1799, George Washington’s February 22nd birthday became a perennial day of remembrance for Americans. However, it would take another 172 years before the holiday became popularly known as Presidents’ Day. In 1971, it was moved to the third Monday in February under the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, an attempt to create more three-day weekends for the nation’s workers. Read more
News
401(k) Secrets: Capitalize On Net Unrealized Appreciation (NUA)
Employer-sponsored retirement plans like 401(k)s offer a lot of savings, investment, and tax advantages, but you have to be paying attention to make the most of them. Some of the best tax strategies with retirement savings can be complex and require a good bit of planning, without which the strategy and benefits could be lost forever. Read more
News
Understanding the 199A Deduction After The New IRS Final Regulations
Despite being in the midst of a government shutdown, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) was just able to release a 247 page document describing and cementing final rules around section 199A. For those of you who are unfamiliar with 199A, the section provides for a new deduction of up to 20 percent of qualified domestic business income for pass through entities such as sole-proprietorships, partnerships, S-corporations, trusts, or estates. Read more
Market Commentary
Weekly Market Commentary February 11, 2019
U.S. stocks finished barely positive last week. The S&P 500 inched 0.1% higher on a relatively light week for news. The government shutdown has delayed a number of key statistics about the strength of the U.S. economy and given investors less data then expected to evaluate it. Read more
News
Test Your Annuity Acuity: An Advanced True/False Quiz
Despite wanting and needing more guaranteed income in retirement, many Americans are hesitant to purchase an annuity to provide that income. Some of this hesitancy is due to misconceptions around the products and how they can best be used to support a secure retirement. Read more
News
Why The Average Retiree’s Net Worth Is A Deceiving Statistic
Not enough Americans are saving for retirement. What’s new, right?
According to the 2018 Retirement Confidence Survey conducted by the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI), only about two-thirds of Americans say they or their spouse have saved anything for retirement, leaving millions of Americans with no retirement savings.
News
Pros and Cons of Investing in an IRA during Retirement
As more and more people are working in retirement, retirees often need to determine the best strategy for saving or investing their incomes. One option is to save and invest in an IRA during retirement. For one thing, many retirees already have an IRA set up by the time they get to retirement. However, there are pros and cons to investing in an IRA in retirement, and in some cases, you might be prohibited from doing so. What follows are some of the benefits and drawbacks to investing in an IRA during retirement.
News
You Might Be On The Hook For Your Parents’ Nursing Home Costs
The annual cost of care study was just released by Genworth, showing the average private room in a nursing home – for the first time ever – costs over $100,000 a year. If that number doesn’t shock you, it should. Read more