Should I Open a Traditional or Roth IRA?
Multiple retirement savings vehicles are available but having options can be overwhelming. Each option comes with different rules leading to a variance of outcomes in the short-term and long-term. It’s not that dissimilar to choosing what to eat.
Defined Contribution Plans and IRAs: The Basics
It’s time to go back to the basics. Find answers to your most commonly asked questions on defined contribution plans and IRAs so you can make informed decisions about your retirement plan.
Are Retirement Plan Contributions Tax Deductible?
Retirement plans like 401(k)s and traditional or Roth IRAs can be an easy and effective way to save for retirement. Many investors favor these accounts for their significant tax advantages, which can include tax-deductible contributions. Contributions to a traditional 401(k), IRA, and othe …
RMDs on Inherited Retirement Accounts in the Age of the SECURE Act
Tom Fridrich, Senior Wealth Planner Once upon a time, people would put money in their 401(k) or IRA accounts and know that – should their retirement savings outlive them – their loved ones would inherit the rest and all would essentially be well.
529s, Roth IRAs and Other Strategies for Your College Savings Plan
By Craig Lemoine, Director of Consumer Investment Research I often find college savings at the top of my pile of financial stressors. Unless I find a money tree in my backyard, my oldest child is going to turn 18 well before I retire. We all have different values surrounding the educ …
Five Reasons Your IRA Is Deflating, and What to Do About It
By Craig Lemoine, Ph.D., CFP®, Director of Consumer Investment Research Stocks, bonds and mutual funds have had a rocky start to the year. The S&P 500, a broad measure of the United States stock market, was down 4.6% over the first quarter. Mutual funds holding stocks and bonds have als …
Should I Get a Roth or Traditional IRA?
Many of us ignore our retirement accounts for much of our working lives. We look at a pay stub and have a vague sense of the “minuses:” Social Security, insurance, taxes. But the IRA is one of the most powerful retirement savings tools available to us, and so it warrants our attention.
How to Make Sense of Retirement and Estate Finance
Retirement is far off until it isn’t. This chapter of life can sneak up on just about anyone, and we do ourselves a favor to be as prepared as we can. Like anything involving the government, finances can be confusing, with different tax treatments, contribution limits, beneficiary rules and more.