Navigating Healhcare Costs in Retirement: Life After Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance
As you approach retirement, a critical aspect of your retirement strategy can catch even the most financially savvy individuals off guard: healthcare costs. For decades, you may have enjoyed employer-sponsored health insurance. As retirement looms, you’re about to enter unfamiliar territory and a healthcare landscape vastly different from what you’ve known. Employer Insurance Disappears Many […]
How Much Do You Need To Retire?
A few years ago, there were ads from financial services companies asking, “What’s your number?” The number was the money you needed to retire comfortably. This was an effective way for financial services companies to get people thinking about retirement and encouraging them to strive toward a specific monetary goal. But is asking for a […]
How the SECURE 2.0 Act Changed 529 Plans
Changes to 529 Plans in the SECURE 2.0 Act The SECURE Act was initially passed by Congress at the end of 2019 and was intended to improve retirement savings opportunities. It was a big deal at the time and the most significant piece of retirement legislation since the 2006 Pension Protection Act. Congress came together […]
Healthcare Costs in Retirement
In a 2022 survey, 35% of all workers reported they were either “not too” or “not at all” confident that they would have enough money to pay for their medical expenses in retirement. Regardless of your confidence, however, being aware of potential healthcare costs during retirement may allow you to understand what you can pay […]
Important Birthdays Over 50
Most children stop being “and-a-half” somewhere around age 12. Kids add “and-a-half“ to make sure everyone knows they’re closer to the next age than the last. When you are older, “and-a-half” birthdays start making a comeback. In fact, starting at age 50, several birthdays and “half-birthdays” are critical to understand because they have implications regarding […]
Term vs. Permanent Life Insurance
According to industry experts, most people don’t have enough life insurance. The American Council of Life Insurers recently reported that average coverage equals $183,780, which is equivalent to approximately 3.5 years in terms of income replacement (with the median income being $54,132 in 2022, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics). That’s only half the […]
Your Emergency Fund: How Much Is Enough?
Have you ever had one of those months? The water heater stops heating, the dishwasher stops washing, and your family ends up on a first-name basis with the nurse at urgent care. Then, as you’re driving to work, you see smoke coming from under your hood. Bad things happen to the best of us, and […]
Understanding FDIC Insurance
It’s natural to wonder exactly how a bank safeguards your money. Fortunately, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) insurance exists for this very reason: to help protect your funds once deposited. Read on to explore the purpose of FDIC insurance, how it works, and what it covers. What Is FDIC Insurance? The FDIC is an […]
What is a 1031 Exchange
If you want to add investment real estate to your portfolio, you may want to know what a 1031 Exchange is. While the rules and regulations for this tactic can get complicated, understanding the basic concepts may help you decide if this strategy is right for you. Conducting a 1031 Exchange involves a complex set […]
SECURE Act 2.0: An Overview
In the final days of 2022, Congress passed a new set of retirement rules designed to facilitate contribution to retirement plans and access to those funds earmarked for retirement. The law is called SECURE 2.0, and it is a follow-up to the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act passed in 2019. The […]