"People who want to live longer may not have counted the costs of doing so. There's a lot to consider if you want to live long and be well." Jerry Yu The idea of living longer appeals to many of us, especially as we begin thinking about retirement. Still, as enticing as it is to [...]
"It can be wonderful to grow old with your parents. However, you'll need strategic planning to ensure that caring for aging relatives doesn't drain your emotional and financial resources." -Jeff Kennedy. For the last 25 years, Barbara and her mother Delores had lived miles apart, seeing one another mostly on holidays or during vacations. While [...]
"The safety, security, and preservation of your assets is the primary focus of the distribution phase of retirement. If you lose the money you've saved, how can you possibly create income streams?"- Diane Marra One of the reasons I wrote my book, "Retirement Planning Made Easy," is to help people wrap their heads around the [...]
Don't Put Your Money Under the Mattress - There Are Other Options Insulating your money against inflation, theft or catastrophe is as simple as taking it out from underneath your mattress and opening a savings account. The three most common are transactional savings accounts, money market accounts, and certificates of deposit. Two alternative accounts are [...]
Does a deferred income annuity have a place in your retirement plan? If you're looking for payments that begin on a future date and continue for the rest of your life, your spouse's life, or for a specific period, you might consider a deferred income annuity (DIA). DIAs offer several distinct advantages over other kinds [...]
After running multiple scenarios against actual financial market returns and inflation rates between 1926 and 1992, personal finance guru William Bengen articulated the well-known "4% Rule". Bengen was surprised to discover that, despite stock market crashes and economic downturns, portfolios with 50% equities and 50% bonds did not typically run out of money for 30 [...]
If you are a federal employee under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS), then you have many crucial decisions to make when the time comes to retire. The decision of when to take Social Security, for which FERS employees qualify and pay, is probably one of the most challenging retirement decisions you'll make. If you're [...]
Does Your Social Security Just Go Away When You Die? By Syndicated Columnists|October 29th, 2021|Social Security What happens to your Social Security when you die? “Those planning their retirements should consider what, if any, Social Security benefits could be available if you are the spouse, child, or parent of a worker who dies.” Many [...]
“Modern retirement, with its volatility and unpredictability, requires the use of multiple retirement income tools including annuities.” Jim Fish Adjusting to life without regular paychecks is challenging and stressful for many retirees. Maintaining even a modest lifestyle and addressing rising medical costs requires foresight, planning, and strategic execution. Modern retirement, with its volatility and unpredictability, [...]
“A fiduciary advisor puts your best interests over their commissions. Having a fiduciary might help you avoid getting products and services that don’t fit your situation.” Jerry Yu If you were going on a cruise, would you want the ship's captain to be a novice sailor or an experienced, licensed professional? You’ll probably choose the [...]
