Updated Articles and Resources
- 2010 IRA Contribution LimitsCreated: 2009-11-06 @ 12:01:10 EST
Most retirement plan limits have not changed due to a lack of significant inflation. Learn what you need to know about IRAs, Roth IRAs, contributions, and conversions… - 2010 401k Contribution LimitsCreated: 2009-10-30 @ 13:54:06 EDT
Benefit from the 2010 401(k) contribution limits by taking maximum advantage of this powerful tax-deferred retirement plan… - Should You Have a Mortgage During Retirement?Created: 2009-10-16 @ 13:42:53 EDT
The lure of a mortgage-free retirement is attractive. Learn the considerations for eliminating what's likely to be your largest bill in retirement… - Benefits of an IRA RolloverCreated: 2009-10-16 @ 13:39:38 EDT
An IRA rollover is an effective way to simplify your retirement planning while giving you more investment choices and extending your tax deferral… - Medicare Part B Premiums - Varying By IncomeCreated: 2009-10-16 @ 13:37:19 EDT
Medicare premiums, for 5% of America's retirees, are higher than the rest of us. Could you be paying more? How much more?… - Gifting in a Down Market - Lower Your Future Estate TaxCreated: 2009-10-16 @ 13:35:37 EDT
Although no one likes to see the value of their assets decline, there is an upside - gifting more for less… - Contributing to a 401(k) and a Roth IRA - You Can Do It!Created: 2009-10-16 @ 13:33:58 EDT
"Can I Contribute to a 401(k) and a Roth IRA?" is a common question. The answer is almost always yes. Learn the details… - Your 401K Match - Maximizing Your 401K MatchUpdated: 2009-10-20 @ 09:27:41 EDT
Taking advantage of an employer's 401K match is a critical piece of proper retirement planning. This company match provides you with the opportunity to receive free money into your retirement plan… - IRA Withdrawals - Regular IRA Withdrawal RulesUpdated: 2009-10-16 @ 13:47:36 EDT
An IRA withdrawal is any distribution from your individual retirement account. It's critical to understand how your distribution will affect your financial future, both from tax and retirement plan… - IRA Contribution Limits - 2009Updated: 2009-10-16 @ 13:47:09 EDT
Many retirement plan limits have changed. Some have not. Learn what you need to know about IRAs, Roth IRAs, contributions, and conversions… - 401(k) Contribution LimitsUpdated: 2009-10-16 @ 13:46:08 EDT
Learn the 2009 401(k) contribution limits so you can take maximum advantage of this powerful tax-deferred retirement plan… - Calculate Your Social Security BenefitsUpdated: 2009-10-16 @ 13:44:13 EDT
Learn the two components of calculating your Social Security Benefits: your earnings history and the age you retire. Understand the impact your normal retirement age has on your retirement benefit… - Gift Taxes - Who Pays the Gift Tax?Updated: 2009-10-16 @ 13:29:07 EDT
Although gift tax is very straightforward, those with high asset levels need to follow the rules or risk paying tax unnecessarily… - Roth 401(k) - Saving For Retirement Tax-FreeUpdated: 2009-10-16 @ 13:24:37 EDT
Roth 401(k)s bring together the tax-free growth of a Roth IRA and the higher contribution limits of a 401(k). Yet a Roth IRA contribution lowers your net pay in a way a regular 401(k) does not. Le… - When You're Over The Limit - Non Deductible IRA ContributionsUpdated: 2009-10-16 @ 13:22:33 EDT
Due to certain income limits, not every worker is eligible to make a deductible contribution to a regular IRA. A subset of this group may be permitted to make a contribution to a Roth IRA. Still o… - Roth IRA Distributions - Use A Roth IRA Distribution as an Emergency…Updated: 2009-10-16 @ 13:12:32 EDT
The use of Roth IRA distributions as an emergency fund is a noteworthy concept. Nonetheless, it is fraught with significant disadvantages including negative tax and retirement planning consequence… - Health Savings Accounts - Is An HSA Another Retirement Plan?Updated: 2009-10-16 @ 13:06:44 EDT
A Health Savings Account (HSA) can be an important part of your retirement planning. Coupled with a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP), an HSA can provide you with tax-free growth on qualified medi… - Long Term Care Insurance - How Will You Pay for Any Long Term Care C…Updated: 2009-10-16 @ 13:04:10 EDT
Long term care insurance is an important consideration for anyone approaching or already in retirement? What is your plan for possible long term care? Does insurance play a role? Should it?… - All About Medicare - Medicare Part A, Medicare Part B, Medicare Part…Updated: 2009-10-16 @ 13:00:13 EDT
Due to the rising cost of health care, Medicare is a critical and growing component of retirement planning. Learn about the alphabet soup of Medicare Parts… - Safe Withdrawal Rates - How Much Can You Safely Withdraw From Your R…Updated: 2009-10-16 @ 12:57:47 EDT
What is the real safe withdrawal rate? Many experts feel withdrawing 4% of your initial retirement account balance, then adjusting annually for inflation is the right amount. But such a straightfor… - Delayed Retirement - Want to Retire But Can?t Afford to? Working Lon…Updated: 2009-10-16 @ 12:53:04 EDT
Many people seek to retire at age 62 but can't actually afford to retire so young. While not necessarily the most attractive step, the action most likely to be successful is to delay the date you r… - Social Security ? How to Borrow from Social Security Interest-FreeUpdated: 2009-10-16 @ 12:46:19 EDT
Learn how an unusual quirk in Social Security allows retirees to take an interest-free loan from Social Security… - Retirement Savings - How Much is Enough?Updated: 2009-10-16 @ 12:43:28 EDT
When planning for retirement, one of the most challenging questions is "How much savings do I need?" Although there's no one-size-fits-all answer, there are numerous savings consideration… - Calculating the Value of Your Estate ? Estate Tax ValueUpdated: 2009-10-16 @ 12:32:20 EDT
Despite all the changes in the estate tax, the method for calculating the value of your estate has remained consistent. Do you know that many accounts that are not subject to income tax might be su… - Retirement Planning Has Changed ? How to Plan for the New RetirementUpdated: 2009-10-16 @ 12:24:13 EDT
The decline of defined benefit pensions and the uncertainty surrounding Social Security are just two of the various important changes to today's retirement compared to a generation ago. Learn what… - Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust ? Avoiding The Estate Tax Through a…Updated: 2009-10-16 @ 12:17:10 EDT
An irrevocable life insurance trust (ILIT) is an important estate planning document for individuals meeting certain criteria. Learn the relative advantages and disadvantages of an irrevocable life … - No Required Minimum Distribution Necessary in 2009 ? 2009 RMD Not Re…Updated: 2009-10-16 @ 12:14:35 EDT
Required minimum distributions (RMDs) were suspended for 2009. However, those turning 70 1/2 during 2008 must still take their first distribution by April 1, 2009. Learn the occasionally counter-… - Revocable Living Trust - Avoiding Probate Using a Revocable Living T…Updated: 2009-10-16 @ 12:10:45 EDT
While it's important to have a will, a revocable living trust is often more meaningful in assuring that your affairs go smoothly and as you planned after you pass on. Learn about the advantages of … - COLA ? Social Security and Cost of Living AdjustmentsUpdated: 2009-10-16 @ 12:06:00 EDT
One of the most valuable parts of your Social Security benefit is your cost-of-living-adjustment (COLA). It is the Social Security COLA that allows for protection from inflation over the long-term… - IRA Rollovers - How to Avoid Mandatory WithholdingUpdated: 2009-09-24 @ 14:58:48 EDT
401K to IRA rollovers are a fairly straightforward process as long as you make it clear of your intentions. However, if you take a distribution and then decide to do an IRA rollover, your job just … - Life Insurance and Retirement Planning ? When Life Insurance Can Mak…Updated: 2009-09-24 @ 14:22:47 EDT
Learn when it might make sense to use life insurance as part of your retirement plan… - Safe Investing - Retirement Planning Safe InvestingUpdated: 2009-09-24 @ 14:18:35 EDT
Safe investing through cash, cash equivalents, and fixed income is increasingly important as you get close to or enter retirement. Still, the advantages of greater security from safe investing are… - Saving For Retirement - Save Taxes Today For a Prosperous Future Tom…Updated: 2009-09-24 @ 14:05:37 EDT
Saving for retirement during your working career is a necessary step to achieve financial independence. Take advantage of all the tax breaks available to you by saving for retirement. … - 401K Withdrawals - Rules for 401K Withdrawals and Early WithdrawalsUpdated: 2009-09-24 @ 14:01:07 EDT
Every 401K withdrawal affects your taxes and your future retirement planning. Make sure to consider these implications and others concerns whenever contemplating a 401K distribution from your 401K… - Roth IRA ? Five-Year Rule for DistributionsUpdated: 2009-09-24 @ 13:56:00 EDT
To benefit from the tax-free growth of a Roth IRA, you must keep your assets in your account for five years after your initial contribution. Like with other fun tax rules, five years can actually g… - Life Expectancy and Required Minimum DistributionsUpdated: 2009-09-24 @ 13:26:53 EDT
Shortly after your 70th birthday, you will be forced to begin taking required minimum distributions (RMD). As such, you will need to begin withdrawing money from your 401K and regular IRA. Learn … - Retirement Planning In Your Thirties ? A Great Time to Increase Your…Updated: 2009-09-24 @ 13:22:15 EDT
Retirement planning in your thirties presents the true need to save more with the competing realities of increased expenses due to a growing family. Before the college bills come due, increase the… - Retirement Planning In Your Twenties ? A Great Time to Begin Retirem…Updated: 2009-09-24 @ 13:05:31 EDT
Retirement Planning in your twenties is a great time to begin. Maximizing your 401K match and paying off your debt are key financial planning objectives during the decade… - Roth Conversion - Should You Do a Roth Conversion?Updated: 2009-09-24 @ 12:41:09 EDT
A Roth Conversion means entering retirement with tax-free income. However, a Roth IRA conversion also comes at an upfront cost of paying taxes now. Converting your qualified retirement account (li… - 401K Vesting Schedules - Know the Impact of Your 401K Vesting Schedu…Updated: 2009-09-11 @ 11:30:48 EDT
Understanding your vesting schedule is a crucial and often underestimated part of retirement planning. The risk of forfeiting your employer's matching contribution is real and often preventable. L… - Saving For Retirement With Help - The Saver's CreditUpdated: 2009-09-11 @ 11:22:00 EDT
An often overlooked tax credit, the Retirement Saver's Credit could help you save for retirement with help from the government. Are you eligible?… - Keogh Plans - A Robust Self-Employed Retirement Plan OpportunityUpdated: 2009-08-28 @ 13:26:39 EDT
Keogh plans are qualified retirement plans that may be established as either defined benefit or defined contribution plans. With high contribution limits and large tax incentives, Keogh plans pres… - SEP-IRAs - An Important Self-Employed Retirement PlanUpdated: 2009-08-28 @ 13:22:46 EDT
SEP-IRAs (Simplified Employee Pensions) are an excellent retirement planning opportunity for the self-employed. With high contribution limits and late deadlines, they provide for great flexibility … - 401(k) Loans - Nine Things to Know About Borrowing from Your 401(k)Updated: 2009-08-28 @ 12:58:46 EDT
401(k) loans are available with no credit checks. Are they a good idea? Learn the advantages, disadvantages and limits of borrowing from your 401(k) plan… - Social Security - How Delaying Your Retirement Increases Your Benefi…Updated: 2009-08-28 @ 12:36:23 EDT
Delaying Social Security benefits beyond your normal retirement date increases your monthly payments. Understand how the Social Security Administration will calculate your benefits… - Social Security - How Early Retirement Affects Your BenefitsUpdated: 2009-08-28 @ 12:22:21 EDT
When you choose early retirement and take Social Security benefits before your normal retirement age, your benefit is reduced. Understand how the Social Security Administration figures this benefi… - Normal Retirement Age - Social Security Has A Retirement Age For YouUpdated: 2009-08-28 @ 12:04:54 EDT
Your normal retirement age, or your Social Security Retirement age is based on your year of birth. Learn the importance of your retirement age and how it might affect your retirement plans… - Social Security Taxes - Annual Contribution and Benefit BaseUpdated: 2009-08-28 @ 12:00:59 EDT
Social Security taxes are limited to the first $106,800 of earnings during 2009. Learn the current and future impact of this cap on your retirement planning… - How to Open an IRAUpdated: 2009-08-28 @ 11:31:00 EDT
Ready to open an IRA but not sure where to begin? Learn how to complete the few easy steps required to grow your retirement account… - New Years Resolutions For Your FinancesUpdated: 2009-08-28 @ 11:29:50 EDT
Don't make New Years resolutions you can't keep. Make them realistic and make them count. Making the right financial New Year's resolutions today can improve how you live in retirement… - Last Minute Retirement PlanningUpdated: 2009-08-28 @ 11:11:09 EDT
Even late starters to retirement planning have options. Whether by taking advantage of the 401(k) and IRA catch-up provisions or by strategically delaying your retirement date, you can still achiev… - Start Retirement Planning - How to Start Planing for RetirementUpdated: 2009-08-21 @ 18:15:43 EDT
An introduction to 401(k)s, IRAs, Roth IRAS and the importance of early saving to a successful retirement plan… - Roth IRAs - What is a Roth Individual Retirement Account (Roth IRA)?Updated: 2009-08-20 @ 12:42:27 EDT
Learn the basics of Roth Individual Retirement Accounts (Roth IRAs): where and how to open an account, Roth IRA contribution limits, income limitations, what is an IRA, who's eligible, when they're… - IRAs - How Individual Retirement Accounts Can Jumpstart Retirement P…Updated: 2009-08-20 @ 12:24:13 EDT
Lean the basics of Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs): where and how to open an account, IRA contribution limits, income limitations, what is an IRA, who's eligible, when they're called for, and… - 401(k) Plans - Understanding Your 401(k) PlanUpdated: 2009-08-20 @ 10:57:48 EDT
Lean the basics of 401(k) accounts; what is a contribution percentage, contribution limitations, tax-deferred growth, required distributions, IRA contribution limits, and how you can profit from a …