CD’s
Savings Strategies
Some people have no trouble saving money — they stash away any cash they don’t need, and their account grows and grows. These people usually aren’t very materialistic and don’t have a lot of goals that require money to fulfill. That’s a wonderful trait, in some ways. However, there’s nothing wrong with setting up…
Read MoreRetirement Withdrawal Strategies
As hard as retirement saving and investing may seem, that’s the easy part. The real challenge is figuring out how to make your accumulated savings last throughout your and your spouse’s retirements. You need a strategy, and it’s best to have that strategy developed before retirement begins. Because life expectancy is longer these days,…
Read MoreRanking the World’s Nations
What’s the best country? After several years at No. 2, Canada leads the globe, according to U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Countries” rankings for 2021. It’s followed by Japan, Germany, Switzerland, Australia and the United States.1 The criteria used to make Best Country determinations included quality of life, agility, entrepreneurship, an “open for…
Read MoreInvestment Consolidation Strategies
Throughout investment industry and financial media sources we constantly hear the message that our money should be diversified. By spreading assets throughout a number of different vehicles, we can take advantage of various market opportunities while helping protect them from some investment risks. But how much diversification is too much? And what exactly should…
Read MoreAnnuity Insights
The Insured Retirement Institute (IRI) – a trade association for the retirement income industry – advocates annuities as a vehicle that can help provide retirees income, guaranteed by the insurer. The organization has been actively educating and lobbying legislators to expand annuity access as part of employer-sponsored retirement plans.1 Under this scenario, whatever portion the…
Read MoreRetirement Planning Insights
Amid lost jobs and a scaled-back economy in 2020, some workers may have decided to retire earlier than planned. There are a couple of Social Security strategies worth considering in this scenario. First, if both spouses are over age 62, determine if you can make ends meet by taking only one Social Security benefit…
Read MoreHow To Help Maximize Social Security Benefits
There are good reasons to delay starting Social Security benefits, but there are also good reasons to begin them early. It really does depend on your circumstances. If you claim earlier than your full retirement age (FRA), your benefit will be permanently reduced. The age to qualify for the full Social Security benefit varies…
Read More2021 Outlook: Wealth Managers Weigh In
While challenges likely still lie ahead, there’s no denying we all weathered our fair share of storms in 2020. Now that the calendar has turned to a new year, we looked to wealth managers across the nation to find out what they’re expecting for 2021. As you’ll see, the answer often changes depending on where…
Read MoreSocial Security Updates
The Social Security Administration (SSA) recently announced a new cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) starting in 2021. Beneficiaries can expect a 1.3% increase in their income payouts next year, which is actually smaller than the COLA increase was for this year.1 For single households, that’s an average increase of about $20 a month; $33 for married retirees.2…
Read MoreLet’s Talk About Bankruptcy
According to a recent paper by a Wharton Business School professor, 1 in 10 U.S. households have filed for bankruptcy at some point. Moreover, approximately 1 million file for personal bankruptcy each year. Yet, even in the wake of total household debt soaring to a record $14.3 trillion in the first quarter of 2020, the…
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