Retirement

Is there anything artificial intelligence can’t do? Well, the answer is “plenty.” The more precise response is, “It all depends on what you’re asking AI.” This is especially true for retirement questions. There’s no doubt that, like any computer, it’s a whiz at number crunching. In fact, it’s much more than that. It’s that chatty

Can you afford to retire if you have $1 million in savings? As with many questions, the answer is “It depends.” Your values, circumstances, and smart planning can make or break a financially successful retirement. Let’s look at the details. Is $1 Million A Lot Of Money In Retirement? If you compare yourself to all

Economic policy uncertainty has surged since Donald Trump’s election. This can be bad, not just for the stock market, but also for business investments and for consumer spending, if the past is any indication. At this point, it is unclear whether tariffs will happen, whether the federal government will stay open after March 14, whether

It’s Never Too Late To Build Your Retirement Nest Egg Starting retirement savings later in life can feel daunting, but it’s far from impossible. The best advice is to start early, but in reality, life may not allow for this, or one may have simply let time slip away. Unfortunately, a staggering number of people

For many adult children, watching their aging parents struggle with daily living in an unsafe home is a distressing reality. The situation becomes even more challenging when those parents adamantly refuse to leave despite clear evidence that their environment is no longer safe. Consider the real case of an elderly couple, both in their late

Despite President Trump’s repeated promises that “we’re not touching Social Security, other than to make it more efficient,” it appears his Administration is planning deep cuts in the program’s administration. And that inevitably will mean trouble for those receiving or applying for benefits. By slashing staff and tinkering with its internal computer systems, the Trump

Passing money from one generation to the next in trust can have its pitfalls. Often when a trust is created, the ultimate beneficiaries are not even born. How is the person creating the trust to know how their grandchildren will turn out if they are still running around in diapers or if they have never

One of the most misunderstood Social Security issues is how working past age 62 affects retirement benefits. Misunderstandings often cause people to make the wrong decisions about claiming benefits or mislead them about the likely level of benefits. You can begin claiming Social Security retirement benefits as early as age 62, whether you are working

When I talk to prospects and clients about retirement investing, no one usually thinks about what companies are inside their portfolio. They often have a shocked reaction thinking that they might be making money on the backs of the unfortunate prey of predatory lenders. Research provider YourStake defines predatory lending as “Companies that have received

Many investors who prospered from gold’s bull market will be surprised by how profits on their gold investments are taxed. Gold is a collectible in the tax code, giving it less favorable treatment than most other investments. The first unfavorable treatment is that IRAs and other individually-directed retirement accounts (both traditional and Roth versions) aren’t

True Link Financial offers a debit card with spending controls expressly designed for people with dementia, other cognitive deficits or addiction issues. It also manages special needs trusts. By Lindsey Choo, Forbes Staff In November 2020, Alana Peralez received the sort of emergency call she’d been dreading. Her then 84-year-old dad, a retired aerospace engineer

Hustle culture and the ever-shortening form of advice have led to the deification of undying devotion—whether to a cause, a goal, or a priority. This oversimplification is also prominent in financial planning. Of course, courage in the face of adversity is laudable, generically speaking, but wisdom is rarely rigid. Wisdom pauses, asks more questions, considers,

Aggressive trade wars, government shutdowns, and unexpected disasters can send markets careening to the downside. The short-term damage to investments can be severe. But the key word here is “short.” And therein lies the opportunity for long-term investors like those saving for retirement. To fully appreciate the phenomenon and why it’s possible for anyone to

Before moving from a state or establishing a second home, know how the state you currently reside in will react. States with net losses of residents are developing innovative and aggressive ways to capture tax revenue from their expatriates. The most recent innovation is the “exit tax” imposed on departing residents. A proposed wealth tax

In a seemingly off-the cuff television remark, President Trump said he’d protect Medicaid from government spending cuts. Don’t count on it, especially since at nearly the same time, and after dithering for months, Trump endorsed a draft House Republican budget framework that anticipates cuts of as much as nearly $900 billion in Medicaid over the

Semi-retirement can offer important financial and lifestyle advantages to people in their 50s, 60s, and early 70s. By not quitting work completely, you can use the semi-retirement strategy to significantly increase your retirement income for when you do eventually retire full time, while also getting more time now to enjoy life and feel closer to

Republican members of the House of Representatives have taken the first step – a budget resolution – to cut taxes. The final bill will likely extend some of the regressive the tax cuts that Congress enacted under President Trump in 2017, also known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA). The extension of expiring

Introduction U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Iowa) introduced a bill called the Death Tax Repeal Act on Feb. 13, 2025, with more than 170 representatives signing on. U.S. Senator John Thune (R-S.D.) introduced companion legislation in the U.S. Senate. No odds-on passage as the Ouija Board has not proven adept at predicting tax law changes. So

In late 2024 just before the end of its session, Congress passed the Social Security Fairness Act. The President signed the Act into law in early January. The law repealed two provisions that were created in the 1983 Social Security reforms, the government pension offset and windfall elimination provision, and will retroactively increase Social Security

One of the most difficult steps in estate planning is developing a plan to preserve a collection or other special assets. Serious collectors often put a lot of time, money, and other resources into developing, displaying, and preserving their collections. They’re proud of their collections and derive pleasure from the process as well as from