The Roth IRA Peter Thiel used to amass billions in tax-free dollars has renewed interest in using tax-advantaged retirement plans as a means for accumulating wealth. What hangs up entrepreneurs is they don’t want to set aside wealth only to have it be taxed away. Whether you think of this as greed or good business,
Retirement
Do you need a financial plan? Maybe not. A full written financial plan is a robust analysis as of one point in time. This differs from general financial planning, which the Certified Financial Planner Board describes as advice on how to achieve short and long-term financial goals. You can’t have a financial plan without financial
Jeff Schneble knows that most people don’t hear the term 401(k) and get excited — but he does. For the CEO of Human Interest, it’s about the opportunity to give more people access to a retirement savings and investing plan. His startup builds retirement plans catered to small and medium-sized businesses left behind by outsized
Recently, I’ve spoken with several people who are worried about losing some or all their Social Security benefits because of a divorce. This concern points to the confusion surrounding spousal benefits for Social Security. Divorce and subsequent marriages may alter your Social Security claiming options, but will a divorce mean your ex-spouse can take some
Lawyers may throw around the term “diminished capacity” in dealing with elders because they have to be aware of elders signing things they may not understand. Lawyers are supposed to protect against that. Financial advisors use the term in a general way, suggesting that some people with this may need help from trusted others in
Recent reporting with reminders about the potential power of the “Mega Backdoor Roth” conversion strategy in a 401(k) plan has been compelling. Who wouldn’t like to contribute as much as $58,000 to their 401(k) and not have to pay taxes in the future? Like most things in life, there are rules, caveats, and limitations. Unfortunately,
The economy is in a good spot right now, but Congress needs to act quickly to strengthen the recovery further. Millions of people are still looking for a job and face financial hardship such as evictions without continued strong economic growth. At the same time, the pandemic has changed face again with the Delta variant
Conventional wisdom says that the reason for public sector pension plans’ poor track record on funding levels is that benefit levels are simply too high, causing politicians to kick the can down the road perpetually. In Illinois, for example, “Tier 1” teachers can retire at any age, after 35 years of service, without any reduction
Last week, The Washington Post lifted up a national priority — closing the retirement wealth gap in the U.S. But WaPo pulled its punches. The urgency to help the millions of middle class Americans who will be poor in retirement could cause political instability and invite backlash. Too few Americans have a direct stake in national economic
Every two years, the National Institute on Retirement Security surveys Americans to measure their sentiment about retirement. The most recent polling again found that most Americans remain worried about retirement. More than two-thirds of Americans (67 percent) say the nation faces a retirement crisis. And, more than half (56 percent) are concerned that they
The past 15 months haven’t been easy for anyone, but older workers experienced a unique set of circumstances that increase their risk of financial challenges in retirement. As the American population continues to age, the outcomes of those in the workforce age 55 and older must be front-and-center in the minds of policymakers in charting
As people age, a top priority is remaining independent and healthy enough to keep living on their own. So what’s the financial pathway to making that happen? Through the years, most of us make financial mistakes that we recover from. But here, we want to talk about one big bungle many people make that does have lasting effects: spending money from their retirement accounts before they retire. Sometimes, as we all know life happens, hardship hits, and you
By Richard Eisenberg, Next Avenue Editor A headline on Stanford University Business School’s Insights site caught my eye recently: “Workplace Equality for All! (Unless They’re Old).” The piece described fascinating research by NYU’s Michael North and Stanford’s Ashley Martin which found that workers who openly oppose racism and sexism were still prejudiced against older workers. As
By Kerry Hannon, Next Avenue As employees inch their way back to the office, are employers acknowledging that caregiving for aging parents, spouses, partners and close relatives is a front and center concern for their workers? It looks like it. At the very least, based on my reporting talking with employers, workers and benefits professionals, the
By Jeanette Hurt, Next Avenue Pop music guitarist, producer, arranger and songwriter Neil Giraldo, 61, was working on a screenplay about local musicians and their struggles in 2016 and one of his partners in the endeavor suggested they find a spirits company to sponsor the movie trailer. Instead, Giraldo told his partner, “Why don’t we start
Two types of early retirements have become more and more prominent through the pandemic recovery. Despite the number of job openings reaching the highest level since the Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the measure in 2006, labor force participation among those 55 or older continues to decline. This indicates that more people over the
Are you curious about crypto? There’s been a tremendous amount of hype about how cryptocurrencies are the “next big thing” in the digital revolution, and how they have the potential to transform not just traditional financial services, but also other industries. A number of high-profile celebrities have endorsed both cryptocurrencies and crypto companies. There are
The low- or no-interest family loan is one of the best strategies to hedge against the numerous proposed increases in income and estate taxes and to take advantage of today’s low interest rates. A family loan reduces income and estate taxes under the current law but also has flexibility so it can be adapted to
As people age, sometimes they are more willing to overlook what needs fixing at home. Maybe it feels like too much to vet contractors, or get bids. One gentleman in his 80’s comments at AgingParents.com, “I’ll just let my kids take care of it. I’ll probably be gone in five years”. Is that fair? We
The United States is currently experiencing its sharpest growth ever in older adults. Those over 65 now number approximately 57 million. Medicare statistics show that by 2050, that number will grow to over 80 million and a very large percentage of those will be in the 85+ category. That is the category that requires the most long-term care