Retirement

Have you ever imagined living under the Tuscan sun? If so, your dream could become a reality—thanks to a new initiative by this pretty region of Italy that is offering financial incentives to people willing to move to its charming, less-populated towns. With the program, “Residenzialità in Montagna 2024” (Residentiality in the Mountains 2024), Tuscany

What is considered the greatest transfer of wealth in history is happening today—one family at a time, from one generation to the next. According to a study by Edward Jones, in collaboration with NEXT iShares Exponential Technologies ETF 360 Partners and Morning Consult, nearly a third of Americans have or will be receiving an inheritance.

For many people considering a retirement in Europe, one of the things they look forward to is the option to go car-free. It makes sense for a number of reasons. One, depending on the make, model, and age of your vehicle, importing it from North America to Europe can cost upwards of $20,000. Not only

Millions of us are middle aged or older, caring for aging parents and other loved ones who can no longer be independent. We see how they decline, whether slowly or sometimes rapidly after some accident or episode. The last part of their lives does not look so great. Chronic illness, doctor visits, loss of ability

Medicare beneficiaries need to know the changes taking place in in 2024 and 2025. The changes begin with the inflation adjustments for various Medicare features. The monthly basic Part B Medicare premium increased by $9.80 (or 5.94%) to $174.70 on January 1. The annual Part B deductible increased by $14 to $240. The additional Part

What are the best cities to live in the world? Every year, the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) evaluates cities across the globe for their liveability, releasing the much-anticipated Global Liveability Index 2024. This year, the new report examines 173 cities using data like stability, healthcare, culture, environment, education and infrastructure, then ranks them on a

Some jobs become increasingly taxing as one ages. Airline pilots and air traffic controllers, for example, are subject to mandatory retirement ages. While not subject to mandatory retirement ages, many police officers and firefighters retire from their public safety job at earlier ages due to the dangerous and physically demanding nature of the work. It’s

Roger Federer played 1,526 singles matches throughout his career and won nearly 80% of them. However, he recently revealed that he only won 54% of the individual points within those matches. To put it another way, one of the greatest tennis players of all time barely won over half the points he played throughout his

Between half and three-quarters of older adults are diagnosed with pre-diabetes. But what does it mean? And what should you do if you get such a diagnosis? Increasingly, many experts say older patients should not overreact. A diagnosis of pre-Type 2 diabetes often produces anxiety and confusion in seniors. It can lead to unnecessary tests

Digital assets now are a major cause of problems settling and distributing estates. You need to carefully consider and incorporate your digital life in the estate plan. Almost all states enacted a form of the Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act, which gives an estate executor the right to manage computer files, web domains,

Earlier this year, a family member had a screening colonoscopy. He’d seen the news stories about the Affordable Care Act mandating no out-of-pocket costs, such as co-pays or a deductible. So if this test is supposed to be “free,” why did he get a bill? This isn’t the first time I’ve heard of people receiving

Retirement waits for no one; it’s coming fast for the youngest Baby Boomers and oldest Gen-Xers. The stark reality is that many people are not ready, and studies show that more than half of us wish we’d saved more and had a solid retirement plan. With retirement looming, financial stress is a constant companion for

Medicare Advantage plans are popular. They’re estimated to have enrolled more than half of Medicare beneficiaries for the first time in 2024. But changes are underway. Those enrolled in Advantage plans or considering them need to pay careful attention when evaluating plans in this fall’s open enrollment season. There could be significant modifications to existing

One of the most knowledgeable financial advisors I’ve ever observed had one of the worst communication tendencies one could have in such a role: He constantly interrupted when clients were talking. But it was worse than you think. Although I’m fairly sure it was subconscious, it was almost as though he was gamifying client communication—seeing

The decisions you face as you transition into and through retirement are more complex, with higher stakes, compared to the saving and investing decisions you’ve had to make for retirement throughout your working years. The trouble is, usually you won’t get any “do-overs” with many of your retirement decisions. If you’re like most people, you’ll

This article is for those individuals who are single and have never been married. Most articles written about Social Security claiming strategies address the analysis for a married couple. This is simply because planning for married couples revolves around these 3 criteria: Maximize the high earner Social Security benefit. Coordinate the benefits between the spouses.

Nowadays, you can find many people who call themselves “financial planners” or “retirement advisers.” Unfortunately, there aren’t consistent definitions and professional requirements for these common terms, unlike the situation with professionals such as doctors, dentists, accountants, or lawyers. Another problem is that many people confuse investment advice with retirement planning. While investing can be an

Supreme Court Rules in Favor of the IRS On June 6, 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a unanimous opinion on a closely held business valuation case that will have significant impact on many family and closely held businesses. Connelly v. United States, U.S., No. 23-146, Opinion 6/6/24. The case addressed the valuation of stock

One of my favorite reads this year has been Michael Easter’s Scarcity Brain. In chapter four, “Why We Crave More,” he describes how we’re hardwired to think that having more—food, money, what have you—makes us safer. To illustrate the point, Michael uses the example of Dr. Leidy Klotz playing Legos with his son. Despite multiple

A new study published in the New York Times demonstrates some startling findings about loss of ability to make money decisions in older people. The study approaches the issue by looking at debt accumulation and reduced credit scores in elders long before being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementias. The team of economists and