Retirement

getty The pandemic inspired economic shutdowns have had a demonstrably negative impact on the economy. The Department of Commerce’s U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) issued its first preliminary estimate of second quarter Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and it was devastating. While a “second” estimate will be released later this month, the BEA announced the

getty Many estate planners will admit that a lot of the plans don’t achieve the owners’ goals. Most of these failures were avoidable. The failures most often result from the nontechnical aspects of the plan, what some refer to as the human side, or soft side, of an estate plan. There’s not a lot of

There is one thing about the current pandemic about which there is no controversy—seniors are most vulnerable. With every warning and every description of preventive measures telling seniors to self-isolate, stay home, and avoid others, there is an inevitable consequence: loneliness. Loneliness among elders was problematic before Covid-19. Now it is worse. And lip service

By Richard Eisenberg, Next Avenue Managing Editor getty Ever since I wrote the viral 2017 Next Avenue post, “Sorry, Nobody Wants Your Parents’ Stuff,” I’ve been a little obsessed with Americans’ love/hate relationship with their possessions and downsizing. So, I was fascinated to read University of Kansas sociology and gerontology professor David J. Ekerdt’s new

As benefits expire, rent comes due, the school year looms and states struggle, Washington’s warring factions are racing to rescue the economy—and their political fortunes. Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images, Mario Tama/Getty Images, Alex Wong/Getty Images, Doug Mills-Pool/Getty Images. Design by Forbes The coronavirus pandemic has taken an inconceivable toll on the American

getty In order to make the most of your retirement savings in your former employer’s plan, you need to act sooner rather than later. This is particularly true if you have recently changed your job, have become disabled, or are nearing 59 ½. It is necessary to understand what options you have and the inherent

Upset couple in self isolation. getty Have you decided to get divorced during the COVID crisis? You are not alone. This prolonged period of quarantining is causing many people to reevaluate their lives. They have had enough of their spouses during this pandemic and decided to finally start anew.   If you have decided that now

Senate Republicans proposed another stimulus check bill yesterday, the Coronavirus Assistance for American Families (CAAF) Act. Stimulus checks under the CAAF Act would provide $1,000 to eligible adults and dependents. As an example, an eligible family of four would receive $4,000. WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 24: Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) talks to reporters after leaving a

getty Are composite plans, that is, risk-sharing plans that protect participants from outliving their assets even if employers are no longer willing, or even able, to make this guarantee, a part of the future of retirement? I’ve no doubt of that. Is every component of the legal structure of the enabling legislation, the GROW Act,

getty Continued economic uncertainty associated with the COVID-19 pandemic is concerning to Americans of all ages, especially those living in retirement. Below we address four questions retired investors are asking about ways to optimize their planning in the months ahead. 1. Should I waive my RMDs? The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security(CARES) Act—the $2

By Roger McIntosh, Next Avenue Contributor getty As our country braces against the ebb and flow of mandates to stay-at-home, we should give serious consideration to the repercussions of self-quarantine or isolation on the mental and physical well-being of those most vulnerable to Covid-19. As a health psychologist and expert in human immunodeficiency, I know

TOPLINE Senate Republicans unveiled a new coronavirus relief proposal Monday that would replace the extra weekly $600 unemployment aid (which end this week) with a 70% wage-replacement program—but state labor departments are scrambling to figure out how their overwrought systems would handle the payments. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) called for an extension of unemployment

getty This past June, the Department of Labor (“DOL”) released new guidelines regarding the proper use of incorporating Environmental, Social, and Governance (“ESG”) factors in determining the investments within a retirement plan covered by ERISA. This hasn’t gone over well with ESG advocates. Aron Szapiro, director of policy research for Morningstar MORN , recently wrote,

Are there cases when the amount of guaranteed income can be decreased? Generally, if an annuity contract states that a guaranteed income level remains for life then this is the case as long as distributions do not exceed the guaranteed levels. But some annuity providers make clear that there is an option to receive more

getty Separate and apart from the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) is the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”) program.  Initially enacted many years ago to provide loans to businesses that have suffered from major storms, droughts, and other federally-declared disasters, the SBA has already advanced over $150 billion in EIDL money to borrowers who have verified

CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images Yesterday, Senators Marco Rubio and Susan Collins released a 92 page proposed Bill for an Act that will be called the Continuing Small Business Recovery and Paycheck Protection Program Act. The Act is intended to correct some problems and a number of challenges that PPP borrowers have had, while

By Arlene Weintraub, Next Avenue Contributor getty When Karen Tibbals of Washington, N.J. heard that more than 100,000 volunteers would be needed for late-stage clinical trials of four Covid-19 vaccines, she wanted to roll up her sleeves and get one of the experimental shots. Tibbals is 65 and has the autoimmune disease rheumatoid arthritis, raising

WASHINGTON, DC – JULY 20: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) (L) listens to U.S. … [+] President Donald Trump talks to reporters while hosting Republican congressional leaders and members of Trump’s cabinet in the Oval Office at the White House July 20, 2020 in Washington, DC. Trump and the congressional leaders talked about a

MEXICO CITY, MEXICO – JUNE 10: President of Mexico Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador gestures during his … [+] daily morning briefing on June 10, 2020 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo by Hector Vivas/Getty Images) Getty Images When Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, or AMLO, was elected as president of Mexico in 2018, he was characterized by

Several retirement trends have been brought into focus by the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the most disturbing is the number of workers between 50 and 65 who are in jobs without retirement benefits. Today half of all workers don’t have access to a work sponsored retirement plan. According to a recent study by Alicia H.