Retirement

When it comes to retirement benefits for public sector workers, Alaska is an outlier state offering only 401(k)-style defined contribution (DC) benefits to its workers. Alaskans who deliver essential public services lack a defined benefit (DB) pension plan, and teachers do not even participate in Social Security. Not only are these workers at an extreme

At first glance, those of us who have been steadily socking away funds and dreaming of retirement in our fifties or sixties don’t hold much in common with those who plan for a FIRE retirement. Unfamiliar with FIRE? The Financial Independence/Retire Early movement has gained traction in recent years as more flexible working arrangements and

In the landscape of wealth management, some elements are, for lack of a better term, sexier than others. Both financial planners and their clients are often drawn to more complex topics, especially those that seemingly pledge to make or save a lot of money. And while those strategies are valid, if not vital, for exploration,

Remote workers and retirees alike have flocked to scenic Spokane, driving up home prices. But the city is working through its growing pains. By Emily Mason, Forbes Staff Bruce Munholand spent 32 years working for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, mostly in Alaska, where he met his wife, Keri. His last posting was in

Forbes compared more than 800 locales in America on everything from housing costs and taxes to healthcare, air quality, crime and climate change and natural hazard risk. These are the top 25 cities for retirees. By William P. Barrett, Senior Contributor Barry and Susan Mendelson raised their two children in a century-old three-story, six-bedroom Prairie-style

Our elders love their independence, for the most part. Perhaps over time, their chronic health conditions start to erode their abilities to do some things independently. In the absence of a sudden event, like a fall, the slow decline in physical ability may not be obvious when family visit their loved ones. And at some

The daughter of a client called me because she was concerned about how much her mother paid for cataract surgery. She has a Medicare supplement, met her deductible and there shouldn’t be any bills. What is going on? As a nursing student, I cared for several cataract patients. They were admitted to the hospital and,

You may have heard that there’s an election coming up. And maybe you’re planning your own event – your retirement. Does one affect the other? Will the election affect your retirement planning? Trying to read the political tealeaves is rarely productive; still, there are some general considerations about the upcoming election that should factor into

Sunk cost, opportunity cost, and the endowment effect. You may expect these textbook-weight words to show up in the classroom. You may even imagine how understanding these concepts could help better explain corporate, institutional, or public policy matters—or at least your investment portfolio. But it’s harder to imagine utilizing them to make better decisions in

The author suggests that when it comes to retirement decisions, we may not be asking the right questions. As the Jodie Foster character in True Detective likes to say, “You’re not asking the right question.” Then for a successful retirement, what is the right question? It’s “Do the decisions I make now matter?” Clearly the

When Older Americans Month (May) was established in 1963, only 17 million Americans had celebrated their 65th birthday. Today over 60 million of us can claim the distinction of being 65 or better. However, over 22 million older adults live alone and close to 30% of them have no children or other family support as

Looking for the best places to travel in Europe? So is the rest of the world. As the summer season kicks into high gear across Europe, popular destinations are grappling with an influx of visitors. From Venice (which just started a controversial tourist tax) to Spain’s Canary Islands (where the locals are planning mass protests),

In my first report from Alaska, I focused on the policy discussions in the state regarding retirement issues. Today, I’m sharing a bit more about my experiences here in Alaska. As spring breaks, I’ve found Alaska to be warm and welcoming. The people I’ve met with this week are friendly, honest, and sincere in their

The subject of financial exploitation of elders in our country has been on law enforcement radar for decades. Significant public education programs on this topic by states, counties, and elder-focused organizations are ongoing, but are they doing any good? There was an increase in financial elder exploitation by 14% over the last year, according to

After several abortive attempts over three presidential administrations, the Department of Labor (DOL) once again has issued a new Fiduciary Rule. In 2016, Obama’s DOL issued its version of the Fiduciary Rule in the final year of his presidency. Within two years, however, the Fifth Circuit vacated that rule. In the final year of its

Amid deeply troubling public employee recruitment and retention challenges, the Alaska Senate recently passed a bill to return public employees to a defined benefit pension plan. This would reverse a 2005 decision that closed Alaska’s two statewide pension plans to new hires. I’m in Alaska this week meeting with stakeholders and sharing the findings from

With inflation remaining aggravatingly high, it’s easy to assume this works against you in all parts of life. But there are some ways that it can actually improve your net worth and financial flexibility when you’re self-employed – and in ways that you might not consider. With rising costs, come tightened budgets for many Americans.

Some think of the generation of Baby Boomers (78 million people were born into this category) as being healthy and independent. But is this accurate? Are Boomers more healthy or less so than their parents’ generation? And how do these facts affect the Boomers’ adult children, and even grandchildren? According to the Journal of the

The IRS is mailing compliance letters, known as CP59 notices, “on more than 125,000 cases where tax returns haven’t been filed since 2017.” According to the IRS, the mailings are being sent to more than 25,000 people who have more than $1 million in income between tax years 2017 and 2021, and to more than

It’s been a few years since I’ve gotten any questions about Medigap Plan F. Then, last month, that seemed to be the topic. Consider this recent question from Dennis. I am 71 years old and finally retiring. I talked with my agent about signing up for a Plan F. I think that’s the best one