Retirement

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 The law repealed two provisions that were created in the 1983 Social Security reforms, the government pension offset and windfall elimination provision, and will retroactively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

Here are two situations I reviewed recently. A 74-year-old man got a bill for his colonoscopy. He thought this was supposed to be a free procedure. A 71-year-old woman has never paid for a mammogram since she has been on Medicare. But she discovered she has to pay for the last one. These individuals received

Burnout isn’t just an issue in the workplace. In fact, it may be even more common in our financial lives. Sure, we’ve all heard about the notoriously low savings rates in the U.S. and the paltry average savings in most households, but regardless of income, more than half of the country reports that they are

Many retirees plan to spend their retirement savings quite frugally, according to a few recent reports and studies. For example, a recent survey report, To Spend or Not to Spend from Blackrock, shares that retirees prefer to keep their assets untouched and that just one in four survey respondents feel they need to spend the

Bad: stubborn prices increases. Surprisingly good these days: Your ability to outrun them. By William Baldwin, Senior Contributor Ugly truth about inflation: Once it gets started, it’s hard to stop. But there’s an auspicious element of what’s going on in the financial markets: Investors are much better equipped than they used to be to combat

When you change jobs, you’ll need to decide what to do with your old 401(k). A common choice is to roll the old 401(k) into an IRA, which can be a great option. But according to a recent Vanguard study, 28% of investors who did a 401(k) rollover into an IRA were in cash one

For those of you that have been affected by the Windfall Elimination Provision or the Government Pension Offset, this may be the most important article you read. The Social Security Agency at this point does not have a specific timeframe as to when benefits will be adjusted. The WEP reduces your own Social Security benefit.

My husband and I enjoy the show on Netflix with Ted Danson titled “Man on the Inside.” Charles (Danson) is a retired professor of engineering who has recently lost his wife. Since his adult daughter is worried he is depressed, lonely, and bored, she encourages him to get a job that will get him out

Some parents do a fine or at least adequate job. Some do not. For those adult children who did not have adequate parenting, there may come a time for a challenging decision: should you care for an aging parent who was emotionally absent, abusive, or neglectful during your childhood? Do you owe it to them?

Can a 50-year-old still retire a millionaire? The good news is, yes, even starting in your 50s, you can still end up a millionaire. Obviously, it will take more diligent financial planning and investing to reach the millionaire or multi-millionaire club the later you begin accumulating wealth. There are simple steps to follow in order

Tim Ferriss recently talked to Greg McKeown, offering “Tactics and Strategies for a 2025 Reboot,” and the Essentialsim author had a showstopper of a quote that caused me to “Wait, what?” and rewind: “What I have learned is this strange law of inverse prioritization,” McKeown said, “which is, I literally believe now that the most

Being part of the “sandwich generation”—adults caught between raising their own children and caring for aging parents—can feel like an endless financial and emotional marathon. Many middle-aged adults are juggling mortgages, college tuition for their kids, and the stunning costs of elder care, not covered by Medicare. The weight of these responsibilities can lead to

Medicare Advantage prior authorizations have few friends. Doctors hate them. Patients hate them. Politicians say they hate them and introduce bills to curb them. But how onerous are they really? Less than many people think. But they still create opportunities for insurance companies to maximize profits at the expense of needed care. And they can

I have been following Sahil Bloom through his bi-weekly newsletter, The Curiosity Chronicle. I consider him to be one of the smartest thought leaders in the field of personal growth and development. He offers action oriented practical wisdom. Bloom’s book, The Five Types of Wealth: A Transformative Guide to Design Your Dream Life, has just

One of the most common questions I get asked by people thinking of retiring is, “What do I need to do to ensure I won’t run out of money in retirement?” If you’ve asked this question, you have reasons to be concerned: Healthcare is costly, most people live longer, and inflation has eroded purchasing power.