Retirement

Hopefully, everyone reading this knows to add a beneficiary to their retirement accounts. I’m guessing a few of you know that you can add a Transfer on Death beneficiary to your other investment accounts. Adding a Transfer on Death beneficiary can be an excellent estate planning first step for those who don’t need or are

Remember old-fashioned teeter-totters? The kind made from a wobbly wooden board? As a child, I’d spread my arms wide and stand in the middle of the board with one foot on each side, swaying back and forth, trying to balance and suspend both ends above the ground. I guess it was the closest I could

“I’m an older single woman looking for a change. Is overseas retirement an option for me?” This is one of the questions I’m asked most frequently as publisher of Live And Invest Overseas. There’s a misconception, especially among older folks, that it’s uncommon for women to explore the world, whether as tourists or expats, on

I expect tomorrow’s October jobs report will be so so. Why? Tuesday’s Labor Department’s monthly Job Opening and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) indicated stagnating labor demand and so do business indicators. The National Association of Business Economists mid-October reported falling sales and fewer incidences of rising sales since July. Also, JOLTS reported hires were blah.

Coordination is Critical and Often Ignored Everyone understands the need for certain critical estate planning documents such as a will (and perhaps a revocable trust), health care documents (such as a health care proxy designating an agent to make health care decisions) and a durable power of attorney for financial matters (empower a designated person

We are only two weeks into the 2023 Medicare Open Enrollment Period, and I have encountered four people who are very dissatisfied with their plan. They complained that the copayment for a new drug is “insane” or “ridiculous.” These individuals have two things in common. They are all unhappy that they are paying way too

A growing number of Americans are resorting to hardship withdrawals from their 401(k) accounts, a recent Bank of America report found. This signals that financial distress is on the rise. Hardship withdrawals refer to times when people take out funds from their 401(k) accounts due to immediate and heavy financial need. Federal law states these

A recent report from Bank of America BAC found that a growing number of Americans are resorting to hardship withdrawals from their 401(k) accounts, signaling financial distress is on the rise. Hardship withdrawals refer to funds withdrawn from an individual’s 401(k) account due to immediate and heavy financial need. Federal law states these withdrawals are

We are only two weeks into the Open Enrollment Period, and I have encountered four clients who are very dissatisfied. They complain that the copayment for a new drug is “insane” or “ridiculous.” In other words, they are paying way too much. These clients have two things in common. One, they are all unhappy and,

For a long time, we were entitled to only an annual credit report from the three reporting agencies: Equifax EFX , Experian and TransUnion. Now you can get a report weekly and for free. When you get a parent’s credit report, you can find a lot of information. Your aging parents may be spending more

As income rises, one of the bigger decisions that savers face is where to invest extra funds. If you’re already maxing out your 401(k) or retirement account, then this gives you a few options to consider with that extra savings. Few people realize the value that these after-tax deferrals can have on the long-term savings

Every community has social pressures that may cause an individual to make bad financial decisions. This is true regardless of religion, race, sexual orientation, citizenship and so forth. The Orthodox Jewish community is no different in this regard. A loose definition of Orthodox Judaism is Jews who observe a kosher diet and the Sabbath. This

People with second homes might not give much thought to the estate taxes that could be due when they die; they’re often not even on their radar. A second home is supposed to be a place of respite, a happy place for vacationing. So, why interrupt that solitude with fear of death and taxes. However,

With digital nomadism taking off around the globe, people are wondering where they can travel—and stay—without having to apply for a visa. Most countries allow U.S., Canadian, and British citizens (along with many others) to enter countries for a maximum of 90 days at a time on their automatically granted tourist visa. Long-stay visas, on

By Nancy Collamer, Next Avenue My husband and I sold our Connecticut home in the fall of 2020. At the time, our plan was to rent a cottage in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, while searching for a charming country home. Alas, we moved during the height of the pandemic, when finding a decent rental was nearly

With the regularity of Halley’s comet, but more frequent, the myth of the Greedy Geezer circles our orbit. The latest is the New York Times columnist Peter Coy and well-respected economist C. Eugene Steuerle and Glenn Kramon former editor of the New York Times implying a dollar taken away from the old go to the

Across the financial landscape—the industry, the media, the blogosphere, the DIY community—virtually all attention is paid to attaining and sustaining wealth. You’ll find more than you’ll ever need or want on saving, investing, and insuring, but then what? It seems the presumption is that once you hit your number, or someone else’s, the game is

If you are eligible for a company 401(k) plan, but haven’t signed up because you can’t afford to contribute to the 401(k), I have two questions for you: Does the plan have a match? And, do you get a tax refund? If so, we need to talk. I’d also like to talk with all of

A new survey by the Nationwide Retirement Institute® confirms what many of us already suspected – inflation can be bad for your health, especially in retirement. According to the survey, inflation is forcing Americans to delay medical care and downgrade health insurance. In fact, more than half of respondents (59 percent) say they lack confidence

Ford Motor F Co. and the United Auto Workers (UAW) reportedly have reached a tentative agreement to end a 41-day strike at selected plants. Experts predict that the Ford deal could have a domino effect on negotiations with the other two automakers involved in the strike, General Motors GM Co. and Stellantis. The agreement reportedly