Retirement

For you, a vaccination is a vaccination; it protects you against something. But, under Medicare, all vaccines are not equal and that means you probably paid more for some than for others. The coverage for a vaccine depends on the part of Medicare under which it falls. Part B, medical insurance, covers most vaccines that

This is a true story, and it may reflect what many older vets face when they start to lose their independence. We’ll call our vet “Uncle Zach”. At AgingParents.com, we worked with the daughter of a 99 year old gentleman, Tony, with dementia and various health conditions. I would sometimes visit him at home to

Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin The Social Security Administration announced today that benefits will jump 8.7% for 2023, the largest increase since 1981, when double digit inflation pushed payments up more than 11%. The cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) affects 70 million Americans, including 48 million retired workers and their spouses and dependents;

Your mom has been hospitalized for two weeks following a stroke. One morning, she’s told she’ll be discharged by the end of the day. Mom calls you in a panic. You rush to the hospital and ask for advice. Instead, you get a much-copied list of local skilled nursing facilities and a wave good-by. This

The labor market recovered remarkably quickly from the recession in early 2020. This rapid recovery has had greater importance for Black, Latino and many Asian workers than for white workers as they rely more on income from work—wages, salaries and self-employment income—as opposed to income from capitol like dividends and interest. Jobs returned at a

You’d be amazed how many people want to be entrepreneurs. You’d be even more amazed to learn this enthusiasm exists across all age groups. In fact, according to one study1, one in four over the age of 65 possess an “entrepreneurial intention,” while nearly one in five the age of 50 feel the same. Certainly,

Many investors make the mistake of assuming advisers who appear wealthy must be financially savvy and will make them rich. Scammers count on the allure of real or imaginary wealth. To be sure, hiring a penniless pauper to advise you on how to get rich makes no sense. On the other hand, many people believe

An ambitious project from the Stanford Center on Longevity (SCL) attempts to improve retirement outcomes by encouraging pre-retirees and retirees to plan ahead for the challenges they face as they transition into retirement. The widespread lack of forward-looking planning among people approaching their retirement has vexed retirement planners and researchers for many years. Often, people

One of the most common questions we get is whether to put savings toward paying off a mortgage vs. investing more for retirement. This question is tricky because the answer can vary depending on which stage of life you’re in. Are you in the accumulation phase of trying to build wealth or in the distribution

In the mid-1990s, a plethora of regional mutual funds popped up across America. Today, when you think of a “regional” fund, you think of broad global regions. But, three decades ago, a “regional” fund might have also referred to so-called “cheerleader” funds that promoted a particular state in whole or part. Think of these as

I will assess this question for a homeowner of 62 with a house now worth $400,000 who has no current need to draw funds from a HECM but wants the largest possible credit line looking ahead – say in 3 years. I will call this homeowner Prudent. The data used in answering this question are

The Bureau of Labor Statistics shows in Friday’s data, a labor market that is growing at a modest, stable pace. In general, job and wage growth have moderated to a point, where they do not exert inflationary pressures. This could create the policy space for the Federal Reserve to proceed cautiously with further interest rate

Today’s Surprise: Unemployment Is Down But So Are Wages Not sure what the Fed will make of today’s jobs report. My guess is that it will likely double down and keep gunning for a recession. Outside of impacting financial markets, the Federal Reserve’s interest-rate hiking campaign is focused on suppressing job growth, as James K.

Factors to consider Assisted living homes continue to spring up, with owners hoping to attract the highest paying residents to the nicest facilities. After all, Medicare does not cover assisted living and residents must pay out of pocket. If you are considering this for an aging parent, cost is a primary factor in the decision.

The Justice Department recently announced an expansion of its Transnational Elder Fraud Strike Force to fight against financial abuse. We applaud its efforts. However, no matter what the expansion puts into better transnational law enforcement, the heart of the problem and the worst of elder financial exploitation does not come from international crime rings. It

As you transition into retirement, you face many important decisions that will impact your quality of life for the rest of your life. The trouble is, many people ignore or put off these critical decisions, according to Disconnected: Perception vs. Reality in Retirement Planning, a recent study from the Stanford Center on Longevity (SCL). Most

As we approach this year’s December 31st deadline for Roth conversions, and with the looming expiration of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), set to expire at the end of 2025 causing 2026 tax rates and brackets to be higher for most households, many people are looking to see if Roth conversions are appropriate

The Social Security Administration announces the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for the following year each year. With the bout of inflation hitting American wallets over the past year, the Social Security cost-of-living adjustment could be huge for 2023. The September 2022 Consumer Price Index (CPI) report is set to be released on October 13, and the

In 2023, the premium for Part B, medical insurance, is going down by $5.25, to $164.90. After last year’s hefty increase, Medicare beneficiaries are relieved. With that drop, higher-income beneficiaries will be even more relieved. Since 2007, higher-income beneficiaries have paid more for Part B (in addition to the monthly premium) because of IRMAA, the

Around the world, there are millions of workers and retirees who are counting upon pensions set up by corporations and governments to provide for their retirement security. These individuals believe they have been “promised” certain benefits and that promises made will be kept. Unfortunately, many pensions are severely underfunded, i.e., not enough money has been