News Archive

"You're diligently saving, investing, and planning for retirement. Everything seems to be on track, but the curveballs just keep coming -- market downturns, surprise expenses, maybe even a health scare. Such developments raise an important question: Is your financial plan sound enough to withstand significant stressors? Here's how to anticipate -- and account for -- the unexpected."  MORE >>

"Recent analysis highlights that a man will need to have saved $191,000, and a woman will need to have saved $226,000 just to have a 90% chance of meeting their healthcare spending needs in retirement. As medical costs continue to rise faster than inflation and life expectancy is higher than ever, planning for healthcare in retirement ... should be viewed as a 'core liability' alongside housing, food, and other necessities."  MORE >>

"A major reason not to set your retirement plan on autopilot: sequence of returns risk. A flexible strategy with cash reserves and smart withdrawal moves can help ensure that a bad market doesn't sink your golden years."  MORE >>

"The IRS requires that you take the proper amount from RMD-subject accounts by year-end, but the rules don't specify which investments you tap to meet those distributions.... [A]ssuming you don't need the RMD for living expenses, a transfer in-kind of securities from your IRA to a taxable brokerage account may make sense. Not only can it help you maintain the same market exposure, just in a different part of your portfolio, but the transfer may also reduce the taxes due on future appreciation when you eventually do sell."  MORE >>

"Here are five situations where it may be better NOT to name the spouse directly as the IRA beneficiary. [1] Sufficient assets.... [2] Vulnerable beneficiaries.... [3] Remarriage concerns ... [4] Blended families ... [5] Special needs beneficiaries."  MORE >>

Rev. Dec. 2025. "What's New: [1] Updated IRA naming convention.... [2] New line 5a ... [which] directs taxpayers to add the amounts from column (a) of lines 2, 3, and 4, and enter on line 5a the portion of that sum not attributable to qualified disaster distributions."  MORE >>

"What's New: [1] Permanent credit for Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) account contributions ... [2] New saver's match for qualified retirement contributions starting with 2027 tax returns filed in 2028."  MORE >>

"Reasons to roll over ... [1] Your plan has high-cost investments.... [2] You have a trail of 401(k) accounts.... [3] You need more bond funds.... [4] You want flexibility for withdrawals.... Stick with the 401(k)? ... [1] You plan to retire early…or late.... [2] You want to invest in a Roth IRA, but you earn too much to contribute.... [3] You worry about the loss of Net Unrealized Appreciation (NUA).... [4] You're worried about lawsuits."  MORE >>

"Whether you're changing employers, retiring, or taking a career break, knowing how to manage your old 401(k) can help you avoid unnecessary taxes and keep your retirement strategy on track. Americans ... born between 1957 and 1964 held an average of 12.9 jobs between ages 18 and 58.5 Deciding what to do with an old 401(k) is therefore a common step in any career transition."  MORE >>

"[It's] hard to read an article about Social Security these days that doesn't proclaim the financial benefits of waiting till 70.... [M]any in the financial services industry ... are increasingly prone to labeling those who take those well-earned benefits 'on time' as being foolhardy at best ... [T]here's more to these types of decisions than 'the math' ... [S]ome people get so caught up in a slide rule exercise they forget that there are real, rational, personal reasons for the timing of the claiming decision."  MORE >>

"Financial pundit Dave Ramsey's advice to pause 401(k) contributions while paying off debt forfeits employer match dollars and halts compounding growth. Staying invested through market downturns is a way to avoid missing the reward of the market rebounding. Only consider tapping your tax-free retirement savings as part of a carefully structured 401(k) loan."  MORE >>

"If deciding what to do with an old 401(k) plan has been on your to-do list for a while, here are the key steps you should take to get it done. [1] Check your account value. [2] Determine whether to stay within the 401(k) confines. [3] Assess the quality of your 401(k) options. [4] Find the right IRA provider. [5] Decide whether to convert your traditional 401(k) assets to Roth. [6] Execute. [7] Determine what to invest in."  MORE >>

"[T]here is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to filing for -- or changing -- your Social Security retirement benefits.... [1] Projecting your benefits; [2] Life expectancy and Social Security; [3] How marriage affects your benefits; [4] How to 'undo' your benefits; [5] Social Security planning and your overall financial picture; [6] Concerns about Social Security solvency; [7] Making an informed decision."  MORE >>

"Outdated return assumptions can distort your 401(k) projections, leaving you underprepared for retirement. Market forecasts for a 60/40 portfolio are lower than many tools assume as a default, often in the 4% to 6% range, not 8% or more. Recalibrating your plan now -- by saving more or adjusting your retirement age -- can dramatically improve your long-term outlook."  MORE >>

"The Social Security trust fund that is used to pay retirement benefits is expected to be depleted in 2033. Once the trust fund is depleted, retirees may only receive 77% of their benefit amount. It is widely believed Congress will make changes to the Social Security system before the trust fund is depleted. Finance experts say those changes shouldn't affect older workers, but younger workers could see reduced benefits and should start investing more for retirement."  MORE >>

"The constant real spending assumed by the 4% rule isn't what the majority of retirees prefer. Advisors need to help clients enjoy their savings during early retirement while protecting against inflation and other long-term risks. Delayed Social Security claiming can help provide an inflation-protected lifestyle safety net."  MORE >>

"If you're newly married or planning to tie the knot, it's important to understand how your IRA and 401(k) accounts are affected. From changes in contribution limits and tax-filing status to updating beneficiaries, this guide explains what every couple needs to know to avoid costly mistakes and make the most of their retirement savings."  MORE >>

16 pages. "As U.S. adults live longer than ever before, the question is no longer if we will age, but how we will age -- and whether we are truly prepared to thrive later in life.... [T]he Longevity Preparedness Index ... evaluates readiness across eight essential domains of life. This report ... highlights not only where we fall short, but also where we are making meaningful progress -- and where the greatest opportunities are."  MORE >>

"U.S. adults are generally underprepared to live well as they age, according to what it being described as a first-of-its-kind Longevity Preparedness Index (LPI) from John Hancock and the MIT AgeLab. The index establishes benchmarks around eight critical domains to assess the readiness of Americans to live well in older age."  MORE >>

"28% of rollover investors stayed in cash for at least 12 months, with minimal changes after the first three months following the contribution.... The median job switcher saw a 10% increase in pay, but a 0.7 percentage point DECLINE in their retirement saving rate when they switched employers.... [O]nly an average of 15.3% gained a plan upon job change. while an average of 20% lost access to a plan via work."  MORE >>

"William Bengen now says a withdrawal rate of 4.7% may be more appropriate. Retirees who can cut back a little during rough market years tend to do better than those who consistently withdraw the same amount, no matter what happens. Another withdrawal strategy is to align annual withdrawals with remaining portfolio value, thereby adapting to market fluctuations."  MORE >>

"In general, clients who think their tax rate will fall in retirement should not make the conversion ... But many high-earning clients end up staying in the top tax bracket in retirement. For clients whose income remains stable, there's "a slight mathematical advantage to the Roth[.]"  MORE >>

73 pages. Rev. Dec. 2025; pub. Sep. 30, 2025. "What's New ... [1] Beginning in 2025, IRA references in these instructions follow a revised naming convention.... [2] Form 8915-F includes a new line 5a. This line directs taxpayers to add the amounts from column (a) of lines 2, 3, and 4, and enter on line 5a the portion of that sum not attributable to qualified disaster distributions."  MORE >>

"If your (or your financial advisor's) assumptions are too conservative, future experience will be more favorable than assumed, and your Funded Status will increase over time. Conversely, if your assumptions are too aggressive, future experience will be less favorable than assumed and your Funded Status will decrease over time.... [This post attempts] to quantify how conservative certain sets of assumptions are when using the Actuarial Financial Planner (AFP) with different Funding Status targets."  MORE >>

"Advisers' compensation structure has greater influence on the equity allocation they recommend than their views on the relative risk of investing in stocks and their risk premium, according to a [recent study] ... The study also found that advisers tend to advise greater allocations to equity for investors with an average risk tolerance than those investors would prefer, but advise a proportion to low-risk clients that is similar to their preference."  MORE >>