Archives
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April 10, 2018
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April is National Social Security Month so in honor of this critical program, we present 15 things you probably did not know about Social Security: Before the Social Security program was started, the Civil War Pension program was the first national benefits program and it started in 1862. The Social ... Read More
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April 4, 2018
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“Try before you buy” is pretty good advice for many things in life (think dating a person before you get married) and especially true when it comes to making major decisions in retirement planning. We were talking with a couple recently who are within a few years of retirement. Like ... Read More
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March 31, 2018
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We help clients move from the work phase of their life to the retirement phase daily. And while just about everyone worries about “Will I have enough money?” the most important part of the transition actually takes place in their heads. A retirement mindset is the start of the retirement ... Read More
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February 28, 2018
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If you have a life insurance policy or IRA, you were required to name a beneficiary (the person or persons who directly inherit the account when you die). Most other financial accounts don’t have a beneficiary, but wait – maybe they do. Bank accounts and CDs can be made payable ... Read More
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February 22, 2018
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After a long period of relative calm in the financial markets, we all experienced the return to volatility earlier this month. The S&P 500 Index (a proxy for the U.S. stock market) dropped 11% from its high on January 26 and to the close on February 8. Of course, since ... Read More
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February 7, 2018
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There are fewer hot topics in retirement planning than how much you should expect to spend once you retire. On the one hand, you won’t be spending for work-related activities so maybe you will spend less. On the other hand, health care costs will likely rise until you are eligible ... Read More
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January 9, 2018
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A new study by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) examines the reasons that there is a “robust” 2% increase in male mortality immediately after age 62. Women don’t suffer from this phenomenon. The study speculates there are three possible reasons: First, the paper notes that individuals frequently stop working ... Read More
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January 3, 2018
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Retirees will receive a 2% increase in their Social Security retirement benefits in 2018 (the biggest increase in six years). The average retirement benefit will increase by $27 to $1,404 per month and the average retired couple will receive a $46 raise to $2,340 per month. On the other hand, ... Read More
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December 28, 2017
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Inflation is a silent and deadly threat to your retirement success and happiness. Inflation has been relatively quiet the last few years, but it’s still there eating away at your purchasing power. The current rate of inflation is approximately 2.2.% and it’s rising — the rate was .1% in 2015 ... Read More
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December 12, 2017
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People worry about retirement because it’s a great unknown. It’s like walking down a lighted hallway and turning into a dark room. You’ve never been there so it’s scary. That’s normal. Want to prepare for retirement without freaking out? You need a total retirement plan. Having a plan for anything ... Read More
