The holidays are nearly upon us – a time of giving, goodwill to others, and embracing traditions. For many people, giving to a charity or organization that aligns with your values provides a sense of fulfillment. If you itemize deductions on your income tax return, you can deduct gifts made to charities. Here are six […]
Medicare policies are the health insurance benefits you have worked toward throughout your life, and having the proper policy is critical as you are likely to face more health problems as you age. While these policies can provide you with the coverage you need for your health conditions later in life, they may be confusing […]
As age 73 nears, it is critical that you begin considering how you want to handle the required minimum distributions (RMDs) you are obligated to withdraw from your tax-advantaged retirement accounts, including 401(k)s, 403(b)s, 457s, and individual retirement accounts (IRAs). According to US New Money, 62% of Americans aren’t even aware that they have to […]
Dear Valued Investor, The penultimate month of the year is often a time to reflect and offer thanks. And while economic and geopolitical uncertainty can overshadow the positives, there are things to be thankful for. Here is just some of what we’re thankful for, now that we’re in the second to last month of the […]
With its family traditions and festive celebrations, the holiday season is the most wonderful time of the year. And according to GivingTuesday.org, the giving in the U.S. alone totaled $2.7 billion to nonprofits and community organizations on #GivingTuesday in 2021, a 6% increase from 2020. Unfortunately, despite the greatest of intentions,many will inevitably make mistakes […]
Many women have been a caregiver while raising children. Still, now many are caring for a loved one out of necessity as the older family member can no longer care for themselves. The Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies report, The Many Faces of Caregivers, indicates that 42% of Generation Xers and 42% of Baby Boomers […]
What does “coordination with government benefits” mean? In the context of long-term nursing home care, a number of governmental (and governmentally regulated) programs and tools exist to help you pay for this care. Medicare, Medicaid, Medigap, and long-term care insurance (LTCI) (combined with Medicare) can each assist you to pay for your long-term nursing-home care, […]
A trust is a legal vehicle that protects your assets that contains instructions for your assets when you die or become incapacitated. When you set up a trust, you transfer assets from your name into your trust’s name while you still retain control of the assets until you die. Trusts can hold many different assets, […]
Despite headwinds, the U.S. could experience structural changes in the labor market, residential real estate, and inflation as the post-pandemic economy progresses into the New Year. As markets adjust to a new regime, investors should recognize the economy is becoming less interest rate sensitive and they should focus on leading indicators such as the ratio […]
Dear Valued Investor, The S&P 500 lost 3.3% in the third quarter after sliding nearly 5% in September. Putting this into perspective, nothing really qualifies as out of the ordinary. Since 1950, the S&P 500 has historically declined in September 55% of the time, posting an average decline of 3.8%. September has certainly lived up […]
