- What Are the IRA Rollover Limits?
Understanding the limits imposed by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) on IRA rollovers can be a crucial aspect of financial planning if you rely heavily on IRA funds for retirement. An IRA rollover limit refers to the maximum amount of money that one can transfer from a 401(k) or other employer-sponsored retirement plan into an… read more…
- Report Shows Rising Retirement Account Balances: Are You Keeping Up?
Americans, it seems, are getting more financially secure – at least on the retirement front. For the third quarter in a row, retirement account balances increased for households across the country, according to a new analysis from Fidelity Investments. Need help saving and planning for retirement? Speak with a fiduciary financial advisor today. The company… read more…
- Social Security Update for September: What You Need to Know
If you receive Social Security payments, whether you’re in retirement or have a disability, the Social Security Administration (SSA) calculates your benefits as a monthly sum. Each aspect of the program, both Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI), then issues those payments once per month to all beneficiaries. Understanding what the Social Security landscape… read more…
- Can You Retire at 62 With $400,000 in a 401(k)?
It’s certainly possible to retire early on $400,000, but it won’t be easy. If you have the option of working and saving for a few more years, it will likely give you a significantly more comfortable retirement. By waiting until at least age 67, you can collect more in lifetime Social Security benefits and your retirement… read more…
- RMD Penalty Waiver Letter Sample
Required minimum distributions (RMDs) are the mandatory withdrawals that you take from your tax-deferred retirement accounts each year. The IRS requires these distributions to occur, even during rocky periods of life, and levies a penalty if you don’t withdraw the prescribed amount each year. Fortunately, if you fail to take an RMD, you can avoid… read more…
- Good News for People Who Make $145K: IRS Delays New Catch-Up Contribution Rule Until 2026
The IRS recently announced some welcome news for higher-income workers with 401(k)s and similar retirement plans. The agency delayed implementing a new rule that would have required catch-up contributions made by people earning over $145,000 to be directed into an after-tax Roth account. The rule change was originally set to start in 2024, but will… read more…
- There Are More 401(k) and IRA Millionaires Than Ever in 2023: Here’s How You Can Get There
Financial services firm Fidelity revealed in a recent study that nearly 80,000 of its retirement account investors achieved millionaire status during the second quarter, for 10% more 401(k) clients and 13% more IRA clients holding balances worth $1 million or more. Planning for retirement on your own can be difficult. Talk to a financial advisor… read more…
- IRA Rollovers and Transfers: Reportable vs. ‘Non-Reportable’
An IRA transfer refers to the movement of tax-deferred money that is not required to be reported to the IRS on your tax return. This typically occurs when you complete a direct trustee-to-trustee, or account-to-account, transfer between two similar types of retirement accounts. This type of IRA transfer is sometimes referred to as a “non-reportable… read more…
- How Long Will You Live? Most People Don’t Account for This Retirement Data
While no one has a definitive answer to the question “How long will you live?”, coming up with an educated, realistic estimate goes a long way toward building a retirement plan that assures income security. Unfortunately, most U.S. adults lack what a new survey calls “longevity literacy,” a deficiency that can be a major retirement planning… read more…
- Does Retirement Income Count as Income for Social Security?
Deciding when to take Social Security benefits is one of the most important questions to answer in planning your retirement strategy. Second to that is understanding what might increase—or reduce—your benefit amount. Does retirement income count as income for Social Security? No, but working while claiming benefits could shrink the amount that you’re able to… read more…
- Where Can I Retire on $3,000 a Month?
You can retire comfortably on $3,000 a month in retirement income by choosing to retire in a place with a cost of living that matches your financial resources. Housing cost is the key factor. It’s both the largest component of a retiree’s budget and it’s the household cost that varies the most according to geography.… read more…
- Five Signs You Might Run Out of Money in Retirement and How to Prevent It
It’s the worst-case scenario of retirement. You have worked, saved and built up the nest egg. You haven’t got a care in the world until one day you notice it… the money seems to be getting a little bit tighter. The bank accounts seem to be a little weaker than they should be. The bills… read more…
- How to Prepare for Disruptors to the Retirement Savings Industry in 2024 and Beyond
Do not count on your 401(k) plan alone. This weakness of many retirement portfolios is just one of the findings from a recent report on the state of retirement in America released by investment firm Principal. Called The Future of Retirement, this research looks at how retirement will change by the year 2030, as Generation… read more…
- 401(k) Contribution Limits Projected to Rise Again in 2024: How to Plan Ahead
401(k) contribution limits should continue their upward climb in 2024, according to a recent projection by Mercer. However, easing inflation now means lower forecasts for 401(k) and other retirement plan contribution limits for next year. After rising substantially from $20,500 in 2022 to $22,500 for 2023, Mercer projects the annual cap to go up just… read more…
- You May Need to Rethink Where Your Retirement Income Will Come From
A growing number of workers report that their primary source of retirement income will come from their 401(k) workplace savings plan, according to a new retirement study from Schwab. In 2022, workers said 37% of their retirement money would come from 401(k) cash. That figure has now risen to 40% of workers. Consider working with… read more…
- Where Does Interest on a 401(k) Loan Go?
Deciding to borrow from your 401(k) is a decision that shouldn’t be taken lightly. Before moving forward you should understand the full picture of what happens when you do and what your potential risks are going to be. One major aspect of borrowing from your retirement is the topic of where the interest goes. That… read more…
- Retirement Savings Strategies Are Changing: What to Know
A workplace 401(k) retirement savings plan is becoming a requirement for more and more employees, according to a new survey from Charles Schwab, with 88% saying their employer must offer a plan and 75% saying they’d turn down any job offer that didn’t include a 401(k). But as important as 401(k)s and similar tax-advantaged plans… read more…
- How to Plan for a Low-Income Retirement
Retiring on a low income may seem challenging, but with the right strategies, resources and investment choices it is possible to live securely during your retirement years. To start you should calculate what your potential retirement income is likely to be so that you can plan ahead for what to do once you get there.… read more…
- Younger Boomers Have Less: How to Avoid Running Out of Money in Retirement
Younger baby boomers significantly lag older baby boomers in retirement savings by an average of more than $50,000, according to a new study from the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College. The study attributes the lag in savings to the 18-month-long Great Recession and, to a lesser extent, the changing demographics of younger baby… read more…
- Good News for Retirement: Fund Fees Continue to Fall
Do not ignore fund fees. One of the great tricks of finance is how quickly seemingly-small percentages can add up. The difference between 3% and 4% mortgage rates, for example, can mean hundreds of dollars or more per month in extra interest payments. The same is true when it comes to the fees attached to… read more…
- How Retirement Account Withdrawals Affect Your Tax Bracket
How you make retirement withdrawals will affect your tax brackets. This can be a fairly complicated issue. Depending on which plans you have, your retirement withdrawals might be considered taxable income, taxable capital gains or untaxed earnings. For each taxable segment of your withdrawals, the amount that you take will determine your taxable earnings and,… read more…
- Are IRAs or Roth IRAs FDIC-Insured?
Portions of your IRA may be protected by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). That will include any depository accounts that you hold in a depository institution, such as savings accounts or certificates of deposit with a savings bank. But this protection will not apply to investments, securities or any other IRA portfolios you hold elsewhere.… read more…
- What Are Pretax Contributions?
The concept of pretax contributions might seem complicated but it essentially refers to the funds you invest into specific types of retirement accounts before income tax is withdrawn. This strategy provides immediate tax advantages by reducing your taxable income for the year and becomes quite beneficial if you’re trying to delay your potential tax liability.… read more…
- Your Credit Score Could Plummet in Retirement, But Does It Even Matter?
For most people, a credit score is something to worry about earlier in life. Debt, in general, usually peaks between ages 35 and 54. So it’s understandable that you may view retirement as a time to finally disregard those vaunted three-digit numbers. However, as The Wall Street Journal recently reported via Fidelity, your credit score… read more…
- Jobs That Offer Health Insurance After You Retire
If you’re aiming for early retirement before age 65, it’s crucial to explore your healthcare choices. Some employers extend healthcare benefits to those who retire early, making the search for health coverage more manageable. If you’re pursuing early retirement, here’s a list of jobs worth considering. A financial advisor can help you create a financial… read more…