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Elon Musk is a one-man entertainment bonanza, and the pursuit of Twitter is keeping his legend alive. Despite stiff headwinds from some of the company’s Board of Directors, owners, and employees, Musk charged ahead, all the while sporting his trademark, “I know something you don’t know,” grin. According to recent news, Musk has succeeded in […]

Back in 2019, we reported on a spreading phenomenon known as F.I.R.E., an acronym for “Financial Independence, Retire Early.” According to the “movement,” making certain current lifestyle adjustments would allow young workers to retire at age 40 and live happily ever after. Our comments at that time were very skeptical, as the idea seemed to […]

America is greying before our eyes. Baby Boomers are retiring at the torrid pace of around 10,000 per day. Unfortunately, not all of them are prepared for retirement, either emotionally or financially. In all too many cases, the two are interrelated. Financial preparation can ease the emotional transition from earning and accumulation to relaxing and […]

Since the onset of COVID-19 in 2020, we have been tracking Congressional changes in rules for retirement savers. Unlike many legislative issues, Congress has improved the landscape for participants in employer-sponsored Plans and owners of Individual Retirement Accounts. Pending right now is the SECURE Act 2.0, which will (if passed) expand the user-friendly features of […]

For over two years now, we have tracked Congressional reaction to the sudden and unexpected onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. In Washington, the 2020 Congress produced two notable pieces of legislation, CARES Act and SECURE Act (now called 1.0). As 2022 unfolds, Congress is considering revisions to SECURE 1.0 in a Bill dubbed SECURE 2.0. […]

Inheriting retirement assets presents a giant step toward a more comfortable retirement. In an era where post-working life is expected to run into decades, additional assets increase your odds of living a good lifestyle in post-career America. Inheritance is a two-way street. Generally involving the loss of a loved one, the financial benefit can produce […]

Rules for Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) are complex and widely misunderstood. Errors can be costly, sometimes in cash, and other times in lost opportunities. First and foremost is the eligibility to contribute, which now is only circumstantially related to age. Contributions were formerly limited to people under age 70-1/2. That restriction was eliminated in 2020, […]

America is aging, and we owe a great deal of gratitude to the medical community for prolonging lifespans. Unfortunately, with advancing ages come increasing incidences of Diminished Mental Capacity, or DMC. That fact is changing the world of financial planning and investing. Professional financial planners must increasingly deal with Longevity Risk for so long as […]

Difficult as it is to look back at 2020 with any fond recollections, for some Americans the single-year suspension of Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) from Qualified Retirement Accounts was an actual highlight. The introduction of COVID-19 to our shores created severe turmoil in the markets, and most account balances were in need of bolstering. As […]