The “reset button” has been removed. A few years back, the distinguished economist Laurence Kotlikoff alerted people to a loophole in the Social Security framework: retirees could dramatically increase their Social Security benefits by reapplying for them years after they first applied. It worked like this: upon paying back the equivalent of the Social Security benefits they had received to the federal government, retirees could fill out some simple paperwork to reapply for federal retirement[…]

Will the Bush-era tax cuts expire next year? We may not have an answer to that question for several months. After the November elections, you could see them extended once again. Nothing is certain: with the daunting financing challenges the federal government faces, they may finally expire in 2013. If your goal is tax minimization, here are 20 “to-dos” you might want to accomplish before 2013 arrives; alone or in combination, they could save you[…]

We have seen an epic “flight to safety” this spring. In April alone, $20.6 billion moved into bond funds, according to Lipper. In the same month, $12.7 billion left stock funds (which marked the 12th consecutive month of net withdrawals).1 The price of debt has really gone up, particularly U.S. and German sovereign debt. On June 1, the 10-year Treasury yield settled at 1.47% after touching an all-time low of 1.44%. It has consistently been[…]

Every eighth American aged 65 and older has Alzheimer’s disease, and 43% of Americans aged 85 and older have it, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. Consider those percentages in light of the Social Security Administration’s estimate that about 25% of today’s 65-year-olds will live past age 90. These shocking statistics have serious implications for family wealth.1,2

The solo 401(k), or solo (k) as it is sometimes called, allows a self-employed individual to set up a 401(k) plan combined with a profit-sharing plan. You can set up one of these if you work for yourself or own a small business with just 1-2 full-time employees including yourself (the second FTE must be your spouse).1

What is enough? What is not enough? If you’re considering retiring in the near future, you’ve probably heard or read that you need about 70% of your end salary

Do you wish you had more money these days? You aren’t alone. Many retirees find that their income streams are insufficient. Right now, interest rates are at rock bottom – and it appears they will stay there for the near future. With the federal funds rate near 0%, some of the classic conservative retirement investments – such as money market funds and CDs – aren’t even earning returns to keep up with 2%-3% inflation.1,2 Today, a[…]

Could $5 gas arrive with summer? As of April 6, U.S. retail gasoline prices were up 20.15% YTD; on that date, AAA’s national survey had the price of regular unleaded averaging $3.94 per gallon. So what happens this spring and summer – traditionally when Americans tend to hit the road?1 A new Christian Science Monitor/TIPP survey of 900+ adults finds that the average American expects pump prices of around $4.75 a gallon come July. That’s[…]

Is this the initiative that could turn things around?

Is a tax refund coming your way? If you have already received your refund for 2012 or are about to receive it, you might want to think about the destiny of that money. Here are some possibilities.