The Latest (non-hype) on Social Security
Social Security, the sequester, the long-term shortfall, COLA, taxation and more. Here is the latest...
Social Security Says Goodbye to Paper Checks
In March, Social Security will stop mailing checks to all but a small percentage of retirees. About 5 million seniors still get their benefits in the form of a check - and if you are one of them, what alternatives do you have for the future?
The Fiscal Cliff Deal & Your Taxes
What will change (and won’t change) as a result of the new legislation - here are the major details in the bill, which in the big picture would raise taxes by roughly $600 billion across the next ten years.
Why 2013 May Be a Very Good Year
With 2013 approaching, stock market volatility seems to have increased. Equities rise on optimistic remarks about a fiscal cliff solution, then fall when another voice expresses pessimism, and vice versa. In addition to this constant seesawing, the market is contending with anxieties about Europe, with the eurozone now officially in another recession, and the strong possibility of higher taxes on capital gains and dividends in 2013 plus surtaxes on varieties of net investment income. Even so, 2013 may turn out to be a good year for stocks. Our economy looks to be healing, and that may give investors around the world more optimism.
Should You Always Withdraw from IRAs Last?
According to conventional retirement planning wisdom, you should structure your retirement withdrawals so that money comes out of your taxable accounts first, then your tax-deferred accounts, and then finally your tax-free accounts. Roughly speaking, that means withdrawing income from investment funds, CDs, money market accounts and bank accounts before taking a dime from your IRAs.
The Year in Review - A Look Back at 2012 Thus Far
Stock market bears might characterize 2012 as a year of living dangerously, a year in which Wall Street coped with major risks to the American and European economies. Stock market bulls might end up remembering 2012 for what didn’t happen: Greece had resisted a temptation to exit the euro, and it looked as if bipartisan negotiation might save the U.S. economy from heading over the fiscal cliff. In late November, stocks appeared on track for some solid yearly gains.
Social Security Strategies
For a married couple, the difference between a good Social Security election decision and a poor one is often well over $100,000! What's At Stake For You?