Tax season comes quickly after the year comes to a close. In 2018, a few changes have occurred due to legislation that was created by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. One of the main changes was a lowering of tax rates and a near doubling of the standard deduction. Also, a number…

You have until December 31 to do a qualified charitable distribution (QCD) for 2018. This is an effective tax strategy that many individuals are overlooking. A QCD is worth considering if you are donating to charitable organizations and taking required minimum distributions (RMDs) this year.  With the increase in the Standard Deduction, many people (specifically…

Yes, saving for retirement and planning for income is important but so is planning for the unexpected.  It is incredibly easy to get caught up in the present and not think about how much one needs to take care of themselves in the future.  This is why retirement planning is more about planning for all…

You’ve spent the better part of your working years planning for your comfortable retirement. As you celebrated your last official day of work, you already had a pretty good idea of the value of your financial investment portfolio and personal worth. And, you probably had a plan for how much money you would need on…

Time is almost up for this years Medicare Open Enrollment period.  You have until the 7th of December to modify your existing Medicare plans. In this period you can enroll in a Medicare Advantage Plan or a Part D drug plan. Any modification made during this period is effective from January 1st of the following…

Some seniors are dependent on their Social Security benefits, but the majority of your retirement income may be derived from other sources. While your Social Security income may not be your primary source of income in retirement, you nonetheless may be counting on that income to provide financial support for your quality of life in…

Halloween may be an appropriate time for a good scare, we should limit unwanted surprises in retirement!  Generalizations may not necessarily reflect your individual circumstance although there are fact-based reasons why the average woman faces greater hurdles than the average man does in securing her retirement. However, an awareness of the negatives and a proactive…

You have worked hard for your money, because you have a bigger goal than just paying the monthly expenses. You have a long term goal that is important to you. For some, that goal is to be able to retire comfortably, while others have other dreams that they are putting away money to be able…

Retirement should be a time of rest, relaxation, and play. It should be about focusing on those pursuits that you wanted to do when you were younger, but you have yet to cross them off of your bucket list.  Failing to plan for a comfortable retirement, however, can be a major stressor in the life…

When planning one’s last will and testament, one always hopes that the people they will be passing on their hard-earned wealth to will be responsible enough to handle it well and if possible, carry on their legacy. This is a hope which can be difficult to keep alive, especially in cases where the heirs have…