When Should Married Couples File for Social Security?
Your Social Security filing strategy for married couples isn’t just about timing, it’s about protecting the surviving spouse. See the break-even math and learn why delaying the higher earner’s benefit can make a significant difference for life.
How Should You Organize Your Retirement Portfolio? The Four-Bucket Approach Explained
The four-bucket system — Cash, Income, Growth, and Alternative Income — is designed to help you see how your money works for safety, income, and growth.
What Is Dry Powder In Investing? How Much Cash Retirees May Need To Weather Market Downturns
What Is Dry Powder? A Simple Definition For Retirees: three years of spending needs not covered by reliable income sources like Social Security or pensions.
Do You Know Your Marginal Tax Bracket?
Taxes are confusing. The Form 1040 is confusing. Marginal tax brackets are confusing. Sometimes those of us who work around these things every day forget that most people only look at their tax return once a year, hand it to their CPA, sign where they are told to sign, and move on with life.
Can I Use My Retirement Account to Help My Child Buy a House?
A common question in retirement planning is how to help adult children with a home down payment when most savings are in 401(k)s or other retirement accounts. The key issue is simple: withdrawals from traditional retirement accounts are generally taxed as ordinary income. That means money typically must pass through the Internal Revenue Service before it can be gifted.
Roth Conversion Strategy: Tax Brackets, Medicare Premiums, and Hidden Retirement Planning Risks
A Roth conversion can be a valuable tax strategy, or a very expensive lesson in unintended consequences.
A Roth IRA is a retirement account funded with after-tax dollars, where investments can grow tax-free and qualified withdrawals in retirement are generally tax-free. There is a lot of Roth conversion FOMO (fear of missing out) out there. Like if you are not converting retirement assets into a Roth IRA, you are somehow missing the boat.
Adventure After Retirement: Hiking the Tour du Mont Blanc
Some retirement dreams take shape over decades. For one of our clients, David Scott, his lifelong love of backpacking led to a 100-mile trek through the Alps and an unforgettable journey around Western Europe’s highest mountain: Mont Blanc.
Are Covered Call Income ETFs Worth It? What Investors Should Know
You’ve probably noticed a surge in Covered Call Income ETFs lately. Here’s why it matters. The strategy has gone from niche to mainstream, with assets in options-based income strategies growing from roughly $7 billion in 2020 to around $150 billion by 2025, alongside record investor inflows and increasing institutional adoption. They’re often marketed as a way to generate additional income beyond dividends without selling shares, and who wouldn’t like that? But how do they work, and are they a practical strategy for retirement planning?
Should You Cancel Life Insurance Before Retirement? What to Consider First
As retirement approaches, many households face a question: Is it still worth paying for life insurance? If the kids are grown and retirement savings are accumulating, folks may begin to wonder whether the money allocated to insurance premiums could go elsewhere—like a 401(k). However, deciding whether to cancel a policy isn’t always straightforward.
Should You Switch to a Roth 401(k) Right Before Retirement?
Future retirees often wonder when it’s worth moving money into a Roth IRA from some other type of account. After all, Roth IRAs are after-tax money, meaning the funds can eventually be withdrawn tax-free. All things equal, that may sound like an optimal situation, but it often depends on taxes today vs. taxes tomorrow. Should You Switch to a Roth 401(k) Right Before Retirement? The decision really comes down to what tax bracket you’re in today versus what you’re likely to face in retirement.
