Social Security
Found 254 Articles.
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Roth IRAs and the New Tax Law
Tax planning is less of a guessing game these days with the tax law settled, at least until Congress decides to push some kind of tax reform. In the wake of the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, we need to revise and rethink some strategies about Roth IRAs, especially about converting traditional IRAs to […]
Handling Changes in Variable Annuities
Tax planning is less of a guessing game these days with the tax law settled, at least until Congress decides to push some kind of tax reform. In the wake of the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, we need to revise and rethink some strategies about Roth IRAs, especially about converting traditional IRAs to […]
Managing Portfolios for Higher After-Tax Returns
Taxes on investments in-creased for 2013, and there’s a good probability they’ll increase again at least for some of you. Some tax increases are direct, such as the increase in the rate on long-term capital gains and qualified dividends to 20% from 15%. Others are indirect, such as the Medicare premium surtax on higher incomes. […]
Avoiding the Retiree Tax Attack
Income taxes are rising on those in or planning for retirement. Remember, the true value of your nest egg is its after-tax value. Politicians at all levels know that in-come and wealth are concentrated among those 55 and older, so those people are the focus of tax increases. The retiree tax attack tends to be […]
Answering More Social Security Questions
My recent articles on maximizing Social Security benefits generated a lot of interest among readers and triggered some good questions. In this visit we review some key questions readers asked. My wife died recently. I’m 62 and haven’t begun receiving any Social Security benefits. Since I’m older than 60, I’m eligible to receive survivor’s benefits. […]
Social Security is Paperless
Social Security officially went almost 100% paperless early in 2013. Paper benefit checks no longer are issued. If you don’t schedule electronic deposit into a financial account, Social Security will send you a payment card or debit card. Also, estimated benefit statements no longer are mailed. The statements were mailed to everyone age 25 and […]
Covering the Overlooked Income Risk
At the bottom of the list of insurance policies most people consider is disability insurance. It’s the last policy people buy and the first they cut when cash becomes tight. Yet, disability insurance is essential for a package of complete protection, and at many ages you’re more likely to need it than other types of […]
Planning for Singles’ Social Security Benefits
Most people leave a lot of money on the table when choosing their Social Security retirement benefits. It’s understandable. The rules can be complicated, and there are nuances in them. Plus, there aren’t many people offering advice on how to maximize benefits. Last month and in other visits we detailed different ways married couples can […]
