Individuals who deposit pre-tax funds into an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) or employer-sponsored 401(k) retirement account are required to begin withdrawing a minimum dollar amount each year once they reach age 70 ½. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) requires investors to begin taking money out to ensure these tax-deferred savings ultimately become taxable! This is…
One of the most common financial planning goals is retirement. “When can I retire?”, “How much can I spend in retirement?”, etc. It is easy to forget that the entire concept of “retirement” is a modern invention, created by industrialization. Before the 20th century, the average person simply did what they did until the end…
You’ve been busy raising your children and saving for college and now you are helping your aging parents! It may be difficult to set aside money for your own future — planning for retirement is tough but figuring out how much money you’ll need for health care is even tougher. BABY BOOMERS SAY THEY…
There’s still time to make a regular IRA contribution for 2016! You have until your tax return due date (not including extensions) to contribute up to $5,500 for 2016 ($6,500 if you were age 50 by December 31, 2016). For most taxpayers, the contribution deadline for 2016 is April 18, 2017. You can contribute to…
Almost every single client we meet with over the age of 65 asks “what about the required minimum distributions from my IRA?” and with good reason! Even if the specifics are not understood, what most do know is that this is very important to get right. The first element to understand is when a distribution…
If you are thinking about saving for retirement, you probably know that an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) is one of your options. But what exactly is an IRA, and is it right for you? Certified Financial Planner Paul Fain recently answered retirement account questions on WBIR’s Sunday Money. PAUL, LET’S REVIEW – WHAT ARE…
Social Security benefits are often confusing. You might say that “understanding Social Security” is an oxymoron! We recently received a client question regarding the complicated topic of a spouse’s Social Security claiming strategy before Full Retirement Age (FRA). The question was could his spouse start taking her own benefit early at age 62 and then switch…
It’s National Retirement Planning Week! When should you start planning for your future? How can you retire on your own terms? An interview with APC’s President, Paul K. Fain, III, CFP® PAUL, LET’S BREAK DOWN SOME RETIREMENT PLANNING TIPS BY AGE GROUPS – START WITH THE 20 AND 30-YEAR OLDS… Life is reaching full speed…
An interesting financial planning idea that is making the rounds these days is also one of the simplest: a letter to yourself. More specifically, a letter from your future self to you, today. Come again? Imagine yourself in five years, assuming everything has gone more or less as you hope it will. You’re healthy, in…