Retirement
A retirement budget compares expected income with planned expenses to see whether spending fits within available income. This process begins by listing income sources and savings and estimating how much they can provide each year. To show how a retirement budget works, let’s break down an example of a retirement…
A Roth IRA offers tax-free growth and tax-free withdrawals in retirement, which can benefit young adults with long time horizons. You can help open a Roth IRA for an adult child if they have earned income and the account is in their name. Starting early allows more time for growth.…
Roth IRAs allow your savings to grow tax free and allow tax free withdrawals in retirement. Your income determines whether you can contribute and how much you can add. The IRS sets annual income limits based on your tax filing status. These limits decide whether you can make a full…
You can use money from a health savings account (HSA) to pay for COBRA health insurance, allowing you to cover premiums with tax-free withdrawals. COBRA premiums qualify as medical expenses under HSA rules, which can make an HSA useful for maintaining coverage after leaving a job. Before using these funds,…
A Roth IRA conversion is available any time you have money in a qualifying pre-tax account. People choose to make a conversion to reduce future required minimum distributions (RMDs), spread taxes over several years and create a source of tax-free retirement income. But the success of this strategy will depend…
If you default on a 401(k) loan, the balance is usually treated as a taxable distribution. This may result in income taxes and, if you are under 59½, a 10% early withdrawal penalty. It can also reduce the amount you have available for retirement in the future. A financial advisor…
While some retirement plans allow in-service withdrawals, most discourage early access with penalties, taxes and missed growth potential. Before making a move that could undermine your long-term retirement goals, it helps to know the rules. A financial advisor can help you balance today’s needs with your long-term retirement goals.Can You…
Using a 401(k) loan for home improvement may feel like an easy solution to unexpected expenses. After all, you’re borrowing from yourself. There’s no credit check, and the interest you pay goes back into your retirement account. While the convenience may be appealing, the long-term financial trade-offs deserve your consideration.…
When a parent passes away, one of the biggest financial questions families face is whether their children can receive any of their parent’s pension benefits. Unlike life insurance or retirement accounts, pensions have stricter rules that often limit who can inherit them, and children are rarely at the top of…
When comparing Medicare and Affordable Care Act (ACA or Obamacare) coverage, it helps to look at how each program works, who qualifies and what the costs may be. Medicare is a federal program for people age 65 and older and certain individuals with disabilities. The ACA provides access to private…
