The divorce is being called the most expensive divorce in recent history, the divorce of Amazon CEO & Founder, Jeff Bezos and his wife.  While his divorce could be expensive, he will financially be able to survive the transition.  Some of us are not so lucky.   Divorce is always hard on many levels. One of the things that is most important is the financial split of the couple’s assets. These assets include retirement benefits and investments. Figuring out how benefits should be divided, or if they are even able to be divided, can be a minefield if not navigated …

Congratulations you are closing in on your target retirement date!  While the bulk of your retirement prep work and heavy lifting should be completed by the time you’re still a couple of years from retirement, there’s still a few boxes you’ll want to check off before finally saying adios to the workforce. Let’s go through them. 1. Social Security Decision You should decide when to collect Social Security benefits. The earliest age is 62. Unless you’re retiring early and need the benefits to help cover expenses like health insurance, it’s advantageous to wait. At 62, your benefits would be reduced …

It’s not so uncommon when you hear someone who retired wanting to pack up their things and move. While it can be an exhilarating time, it can also be rather difficult, especially if their planning on buying a new house altogether.  Did you know that lenders are barred from discriminating against older people who are trying to apply for a loan? Despite having the advantage of not having to worry about discrimination, retirees are still going to face some difficult challenges in obtaining a mortgage. Read on to learn a few tips about securing a mortgage while in retirement. Purchasing …

2018 was an up-and-down year for many Americans. The stock market boomed, and then it busted. No one knows what is on the horizon for 2019, but it doesn’t hurt to set goals. Here are some financial goals that could help you get off to a great start in 2019. Start an Emergency Fund Whether you’ve retired or you’re a professional with many years of experience under your belt, you need an emergency fund. This is the first point of emphasis that many financial experts point to. If you have no emergency fund, you’ll likely have to go into debt …

Arm yourself to save more for your retirement in 2019! The Treasury has announced inflation-adjusted numbers for retirement savings for 2019, as well as a lot of changes that will help investors stuff these accounts. The amount which you could contribute to an Individual Retirement is being bumped from $5,500 up to $6,000 for 2019.  Also, the amount you can contribute to your 401(k) (or similar workplace) retirement plan goes up from $18,500 in 2018 to $19,000 in 2019. That means that quite a few high earners and super-savers age 50-plus can sock away $32,000 during these tax-advantaged accounts. If …

Since 2008, stocks have rewarded investors with solid returns. Can equity investors count on a repeat of recent history? Well, precise predictions about the market are notoriously difficult to distinguish from luck, and very easy to justify in retrospect. Risk Factors This bull market started in 2009 and although it is an adage that “bull markets don’t die of old age”, it is also a bit foolish to assume things will go well simply because they have gone well. Another factor to consider is industrial activity, often taken as a benchmark of economic health. Industry requires a healthy investment in …

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 of expenses that were allowed as itemized deductions in previous years have been severely restricted or eliminated. It helps to understand which changes were made so that you can get ahead of preparing your return. Here are some of the changes that were made that …

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 Retirees) won’t be itemizing. If you plan to give to charity and you’re over 70 & ½ , using a QCD can be an efficient way to accomplish your charitable giving goals while being tax efficient. If you are an owner or beneficiary of an …

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 aspects of your retirement years and now just about income. As one ages, the amount that they have to spend to take care of themselves will likely increase. For those entering the old age, these payments tend to be significantly more. Medical bills and housing …

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 a yearly basis to maintain the comforts of life that you were accustomed to. You either would have more than enough for a comfortable retirement or you would have to be careful with spending to maintain your lifestyle. Either way, a budget is always a …