In the final days of 2022, Congress passed a new set of retirement rules designed to make it easier to contribute to retirement plans and access those funds earmarked for retirement. The law is called SECURE 2.0, and it’s a follow-up to the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act, passed in 2019. Read the full article…
As we approach the end of an extraordinary year on many fronts, it is a perfect time to take account of the year and begin to plan for the future. Whether it is economic models, capital market assumptions, or political headwinds, we can consider year-end planning techniques that may increase your net worth with changes Read the full article…
In this quarter’s letter, I keep thinking about the difference between familiar and normal. In so many areas of our lives, the normal has given way to the familiar. What was once not normal has become familiar, ie. wearing masks, schools and restaurants closing, hand-washing stations. Also, the opposite is true that what was once normal Read the full article…
The three horsemen of the retirement apocalypse. Dramatic, yes. Accurate, yes. Scary, maybe. I consider the most significant risks to a healthy and well-planned retirement: Low-Interest Rates Inflation Healthcare Costs The 2nd quarter of 2021 was marked with expansive growth in both GDP and, more importantly, inflation. As communicated in the Quarterly Economic Update, “According Read the full article…
Many times, I sit down and write these letters with a clear understanding of what items I want to cover because they are newsworthy or something remarkable has happened. This is not one of those times. Compared to last year at this time, this letter would be about as boring as they get. No massive Read the full article…
On September 29, 2016, Governor Jerry Brown signed into law Senate Bill 1234, also known as CalSavers. CalSavers mandates that all California employers must offer either a retirement plan for their employees or join the CalSavers program as an alternative. The program defines employees as anyone over the age of 18 who are paid by Read the full article…
COVID-19 vaccine prospects should make 2021 a year of Global Economic Recovery. As I sit here in my home office in early January, thinking about topics to add to this 2020 review and quarterly letter, my monitor is a constant reminder of how our world has changed, as I would normally be writing this letter Read the full article…
Here are some things you might consider before saying goodbye to 2020. Presented by Philip Clark, CFP®, November 2020 What has changed for you in 2020? For many, this year has been as complicated as learning a new dance. Did you start a new job or leave a job behind? That’s one step. Did you retire? Read the full article…
How much do you know about the different coverage options? Presented by Philip Clark, CFP®, November 2020 Medicare’s open enrollment period runs through December 7. If you are enrolling in Medicare for the first time, you will discover that it is much more complex than an employer-sponsored group health plan.1 When you are enrolled in Medicare, Read the full article…
Happy campaign season! I hope everyone is as tired of political ads as I am, and if you are not, good news, there’s one more week! I rarely and with good reason, discuss politics in these letters. However, I recently wrote a piece comparing the two tax plans from the major presidential nominees and the Read the full article…
