“You can’t time the market” is an old maxim, but you also might say, “You can’t always time retirement.” Market losses on the front end of retirement could have an outsize effect on the income you receive from your portfolio by reducing the assets available to pursue growth when the market recovers. The risk of
Most mutual funds are open ended, which means the investment company can issue and redeem fund shares to meet investor demand. By contrast, closed-end funds issue a fixed number of shares in an initial public offering (IPO), and thereafter shares are traded on an exchange. Both open-end and closed-end funds may hold stocks, bonds, and
Market turbulence in 2020 may have wreaked havoc on your investment goals for the year. It probably also highlighted the importance of periodically reviewing your investment portfolio to determine whether adjustments are needed to keep it on track. Now is a good time to take on these five year-end investment tasks. Evaluate Your Investment Portfolio
With the holiday season upon us and the end of the year approaching, we pause to give thanks for our blessings and the people in our lives. It is also a time when charitable giving often comes to mind. The tax benefits associated with charitable giving could potentially enhance your ability to give and should
This year has been challenging on many fronts, but one financial opportunity may have emerged from the economic turbulence. If you’ve been thinking about converting your traditional IRA to a Roth, now might be an appropriate time to do so. Conversion Basics Roth IRAs offer tax-free income in retirement. Contributions to a Roth IRA are
During the holiday shopping season, your credit score is probably the last thing on your mind. But as you start your seasonal spending, remember to use credit wisely so you can start the new year with a healthy credit score. The following tips can help you maintain or potentially improve your credit score throughout the
An important part of any retirement strategy involves factoring in the potential expenses associated with long-term care. For many years, people have purchased long-term care insurance to help cover some of those costs. However, over the past decade, other insurance products have become available that combine life insurance with some type of accelerated and/or extended
Medicare premiums, deductibles, and coinsurance amounts change annually. Here’s a look at some of the costs that will apply in 2021 if you’re enrolled in Original Medicare Part A and Part B. Medicare Part B premiums According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), most people with Medicare who receive Social Security benefits
When it’s time to prepare the next generation for a financial legacy, you might want to bring your family members together to talk about money. But sitting down together isn’t easy, because money is a complicated and emotionally charged topic. Rather than risk conflict, your family may prefer to avoid talking about it altogether. If
Americans gave almost $450 billion to charity in 2019, an increase of 4.2% over the previous year. Individuals accounted for more than two-thirds of this amount, followed by contributions from foundations, bequests, and corporations. Here is a breakdown of the recipients of this generosity, by percentage of total charitable contributions. Source: Giving USA 2020 Connect
