Traditional versus Roth IRA Accounts
What is the difference between a traditional IRA versus a Roth IRA account? A traditional Individual Retirement Account is created with pre-tax money, while a Roth IRA is created with after-tax money. So which type of account you choose to open has to do with your tax situation and what your tax situation will be during your retirement.
How Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) Work
Some people are surprised to find that they have less money saved for retirement than they thought due to RMDs (Required Minimum Distributions). The money you have in traditional retirement accounts like 401(k)s and IRAs will be taxed as ordinary income when you have to begin taking it out every year.
Decumulation Versus Accumulation
When you decide to retire, you will have to create a monthly income out of the retirement savings you have accumulated. Instead of earning and saving, you’ll be spending. The trick is, how do you spend without running out of money? Decumulation is a whole different way of thinking!
What is an FIA (Fixed Indexed Annuity)
An annuity might help you convert your retirement savings into a monthly income that can last as long as you live. You can sometimes think of annuities as your own personal pension. But not all annuities are the same. Learn more about fixed indexed annuities with potential for market growth plus protection.
What You Need to Know About Social Security
When and how you file for Social Security can make a big difference in the amount of retirement benefit income you receive every month, as well as the cumulative amount you will receive throughout your retirement. Here’s some basic information you need to know about Social Security before you file!
What Is Medicare?
Unlike your Social Security benefit, which you can wait to file for, Medicare gives you a seven-month window to file, which is three months before your 65th birthday, and three months after. Fail to file by 65 and you could pay higher health care premiums for life. This is a complex program, so where do you start? Here are the A, B. Cs—and Ds—of Medicare.
Portfolio Diversification to Withstand Market Volatility
When you are young and just starting out in your career, waiting out market downturns and continuing to invest makes a lot of sense; you can benefit from dollar-cost-averaging. But if you’re getting close to retirement, market downturns can lead to a complete depletion of your funds if you don’t diversify properly.
