Managing Your Financial Future

Why We Spend the Way We Do in Retirement- Season 5: Episode 4
Managing Your Financial Future

Why We Spend the Way We Do in Retirement- Season 5: Episode 4

March 23, 2021

All marriages end in one of two ways: divorce or death. If you live long enough with someone, eventually one of you will mourn the other. And whether a spouse’s passing comes as a surprise or not, there will always be a list of tasks that the survivor must deal with at some point.  But what are those tasks, and when do you have to perform them? Good questions. And while everyone’s situation is unique, there are a few things that most everyone who is in that situation should be sure to get done.
Your Spouse Dies – What Do You Do Now?- Season 5: Episode 3
Managing Your Financial Future

Your Spouse Dies – What Do You Do Now?- Season 5: Episode 3

March 16, 2021

All marriages end in one of two ways: divorce or death. If you live long enough with someone, eventually one of you will mourn the other. And whether a spouse’s passing comes as a surprise or not, there will always be a list of tasks that the survivor must deal with at some point.  But what are those tasks, and when do you have to perform them? Good questions. And while everyone’s situation is unique, there are a few things that most everyone who is in that situation should be sure to get done.
The Unintended Consequences of Social Security’s Survivor Benefits- Season 5: Episode 2
Managing Your Financial Future

The Unintended Consequences of Social Security’s Survivor Benefits- Season 5: Episode 2

March 9, 2021

You may have heard that Social Security provides a “survivor benefit,” which allows a surviving spouse to continue to receive their deceased spouse’s benefits. The original intention (back in 1940) was to ensure that widows would not be left without a Social Security payment. Today, though,  with many dual-working households (and thus two Social Security benefits), those same survivor benefit rules may actually cause the survivor to take a cut in benefits — in some cases, by nearly 50%. How is that possible? And, even more importantly,  how can you strategize to keep this from happening?
The 3 Biggest Risks Facing Your Portfolio Today- Season 5: Episode 1
Managing Your Financial Future

The 3 Biggest Risks Facing Your Portfolio Today- Season 5: Episode 1

March 2, 2021

It’s a fact that retirees in general dislike spending down their savings.  In today’s low interest rate environment, and given declining dividend yields, how should one remove money from a portfolio for income without damaging the portfolio’s integrity and longevity? There are several possible routes to take, and unfortunately, many people may be tempted to reach for yield with either low-quality bond purchases or stocks with higher dividend yields.  But doing so almost certainly will raise the risk within a portfolio without any guarantee of higher returns.
Is It Time to Re-Think the “4-Percent Rule?”- Season 4: Episode 12
Managing Your Financial Future

Is It Time to Re-Think the “4-Percent Rule?”- Season 4: Episode 12

February 8, 2021

It’s a fact that retirees in general dislike spending down their savings.  In today’s low interest rate environment, and given declining dividend yields, how should one remove money from a portfolio for income without damaging the portfolio’s integrity and longevity? There are several possible routes to take, and unfortunately, many people may be tempted to reach for yield with either low-quality bond purchases or stocks with higher dividend yields.  But doing so almost certainly will raise the risk within a portfolio without any guarantee of higher returns.
Creating Income When Interest Rates Are Low- Season 4: Episode 11
Managing Your Financial Future

Creating Income When Interest Rates Are Low- Season 4: Episode 11

February 2, 2021

It’s a fact that retirees in general dislike spending down their savings.  In today’s low interest rate environment, and given declining dividend yields, how should one remove money from a portfolio for income without damaging the portfolio’s integrity and longevity? There are several possible routes to take, and unfortunately, many people may be tempted to reach for yield with either low-quality bond purchases or stocks with higher dividend yields.  But doing so almost certainly will raise the risk within a portfolio without any guarantee of higher returns.
A Better Way to Take Your RMDs?- Season 4: Episode 7
Managing Your Financial Future

A Better Way to Take Your RMDs?- Season 4: Episode 7

December 22, 2020

Required minimum distributions (RMDs) are just a fact of life for most owners of an IRA or retirement plan account.  While RMDs are suspended for 2020, under normal circumstances, you typically must begin taking minimum withdrawals from those accounts (in most cases) at age 72. Given these circumstances, if you’re charitably inclined, you may be able to take advantage of a little-known strategy known as a Qualified Charitable Distribution from your IRA, and perhaps get some tax advantages that you otherwise would not have had. How does it work, and who can potentially use it? 
Let’s Strategize With Your IRA- Season 4: Episode 6
Managing Your Financial Future

Let’s Strategize With Your IRA- Season 4: Episode 6

December 15, 2020

IRA’s, whether Traditional or Roth, have unique characteristics. Depending on the type of IRA you have, you may be able to manage your taxes or your income from your IRA by managing the taxes on the withdrawals. Roth IRA distributions are tax-free when the rules for taking withdrawals are all met. So sometimes the tricky part is getting the money into the Roth IRA in the first place. Do you make a regular contribution to your Roth? Should you convert your Traditional to a Roth?  When is it a good idea to do either of these, and when is it not?