News
Is Your Life Insurance Valid if You Die While Traveling Abroad?
Traveling abroad or living abroad is a new normal for many people, but what happens if the traveler dies while off U.S. soil? Will the life insurance be valid and payout to beneficiaries? Not all life insurance companies view travel outside of the U.S. the same and may not pay out benefits.
A Debt Reduction Plan for 2020
Being debt-free is possible for everyone, regardless of income. Learning to manage our debt and spending habits and then focus on saving can be life-changing and positively affect your net worth. Net worth calculates by subtracting your liabilities (debt owed) from your assets (not financed). Both individuals and companies can calculate net worth. It is an accurate determination of how much someone, or something, is worth. In this article, we discuss how you can create a debt reduction plan for 2020.
Why Your Advisor Is Talking to You about Fixed-Indexed Annuities
Once thought of as a single retirement funding source, fixed-indexed annuities are becoming part of a retirement strategy. Not only for pre-retirees and those in retirement. Why? First, the reality of Social Security retirement is at risk. As well as the reduction of benefits is a concern as our population ages. Secondly, fixed-income annuities provide an income stream in retirement that you can’t outlive.
Drawing Social Security Early and Still Working? The Social Security Earnings Test is Crucial.
Many people decide to ‘semi-retire’ early and start taking their Social Security Retirement benefit at the earliest age possible. It’s appealing to be able to work part-time or where you have an interest. You may start a small business while making an income and receive Social Security retirement benefits. While early retirement and a part-time job may be of interest to you, it can affect your Social Security Retirement benefits if you aren’t full retirement age. Take the social security earnings test to learn more about your social security benefits.
The SECURE Act Is Law- Notable Changes to Retirement Savings
Effective January 1, 2020, the SECURE Act, a progressive change to retirement savings plans, is now law. The last legislation to retirement savings happened when Congress allowed for the automatic enrollment of employees. Also the addition of Target Date funds to retirement plans in 2006.
While the new law intends to provide additional opportunities for Americans to save for retirement, other changes will affect both estate and retirement planning in these critical areas:
Why Fixed- Indexed Annuities? A Closer Look at Protecting Retirement Income
One of the most critical things in retirement is not having enough income to last one’s lifetime. An annuity can help you by protecting retirement income. Retirees need a reliable source of income that protects them from the complex issues of unpredictable market-creating havoc in their retirement portfolio. For this reason, fixed-indexed annuities are becoming a standard solution in financial planning, along with other client-appropriate investments.
Aging in Place: Growing Older at Home
The U.S. population continues on growing older, with the baby boomer generation now the largest generation ever. By 2035, one in three heads of households will be someone age 65 and older. The American population will have one in five people age 65 or older, an increase of 30 million people over the next thirty years. Not all people in this group have recovered from The Great Recession, leaving them with lower incomes and homeownership rates than previous generations. As our population ages, the demand for affordable housing connected to accessible services will continue to increase, and many will find their own homes the only affordable option.
Your Retirement Nest Egg- A Carton Full of Options
Many people refer to their retirement savings as a “retirement nest egg,” but in theory, it should be made up of many sources of retirement income-many eggs. Even if Social Security and a company retirement plan were their only retirement savings sources, likely they haven’t thought about their withdrawal strategy. It’s not as simple as just drawing down retirement income from one or two sources without a plan. Have the following been considered?
Until Debt Do Us Part
The thought the division of joint debt discussed when saying “I do,” to any relationship. For couples that combine both assets and liabilities, a split signals the dilemma of dividing both. About half of all marriages in the U.S. end, according to the American Psychological Association, making debt a significant hindrance to financial security for some divorcees.
In a perfect world, the spouse that acquired the debt would pay if off; however, that is not always the case. Creditors will hold both spouses listed on the note or agreement. This is regardless of the way the court determines the debt is to divide.
Financial Planning for a Couple’s Age-Gap
Couples usually don’t retire at the same time when they have an ‘age gap’ between them. An age gap relationship is one where there is eleven or more year’s age difference between them. Age-gap relationships are becoming more common as people are choosing to marry later in life with someone significantly younger. This type of relationship requires some additional financial planning.
