When saving for retirement, ROTH accounts are becoming increasingly popular. Unlike traditional IRAs or 401k plans, while contributions to ROTH IRAs and ROTH 401k plans are not tax deductible, distributions are tax-free (so long as certain requirements are met). If you have ROTH accounts, it is important to understand Minimum Distribution Requirements as they differ from those of traditional IRAs/401ks.
Details
As you may recall, under the Obama administration, the Department of Labor passed the Fiduciary Rule which addressed the standard of care that an advisor has to their clients in regard to retirement plan accounts. A fiduciary standard means the advisor is ALWAYS required to act in the client’s best interest, whereas a suitability standard…
Details
It’s been approximately a decade since the Great Recession began. By year-end 2008, the Fed had lowered the target federal funds rate to almost zero and embarked on an aggressive quantitative easing campaign. Now, after several years of economic recovery, the Fed has begun to reverse course, restoring its policies and targets closer to historical “norms” through quantitative tightening and gradually rising interest rates.
Details
Most people do not even know what NAPFA stands for let alone why NAPFA advisors are recommended. As a NAPFA advisor since 2009, I wanted to take this opportunity to tell you about the organization.
Details
Over the past few weeks, markets have been experiencing more volatility than what so many have come to expect as the norm and what has characterized the markets over the past several years. It is ironic because when it comes to investing, it is market volatility that is actually the norm – what we have experienced over the last several years is what is unusual.
Details
When a prospective client over the age of 55 calls my office, more times than not, it is someone who is thinking about retirement. He or she has been working for many years, has accumulated some significant assets, may or may not be eligible for some type of pension and will have social security income. …
Details
A 401k plan can be a wonderful savings vehicle, but many employees don’t know how to navigate the plan to maximize the benefits it can offer in retirement. Contribution levels, matching opportunities, investment options and costs are all factors that need to be considered. Here are five steps to help you optimize the potential benefits…
Details
As a fiduciary advisor, you might already be able to guess what our take is on current market news: Unless your personal goals have changed, stay the course according to your personal plan.
Still, it never hurts to repeat this steadfast advice during periodic market downturns. After all, we understand that thinking about scary markets isn’t the same as experiencing them. So, what’s going on? Why did U.S. stock prices suddenly drop after such a long, lazy lull, with no obvious calamity to have set off the alarms?
Details
Here are the top 10 action items that will help energize your wealth management efforts and get you closer to reaching those goals of yours.
Details
As soon as the Thanksgiving dinner is cleared from the table (sometimes even before), conversations center around the holidays – the perfect gift for your spouse, tokens to remember colleagues and teachers, the hottest new games and gadgets for the children, ideas for those on your list who already have “everything.” It’s all about the…
Details