Saving for retirement is a big deal. The average American will spend nearly a million dollars between the time they retire and their death. Social Security payments won’t cover those expenses, so having savings and investments is essential.
One of the most common retirement plans is the 401(k). It’s a benefit that some jobs offer. You and your employer generally get some sort of tax advantage, which makes it a popular choice.
This post was last updated on February 25, 2026, to reflect all updated information and best serve your needs.
It seems like Roth conversions are all the rage, but are they really the right thing for you? There are many potential benefits, but there are some trade-offs to consider as well. The decision to use a Roth conversion incorporates a much longer timeline than many other tax-saving strategies.
What kind of legacy are you going to leave when you die? If you haven’t pondered that question yet, now is the perfect time to start. If you have money or any property that you want to pass on, it’s well past time to get a plan in place for when the inevitable happens.
However, when it comes to estate and legacy planning, you will want to include your children in this process. It may be tempting to try and figure everything out on your own, but it’s often much better to keep them involved.
One of the most common risk management tools is insurance. Most people have insurance for their homes, their cars and their health. This limits their financial liability in case disaster strikes and costs start piling up.
If you own a pet, you also have the option to purchase insurance to cover your pet. According to the North American Pet Health Insurance Association (NAPHIA), there are 179 million pets in North America; however, less than 1 percent are covered by pet insurance.
This post was last updated on March 30, 2026, to reflect all updated information and best serve your needs.
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017 significantly changed our tax landscape. Most changes were temporary and set to expire or “sunset” at the end of 2025. However, this didn’t exactly happen.
According to a recent study, over two-thirds of Americans (69%) have less than $1,000 saved in a bank account. This statistic is troubling for many reasons, particularly when it comes to having an emergency fund or saving for retirement.
If you’re one of these individuals, you may be struggling with the idea of saving money. However, what if you could stash up to $5,000 within a year? It might seem far-fetched right now, but it is possible. We’re going to show you how.
There are so many different strategies for retirement. It can be overwhelming. Direct indexing is not for everyone, but for the right situation, it can be a real benefit.
Unfortunately, the more you make, the more taxes you pay. It might become one of your biggest concerns in retirement. However, not everything has to be complicated.
This post was last updated on May 27, 2026, to reflect all updated information and best serve your needs.
Retiring in the United States can feel quite expensive. Whether you’re looking for adventure, a break from modern American political discourse, or just looking for a cheaper lifestyle, living overseas might fit the bill.
Choosing the right time to draw Social Security can feel overwhelming. It’s tempting to draw as soon as possible, yet also nerve-racking to permanently reduce your benefits if you file early. What if you wait to draw at a later age?
Deciding when to file for Social Security is a personal decision. It’s always best to start with your goals and other retirement income sources, then build a cohesive plan.
This post was last updated on May 26, 2026, to reflect all updated information and best serve your needs.
The 401(k) retirement plan remains one of the best savings options for Americans. Both employees and employers contribute to an account which invests in mutual funds, index funds, or target-date funds, consisting of stocks, bonds, or both. Over time, the account can grow and provide you with a stream of income to last throughout retirement.
Getting accurate and timely information is critical to your success every tax season. Unfortunately, not all of the details about your financial life show up in your tax documents. Your accountant will need your input to understand the context of your tax documents.
You don't want to miss out on any potential tax savings or make a mistake on your taxes. This is why communicating and collaborating with your financial planner and accountant is so important. Timely and accurate information can prevent problems and possibly keep more money in your pocket.
Being a financial advisor for the past 16 years, I know what lies behind the curtain in our industry. And, while things are slowly becoming more transparent, we still have a long way to go before reaching complete transparency.
As a consumer, though, you only know what you’re being told or at least how much you can find from doing your research on Google. The information is out there, but only so many people have the time to find out the right questions to ask.
For many of us in life, regardless of what it might be, we typically try to figure how to do things by ourselves. It could be fixing the car, something around the house, or as we’ll be covering here, managing your own investments and finances.
At some point in our life, though, lack of time and knowledge becomes an issue. Most of us can figure out the basics of investing and financial planning, but eventually, you simply don’t know what you don’t know if it’s not your profession.
When I got into this industry over 16 years ago, I’ll be honest and admit I really didn’t have a clue what I was doing. I started the Monday after I graduated from college and was thrown into the “bullpen” and told to start studying for my exams that I was to take over the next 4 months—I won’t bore you with the details.
Once I passed those, I then went through some really terrible sales training. When I returned back to the office, I was basically told to start bringing in new clients and good luck. Seriously, that was it.
As you transition into retirement, one of the most pressing issues to consider is applying for Social Security. Although these monthly payments probably aren’t your entire income source, they can be a vital part of your retirement budget.
If you’re married when applying for Social Security, your spouse may also be entitled to benefits, even if he or she is not at retirement age. However, while this process is relatively straightforward for current married couples, what if you’re on a second marriage?
This post was last updated on February 17, 2026, to reflect all updated information and best serve your needs.
In addition to sounding cool, mega backdoor Roth conversions can be super helpful for long-term tax savings. For high-income earners, contributing more to a Roth account now will make retirement income planning much easier.
Remember when saving for retirement used to be so easy? Yea, I don’t either because I wasn’t alive back then. However, if you were, all you had to do was work 40 years at your employer, get your pension and social security and then sail off into the retirement sunset.
Today, on the other hand, it's a totally different story. It now basically falls completely on your shoulders. There are so many questions. How much should I save in my 401k? What do I even invest in? What about a Roth IRA? The list can go on and on. Let's take it step-by-step to get you moving in the right direction so you can get to retirement – or what I like to call financial independence – sooner rather than later.
Annuities can be as confusing as any product on the market. However, they can be a handy tool for the right individuals. Don’t let all the ambiguous and confusing terms discourage you from learning about annuities.
A general understanding of how annuities work, the types of annuities available, and the tax implications is helpful. We’ll also analyze the costs and fees, how annuities can insure against longevity risk, and whether an annuity product might be right for you.
This post was last updated on January 20, 2021, to reflect all updated information and best serve your needs.
This article WILL NOT teach you how to win the lottery. However, it will teach you how to invest any large lump-sum of money that you come into unexpectedly. if you're looking for lottery get-rich-quick schemes, this is not the right article for you.
If you’re nearing retirement, you might have life insurance or an annuity you no longer need. If so, you should be aware of what’s called a 1035 exchange.
A 1035 exchange can help you if you’re unsure about what to do with an old life insurance policy or an annuity.
