Our daily roundup of retirement news your clients may be thinking about.
The most important move to make if you want to retire early
Housing is the largest expense and clients who want to retire early should be careful when making housing decisions if they want to achieve financial freedom, according to this article on Time Money. Homes are considered a crucial expense variable because of high costs and leverage involved, and losses from poor housing decisions can hurt retirement savings. Before moving to another home or doing any house improvements, clients are advised to consider the costs and look for possible ways of funding and minimizing the expenses. --Time Money
An extra step to protect inherited IRAs
Financial advisors are helping clients to create trusts for IRA and other assets that are meant to be an inheritance for loved ones, as a way to protect the assets from creditors, according to an article in The Wall Street Journal. A see-through trust is an option, but clients will face exorbitant fees and other complications that may offset the benefits. Another option is a trusteed IRA that offers the same protection that a see-through trust provides, and allows staggered withdrawals for the trust's beneficiary. --The Wall Street Journal
What youll pay in the Medicare part D doughnut hole
The doughnut hole --the gap in the Medicare Part D coverage in which beneficiaries will have to cover a bigger percentage of their drug expenses once the costs hit $2,960-- is expected to narrow again next year, according to this article on Kiplinger. For patients who reach this gap in their coverage, discounts on brand-name drugs will increase to 55% in 2015 from 52.5% this year, while federal subsidy on generic drugs will also rise 35% next year from 28% in 2014. --Kiplinger
How much longer might you live? Think again
Since longevity is a critical factor in retirement planning, clients need to determine their best estimate on how long they expect to live so they can make informed decisions, such as when to start collecting Social Security benefits, according to this article on CBS Moneywatch. While underestimating life span can be a major mistake when planning for retirement, using average life expectancy as basis for building a nest egg can also be wrong, as people may live longer than the average span. Clients are advised to use the SOA calculator to determine the remaining years for people at various ages, as well as their odds of living before or beyond their life expectancy. --CBS Moneywatch
Why the selloff is good for millennials
The recent decline of the stock market may pose as an investing opportunity for millennial investors, according to this article on CNBC. Millennial workers are buying more shares amid depressed prices if they are contributing to a 401(k) plan, while young investors can now invest their extra cash to realize their long term goals and buy their dream stocks at a discount, says Fidelity's John Sweeney. "You should not be panicked, particularly when your retirement goal is so far out in the future," Sweeney says.--CNBC
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