Our daily roundup of retirement news your clients may be thinking about.
Although Medicare is a big help for retirees to pay for their health care needs, the program only has a limited coverage depending on the enrollment periods they have signed up for, according to MarketWatch. For example, Medicare Part A coverage is limited only to inpatient care, inpatient skilled nursing care, hospice care and home health care costs. Since retirees can have out-of-pocket expenses, they are advised to get a Medigap policy that will take care of costs not covered by the program. –MarketWatch
Many people want to live an active lifestyle in retirement, so those who want remain active even in their golden years are advised to continue working in a part-time arrangement, according to Yahoo Finance. They may also offer their professional expertise as a consultant or consider launching a new career. Taking a job that offers lower pay or joining the 'gig economy' for income are other ways that will keep retirees busy. –Yahoo Finance
Delaware, Wyoming and Alaska are among the states that offer lower tax and living costs for retirees, according to this article on The Motley Fool. Retirees may also find taxes and cost of living in Louisiana and Alabama attractive. However, clients who want to retire to another state need to consider their own circumstances before making a decision. –The Motley Fool
Clients who have no access to workplace retirement plan have the option to contribute to an IRA, which may come as traditional or Roth, according to Forbes. A traditional IRA offers tax-deductible contributions while a Roth is funded with after-tax contributions but withdrawals are tax-free in retirement. Clients are advised to choose a Roth IRA if they fear they will be in a higher tax bracket in retirement since withdrawals will not be subject to tax. –Forbes
Retirees are advised to go back to work and contribute to their employer's 401(k) plan if they want to further increase their retirement savings, according to Money. Another option is to convert their IRAs, 401(k) or 403(k) into a Roth account. Such a move could trigger a tax event, but withdrawals will not be subject to tax. –Money