Editorial Staff

Advisers and experts offer insights about the changes and issues the industry will face next year.

Clients can claim a tax deduction for Medicare premium payments and contribute to a tax-advantaged spousal IRA if they continue working.

Clients in this situation will need to gather a lot of paperwork, including at least eight certified copies of the spouse's death certificate for life insurance, among other reasons.

It's misguided to treat Social Security as bonds since clients can't sell a portion of their Social Security when they need to raise funds.

If they file for Social Security, they should expect 26% less than they would get if they wait until their full retirement age.

A well-rounded approach wins the day with the annual advisor ranking. No one-trick ponies allowed, as multiple metrics count toward advisors' scores, including AUM, production, growth and fee business.

Anticipation of auto enrollment features is expected to change the way advisers serve their clients.

Here's why filing for Social Security benefits at the wrong time may mean a less fulfilling retirement.

Employees who invest heavily in company stock are commingling their financial capital with their human capital, and making their financial plans unnecessarily risky along the way.

They are advised to max out tax-deductible contributions to their 401(k) plan and IRA to pay less in taxes this year.

A typically "balanced" portfolio (with 60% in stocks and 40% in bonds) yielded a return of 4% or more just 66% of the time.

As many as 30% of accounts are either abandoned or lost because many providers can no longer locate the account holders.

Investing in more bonds for a short period is a good strategy for retirement savers to curb the sequence of return risk.

For a couple details: Part D monthly premiums are often in the $35 to $50 range and higher-income retirees pay more for drug coverage.

Retirees may want to look for other income sources, such as renting out a room in their home, taking a reverse mortgage or going back to work.

Creating an irrevocable trust is an option for elders to protect themselves from people who want to take advantage of their declining health and benefit from their wealth.

The tax benefits of an HSA make those plans a better option to max out first, although contributing just enough to a company plan to get any matching funds should be first.