
Lee Conrad
Former senior editorLee Conrad is a former senior editor of Employee Benefit News and Employee Benefit Adviser, and a former editor of Bank Investment Consultant.

Lee Conrad is a former senior editor of Employee Benefit News and Employee Benefit Adviser, and a former editor of Bank Investment Consultant.
In September, the inflation rate was 2.23%, slightly higher than the proposed Social Security increase. So realistically, recipients "will not be better off at all."
Tax cuts today will increase deficits and future retirees will bear the brunt in reduced Medicare and Social Security benefits, according to one expert.
"Sun and sand are great," says one analyst, but they're not the only considerations. They certainly didn't help boost the top city in this survey.
For a retired military service man, delaying his Social Security would mean he's not subject to the earnings test that can reduce his check by $1 for every $2 he earns over the current threshold of $17,040.
Clients who sock all their savings in a tax-deferred 401(k) plan will owe taxes at a higher rate when the funds are withdrawn in retirement.
Far too many financial advisors overlook home equity as part of a retirement income plan.
The tax plan would make itemized deductions less valuable so some seniors would lose a deduction that covers payments for nursing homes, assisted living or inpatient hospital care.
Emerging markets, value and small-cap funds dominate the list, but other factors need to be considered, as well.
Under the rules, seniors face a tax liability for HSA contributions if they carry health coverage other than the high-deductible policy.
The Roth 401(k) is more flexible than a Roth IRA, and it is funded with after-tax dollars, which can help "diffuse the potential tax bomb."
The average fund posted a 12.6% annual gain compared to 7.6% for the S&P 500.
While the average savings in retirement accounts increased markedly in recent years, the amounts varied significantly by income levels, says an expert.
Health care costs are on the rise and Social Security's cost-of-living adjustment isn't enough to keep up with the rising medical costs.
Clients should consider the next market downturn as an opportunity to invest in stocks that are "on sale."
The funds gained an average of 13.3% a year over the past decade, which began before the financial crisis.
Despite impressive aggregate numbers, the median value of a 401(k) account for someone 65 and over is about $60,000.
Seniors might get the policy again if they decided to drop it, but the rules "aren’t really super specific about what should happen in this situation,” one expert says.
As the Dow tops 23,000, remember the largest percentage drop in history.
Various measures of what constitutes cash can produce different analyses. This list uses net cash positions at the largest funds.
Investors can "make some real money trading, but you really have to know what you are doing,” says one advisor quoted in the article.