Lee Conrad

Many Americans affected by the partial government shutdown are tapping their retirement savings and taking other financial options.

In many ways, the restricted application is similar to the old file and suspend strategy, which was disallowed in 2016. However, there is one big difference.

Cash is becoming an attractive security blanket again for investors amid rising interest rates and stock market volatility, says an expert.

The stock market typically recovers from bear markets in far less time than most doom-and-gloomers think, says an expert.

Seniors who intend to get a Medigap policy to supplement their traditional Medicare coverage may have trouble getting one.

Offices remain open and monthly Social Security checks will go out on time despite the partial shutdown.

Clients may want a new plan if there have been unfavorable changes to their old plans, they want more flexibility or because of a new illness.

Federal employees who retire during the partial government shutdown would have to wait a longer time to take retirement distributions from their savings plans.

Seniors are advised to take measures to prepare for a possible shortfall in retirement income, as there is no guarantee for an immediate fix to the problem.

Benefits are meant to replace just 40% of preretirement income, so many retirees should consider creating new income sources, such as running a small business or renting out a property.

Working longer and taking on a part-time job are two of the simple strategies for seniors to curb the impact of a market correction. But there are other tips to consider as well.

The tax increases stem from lawmakers' failure to index the taxation on inflation, according to one expert.

Taking these steps can help clients insulate themselves from some of the market volatility that we've been experiencing recently, says one expert.

If your client's goal is to save more for retirement, there are some simple steps they can take to make that resolution stick.

This strategy enables retirees to restrict their application to spousal benefits and allow their benefit to grow until they reach 70.

Clients are advised to diversify their tax positioning when investing for retirement, one expert says. This can be done by contributing to three buckets: taxable, IRA (pretax) and Roth (posttax).

When your clients say they want to invest like celebrity billionaires, point out that they already have one thing in common — some years are good, some are bad.

There can be benefits in enrolling simultaneously, but there are also incentives to consider in waiting on Social Security, instead of claiming benefits at 65 when Medicare kicks in.

Clients can often retire smoothly even during a downturn if they diversify and rebalance their portfolios properly, as well as pay off debts and maximize their Social Security benefits.

A widely held view is that a lot of spending is wasted on “heroic” measures at the end of life, but it’s difficult to know which patients are in their final year.