Should your clients enroll in Medicare? Retirement Scan

Our daily roundup of retirement news your clients may be thinking about.

Should you enroll in Medicare?
Seniors are advised to sign up for Medicare when they are about to reach the age of 65, or they face a hefty penalty for the rest of their golden years, according to this article on Motley Fool. They may enroll within three months before the month they turn 65 or three months after that month without incurring the penalty. Those who are on Social Security are automatically enrolled into Medicare when they reach the eligibility age, but they are advised to double check just to make sure they are on the program to avail of the healthcare benefits.

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Social Security help: Dividend income and the Social Security earnings test
Seniors who are on Social Security before reaching their full retirement age will not be subject to the earnings test and will not see any reduction in benefits if they collect investment income and not earnings from a job or self-employment, according to this article on Kiplinger. Because of the earnings test, the retirement benefits of 62-year-old seniors who file this year will be reduced by $1 for every $2 of income in excess of $16,920. They can recoup these lost benefits once they reach their FRA.

5 mistakes to avoid when buying your dream retirement home
Moving to a smaller home does not mean reducing the housing cost, so clients who intend to buy their retirement home should check the costs before acquiring a target property, according to this article on Yahoo Finance. They should also consider the cost of selling their current home and make sure that the new home suits their needs as they age. Pre-retirees who want to get a new home in retirement are advised to account for hassles of relocating and weigh their options and resources before buying a bigger home.

This is what U.S. retirement savers can learn from Tanzanian home builders
Retirement savers are advised to rethink their dependence on debt as they build their nest egg, writes a certified financial planner on MarketWatch. Uncontrolled consumer debt is unsustainable, as it means "pulling consumption forward to the present" and having less to consume in the future, writes the expert. "If you combine habitual savings with a less consumptive lifestyle, you will find more options down the road. This is what financial

Obama’s fiduciary rule, after a delay, will go into effect
The rule imposing fiduciary standard on financial advisers providing guidance on retirement accounts will take effect on June 9, according to this article on The New York Times. Despite President Donald Trump's executive order calling for a review of the rule, the federal government has not found any "principled legal basis to change the June 9 date while we seek public input,” says Labor Department Secretary Alexander Acosta. “Respect for the rule of law leads us to the conclusion that this date cannot be postponed.”

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