Social Security benefits

To avoid a hefty tax bill when taking withdrawals from retirement accounts, clients should consider holding their assets in three "tax buckets.”

Filing for Social Security can be a wrong move if seniors are still employed and earning a wage income.

Some are forced to retire early because of disability, layoff and health issues, while others fear that the program will reduce future benefit payouts as a result of its financial woes.

Annuities can be qualified or non-qualified and are subject to different tax treatments. There are also estate tax consequences as well as tax penalties to consider.

If retirees intend to rely heavily on Social Security for income, they should consider adjusting the timing of their bills to the date that they will receive their benefits.

Mutual fund costs have fallen to 48 basis points in 2016 from 77 basis points in 2000 for plan participants, according to data from Investment Company Institute.

Rents have increased an average of 3% annually over the 14-year time period of the study, while incomes have declined .1% annually.

One strategy includes encouraging clients to wait until the age of 70 to start collecting Social Security benefits.

Whether the husband takes reduced benefits has no impact on the spousal rate, although it could effect potential widow's benefits, according to a Social Security expert.

Retirees should delegate the management of their finances to their children before they reach advance years and their health starts to decline.

Medicare premiums will increase for high-income retirees because of the change in the income brackets that will serve as basis for determining these premiums for their Part B and Part D coverage.

Workers with a high-deductible health plan will be better off setting up a health savings account, which offers tax benefits for savings earmarked for future medical expenses.

Clients should determine the benefits they would receive if they file at age 62, at full retirement age, and after their full retirement age.

Many people expect to collect more than they actually will, which can prompt them to retire and file for benefits early and, in turn, reduce their actual payouts.

Instead of amassing $1 million in savings, clients should consider asking themselves if they are prepared financially for several decades of retirement.

Many retirees kept their financial assets for at least 20 years after retiring, according to a study by the Employee Benefit Research Institute.

Clients have to change their retirement goals and strategies over the years, starting off heavily in stock allocation while in their 30s.

Clients who think they have lost their retirement assets are advised to seek help from the Labor Department or nonprofit pension counseling centers funded by the Department of Health and Human Services.

Even if a client does not use the triple tax advantage of these accounts, the benefits are still valuable.

Millennials, Gen X, older workers and current retirees should all think about Social Security slightly differently in crafting their retirement plans.