Retirement benefits

Ill-prepared investors are advised to vigorously plan their expenses and aggressively save in their 401(k)s and IRAs.

Developing a comprehensive plan can help "avoid the negative compound interest effect in a declining market."

More clients are opting to work after they retire "to stay active and contribute professionally while also supplementing their income.”

The Avantax Wealth Management parent views HK Financial as another way of working with CPAs and tax professionals branching into the field.

While some tax-planning tasks can be time-sensitive, the challenge is to tackle the others that aren’t in a calculated fashion, an expert explains.

The Secure Act was designed to expand retirement savers’ options but it has subsequently all-but-eliminated the stretch IRA for beneficiaries. It's on advisors to make clients aware of the major change.

For starters, wage income earned by those working past their full retirement age can boost tax bills and medical insurance costs.

“By and large, many simply have not yet saved enough to retire comfortably.”

Knowledgeably navigating 401(k) and IRA movements can have a massive impact on tax burdens — and the client relationship.

Higher-than-anticipated health-care costs are among the most unexpected expenditures clients face in retirement.

Financial planners should at least consider modeling early retirement to prepare clients for the possibility of uncertainty, says Morningstar.

"Keep records and watch the statute of limitations. The usual IRS statute of limitations is three years after you file your tax return," an expert writes.

Contributing to these accounts makes sense for clients who anticipate higher tax rates in the future.

Clients should understand Medicare, Social Security and 401(k) changes that will impact on their retirement savings and income.

This recently passed bill is groundbreaking retirement legislation and will substantially alter the landscape for employer-sponsored retirement plans and individual savers.

Workers from both generations share similarities — and financial pressures — when planning for retirement, writes an expert.

To secure retirement for both spouses, married clients need to determine their savings rate in their 401(k)s and take advantage of the employer's match.

The change would affect seniors who converted traditional accounts to Roth and paid taxes for the benefit of their heirs.

They are triple-tax advantaged, but also introduce significant challenges — especially for life partners with multiple accounts.

Female clients should start as early as possible and take advantage of the employer match, contributing at least 15% of their income.