Retirement planning

Now is a crucial time to build and cement the bonds of trust between you, your clients, and your colleagues, says Kimberly Foss.

Your clients may have heard conflicting advice — they must change their IRA beneficiaries, spend down their IRA as soon as possible, dismantle their trust, or immediately convert their traditional IRA to a Roth IRA, Sophia Duffy writes.

The simplest method involves having one traditional IRA and one Roth IRA, making one annual non-deductible contribution to the traditional IRA, and converting it before any gains or interest accrues.

Three provisions in the far-reaching law “make it likely that annuities will become more prevalent in company plans,” one expert says.

Some advisory firms have already started narrowing their lists of funds considered eligible for retirement plans based on Trump’s decision to overhaul ERISA.

"When you ask someone what their goals are for retirement in 10, 20 or 30 years, the truth is most people don’t even know what’s possible in the first place," Michael Kitces says.

After a waiver, required minimum distributions from certain retirement accounts — including traditional IRAs and 401(k)s —return for 2021.

Decisions we make during financial crises alter as retirement nears — and not always for the better.

The regulation permits more exemptions from fiduciary duties, but may itself be replaced by the incoming Biden administration.

The latest deal by a wealth manager for an employee services firm enables the Raymond James Private Client Group to expand its reach.

The potential for higher rates in 2021 is real, but exactly what the rate would be, and who would pay those rates, is far from certain.

The one-two punch of major tax laws passed within four months of each other creates some interesting puzzles for advisors to solve.

From COBRA premiums to long-term care, there are surprising uses for funds in these tax-advantaged accounts.

The low interest rates pushing down sales across most fixed and variable lines are also boosting certain products.

For some, estimated tax payments are a non-issue. Others may earn all of their income from sources that don’t withhold amounts for federal income taxes.

Advisors need a complete picture of the unique defined benefits and compensation a veteran receives.