Retirement readiness

Between taxes and penalties on early withdrawals, many clients will only be getting 65 cents for every dollar they take out.

Advisors must contend not only with the emotional and psychological issues facing their clients. They must also navigate complex family relationships, while juggling a slew of financial challenges that don't always have easy fixes.

More than half of retirees said they were not at all interested in longevity insurance, according to a recent survey. Surprised? Take a look at some of the other results.

If retirement is abstract to clients, ask specific questions to make it more real to them, such as: “Where will you be living? What does your house look like? What are you doing?"

Once advisors have this conversation with clients, it can turn into a powerful referral source, says Rob Kron, head of investment and retirement education at BlackRock.

Each pre-retiree couple is in a unique circumstance, and needs to account for their health and longevity, as well as their willingness and ability to work.

Not tapping tax-deferred retirement accounts until the age of 70 1/2 can be a wrong move, as required minimum distributions can be big enough to push retirees to a higher tax bracket.

These plans once merely supplemented health insurance. Now they are a vital part of a broader retirement strategy.

Rates are likely to remain low, which will have a negative effect on retirees and older workers who are adjusting their portfolios in preparation for retirement.

Clients should start shoring up their savings by chipping in as much as they reasonably can to their employer’s retirement plan, especially if it comes with a matching contribution.

The amount that can be transferred is equivalent to the HSA's annual contribution limit, which is $3,400 for singles and $6,750 for couples.

These two accounts are both funded with money that has already been taxed, but there are still important differences that clients need to know.

Advisors are just one tool in the box.

Recent graduates tend to be in a low tax bracket early in their careers when it pays for them to save as much as they can in a Roth IRA or Roth 401(k), writes an industry expert.

The total out-of-pocket health care expenses of a 65-year-old couple in retirement could exceed $320,000, plus 5% annual increases.

Surviving spouses will either receive their own Social Security benefit or the survivor's benefit, whichever is higher. But they also may get pushed to a higher tax bracket, which. in turn, could mean higher taxes on Social Security benefits.

More than 80% of the richest clients want big asset growth later in life, according to a new UBS survey.

If clients are unhappy with any aspect of their life that financial planning will solve, make that the primary focus.

Some advisers are actually embracing changes by making the rules work for them.