Retirement scan

Lawmakers agreed to form a congressional committee that would look into multiemployer plans and develop a measure to fix these plans' insolvency woes.

Taxation of retirement plan distributions and Social Security benefits remains unchanged under the new tax law, but retirees are likely to see an increase in after-tax income.

The proposed budget includes a provision that would give Medicare recipients the option to contribute to a health savings account, which would offer various tax benefits.

Although smaller companies could be volatile, those that pay dividends tend to be more mature and profitable.

Raising the payroll tax is the easy way (in theory); here are other solutions for funding the Social Security shortfall.

Younger investors may see the market's swing as just another fluctuation in the market, while assuming that time is on their side. Older investors, on the other hand, may be far more stressed.

The number of accounts with $1 million or more increased to 150,000 in the fourth quarter of 2017 from 93,000 recorded in the same quarter the year before.

Retirees are advised to step back to get a better perspective and then review their asset allocation in their portfolio.

Investors are advised to liquidate some assets or transfer them to certificates of deposit and money market funds.

As long as their earnings won't exceed the limit set by the Social Security Administration, they will not lose their benefits.

Moving to a retirement community is a great option for seniors if they don't have enough support from family and friends and they have a sizeable nest egg to finance such an arrangement.

Even if those assets are used to pay for nonmedical expenses, an HSA can still be ahead of a 401(k) plan or an IRA.

Clients have a hundred—if not a thousand—possible options to consider when claiming Social Security benefits.

Personal income is not subject to state taxes in Alaska, Florida and five other states, while 31 states do not impose taxes on Social Security benefits.

Investors are starting to take money out of their 401(k) accounts—despite taxes and penalties involved—assuming it will be replaced as markets continue to surge upward.

Retirees living overseas can still claim Social Security benefits, but they must see if their country of residence requires them to have a local bank account.

Retirees should consider that state laws may differ on who may be legally recognized as a beneficiary's spouse and thus whether their partner would be entitled to spousal benefits.

While the funds are ideal for certain people, they don't address important retirement considerations, such as the cost of funding a comfortable living and a person’s savings rate.

With many private and public pensions in the red, clients are advised to look for options that will improve their prospects, such as Roth IRAs.

IRA investors can draw funds from their accounts tax-free if the money will be used to fund college tuition and other related costs.