Retirement

Clients ready to quit the workforce in advance need to understand the impact of doing so on their Social Security benefits, Michael Kitces writes.

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.

The most difficult challenge for a new firm? For some, it’s not location or even hiring.

Clients should consider a dependable second-hand car instead of a new one, and then redirect the money saved into a retirement account.

Certain laws may require them to maintain the coverage with their former spouse.

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.

What clients don’t know could cost them hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The products protect clients against losses, but significant caveats emerge in the fine print.

Can three foreign market index funds outperform a single total non-U.S. market index fund?

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

Pre-retirees should have Medicare or health insurance in place to cover their medical costs, along with a well-maintained investment portfolio.

Advisors are just one tool in the box.

Retirees who under-reported their income to avoid taxes will also get smaller retirement benefits than they deserve.

Retirees should weigh a number of factors, including the fact that the closing costs for reverse mortgages are higher than those for regular mortgages.

IRA investors should consider implementing a charitable lead annuity trust when converting some of their funds into Roth to mitigate the tax bite.

How an advisor's blog about the Piano Man reaped a $14,000 Social Security payday for her client.

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.