In Clark Kendall’s book, Middle-Class Millionaire: Surprisingly Simple Strategies to Grow and Enjoy Your Wealth, chapter 18 explains “Planned Giving” and walks through best practices of gifting. Below is a story about Rich and Barbara and real-life examples of how to gift efficiently. Rich is a retired film stuntman who, after a long career, is … Continue reading “Gifts- Taxable or Not?”
Gifts- Taxable or Not?
Could Social Security Really Go Away?
It may be unlikely, but the program faces financial challenges. Will Social Security run out of money in the 2030s? You may have heard warnings about this dreadful scenario coming true. These warnings, however, assume that no action will be taken to address Social Security’s financial challenges between now and then. It is true … Continue reading “Could Social Security Really Go Away?”
The Problem of Money Paralysis
Not making a move is not always the best move to make. A decision not made may have financial consequences. Sometimes, we fall prey to a kind of money paralysis, in which financial indecisiveness is regarded as a form of “safety.” Retirement seems to amplify this tendency. If you are single and retired, you may … Continue reading “The Problem of Money Paralysis”
A Potential Social Security Fix
We’ve been hearing for years that the Social Security fund will run out of money in 2034, and a close reading of the Social Security Administration’s Trustee Report projections (https://www.ssa.gov/oact/TRSUM/) show what exactly this would mean. By that time, based on estimates of the number of people earning an income in the workforce, the numbers … Continue reading “A Potential Social Security Fix”
Social Security Gets Its Biggest Increase Since 2012
Social Security will soon give seniors their largest “raise” since 2012. In view of inflation, the Social Security Administration has authorized a 2.8% increase for retirement benefits in 2019. This is especially welcome, as annual Social Security cost-of-living adjustments, or COLAs, have been irregular in recent years. There were no COLAs at all in 2010, … Continue reading “Social Security Gets Its Biggest Increase Since 2012”
Retirement Planning Tips for Women
For our parents, living to 75 amounted to a nice, long life, and Social Security was often supplemented by a pension. The Social Security Administration estimates that today’s average 65-year-old female will live to age 86.6. Given these projections, it appears that a retirement of 20 years or longer might be in your future. Are … Continue reading “Retirement Planning Tips for Women”
Examining the 2018 Social Security COLA and Increased Medicare Premiums
Seniors in the Washington D.C. area and the rest of the country received good news this fall. Next year, monthly Social Security income payments to retirees will increase by 2.0%. That will mean an extra $326 – roughly $27.40 a month – for the average Social Security recipient in 2018. This is the largest cost-of-living … Continue reading “Examining the 2018 Social Security COLA and Increased Medicare Premiums”
A Small Change to Social Security in 2017 with a Possible Medicare Premium Hike
The average Social Security recipient will receive a whopping $5 per month raise next year. In 2017, Social Security’s mean monthly benefit is projected to rise, from the current $1,355, by this scant amount because of low yearly inflation measured by the federal government. Social Security cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) are tied to changes in the … Continue reading “A Small Change to Social Security in 2017 with a Possible Medicare Premium Hike”
Reducing the Risk of Outliving Your Money
What steps might help you sustain and grow your retirement savings? If your retirement lasts 20, 30, or even 40 years, how well do you think your retirement savings will hold up? What financial steps could you take in your retirement to prevent those savings from eroding? As you think ahead, consider the following possibilities and realities.
