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Sometimes people forget the beneficiary designations they made for IRAs and insurance and have different wishes expressed in their will. A beneficiary designation overrides a will. Therefore, any plan you might have had for that asset in your will most likely is not going to happen, according to the Daily Times in “Senior Life: Costly […]

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Retirement accounts usually have the largest impact. However, there are also other income streams. One of the surprises that can catch you unawares is that taxes during the working years are usually much simpler than taxes during retirement, according to The News Tribune in “Implement an efficient tax strategy to make sure your retirement income […]

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Assets will have to be divided as well as dealing with paperwork, courts and tax law changes. Dividing up assets is difficult in a divorce and the new tax law changes that went into effect in January 2019 are not going to make it any easier, according to Next Avenue in “How the Tax Laws […]

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Protection varies, according to state law. IRAs are protected from bankruptcy. However, there are some limitations you should guard against, according to The Balance in “What is IRA Bankruptcy Protection?“. President George W. Bush signed bankruptcy protection into law in 2005 with the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act (BAPCA). This new law insulated […]

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Life can get in the way of you meeting your goals. However, embracing some tactics can be helpful. Making resolutions to accomplish certain goals is never an easy task and New Year’s resolutions are no different. Financial goals are often on the list of resolutions and there are some secrets to follow that can help […]

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If you are fortunate enough to have an employer match, the end results are even better. The IRS has raised the contribution limit for a 401(k) plan by $500 next year and it can make a difference over the years in your retirement fund, according to The New York Times in “I.R.S Is Raising 401(k) […]

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It is important to understand the new tax laws and your opportunities. There has been considerable dialogue about the individual income tax rates in the new tax laws. However, there are also new opportunities for new tax-saving strategies, according to CNBC in “If you’re married and near retirement, consider this tax-saving strategy“. For example, if […]

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Get started now and perhaps save yourself that last-minute work. It may be a few months before the end of the year. However, you can save yourself a lot of time and money, by beginning to organize your financial planning now, according to USA Today in “Retirement tips: 8 Ways to start your year-end financial […]

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What are the options with your benefits and what is the future of Social Security in general? There are many, many variables when determining Social Security benefits, so it is probably best to plan for your retirement and leave it as an unknown factor, according to The Motley Fool in “Want a Solid Financial Plan […]

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A cost comes along with a Roth conversion and you can lose some tax deferral. Americans have moved more than $75 million into Roth IRAs since Congress approved the partial or full IRA conversion to a Roth IRA.  However, while it is popular, it doesn’t always work out for the best, according to The Wall […]