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Do you know what has changed for I.R.A. beneficiaries? New inherited I.R.A. rules took effect on January 1, 2020. The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act became law on that day, altering the regulations on inherited Individual Retirement Account (I.R.A.) distributions. The big change: the introduction of the 10-year rule for beneficiaries.…

Life expectancy table updated for the first time since 2002.  If you are retired and have reached your seventies, you may have the opportunity to draw a little less income from your retirement savings accounts in 2022. Next year, the Internal Revenue Service plans to update the life expectancy tables used for the calculation of…

Market volatility continues into the new year. The first week of 2021 has already had many ups and downs. Just because it’s a new year doesn’t mean that the 2020 issues go away, and so far, 2021 has been no exception to this rule. The markets opened on January 4 and traded lower out of…

How many pieces do you have in place? When you read about money matters, you will sometimes see the phrase, “getting your financial house in order.” What exactly does that mean? When your financial “house is in order,” it means it is built on a solid foundation. It means that you have six fundamental “pillars”…

Some life and financial factors that can sometimes be overlooked. We all have our “blue sky” visions of the way retirement should be, yet our futures may unfold in ways we do not predict. So, as you think about your “second act,” you may want to consider some life and financial factors that can suddenly…

Numbers to know for the new year. On October 26, the Treasury Department released the 2021 adjusted figures for retirement account savings. Although these adjustments won’t bring any major changes, there are some minor elements to note. 401(k)s. The salary deferral amount for 401(k)s remains the same at $19,500, while the catch-up amount of $6,500…

Here are some things you might consider before saying goodbye to 2020. What has changed for you in 2020? For many, this year has been as complicated as learning a new dance. Did you start a new job or leave a job behind? That’s one step. Did you retire? There’s another step. Did you start…

Six areas of personal finance to review.  When training to become a financial professional, much of our course work centers on the six critical areas of creating a financial strategy. Some recognize October as Financial Planning Month, so it’s an excellent opportunity to review those six personal finance areas.1 Cash Management: This is a broad…

An overview of some of the fundamental steps to take. When you lose a spouse, partner, or parent, the grief can be overwhelming. In the midst of that grief, life goes on. There are arrangements to be made, things to be taken care of – and in recognition of this reality, here is a checklist…

What you should know about the change. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA), one of the most widely followed stock market indices, has made some key changes to its starting lineup. Salesforce.com, Amgen Inc., and Honeywell International Inc. have replaced Exxon Mobil Corp., Pfizer Inc., and Raytheon Technologies Corp. The change went into effect before…