Most people qualify to begin claiming their Social Security benefits as early as age 62 or as late as age 70. Exceptions to this include disability, a deceased spouse, or an inadequate number of...
Should I consider investing in U.S. Treasury Series I Bonds?
Interest rates remain at historically low levels. While we expect the Federal Reserve to start a path toward higher interest rates in March, we are also experiencing high inflation. This can put a...
Should you use a transfer on death (TOD) designation for a non-retirement account?
Many people are familiar with the need to designate beneficiaries for IRA, 401(k), 403(b) and other types of retirement accounts. What about non-retirement or “non-qualified” accounts? A Transfer on...
How does my income affect my medicare premium?
If you are retired and age 65 or older, you are likely enrolled in Medicare, the Federal health insurance program that provides hospital (“Part A”), medical (“Part B”), and prescription drug (“Part...
Can I reduce or satisfy my Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) by gifting to charity?
Qualified Charitable Distributions involve gifting directly from your IRA and are a popular charitable giving strategy. This is because QCDs do not count as taxable income for the person making the...
What are the different types of Power of Attorney?
Understanding the various types of Power of Attorney (POA) can save you from unfortunate situations. It doesn't matter if you’re choosing a type of POA to make decisions on your behalf or to help a...
What is the role of dividend-paying stocks in a portfolio?
In our last Q&A, we discussed the role of fixed income (or bonds) in a balanced portfolio. Continuing on the topic of balanced portfolios, dividend-paying stocks also play a key role in balanced...
What is the role of fixed income in a balanced portfolio?
Balanced portfolios combine various asset classes and investment strategies to balance an appropriate level of risk with an acceptable level of return. These portfolios are typically comprised of a mix of equities (i.e. stocks) and fixed income (i.e. bonds). Historically, bonds have served three major purposes in balanced portfolios: diversification, capital preservation, and income generation.