As a BBQ maven, I spend a fair amount of time making sure that my tools are well maintained. They take much abuse from high heat, charred fats, and sauces. The results are delicious, but the tools get messy. Your estate plan faces more challenges than you may know. That’s why you need to review […]

We see more and more of this– a man enrolls in Medicare Parts A and B at age 65. He’s in good health and decides he need not enroll in a Medigap plan. This is fine for a few years until he receives a cancer diagnosis. He calls his insurance agent in a panic, needing […]

I want to thank my esteemed colleague Natalie Choate, who included the strategy I uncovered and developed in the latest edition of her book “Life and Death Planning for Retirement Benefits” (available at https://www.ataxplan.com or Amazon). Natalie is the national leader in planning for retirement benefits from qualified plans and IRA accounts; I am honored to call […]

Few understand the difference between an investment advisor and a stockbroker. The difference is substantial. An investment advisor is a fiduciary; this means they have a legal and ethical duty of primary loyalty to their clients. The interests of their clients are paramount. Investment advisors receive a fee based on a percentage of the value […]

This is the last year that spouses who are turning full retirement age can choose whether to take spousal benefits or to take benefits on their own record. The strategy, used by some couples to maximize their benefits, will not be available to people turning full retirement age (FRA) after 2019. The claiming strategy — […]

You know this: people spend more time planning vacations than they do their finances or retirement. The beginning of the new year is an excellent time to take a comprehensive review of what you have—both assets and liabilities—to prepare for the year ahead and any financial milestones or challenges you are facing, from marriage, divorce, […]