Retirement Planning
How to Get Help with an Inheritance
If you are wondering how to get help with an inheritance you’ve just received, or expect to soon, here are a few key things to consider.
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- Retirement Planning
Fiduciary Financial Advisor in Longview Texas
Belonging Wealth Management is a fiduciary financial advisor located at 1405 Colony Circle in Longview Texas.
- Retirement Planning
Questions to Ask a Financial Advisor About Retirement
What are some questions to ask a financial advisor about retirement to make sure you are thinking about all the important issues?
- Retirement Planning
Simple Retirement Calculator
This simple retirement calculator will help you quickly see if you are ready to retire. You can also easily see how adjustments impact you.
- Retirement Planning
403b Calculator
This 403b calculator helps you figure out how much you should be contributing to your 403b or how much you can withdraw from your 403b plan.
- Retirement Planning
Pre-Retirement Planning Checklist
Preparing for retirement? This simple two-page retirement checklist will help you make sure you don't miss any of the major things to consider when retiring. Ho
- Retirement Planning
Are 403b Contributions Tax Deductible?
403b contributions are tax-deductible up to an annual limit set by the IRS each year. You may also be able to deduct catch up contributions.
- Retirement Planning
CAPM Calculator
This CAPM calculator will allow you to quickly find the expected return on a stock using the Capital Asset Pricing Model.
- Retirement Planning
What Happens to My 403(b) When I Quit?
For the most part you get to decide what happens to your 403(b) when you quit or change jobs -Roll it over, leave it alone, or withdraw.
- Retirement Planning
Purchasing Power Risk
Purchasing power risk is the possibility that you will not be able to buy as much with your savings in the future.
- Retirement Planning
Can I Reinvest My Required Minimum Distribution?
You can't reinvest your required minimum distribution into an IRA of any type, including a Roth, but there are a few ways you can invest it.
- Retirement Planning
How to Avoid Capital Gains Tax on Stocks
Here are a few strategies on how to avoid capital gians tax on stocks
- Retirement Planning
Future Value Calculator
Use this future value calculator to calculate the the futue value of a lump sum or stream of regular savings. Get an estimate of what your savings is worth.
- Retirement Planning
What is a Vested Balance?
Your vested balance is the amount of money in your retirement account that belongs to you. It's the portion of the money that you can take with you.
- Retirement Planning
Meeting Harry Markowitz
Fair warning, this post is a departure from my normal articles on retirement planning. I had an opportunity to meet one of the founding fathers of modern financ
- Retirement Income
Callable Bonds - How They Work
Callable bonds are bonds that the issuing corporation can redeem before maturity. If the issuer decides to redeem it you will have to surrender the bond.
- Investing
What Is Inflation?
Inflation is the increase in prices over time. Specifically, it refers to changes in the consumer price index.
- Retirement Planning
Contingent Beneficiary - Per Stirpes vs. Per Capita
Having trouble understanding what a primary or contingent beneficiary is? Deciding between per stirpes vs. per capita? I'll address it all in this article.
- Retirement Income
QLAC: Qualified Longevity Annuity Contract
A QLAC allows you to use the money in a retirement plan to purchase a deferred income annuity without running afoul of required minimum distribution rules.
- Retirement Planning
Gross Expense Ratio - What it is and Why it Matters
A gross expense ratio is the annual cost of investing in a mutual fund or ETF. Fund families will often rebate portions of the fee.
- Retirement Planning
Can I Contribute to an IRA if I am Retired?
You can still contribute to an IRA if you are retired. The biggest issue is whether you have earned income. Age isn't a factor since the SECURE Act passed.
- Retirement Income
Can I Retire on 500k?
It is possible to retire on 500k in retirement savings, but you'll need to do some careful planning. Here's what you need to think about.
- Retirement Planning
What Happens if I Contribute Too Much to My 401k?
If you contributed too much to your 401k you may end up owing a penalty. If you catch it in time, you may be able to reverse it.
- Retirement Planning
Does Employer Match Count Towards 401k Limit?
There are two different limits on 401k contributions. Your employer match counts towards the annual additions limit, but not the elective deferrals limit.
- Retirement Planning
Fund of Funds Explained
A fund of funds is a collection of mutual funds bundled together. There are some advantages as well as disadvantages to investing in a fund of funds.
- Retirement Planning
What is the Market Risk Premium?
The market risk premium is helpful for understanding why you want to have stocks in your portfolio. Think of it as your compensation for taking risk.
- Retirement Planning
702(j) Retirement Plan: Worthwhile?
A 702(j) retirement plan really isn't a "retirement plan" at all. It's a cash value life insurance policy sold as a retirement plan.
- Retirement Income
Tax-Gain Harvesting?
Tax-gain harvesting may seem counter-intuitive, but it can be an effective way to reduce your total tax burden in retirement.
- Retirement Income
How Long Will My Money Last in Retirement? (With Calculator)
The most common question on retirement is "How long will my money last?" Here is what you need to consider to make your money last throughout retirement.
- Investing
What is a MYGA Annuity?
A multi-year guaranteed annuity, or MYGA, is very similar to a CD. It pays a fixed interest rate and is useful when you need a stable place for your money.
- Retirement Planning
What is an In-Kind Distribution?
In-kind distributions can sometimes provide tax or other benefits that a cash distribution doesn’t. So what is an in-kind distribution?
- Retirement Planning
Marginal vs Effective Tax Rate in Retirement
Knowing the difference between your marginal vs effective tax rate is an important element of tax planning and can help you reduce your total tax bill.
- Retirement Planning
What Happens to Your 401k When You Leave a Company?
What happens to your 401k when you leave a company? Whether you retire, change jobs, or even get fired, you'll have a few options for your 401k.
- Retirement Income
Are Reinvested Dividends Taxable?
Yes. However, there are two important items to consider. You may not owe any tax at all, and the amount you do owe depends on the type of dividend.
- Retirement Planning
401k Withdrawal Age: How Does it Affect You?
There isn't a magic or standard 401k withdrawal age. In this article I'll address the tax rules that govern 401k withdrawals at different ages, as well as how they affect you as a practical matter.
- Retirement Planning
Paying Roth Conversion Taxes
Roth conversions can be an incredibly useful tool for reducing taxes on retirement withdrawals and enhancing a distributions strategy.
- Retirement Planning
Goodman Triangle - The Unholy Trinity of Life Insurance
As for dramatic names the Goodman Triangle wins the competition "Unholy Trinity of Life Insurance". A tax scenario involving life insurance.
- Retirement Planning
Roth 401k vs Roth IRA: Should I Roll it Over?
Understanding these differences can help you plan your distribution strategy as well as decide if a Roth conversion is in your best interest.
- Retirement Planning
Sustainable Retirement Withdrawals from the S&P 500 in a Taxable Account
Let me start by saying, I totally enjoy reading your articles/post! Do you have any information on retiring with 100% of your money in the S&P 500?
- Early Retirement
Mega Backdoor Roth
A Mega Backdoor Roth is a conversion strategy that allows you to save a much higher amount in your Roth IRA, or get around the income phase-out.
- Retirement Planning
What is a Money Market Account?
Money Market Accounts, or MMAs, are a type of savings account that pay a higher rate of interest than you typically earn on a standard savings account.
- Investing
Tax-Free Municipal Bonds
One of the easiest ways to increase your retirement income is to reduce your tax bill on that income. Tax-free municipal bonds can help you do that.
- Retirement Planning
Emergency Fund CD Ladder
An emergency fund CD ladder can be a good tool to earn a little higher rate than simply keeping your emergency fund money in a checking account.
- Investing
Bond Price Calculator
To use the bond price calculator simply select what you would like to solve for. Below the calculator you'll see instructions.
- Retirement Planning
RMD Percentages - Can They Affect My Withdrawal Strategy?
Comparing the RMD percentages by age to your planned withdrawal rate can help you understand how RMDs will affect your retirement withdrawal plan.
- Retirement Planning
Should I Do Roth Conversions When the Market is Down?
A large market drop provides a good opportunity to convert even more of your retirement savings to a Roth IRA with an even lower tax bill.
- Retirement Planning
Is $600,000 Enough to Retire?
If you have $600,000 saved toward retirement can you retire? It may be possible. I'll show you how to figure out if $600,000, or any amount, is enough.
- Retirement Planning
Should I Hold Company Stock in My 401k?
The conventional answer, and my default response, is... no. However that is a topic that is worth some discussion.
- Retirement Planning
Can I Contribute to a Roth IRA if My Income is Too High? - The Backdoor Roth IRA
If your income is too high and you can't contribute directly to a Roth IRA, do you have other options?Yes....the Backdoor Roth IRA.
- Retirement Planning
Normal Yield Curve: What Does it Mean?
The yield curve is a popular economic indicator. It is a graph of the yield on bonds with different maturity terms. Usually, it is the Treasury yield curve.
- Retirement Planning
Will Working Longer Affect My Retirement?
Will working longer affect your retirement? Of course.But how much longer and how big of an impact will it make?
- Retirement Income
Should You Plan to Spend More Early In Retirement?
Living happily in retirement means crafting a spending plan to support your lifestyle. This could mean planning to spend more early in retirment.
- Retirement Planning
Retirement Withdrawals in a Down Market
Withdrawals during a down market can have a significant impact on the long-term health of your portfolio.
- Efficient Market
Asset Allocation for Retirement
The asset allocation process is as much about managing risk as it is about investment performance. With this process you can deliberately manage your risk.
- Investing
Are Index Funds Good Investments For Retirement?
In this article I’m going to explain WHAT index investing is and WHY it is such a good strategy for your retirement.
- Retirement Income
How Much Will I Get from Social Security?
In this article you will learn how your Social Security benefit is calculated so that you can get an idea of what you will qualify for when you file.
- Retirement Income
Is Social Security Going Broke?
Is Social Security Going Broke? More importantly, will YOU be able to collect Social Security benefits when you retire?
- Retirement Income
Can I Withdraw a Fixed Percentage of My Portfolio in Retirement?
What are the pros and cons? What are some situations where you may want to avoid it, and some situations for which it may be more suitable?
- Early Retirement
Roth Conversion Ladder: Tax-Efficiency in Early Retirement
What is a Roth conversion ladder and how can it help you create tax-efficient withdrawals in retirement? By reducing the early withdrawal penalty.
- Early Retirement
What is a 72(t) Distribution?
A 72(t) distribution is a way of accessing the money in your retirement account before you turn 59.5 without incurring the penalty.
- Retirement Income
How to Protect your Portfolio with Retirement "Guardrails"
In addition to the specific sequence risk, this strategy will help protect your portfolio from poor investment performance generally.
- Investing
Inflation's Effect on Retirement Portfolios
Many retirement income strategies call for distributions to be adjusted for inflation. What is inflations effect on your portfolio?
- Investing
Bond Ladder - Secure Retirement Income
A bond ladder is a useful tool for providing security in retirement. A bond ladder can protect your investments from volatility.
- Book Review
How to Make Your Money Last
In How to Make Your Money Last - The Indispensable Retirement Guide, Jane Bryant Quinn provides an excellent comprehensive overview of retirement planning.
- Investing
Bond Prices and Rising Interest Rates
Bonds are a common asset in retirement accounts. Whether held individually or through an ETF, most retirement accounts contain bonds.
- Retirement Income
Required Minimum Distributions
If you save for retirement using tax-deferred accounts then you need to understand the rules surrounding required minimum distributions RMDs in order to avoid s
- Retirement Income
Efficient Withdrawals to Maximize Retirement Income
Efficient retirement account withdrawals should provide an income that will last for the duration of your retirement. It’s important to get this right.
- Retirement Income
The 4% Rule of Retirement Income
The most commonly cited method of withdrawing retirement income from an investment portfolio is “the 4% rule”.
- Investing
Sequence of Returns Risk in Retirement
The sequence of returns risk in retirement is the risk that investment returns come in an unfavorable order. You can do a few things to manage this risk.
- Retirement Planning
Implications of Tax Reform for Retirement Planning
Tax reform stirred up a lot of debate. Fortunately, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act did not greatly modify the retirement savings vehicles that often house index fund
- Investing
6 Events that Can Interrupt your Retirement Plans and What You Can Do about it
C.S. Lewis said, "You are never too old to set a new goal, or dream a new dream." Is it possible he could have known about today's retirement crisis? The truth
- Retirement Planning
Retirement Planning for the Self-Employed: 4 Mistakes to Avoid
When you're self-employed, the burden of saving for retirement falls entirely on you, which can be a bit daunting.
- Retirement Planning
403b vs 401k: Differences and Similarities
The primary difference between a 403b vs 401k retirement savings account is that a 401k is for people employed by a for-profit organization.
- IRA
Roth IRA Contribution Limits
Roth IRA’s can be an excellent retirement saving vehicle. Roth IRAs allow you to save $6,00 per year towards retirement if you are under 50. People who are 50 o
- Investing
Why are Investor's Returns Often Different than the Investments They Hold?
The average mutual fund investor tends to have worse returns than the average mutual fund. Behavioral factors have a lot do with this.
- Inherited IRA
How to Handle an IRA Inherited from your Spouse
When someone passes away leaving money in a traditional IRA, the money will go to whomever is listed as the beneficiary of the retirement account. That is simpl
- Retirement Planning
Retirement Saving Tips for Young Investors
It is no secret that Americans have a tough time saving for retirement. This is particularly true of millennials. The Great Recession has delayed the beginning
- Retirement Planning
Planning for a Dynamic, Non-Traditional, Retirement
There are several key points to consider if you're interested in a non-traditional retirement or one involving a second career. With the booming innovation econ
