12 Ways to Avoid a Penalty on Early Withdrawals
If money is taken from an IRA before age 59 1/2, a 10% excise tax penalty is applied to the amounts withdrawn—unless it meets one of the twelve exceptions.
Understanding Charitable Gift Annuities
An investment option you may not have considered.
Annuity Traps Part 2: Death Benefits
While annuities can be an important way to build wealth, many individuals don’t realize how complicated these insurance products can be. In this article, we’ll walk you through what you need to know about annuity contracts and the five-year-rule.
The Risks of Adding Your Child to Your Home’s Deed
Many people think it is a good idea to put their child’s name on the deed to their home, especially if one of the parents is deceased. Usually the motivation is…
What You Need to Know About RMDs
Many clients have questions about when they need to withdraw money from their IRAs and what the rules are for Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs). Learn how to evaluate distribution options and avoid penalties that arise when RMDs are not met.
In Successful Wealth Transfers, Trust May Be More Important than Trusts
Why do the majority of wealth transfers fail? Learn how to have the right conversations with your heirs now so they can learn how to properly manage their inheritance.
Use the Ten Years Prior to Retirement to Position Yourself for Success
The 10-year period before you retire can matter more to your retirement success than any other.
What to do if You Miss a Required Minimum Distribution (RMD): Report on IRS Form 5329
How to avoid taking a 50% tax penalty on your required minimum distributions (RMD) and how to correct missed RMDs.
Are You Missing Out on These 3 Common Tax Strategies for Retirees?
There are a few tax strategies for retirees that could increase your refund or at least help to trim the tax you owe.
What Lessons Can Philanthropy Teach Us?
Merriam-Webster defines philanthropy as “goodwill to fellow members of the human race, an active effort to promote human welfare, or an act or gift done or made for humanitarian purposes.”…
5 Strategies for Gifting to Adult Children
Gifting to adult children can be a rewarding way to enrich their lives.
Do Target-Date Funds Hit the Target for Retirement Savers?
Experts say target-date funds are the primary default investment attracting nearly 50% of new assets into these retirement plans.
Under TCJA, can Investment Advisory Fees Still have a Tax Benefit?
Many taxpayers have filed their returns for 2017 and are grateful tax season is behind them. Tax planning for 2018 is probably one of the last things they want to…
The New Tax Law May Change How You Give to Charity
Anyone who has an IRA and will be at least age 70½ in 2018 will need to carefully consider how he or she makes charitable gifts in 2018 and the…
Are You Keeping Up with Your Financial Plan’s Maintenance Schedule?
We all know that regularly maintained vehicles are more reliable, more durable, and have a higher resale value. What about your financial plan? Is a once a year check up on your investment…
How We Choose Funds for our Clients’ Investment Portfolios
The Dow Jones Industrial Average has just passed 23,000 as I am writing this newsletter. Clients typically ask if there are any good places to invest, and this topic comes up…
How Would You Define a “Trusted Adviser”?
The Department of Labor (DOL) Fiduciary Rule is officially in a transition period. The official start date has been pushed back to January 1, 2018. The rule applies to financial advice…
What Does It Mean to Be a “Retirement Specialist”?
The Rodgers & Associates logo includes “The Retirement Specialists.” The home page of our website says we “specialize in financial planning for those who are retired or expect to retire within…
How to Deal with the Death of a Spouse From a Financial Perspective
It will come as no surprise that the death of a spouse is consistently listed as one of the most stressful life events a person will face. Death is part of life…
9 Retirement Decisions You’ll Want To Make With a Specialist
These decisions need to be coordinated to have the most benefit.
