How Do You Measure a Life Well-Lived – And How Will Your Children?
Is a life well-lived measured by how much wealth we acquire or is it measured instead by the condition in which we leave our relationships? Leona Helmsley ran a real estate empire…
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…
5 Ways to Close the Retirement Gap and Increase Savings
Last fall The Washington Post reported[1] that 71% of American’s aren’t saving enough for retirement. The article was based on a national survey commissioned by Experian in collaboration with Get Rich…
Don’t Retire Broke!
The New Three-Legged Stool A Tax-efficient Approach to Retirement Planning was published in June of 2009. People had been told for years that they would be in a lower tax bracket…
Consider all of your alternatives before starting a foundation
The Clinton Foundation has been in the news lately. The former President of the United States, William J. Clinton, started the foundation in 1997. It is the nonprofit corporation used…
Differences Between Spousal and Survivor Benefits, Explained
What you need to know about spousal and survivor benefits.
How Will You Find Meaning, Identity, and Purpose in Retirement?
Financial planners and most of the financial press tend to focus on the financial aspects of planning for retirement. Are you saving enough money? Will your savings last through the…
How To Avoid Paying Taxes Twice on the Same Income
What’s worse than paying income taxes? Paying taxes on the same income twice. Before putting away your 2015 tax folder, make sure your return contained Form 8606 if you have…
What Those Extra Letters on Your Medicare Card Mean
Clients often ask us about the meaning of the letter suffix on their Medicare card. Your Medicare number (also called Medicare Claim Number) is usually your Social Security number followed…
This Is Why You Got a Form 5498 After Filing Your Taxes
It doesn’t mean you missed something when you filed your taxes.
Follow the Rules When Rolling Over Your Employer-Sponsored Retirement Plan
Know your options and follow these rules to help prevent costly rollover mistakes.
7 Steps To Follow When You Receive a Pension Buyout Offer
Nearly 200 companies have made significant changes to their pension plans over the past 10 years. Plan terminations, freezes and benefit formula adjustments are some of the changes companies are…
Could You Be Obligated To Pay a Parent’s Nursing Home Bills?
Pennsylvania’s Superior Court ruled in Savoy v. Savoy that an indigent mother could sue her adult son to pay her overdue nursing home bills. The case was decided in 1994…
Failure to Take the RMD from Your IRA Can be Costly
A recent audit report found that in fiscal year 2014, IRS revenue officers collected $222 million less than they did in 2011 (7% less) and closed 34% fewer cases. The…
Estate Planning: What You Should Know About Asset Titling
I recently met with a couple who had just received a sizable inheritance from the wife’s father. An event like this usually raises questions about the impact on their financial plan, tax…
The Tax Advantages of Charitable Remainder Trusts
What happens when you combine aging baby boomers and a stock market reaching all-time highs? A renewed interest in charitable remainder trusts (CRT). The oldest of America’s 72 million baby boomers are…
Employee or Employer: Who Really Wins With Lump-Sum Pension Payouts?
This summer, several large Lancaster-area employers have offered terminated employees, who had a vested benefit in their defined benefit plan, a lump sum payout or even an early immediate annuity for their…
Where is Your Social Security Benefit Statement?
The benefit statement contains an estimate of monthly benefits at various claiming ages and for disability claims.
Should Bonds Still be a Part of Your Portfolio?
Investors are questioning the wisdom of holding bonds during what looks to be a rising interest rate environment.
