annuities

How Do I Choose Medicare Coverage When I Retire?

Many pre-retirees are uncertain about their choices when it comes to enrolling in Medicare. There are 2 main ways to get your coverage – you can choose the traditional fee-for-service Medicare, known as Original Medicare, or a Medicare Advantage plan. Medicare Advantage plans are similar to an HMO, which stands for Health Maintenance Organization or […]

How Are Your Social Security Benefits Calculated?

We all think we know the basics about Social Security, but do we really know how different the benefits can be? The standard retirement age is between 65 and 67, depending on your birthday. Your monthly income, also called your PIA, is determined by your highest 35 years of indexed earnings. You can start taking […]

How Do You Create a Simple Retirement Income Plan?

A retirement income plan is needed because life changes in retirement. Your retirement plan should account for every year in retirement, even past your life expectancy. For each year, make a list for you and your spouse that include social security income, pensions and annuity income. Also list earnings from investments and working part-time. List […]

5 Common Mistakes to Avoid in Retirement

  You’ve been saving for your retirement for decades. Don’t undermine your own plans by making these 5 common mistakes when you retire. First, don’t retire too soon. Lifespans are increasing and many retirees underestimate their life expectancy when calculating the money needed to live on. The second mistake to avoid? Spending too much in […]

How to Allocate Assets Within Your Portfolio When You Retire

If you’re nearing retirement, you may need to consider asset allocation in a different way. Be aware that asset allocation cannot eliminate the risk of fluctuating prices and uncertain returns. When you were younger, you may have invested in stocks and mutual funds for the growth and perhaps the diversification offered. You had time on […]

Why is Asset Allocation Important to Investing?

To keep your investment portfolio on target for financial goals, you want to balance risk and diversify your assets.   That’s the purpose of asset allocation – the process of dividing your portfolio among major categories like cash, stocks and bonds.   Historically, the returns of these three major asset categories have not moved up and […]

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