Retirement

getty Retirement plan coverage situation has been falling for 20 years even before the COVID – 19 recession. At least one out of 4 employers are dropping their contributions to 401(k) plans so we expect the share of the population with a retirement plan will fall even further. Even when the economy was doing well

Most pre-retirees badly underestimate their health care costs in retirement. While no individual has any idea what his health care needs are at some distant point, a look at the averages is pretty frightening. Medicare has significant gaps in coverage. Let’s say a couple both age 65 retired today. They would need an additional $285,000

getty Wealth is hard to measure. It’s easy to just count the numbers, but it’s more than that. It’s the people around you. It’s the places you’ve been. It’s the experiences you’ve had. All those things that wealth is? They aren’t numbers you can count. They are, however, a lot easier to access when the

By Angela Burton, Next Avenue Contributor Rachel Stewart kneeling in front of her grandma in her wheelchair Courtesy of Rachel Stewart In March, when the world began to shift on its axis as Covid-19 hit, Rachel Stewart had no idea her life would shift, too. Neither did Cecilia Huber or Janie Kasse. It’s fair to

getty Two years ago, the Trump Administration quietly began a review of the nation’s long-term care (LTC) insurance system, focused primarily on ways to enhance private coverage. This week, just as quietly, an administration task force released its report. Unfortunately, for the most part, the group was unwilling to commit to any meaningful changes to

Among the bliss that is your 20-year vacation, there is a list of risks that retired individuals … [+] face more now than when they were working. getty The day you retire, a weight on your shoulders seems to remove itself as you no longer need to work to survive. The years of punching a

Economic Security Planning, Inc. Today’s column addresses questions about withdrawing an application after revising filing plans, potential effects of the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pensions Offset (GPO) and divergent SSA benefit estimates. Larry Kotlikoff is a Professor of Economics at Boston University and the founder and president of Economic Security Planning, Inc,

By Randy Rieland, Next Avenue Contributor getty Not everyone who cares for a family member or friend with dementia or a chronic medical condition joins a support group. In fact, most don’t. But people who do, often have made deep connections with those with whom they’ve shared the confusion, frustration and even the anger they

Boy amongst watermelons in Ajijic, Mexico Chuck Bolotin This morning, from the viewpoint of our master bedroom, I woke up to a spectacular view of Lake Chapala, in the Mexican highlands. There had been a light rain the night before. Scanning past our expansive, freshly mowed lawn with the newly planted palm trees my wife had the

US President Donald Trump signs executive orders extending coronavirus economic relief on August 8, … [+] 2020. (Photo by JIM WATSON / AFP) (Photo by JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images Throughout the 3 ½ years of his presidency, Donald Trump has disrupted nearly every major institution of government, save one. He

By Kerri Fivecoat-Campbell, Next Avenue Contributor getty Susie Hediger, 56, who lives in Roeland Park, Kansas, worked as a cashier for a big-box lumber retailer when her governor issued a state of emergency in March due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Having been diagnosed with lung cancer in July 2019 and undergoing treatment, she wasn’t sure

Concept of harmony and balance. Balance stones against the sea. Rock zen in the form of scales getty Constructing a portfolio today is different, but not difficult This is the point of the investment market cycle where fortunes are made and lost. And sometimes, both by the same person, one right after the other. That’s

President Trump signed four executive orders on Saturday. They direct the Treasury to extend the federal bonus for unemployment insurance, order the Treasury and HUD to provide temporary funds to renters and struggling homeowners, extend a payment moratorium on student loans, and defer the 6.2% Social Security tax, also known as the payroll tax. All

Economic Security Planning, Inc. Today’s column addresses questions about having no income in the years before filing, potentially filing early with minor children, potential effects of continuing to earn income and how spousal benefit amounts are determined. Larry Kotlikoff is a Professor of Economics at Boston University and the founder and president of Economic Security

getty First, the background: With Congressional negotiations on a “second stimulus” bill going nowhere, President Trump signed a set of executive orders yesterday, of dubious legality or effectiveness, regarding student loans, evictions, unemployment benefits, and, yes, Social Security. After having called for a payroll tax cut since the start of the crisis (as far back

getty Professor Marshall Ketchum eyed the young graduate student. His colleague, Professor Marschak, former director of the Cowles Commission for Research in Economics, had directed the student to get a reading list from the learned academic. That student would go on to win the Nobel Prize. And it was all because of one of the

TOPLINE After Norwegian Cruise Line reported dismal second quarter earnings—with revenue plunging 99% from a year ago—CEO Frank Del Rio said that he was “astonished” that people are still booking cruises, while also expressing optimism the company has enough liquidity to weather a prolonged period of no sailing. Norwegian Cruise Line reported a 99% decline

While I discussed a variety of ways that insurance companies manage the risks around supporting lifetime income guarantees, fees are the headline mechanism for managing the guarantee risk. Fees can be used to purchase financial derivatives and support other forms of risk management for the guarantee. Deferred variable annuities generally have several types of ongoing

By Liz Seegert, Next Avenue Contributor getty Researchers have launched a global effort to examine the long-term effects of Covid-19 on the brain. Scientific leaders from more than 25 countries in Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin and North America, with guidance from the World Health Organization, are looking into neurological complications stemming from the coronavirus. Many

getty A Health Savings Account (HSA) is a savings vehicle for people who are enrolled in high deductible health plans to save for future medical bills. The features of HSA accounts also make it a very good retirement savings vehicle, and in some ways, are better than a 401(k). HSA contributions are pre-tax, if made