Good to Know

Good to Know This article is part III of a IV-part series to help early retirees make informed healthcare coverage choices for the years before they’re eligible for Medicare.  In Part I, we peeled back the onion on faith-based medical cost-sharing ministries.  In Part II, we illustrated how Affordable Care Act (ACA) Policies can help.…

Good to Know This article is part II of a series to help early retirees make informed healthcare coverage choices for the years before they’re eligible for Medicare.  Remember that the first article in this series described how faith-based medical cost-sharing ministries can offer cost-effective coverage for those clients willing to accept behavioral exclusions from…

Good to Know How will you cover your retirement healthcare costs if you retire before age 65?  There may be more options than you think!  Over the next few weeks, the author will highlight key alternatives for retirees too young to qualify for Medicare. This article, Part 1 of a series, will highlight the pros…

Good to Know What’s worse than never accumulating wealth?  Losing it after you’ve accumulated it! From that perspective, an underinsured long-term disability can zap a client’s wealth faster than the government can spend tax dollars.  When, if ever, has your client reviewed their LTD insurance policy?  They may be under the mistaken impression that the…

Good to Know Yes—even clients with a 6-figure income can pay no tax on long-term capital gains. Sound too good to be true?  Read on to see how many of your current clients qualify. Long-Term Capital Gain (LTCG) Rates We tend to assume that clients with LTCG and an above-average income will pay at least…

Good to Know A financial planner’s or advisor’s role can be as much about implementation as it is about inspiration.  The best retirement savings plan in the history of humankind may be doomed to failure when a client is disengaged or procrastinates.  Sadly, too many of our clients understand the importance of putting the plan…

Good to Know A savvy financial advisor can help a client maximize key benefits in 2024 from the Secure Act 2.0, including: Required minimum distributions from Designated Roth Accounts, Emergency Savings Account, Student Loan 401(k) matching contributions, and 529 Plan to Roth rollovers. The IRS has not clarified how these 2024 changes will be implemented. …

Good to Know Artificial intelligence is either the greatest threat to our species or the greatest boon to humankind, depending on what headline you read. The author makes the cheerful assumption that AI does not become “self-aware” and eradicate humanity á la “Terminator.”  Neither this article nor financial planning will matter if the author has…

Good to Know All that glitters is not gold. -French Monk Alain de Lille, 1175 Assume your client just received a grant of Restricted Stock from their employer. Congratulations are in order, but before they go out and use some of that grant “money” to celebrate, let’s understand exactly what they received and when they…

Good to Know This article continues our goal to create or deepen a financial advisor’s awareness of the creative use of Roth IRAs or Designated Roth Accounts in special circumstances such as: Resolving the tension between building an emergency reserve and saving for retirement, Reducing income taxes on Social Security Benefits for retirees, and Lowering…