News & Updates

Good to Know This blog article is the first in a three-part series, including: Federal agency perspectives, Private sector perspectives, and Summary comparison. “The growing [national] debt could create additional challenges for federal fiscal management, which could in turn cause challenges for American households and individuals, too. These potential challenges include: Risks to economic growth…

Good to Know Social Security consists of two major benefit programs—disability and retirement/survivorship.  We’ll address these programs in just a moment, but first, the author will contrast the crucial difference between Social Security “solvency” and “bankruptcy.” Solvency is the ability to pay 100% of benefits. Bankruptcy is the inability to make any significant benefit payments.…

Good to Know If the term “Department of Labor Fiduciary Rule” sounds familiar, there’s a reason. The DOL’s previous Fiduciary Rule (2016) was a failed regulatory effort that was struck down by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in 2018. The Court held that the DOL exceeded its authority. One perspective of the Court’s ruling…

Good to Know We’ll address annuity protections in just a moment, but first let’s put a select few other financial protections into context. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) extends the full guarantee of the United States of America behind CDs and traditional banking products purchased from a Federally chartered U.S. bank—up to $250,000 per…

Good to Know You and your clients are planning their after-tax retirement income. Your client is apprehensive about how much of their retirement income will be siphoned off by Federal income tax in retirement. For many, if not most, clients you have great news. The combination of Social Security income (SSI) tax breaks and standard…