Q: We like to keep an eye on trends that could impact retirement for our employees. Is anything new on the horizon these days? A: Yes, there are some trends to watch, although some have been on our (and probably your) radar for the last few years. The American Retirement Association…
While tax scams are especially prevalent during tax season, they can take place any time during the year. As a result, it’s in your best interest to always be vigilant so you don’t end up becoming the victim of a fraudulent tax scheme. Here are some of the more common…
Many couples blame their marriage problems on disagreements and an inability to see eye to eye. Marriage counseling is a great option for couples who need to learn how to better communicate, but it might not solve the problem that caused a disagreement in the first place, especially if the…
When saving for retirement, you’re probably aware of the benefits of using tax-preferred accounts such as 401(k)s and IRAs. But you may not be aware of another type of tax-preferred account that may prove very useful, not only during your working years but also in retirement: the health savings account…
In the final quarter of 2018, interest rate and growth fears, along with geopolitical events, sparked volatility in the financial markets and reversed many of the outsize stock gains notched earlier in the year. The S&P 500 posted a loss of about 6.2% for 2018. After falling into bear market…
Saving for retirement can challenge the best of us. For one group of employees, the challenge seems particularly daunting. Your mid-career colleagues, those between 36 and 56 years of age, may sometimes feel the odds are stacked against them. They are squeezed by their own debt, financial obligations to children…
There are many prescriptions to get to financial health. Here are four proven strategies to help you get there: Setting and sticking to a budget In 2017, 78% of Americans said they were living paycheck to paycheck, up from 75% three years earlier¹. Part of the reason may be that…
In October 2018, the Dow Jones Industrial Average, a widely followed measure of stock-price performance of 30 of the largest U.S. companies, dropped 1,380 points in just two days. While that sounds scary, it was just a 5% move, taking the index back to mid-July 2018. Still, you might have noticed…
Every year, the Internal Revenue Service announces cost-of-living adjustments that affect contribution limits for retirement plans and various tax deduction, exclusion, exemption, and threshold amounts. Here are a few of the key adjustments for 2019. Employer retirement plans Employees who participate in 401(k), 403(b), and most 457 plans can defer…
When expectation and reality differ, the results can be tough to take — especially when the subject is retirement. By communicating with employees in a way that recognizes both the perceptions and the realities, employers can smooth the transition from worker to retiree. With this disconnect in mind, it’s important…
