retirement
What is an IRA recharacterization?
IRA recharacterization is a strategy that changes the type of IRA for a specific contribution. Recharacterizing gives you the opportunity to change your mind or correct a mistake. However, there are deadlines and rules for recharacterizing IRA contributions. Rebecca Lake…
Social Security break-even calculation
Your Social Security break-even age can help you decide whether it is better to start collecting Social Security early or wait until later when you can receive a larger monthly payment. It is the point at which the value of…
Generation X: Time to Take a Long View Toward Retirement
For Generation Xers — those born between 1965 and 1980—their 60s might seem some distance off, but for many of them it really isn’t. That’s why the results of a recent survey of 2000 members of this demographic cohort by…
An “Ideal” Circumstance for Claiming Social Security Benefits at Age 62
It can be a torturous question, this issue of when to file for Social Security benefits. Sure, you’re aware of the reduction in monthly payments you’ll receive, and you’re aware of the persistent advice of financial “experts” that it’s best…
A Timeline Clarification for Millennials–Preparing for the Future of Social Security
Social Security’s impending solvency crisis has been in the news quite a bit in recent months and, unfortunately, much of the media accounts have created a misunderstanding of what’s really in the cards for this critical senior support program. Specifically,…
Planning for Retirement? Here’s a Solid Roadmap to Consider
Planning for retirement is not easy. It’s not something to put aside for later, because time goes by quickly and before you know what happened, you’re at the point where you know you should have given it more thought. So,…
Inflation and Retirement Planning–Some Suggestions
Virtually every consumer is painfully aware of the inflationary cycle our economy is enduring, and not everyone is buying the thought that it’s a temporary–or transitory, to use a vernacular term–phenomenon. Retirees and those planning for their retirement years are…
Working in Retirement: A Real-Life Situation Analyzed
In a post on adn.com, Alaska Workplace reporter Lynne Curry addresses a situation many folks are considering as they approach their retirement years. For lack of a better name, it’s called “semiretirement” and it involves remaining in the workforce after…
Fitting Social Security Into Your Retirement Financial Plan
Many folks are aware that Social Security, by design, will not completely cover their desired level of comfort in retirement. Its basic intent is to serve as a mechanism to keep seniors from falling into poverty, with the expectation that…
Social Security’s Place in Your Financial Plan for Retirement
There are many details that those approaching retirement decisions are not clear on, especially the details of some of the options like spouse benefits, survivor benefits, family benefits, and so on. But if you’re at the point of assessing what…