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Planning to retire in 2025? Do these 7 things now
A wonderful retirement is the goal of many people, and you want it to come off without any major snags. But retirement plans always face challenges, whether it’s the volatility of the markets, the affordability of healthcare or the risks posed by inflation. Plus,...
3 Retirement Mistakes That Can Still Be Fixed in 2025
Retirement planning is rarely perfect. Life throws curveballs—health issues, market downturns, career changes—and even the most diligent savers can stumble along the way. If you’ve made financial missteps or feel unprepared as you approach retirement, you’re not...
8 Ways to Keep From Going Broke in Retirement
Budgeting, saving and investing tips to help make your money last as long as you do No matter how diligently you’ve been saving for retirement, it’s hard not to worry about outliving your money. But you can take several steps to contain your expenses, manage your nest...
A Loved One Died and Left You an Inheritance. Now What?
Take these steps when you receive a windfall Perhaps you are among the growing number of Americans fortunate enough to receive an inheritance. As older generations pass away and leave money to their families, a great wealth transfer is underway. Those bequests could...
Retirement age change 2025: What it means for your Social Security benefits
A quiet but important shift is happening in 2025: the full retirement age for Social Security is increasing again. If you were born in 1959, the change affects you directly—and if you were born in 1960 or later, you’re next. Here’s what this change means for your...
10 Things Retirees Should Stop Spending On Now
Say goodbye to second cars, warehouse stores and other no-longer-necessary expenses Retirement is a time to rethink some things: how we fill our hours and days, what we do for fun and fulfillment. And, maybe, all that stuff we’ve been spending money on for years. You...
10 Simple Financial Tasks You Can Tackle in an Hour
You won't believe how much you can accomplish — and save — in just a few minutes Have 60 minutes to kill? You could spend it watching TV or playing games on your smartphone. Or you could spend it saving money, by ticking some easy but important financial tasks off...
4 Key Decisions for Early Retirement
‘Will your money last?’ isn’t the only question to consider before retiring. I was chatting with a friend the other day about his retirement—possibly an early one. At age 60, he has worked hard, saved aggressively, and invested well. Most important, he’s pretty burned...
How to Plan for Retirement Like a Veteran
Surveys show ex-service members retire with more assets, less debt and greater confidence. Here are six ways to follow their lead. When her son Corbett joined the Marine Corps right out of high school in 2013, Lara Ferguson was surprised to learn that he was required...
The views reflected by the author in this article are subject to change at any time without notice. Financial Protector deems reliable any statistical data or information obtained from or prepared by third-party sources included in this article, but in no way guarantees its accuracy or completeness.
Weekly Market Commentary
The holiday-shortened week produced another week of gains for US equity indices. The S&P 500 was up 10.6 % in the 2nd quarter, while the NASDAQ composite rose 17.8%. Trump’s reconciliation bill was passed by the Senate and subsequently approved by the House,...
Weekly Market Commentary
The S&P 500 and the NASDAQ joined the NASDAQ 100 in forging new all-time highs in an extremely busy week for Wall Street. A de-escalation of the Iran-Israel-US conflict happened on the twelfth day after Israel's initial strikes. The US bombed three key nuclear...
Weekly Market Commentary
Despite there being plenty for investors to consider, the holiday-shortened week ended pretty much where it started. Israel and Iran continued to exchange missile attacks, while global leaders tried to find a resolution to the conflict. President Trump opened the door...
Weekly Market Commentary
US markets advanced in an erratic week of trading. The S&P 500 ended the week above the 6000 level and is up nearly 24% from the April 7th lows. Investors continue monitoring global trade policy, hoping more trade deals will be signed soon. Trump acknowledged...
Weekly Market Commentary
-Darren Leavitt, CFA The holiday-shortened week was busy. Trade uncertainties continued to be on investors' minds, with several trade stories hitting the tape throughout the week. News on Tuesday that President Trump had extended the timeline for negotiations with...
Weekly Market Commentary
-Darren Leavitt, CFA It was a busy week on Wall Street. The Dow Jones Industrial Index and the S&P 500 went positive for the year, catalyzed by the announcement that China and the US would significantly lower tariffs for 90 days as trade negotiations continue. ...
Weekly Market Commentary
-Darren Leavitt, CFA US financial markets were little changed last week as investors continued to weigh the implications of the Trump administration's trade policies. A trade agreement between the US and the UK set a constructive tone and is likely to provide a...
Weekly Market Commentary
-Darren Leavitt, CFA Global markets rallied for a second week as the S&P 500 clinched nine consecutive days of gains- something not seen in two decades. News that trade negotiations between the US and seventeen countries would occur over the next few weeks...
Weekly Market Commentary
-Darren Leavitt, CFA Global financial markets rallied on several reports that suggested significant progress was being made on trade negotiations. Vice President Vance met with Indian Prime Minister Modi on his visit to India. The two leaders announced they were in...
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Mr. T: “I Pity the Fool Who Misses Their RMD”
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Laurence Tureaud, born May 21, 1952, is better known as Mr. T. He is an actor and a retired professional wrestler. He is famous for his roles as B. A. Baracus in the 1980s television series “The A-Team” and as...
Required Minimum Distributions and IRA Transfers: Today’s Slott Report Mailbag
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Question: Can I satisfy my required minimum distribution (RMD) from my 401(k) by taking it from my IRA instead? Answer: No, that is not allowed. You may aggregate RMDs from your IRAs if you have multiple accounts,...
Reporting a Recharacterization
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst While the ability to recharacterize Roth conversions was eliminated years ago, Roth contributions can still be reversed. A Roth IRA contribution can be recharacterized to a traditional IRA, or vice versa. To recharacterize an IRA...
Roth IRA vs. Roth 401(k): Which Is Better?
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Many of you are familiar with the tax advantages that Roth retirement accounts can bring. Although Roth contributions are made with after-tax dollars, the contributions grow tax-free, and earnings also come out tax-free after age 59½ if a...
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) and SEP IRAs: Today’s Slott Report Mailbag
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst QUESTION: Does the new $6,000 additional deduction for seniors under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) also apply if the senior itemizes their taxes? Thanks, Robert ANSWER: Robert, The new $6,000 addition to the standard...
Trump Accounts – A Hot New Bombshell Enters the Tax-Advantaged Account Villa
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Summer of 2025 brought us the new season of the hit TV show, Love Island. When a new contestant arrives on this popular reality dating show, its viewers know that “another hot bombshell has entered the villa.” The...
Last Week in Chicago
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Last week in Chicago, the Ed Slott and Company team hosted another successful 2-day Professional training program. A sellout crowd of over 260 financial professionals from across the country joined us for some intense IRA and...
Year-of-Death RMD and RMD on Backdoor Roth: Today’s Slott Report Mailbag
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Question: I have a client who died last month. She would have been age 83 this year. She had an IRA. Her husband, age 87, was the beneficiary of the IRA. She did not take her required minimum distribution (RMD) for 2025 before she died....
How Trump Accounts Work
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) signed into law on July 4, 2025, includes a new savings vehicle for children called “Trump accounts.” The rules surrounding these accounts are complicated, and many media outlets are reporting...
The views reflected by the author in this article are subject to change at any time without notice. Financial Protector deems reliable any statistical data or information obtained from or prepared by third-party sources included in this article, but in no way guarantees its accuracy or completeness.
Medicare’s 2025 Surprise: Higher Costs, New Caps, and Vanishing Perks
Big changes are coming to Medicare and Social Security in 2025, and if you’re on Medicare—or soon will be—you need to know how these updates could impact your costs and coverage. Financial Sense’s Jim Puplava recently spoke with Medicare expert Brian McArthur to get...
read more
Here’s How Much Medicare Will Cost in 2025
Medicare pays for a bulk of older Americans’ health care costs, but not all. And each year Medicare adjusts key costs that are paid by enrollees. I want to walk through Medicare out-of-pocket costs for 2025. I sure hope those of you who are not yet 65 pay close...
read more
What If My Medicare Doctor “Opts Out”?
Finding a doctor you like and trust can be a long process, so I understand that it can be frustrating when your doctor no longer accepts Medicare. If your doctor has “opted out” of Medicare, this means that he or she no longer accepts Medicare assignment...
read more
How Medicare Advantage Plans Cover Seniors’ Vision, Hearing, and Dental Needs
Does Medicare Cover Dental and Vision Care? Understanding Your Options Maintaining our vision, hearing, and dental health is important to living a healthy and independent life as we age. However, Original Medicare does not cover many of these essential services,...
read more
How do Social Security and Medicare work together?
They are separate programs, but the Social Security Administration handles enrollment and collects premiums for many on Medicare Social Security and Medicare are distinct programs serving older and disabled Americans, but they have an important commonality: Social...
read more
Advice Retirees Wish They Knew Sooner
Retirement can be one of the most fulfilling times in life, but getting there comes with its own set of challenges and learning experiences. While reflecting, there may be some tips and advice people wish they had taken sooner or not at all. In our Medicare Q&A...
read more
Is the Medicare Annual Wellness Visit Mandatory?
Key Points While the Medicare Annual Wellness Visit is not mandatory, it is a 100% covered preventive service. The Annual Wellness Visit differs from the typical annual physicals you were used to with group coverage. If you’ve had Medicare Part B for more than 12...
read more
Retirement Happiness by the Numbers: The Top 10 Key Factors Seniors Swear By
Retirement is great – or at least it can be. However, quitting work alone isn’t enough to deliver happiness. That’s why many seniors keep working well into their golden years. For those who prefer to spend the twilight of their life enjoying the trappings of leisure,...
read more
Could Partial Retirement Be Right For You?
Key Points Partial retirement is when you retire from your full-time position, but might work part-time to produce a reduced income. You may consider partial retirement if you enjoy working and want to continue or if you need to work for the extra money. Your Medicare...
read more
Medicare’s 2025 Surprise: Higher Costs, New Caps, and Vanishing Perks
Big changes are coming to Medicare and Social Security in 2025, and if you’re on Medicare—or soon will be—you need to know how these updates could impact your costs and coverage. Financial Sense’s Jim Puplava recently spoke with Medicare expert Brian McArthur to get...
Here’s How Much Medicare Will Cost in 2025
Medicare pays for a bulk of older Americans’ health care costs, but not all. And each year Medicare adjusts key costs that are paid by enrollees. I want to walk through Medicare out-of-pocket costs for 2025. I sure hope those of you who are not yet 65 pay close...
What If My Medicare Doctor “Opts Out”?
Finding a doctor you like and trust can be a long process, so I understand that it can be frustrating when your doctor no longer accepts Medicare. If your doctor has “opted out” of Medicare, this means that he or she no longer accepts Medicare assignment...
How Medicare Advantage Plans Cover Seniors’ Vision, Hearing, and Dental Needs
Does Medicare Cover Dental and Vision Care? Understanding Your Options Maintaining our vision, hearing, and dental health is important to living a healthy and independent life as we age. However, Original Medicare does not cover many of these essential services,...
How do Social Security and Medicare work together?
They are separate programs, but the Social Security Administration handles enrollment and collects premiums for many on Medicare Social Security and Medicare are distinct programs serving older and disabled Americans, but they have an important commonality: Social...
Advice Retirees Wish They Knew Sooner
Retirement can be one of the most fulfilling times in life, but getting there comes with its own set of challenges and learning experiences. While reflecting, there may be some tips and advice people wish they had taken sooner or not at all. In our Medicare Q&A...
Is the Medicare Annual Wellness Visit Mandatory?
Key Points While the Medicare Annual Wellness Visit is not mandatory, it is a 100% covered preventive service. The Annual Wellness Visit differs from the typical annual physicals you were used to with group coverage. If you’ve had Medicare Part B for more than 12...
Retirement Happiness by the Numbers: The Top 10 Key Factors Seniors Swear By
Retirement is great – or at least it can be. However, quitting work alone isn’t enough to deliver happiness. That’s why many seniors keep working well into their golden years. For those who prefer to spend the twilight of their life enjoying the trappings of leisure,...
Could Partial Retirement Be Right For You?
Key Points Partial retirement is when you retire from your full-time position, but might work part-time to produce a reduced income. You may consider partial retirement if you enjoy working and want to continue or if you need to work for the extra money. Your Medicare...