07 Aug Four Questions on the Roth Five-Year Rule
The Roth "five-year rule" typically refers to when you can take tax-free distributions of earnings from your Roth IRA, Roth 401(k), or other work-based Roth account. The rule states that...
Retirement
05 Aug Investor Psychology: Behavioral Biases That Can Lead to Costly Mistakes
The field of behavioral finance focuses on the emotional and cognitive aspects of investing. In recent decades, well-known economists have advanced the theory that investors' decisions can be driven by...
24 Jul Five Key Benefits of the CARES Act for Individuals and Businesses
By now you know that Congress has passed a $2 trillion relief bill to help keep individuals and businesses afloat during these difficult times. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic...
24 Jul Stay-at-Home Spouse? Consider a Spousal IRA
An ongoing study of IRA accounts has consistently found that women, on average, have lower retirement savings balances than men (see chart). Though there may be multiple reasons for this...
07 May Bear Markets Come and Go
The longest bull market in history lasted almost 11 years before coronavirus fears and the realities of a seriously disrupted U.S. economy brought it to an end. If you are losing...
17 Mar Coronavirus Concerns? Consider Past Health Crises
During the last week of February 2020, the S&P 500 lost 11.49% — the worst week for stocks since the 2008 financial crisis — only to jump by 4.6% on...
05 Feb How much can I contribute to my retirement plan in 2020?
Updates to the contribution and income phase-out limits for retirement plans in 2020. Note that IRA and ROTH IRA Contribution limits remain the same as 2019, but other plans like...
27 Feb How much can I contribute to my retirement plan in 2019?
Certain retirement plan and IRA limits are indexed for inflation each year, but only some of the limits eligible for a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) have increased for 2019. Some of...
18 Oct Quiz: Can You Answer These Social Security Benefit Questions?
Most people will receive Social Security benefits at some point in their lifetimes, but how much do you know about this important source of income? Take this quiz to learn...
11 Oct Will a government pension reduce my Social Security benefits?
If you earned a government pension from a job not subject to Social Security tax withholding ("noncovered employment") and are also eligible for Social Security benefits through a job where...