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Is 2025 a Bad Year To Retire With the Stock Market in the Dumps?
2025 may seem like a bad year to retire if you're looking at the stock market alone. But that's not the only consideration. It sure seems like a bad year to retire. The stock markets are falling, taking 401(k) balances along with it, tariffs are in place, federal...
5 Dos and Don’ts When Lending Money to Loved Ones
Helping friends or family shouldn’t mean hurting your finances Let’s face it: Money is tight for many people. And if you have loved ones in your life who are struggling financially, you may feel inclined to help them. If you do, proceed with caution. According to a...
11 Mistakes Retirees Make at the Supermarket
It’s not just inflation. Your bad habits may explain why you’re paying too much for groceries. Retirees living on fixed incomes have been feeling the pinch of rising grocery costs. Grocery prices in February rose 2.6 percent year-over-year, according to the U.S....
Retire with confidence: Master your finances and lifestyle
Discover steps to help you prepare for retirement Imagine this: After decades of hard work and dedication, you’re just 12 months away from the retirement of your dreams. Exciting, right? But hold on, this final stretch is crucial. Let’s make sure you’re fully prepared...
7 Strategies for More Income in Retirement
“Old age is always fifteen years older than I am.” —Bernard Baruch, American financier, investor, statesman and philanthropist One of the biggest fears people have is running out of money in retirement. And for many Americans, this is a very real risk, not an...
How an annuity can help as you plan for retirement
As you approach retirement, you may be wondering what are the next steps for your investments. An annuity may be an effective tool for you in retirement planning by providing a steady and reliable income stream. With 2024 being the year with the greatest number of...
9 Ways Retirement Will Be Different in 2025
How changes in Social Security, Medicare, 401(k) contributions and more will affect your finances Retirement is not static. Even when the kids are gone and the career is done, your lifestyle and expectations are constantly evolving. So are your finances. Areas key to...
Important Tasks & Decisions for Each Phase of Retirement Planning
Important Tasks & Decisions for Each Phase of Retirement Planning Retirement. It tends to be a catch-all word that generally refers to the light at the end of the tunnel after years of hard work. It’s a time to enjoy the things in life that matter the most, like...
Retirement Challenges in 2025: Market Volatility, Inflation and Social Security
Inflation, uncertain markets and a limited Social Security COLA are among the financial hurdles for retirees in 2025. Key Takeaways High interest rates may complicate investment decisions for retirees. Social Security recipients are getting a 2.5% raise, which may lag...
Weekly Market Commentary
-Darren Leavitt, CFA The S&P 500 avoided a fifth straight week of losses as investors continued to assess the impact of Trump’s policies. A late rally on Friday afternoon, fueled on heavy volume from quarterly options' expiration, helped propel the S&P 500...
read more
Weekly Market Commentary
-Darren Leavitt, CFA Investors endured the fourth consecutive week of losses in US equity markets as concerns around tariffs and their impact on the economy continued to weigh on sentiment. Several investment banks decreased their assessment of US equities and...
read more
Weekly Market Commentary
-Darren Leavitt, CFA Economic growth concerns weighed on US financial markets as manic trade policy fostered uncertainty and volatility. It was a hectic week as investors tried to make sense of Trump’s tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China. The announcement that...
read more
Weekly Market Commentary
-Darren Leavitt, CFA Growth concerns entered the market narrative as investors continued to look at policy uncertainties on tariffs and the strains on geopolitical relations. The Trump administration confirmed that 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico would be effective...
read more
Weekly Market Commentary
-Darren Leavitt, CFA The holiday-shortened week saw the S&P 500 hit all-time highs, but late in the week, the move abruptly succumbed to consolidation pressure. Investors are worried about valuations, trade tensions, inflation, and declining consumer sentiment. A...
read more
Weekly Market Commentary
-Darren Leavitt, CFA Despite all of the uncertainties within the investment landscape, global markets were able to post nice gains last week. Fourth-quarter earnings continued to roll in with notable results from Coca-Cola, McDonald's, Roku, Cisco Systems, Draft...
read more
Weekly Market Commentary
-Darren Leavitt, CFA Uncertainty about global trade continued to be at the top of investors' minds as Trump announced 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada while levying 10% on Chinese goods. Mexico and Canada's immediate reaction was to place tariffs on US goods. But an...
read more
Weekly Market Commentary
Darren Leavitt, CFA US financial markets were extremely busy last week as a rush to download a Chinese AI platform called Deep Seek from Apple’s App Store seemingly changed the narrative around artificial intelligence in a heartbeat and on multiple fronts. Capital...
read more
Weekly Market Commentary
Darren Leavitt, CFA Wow, what a week! US markets were closed on Monday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and Donald Trump was inaugurated as the 47th President of the United States. It was a historic day indeed. The global markets were poised for a barrage of executive...
read more
Weekly Market Commentary
-Darren Leavitt, CFA The S&P 500 avoided a fifth straight week of losses as investors continued to assess the impact of Trump’s policies. A late rally on Friday afternoon, fueled on heavy volume from quarterly options' expiration, helped propel the S&P 500...
Weekly Market Commentary
-Darren Leavitt, CFA Investors endured the fourth consecutive week of losses in US equity markets as concerns around tariffs and their impact on the economy continued to weigh on sentiment. Several investment banks decreased their assessment of US equities and...
Weekly Market Commentary
-Darren Leavitt, CFA Economic growth concerns weighed on US financial markets as manic trade policy fostered uncertainty and volatility. It was a hectic week as investors tried to make sense of Trump’s tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China. The announcement that...
Weekly Market Commentary
-Darren Leavitt, CFA Growth concerns entered the market narrative as investors continued to look at policy uncertainties on tariffs and the strains on geopolitical relations. The Trump administration confirmed that 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico would be effective...
Weekly Market Commentary
-Darren Leavitt, CFA The holiday-shortened week saw the S&P 500 hit all-time highs, but late in the week, the move abruptly succumbed to consolidation pressure. Investors are worried about valuations, trade tensions, inflation, and declining consumer sentiment. A...
Weekly Market Commentary
-Darren Leavitt, CFA Despite all of the uncertainties within the investment landscape, global markets were able to post nice gains last week. Fourth-quarter earnings continued to roll in with notable results from Coca-Cola, McDonald's, Roku, Cisco Systems, Draft...
Weekly Market Commentary
-Darren Leavitt, CFA Uncertainty about global trade continued to be at the top of investors' minds as Trump announced 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada while levying 10% on Chinese goods. Mexico and Canada's immediate reaction was to place tariffs on US goods. But an...
Weekly Market Commentary
Darren Leavitt, CFA US financial markets were extremely busy last week as a rush to download a Chinese AI platform called Deep Seek from Apple’s App Store seemingly changed the narrative around artificial intelligence in a heartbeat and on multiple fronts. Capital...
Weekly Market Commentary
Darren Leavitt, CFA Wow, what a week! US markets were closed on Monday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and Donald Trump was inaugurated as the 47th President of the United States. It was a historic day indeed. The global markets were poised for a barrage of executive...
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In ERISA Retirement Plans, Spouse Beneficiaries Rule
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst At Ed Slott and Company, we continually stress how important the beneficiary designation form is. Because it’s that form – and not the retirement account owner’s will or other estate planning documents – that usually dictates who...
read more
Required Minimum Distributions and IRA Beneficiaries: Today’s Slott Report Mailbag
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst QUESTION: I turn age 73 on December 1, 2026. I would like to do a Roth IRA conversion on January 1, 2026, prior to turning 73 years old. Does my first required minimum distribution (RMD) begin January 1, 2026, the year that I turn...
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OBBBA Impact on HSAs
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education From a tax perspective, a Health Savings Account (HSA) can offer the best of all worlds. Like traditional IRA contributions, HSA contributions are made by the individual with pre-tax dollars. Contributions...
read more
5 Random Retirement Account Trivia Questions
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Are the current tax brackets, made “permanent” by OBBBA, really here forever? Not necessarily. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) did extend the tax rates established by the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act “permanently.” But that...
read more
QCDs and 529-to-Roth IRA Rollovers: Today’s Slott Report Mailbag
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Question: I am 70 years old and do not have to start taking required minimum distributions (RMDs) for three years. Can I do a qualified charitable distribution (QCD) from my IRA now? Or, do I have to wait until age 73 when I have to start...
read more
Six Unanswered Questions on Trump Accounts
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst A recent Slott Report article discussed “Trump accounts,” the new savings vehicle for children created by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). As with most new laws, there are a number of unanswered questions about Trump accounts that...
read more
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...
read more
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,...
read more
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...
read more
In ERISA Retirement Plans, Spouse Beneficiaries Rule
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst At Ed Slott and Company, we continually stress how important the beneficiary designation form is. Because it’s that form – and not the retirement account owner’s will or other estate planning documents – that usually dictates who...
Required Minimum Distributions and IRA Beneficiaries: Today’s Slott Report Mailbag
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst QUESTION: I turn age 73 on December 1, 2026. I would like to do a Roth IRA conversion on January 1, 2026, prior to turning 73 years old. Does my first required minimum distribution (RMD) begin January 1, 2026, the year that I turn...
OBBBA Impact on HSAs
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education From a tax perspective, a Health Savings Account (HSA) can offer the best of all worlds. Like traditional IRA contributions, HSA contributions are made by the individual with pre-tax dollars. Contributions...
5 Random Retirement Account Trivia Questions
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Are the current tax brackets, made “permanent” by OBBBA, really here forever? Not necessarily. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) did extend the tax rates established by the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act “permanently.” But that...
QCDs and 529-to-Roth IRA Rollovers: Today’s Slott Report Mailbag
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Question: I am 70 years old and do not have to start taking required minimum distributions (RMDs) for three years. Can I do a qualified charitable distribution (QCD) from my IRA now? Or, do I have to wait until age 73 when I have to start...
Six Unanswered Questions on Trump Accounts
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst A recent Slott Report article discussed “Trump accounts,” the new savings vehicle for children created by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). As with most new laws, there are a number of unanswered questions about Trump accounts that...
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...