Tag Archives | retirement
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It’s Official: Your Social Security Checks Will Get A Big Cost-Of-Living Boost In 2023

Good news for clients taking monthly Social Security retirement benefits! Next year, starting in January 2023, the Social Security Administration says you’ll receive an 8.7% cost-of-living benefit increase, or more than $140 per month for the average Social Security recipient, to help offset the effects of inflation. That will be the biggest cost of living […]

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Expert Medicare Guidance Now Available To Mercer Advisor Clients

If you are age 64½ or over, you know how important good health care can be. The optimal Medicare coverage can save you time, money, and enhance your overall wellbeing. But did you know there are thousands of Medicare plans out there? This can make it very challenging for most people to select the plan […]

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Target Date Funds: No Place To Hide

Millions of American workers have invested in target-date funds in their 401(k) accounts. And why not? They’re quick, and they’re easy, providing instant diversification and the benefits of a professionally designed investment portfolio tailored to meet your changing needs as you inch closer to retirement. Unfortunately, millions of target-date fund investors just discovered that even […]

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Quote Of The Week: How High Will Your Medical Expenses Be In Retirement?

“Too many Americans think that once you are on Medicare everything is free, but that’s not the case.” Hope Manion, Senior Vice President, Fidelity Workplace Consulting, as interviewed by Andrew Welsch, Barron’s, Here’s How Much You Can Expect to Spend on Healthcare in Retirement, May 17, 2022. The Takeaway: For over 21 years, Fidelity has researched what […]

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Many Retirees Are Spending More Than Expected. Should You Be Worried?

To help guide you on your retirement journey, we stay on top of all the latest research on retirement saving and spending. For years, we have been advising our retirement clients to adopt realistic spending assumptions reflecting what they’ll really need to cover their expenses – and realize their dreams – in retirement. In the […]

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Relocating In Retirement? Here’s Where People Are Moving To

Thousands of Americans retired last year, packed their bags, and moved out-of-state ready to start a new and more fulfilling chapter in their lives. Where exactly did they all move to? Here are the top 5 destination states attracting new retirees in 2021: Tennessee Florida Pennsylvania North Carolina South Carolina And here are the 5 […]

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Want To Save On Taxes? Make Time To Fund Your 2021 IRA Before It’s Too Late

We’re getting closer to the April 18, 2022 deadline for filing your 2021 taxes and funding your IRAs or Roth IRAs for 2021 (that’s last year). The maximum amount you can contribute to your IRA for 2021 is $6,000 or 100% of taxable compensation ($7,000 if you turned 50 by the end of last year). That’s the same […]

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How COVID Has Changed Our Retirement Plans

It’s the beginning of a new year, and our third living with the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s hard to look beyond lockdowns, #WFH challenges, and PCR tests, but when Kiplinger magazine – in collaboration with wealth management firm Personal Capital – surveyed retirees and near-retirees about the pandemic a few months ago, they found that Americans […]

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Roth Conversions and Back Door Roths: What To Know Before It’s Too Late

The headlines are scary. Are Roth conversions going away? Should you rush to convert now before it’s too late? Is this the end of backdoor Roths? And what is a backdoor Roth anyway? In all fairness, the headlines are confusing and are running a few steps ahead of reality. Keep in mind that, when it […]

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Ask Mari: Will Switching To Part-Time Work Hurt My Social Security Benefits?

One of our clients asked a great question that other day as we met to discuss retirement plans with her and her husband. At age 60, she is not yet old enough to start claiming her Social Security benefits (that starts at age 62). But she wanted to know if switching from full-time to part-time […]

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