It was hard to miss market pessimists on CNBC and other financial news channels last year. In November of 2014, well-known investor Marc Faber, renewed his claim that the market is poised for a 20% decline in the near future. Plenty of panic also wen...
January
06
2015
In President Obama’s year-end press conference, he stated that he did not think it was fair for certain corporations to pay less in taxes than others just because they have a better attorney or accountant. By that logic, one may conclude that because...
December
30
2014
As we head into a new year, ‘tis the time to reflect on the past and set goals for the future.
December
25
2014
Don't miss these important retirement plan deadlines
Posted by David J. Kupstas, FSA, EA, MSEA
in 401(k), Retirement, Financial Planning
with No Comments
Ho ho ho! We deliver to your stocking today a list of deadlines posted by the IRS. Some of these deadlines are as soon as December 31.
October
23
2014
New rules for cash balance plans offer flexibility
Posted by J. Saunders Wiggins, CFP®, AIF®
in Retirement, Tax Strategy, Financial Planning
with No Comments
The IRS has issued final regulations for hybrid retirement plans, such as cash balance plans, that clarify and add flexibility about how an employer credits interest in such plans. The final regulations clarify the definition of "market rate of retur...
October
22
2014
The Social Security Administration has announced its cost-of-living adjustments for 2015. Retirees aren’t going to be too thrilled about the 1.7 percent increase in monthly benefits. This will be the fifth time in six years that the COLA is less than...
September
17
2014
“Americans Are Not Saving Enough for Retirement.” Have you ever seen a news story with that headline or something similar? Sure you have. Even casual followers of the news probably see it at least once a year. It’s a story that’s been around forever....
August
15
2014
O Former Employee, Where Art Thou?
Posted by David J. Kupstas, FSA, EA, MSEA
in 401(k), Retirement, Financial Planning
with No Comments
You may remember the hit CBS television series Without a Trace from the previous decade. At the beginning of each episode, the FBI would learn of a person who had “gone missing.” Anthony LaPaglia’s character, Jack Malone, and his team of FBI special ...
July
10
2014
Treasury Department issues final rules regarding Longevity Annuities
Posted by J. Saunders Wiggins, CFP®, AIF®
with No Comments
An increasing concern for many Baby Boomers and retirees is whether or not they will outlive their retirement savings. As a result, insurance companies have been lobbying to allow qualified longevity annuity contracts (QLACs) inside 401(k) plans. The...
June
30
2014
Who would have thought that inherited IRAs are not retirement funds? However, this is the case when it comes to bankruptcy proceedings. According to the U.S. Supreme Court, inherited IRAs are not exempt by U.S. Bankruptcy Code as retirement funds. Th...