Extended-care coverage can be complex. Here’s a list of questions to ask that may help you better understand the costs and benefits of these policies. What types of facilities are covered? Extended-care policies can cover nursing home care, home health care, respite care, hospice care, personal care in your home, assisted living facilities, adult daycare centers, and other community facilities. Many policies cover some combination of these. Ask what facilities are included when you’re considering a policy. What is the daily, weekly, or monthly benefit amount? Policies normally pay benefits by ..read more

Have you ever had to deal with a “white elephant”? Not the actual pachyderm, but what Merriam-Webster calls “a property requiring much care and expense yielding little profit” or, more simply, “something of little or no value.” Of course, we’re not talking about the sort of “white elephants” you might get in a humorous gift exchange over the holidays, like a tacky t-shirt that isn’t even your size or an inexplicable kitchen gadget. Not everyone has a rich uncle who will present them with a simple cash gift in his will. A “white elephant” is a gift that may cause more issues than it resolves ..read more

Everyone loves a winner. If an investment is successful, most people naturally want to stick with it. But is that the best approach? It may sound counterintuitive, but it may be possible to have too much of a good thing. Over time, the performance of different investments can shift a portfolio’s intent – and its risk profile. It’s a phenomenon sometimes referred to as “risk creep,” and it happens when a portfolio has its risk profile shift over time. When deciding how to allocate investments, many start by taking into account their time horizon, risk tolerance, and specific goals. Next, indiv ..read more

In February 2018, Jerome Powell was appointed as Chair of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. He became the 16th chair to take over the helm of the world’s most influential central bank. Among other duties, he and the Fed governors are tasked with adjusting short-term interest rates to help control inflation in an effort to promote overall economic growth.1 Until 2021, inflation had remained relatively low, which had allowed the Fed to maintain an accommodative monetary policy. After the COVID-19 pandemic, the Fed increased short-term interest rates to combat high levels of ..read more

The reason withdrawals from a Traditional Individual Retirement Account (IRA) prior to age 59½ are generally subject to a 10% tax penalty is that policymakers wanted to create a disincentive to use these savings for anything other than retirement.1 Yet, policymakers also recognize that life can present more pressing circumstances that require access to these savings. In appreciation of this, the list of withdrawals that may be taken from a Traditional IRA without incurring a 10% early withdrawal penalty has grown over the years. Penalty-Free Withdrawals Outlined below are the circumstances un ..read more

Social Security can be complicated, and as a result, many individuals don’t have a full understanding of the choices they may have. Here are five facts about Social Security that are important to keep in mind. 1. Social Security Is a Critical Source of Retirement Income Some have the perception that Social Security is of secondary or even tertiary importance in retirement. But according to a recent report by the Employee Benefits Research Institute, Social Security represents a major source of income for 67% of retirees.1 Keep in mind that Social Security makes annual cost-of-living adjustmen ..read more

An orchestra is merely a collection of instruments, each creating a unique sound. It is only when a conductor leads them that they produce the beautiful music imagined by the composer. The same can be said about your retirement strategy. The typical retirement strategy is built on the pillars of your 401(k) plan, your Traditional IRA, and taxable savings. Getting the instruments of your retirement to work in concert has the potential to help you realize the retirement you imagine.1 Hierarchy of Savings Maximizing the effectiveness of your retirement strategy begins with understanding the hier ..read more

In today’s increasingly connected world, protecting your information is arguably more important than ever. Your credit report consists of a slew of personal details, such as your financial activity, credit accounts, loans, and payment history. Because of the importance of your credit report, credit bureaus such as Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion offer credit locks to help protect consumers in the event of identity theft or fraud. Will a Credit Lock Help? Although a credit lock will freeze your credit report and score temporarily, there are some potential downsides as well. One of the bigges ..read more

As Teddy Roosevelt once observed, “Old age is like everything else. To make a success of it, you’ve got to start young.” The challenges seniors have met throughout their lives have made them wiser and stronger, preparing them for the unique challenges that come with aging. As we age, the potential for cognitive decline increases, ranging from simple forgetfulness to dementia. Long-term illness can sap time and energy from tending to your financial affairs in retirement. Even a decline in vision may make it harder to manage your financial affairs. Fortunately, you can look ahead to help protec ..read more

The real rate of return is an important personal finance concept to understand. It’s the rate of return on your investments after inflation. The real rate of return indicates whether you are gaining or losing purchasing power with your money. So if inflation checks in at a rate of 6%, does that mean any investment with less than a 6% rate of return is losing purchasing power? That’s where it gets a little complicated. In theory, any investment with less than a 6% rate of return may lose purchasing power. But there are other factors you want to consider as well. For example, are inflation rate ..read more