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How does inflation impact your present and future wealth?
New findings from the Employee Benefits Research Institute (EBRI) indicate that seniors' confidence levels concerning their ability to live comfortable lives once they stop working have changed significantly in the past five years....
Read MoreRetirement Income Solutions: Ensuring a Less Stressful and Long Lasting Retirement
Retirement Income Solutions: Ensuring a Less Stressful and Long Lasting Retirement As the sunset of life approaches, so does the growing concern about one's financial stability during retirement. You've done the hard part, climbed the...
Read MoreIs Now The Time To Consider Rolling Your 401k Over Into An IRA?
“If you have 401k, your investment choices are limited. Depending on your situation, an IRA could be a better choice.” Jerry Yu Many people at or near retirement age have money in 401k plans, and the number of people...
Read MoreAre You Prepared For Living Longer?
“People who want to live longer may not have counted the costs of doing so. There’s a lot to consider if you want to live long and be well.” Jerry Yu The idea of living longer appeals to many of us, especially as...
Read MoreNet Worth = Wellbeing
Are you searching for a way to increase your financial security and get ahead? If so, it’s time to look beyond simply earning more money – it’s also essential to focus on boosting your net worth. By understanding the...
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Decumulation: It’s Like Investing, Only Harder
“When the time comes to spend down your retirement assets, there’s no “magic formula.” However, common sense and flexibility, along with diligence, will go a long way toward helping you achieve your goals...
Read MoreWhat you must know about health savings accounts before you retire
"Many Americans are opting to work past age 65. What will that mean for their health savings accounts?"- Turning 65 is a significant event for most Americans. For many, age 65 marks the beginning of retirement or...
Read MoreCan you avoid outliving your retirement savings
Living too long may be the greatest threat to your retirement plans. Will you have enough money to last your whole retirement? Research from Allianz Life indicates that more than 60% of people over 50 worry more about running out of...
Read MoreWhat's a MYGA, and should seniors add one to their retirement portfolios?
If you are a pre-retiree or retiree looking for risk-resistant ways to grow and protect your wealth, you might want to discover more about multi-year guaranteed annuities or MYGAs. MYGAs are one kind of fixed annuity, differing from...
Read MoreIf you are in the sandwich generation, you may need a money doctor
Lately, I've been writing about the "sandwich generation"- those who care simultaneously for their growing families and aging parents. I'm also a sandwich generation member, so I know the difficulties associated with providing for your...
Read MoreWhy you need a financial doctor to help cure your money ills
As a client-focused retirement and income designer, I've long experienced frustration and disappointment with how the financial services industry sometimes treats the people who need them the most. Instead of approaching clients and...
Read MoreHaving an annuity can help alleviate some seniors& Social Security worries
With older parents starting to require additional assistance and two college-age kids they support financially, Donna and Ed (not their real names) are examples of what I call the "sandwich generation." Members of the sandwich...
Read MoreWhat is sequencing risk and are there ways to protect against it?
To avoid running out of money in retirement, you must protect your wealth against market volatility and "sequencing risk."One of the most significant risks to retirees' nest eggs is that timing withdrawals from your retirement account...
Read MoreRetirement Income and the Traditional Portfolio
Taking withdrawals from a traditional portfolio exposes fixed-income investors to “sequence of returns” danger. In other words, experiencing negative returns early in retirement can deplete your portfolio more quickly than...
Read MoreA Decision Not Made Is Still a Decision
Whether through inertia or trepidation, investors who put off important investment decisions might consider the admonition offered by motivational speaker Brian Tracy, "Almost any decision is better than no decision at all."This...
Read MoreMutual Funds vs. ETFs
The growth of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) has been explosive. In 2005, there were less than 500; by the latter half of 2021, there were over 8,000 investing in a wide range of stocks, bonds, and other securities and instruments.1At...
Read MoreBuilding Family Wealth! Jerry Yu's Newly Released Book Helps People Secure Their Family's Financial
Asset protection specialist and published author Jerry Yu has now released his latest book, Fortify Your Financial Kingdom: Build Flexibility and Control into Your Wealth for Generations...
Read MoreAre You Ready for Your Portfolio to Make a Difference?
Interest in making an impact with one’s investments has grown in recent years, which means many investors may have an increased interest in environmentally or socially focused investments as well. In fact, impact investments...
Read MoreAre you ready to lock in your retirement plans? Maybe it's time to consider annuities
In my latest book, Fortify Your Financial Kingdom, I go into great detail about why I think correctly designed life insurance is the most powerful tool available for strengthening and protecting your accumulated wealth. However, life...
Read MoreWhy Regular Rebalancing Makes Sense
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,...
Read MoreWhat should you do to safeguard your wealth when asset bubbles are bursting?
If you were one of those fortunate enough to learn at least a smattering of economics in high school, you might recall hearing about the disturbing things known as "asset bubbles." First, we should define the word "asset, which isn't...
Read MoreThe Internal Revenue Service announced its annual "Dirty Dozen" list of tax scams in June 2022...
continued schemes related to coronavirus Economic Impact Payments and unemployment fraud. All tax scams put taxpayers at risk. This year, criminals continue to exploit the pandemic and related relief programs, including the rise in...
Read MoreAre you still working or do you own a business? Pay attention to a new tax coming to your state soon
"New laws passed in several states will require employers to collect a payroll tax from employees who don't have private long-term care insurance." - Jerry Yu. A dramatic demographic shift is happening in the United States....
Read MoreDoes Your Credit Score Affect Your Insurance Rates?
One landmark study found that credit-based insurance scores are used by about 95 percent of all auto and home insurers in calculating the cost of insurance to individuals.¹While the vast majority of insurance companies use...
Read MoreProblems with Probate
Many of us hope to leave something behind for our loved ones when we pass away. But the probate process is complex. To understand how to better manage potential probate fees, let’s explore what probate is and how the process...
Read MoreMortgages in Retirement
Anyone who has gone through the process of mapping out their retirement knows there can be a lot to keep in mind. Saving, investing, anticipating medical costs, and making sure you have enough tucked away for years to come is just the...
Read MoreYou May Need to Make Estimated Tax Payments If…
You may have to make estimated tax payments if you earn income that is not subject to withholding, such as income from self-employment, interest, dividends, alimony, rent, realized investment gains, prizes, and awards.You also may have...
Read MoreA First Look At The Inflation Reduction Act
The initial assessment by the Congressional Budget Office suggests the Act will have a negligible effect on inflation in 2022, and in 2023 could increase or decrease the current inflation rate by 0.1 percentage point.1The Inflation...
Read MoreMONTHLY MARKET INSIGHTS | SEPTEMBER 2022
U.S. MarketsRenewed fears of higher rates and economic weakening, coupled with a tough talk by Fed Chair Jerome Powell and other Fed officials, sent stocks lower in August.The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 4.06 percent whereas...
Read MoreBreaking Down the Parts of Medicare
Generally, the different parts of Medicare help cover specific services. Most beneficiaries choose to receive their Parts A and B benefits through Original Medicare, the traditional fee-for-service program offered directly through the...
Read MoreThe Most Overlooked Item of Any Home Improvement
If you are like most homeowners, you love selecting the fixtures, fabrics, and paint colors of your home improvement project. But there is one very important item that you may overlook—making certain you are properly insured.Why...
Read MoreSandwich generation, you may feel you've lost control of your financial kingdom
If you're part of the "sandwich" generation, you may feel you've lost control of your financial kingdom."Many of us in the sandwich generation toss and turn at night wondering if we'll manage to stay in control of our financial...
Read MoreThe Sequence of Returns
What exactly is the “sequence of returns”? The phrase describes the yearly variation in an investment portfolio’s rate of return. But what kind of impact do these deviations from the average return have on a...
Read MoreA House Divided
The latest research suggests that divorce rates in the U.S. have been falling in recent decades. Still, many people face the difficult crossroads that comes when their marriage ends.1Getting a divorce is a painful, emotional process....
Read MoreThe Great Debate Continues: Active vs. Passive
Whether it’s sports, music, or politics, life holds any number of “great debates”– debates that never seem to reach a conclusion. In investments, that great debate asks the question, “Active or Passive...
Read MoreStop Wasting Money
Benjamin Franklin once said, “a penny saved is a penny earned.” One way to find the money to meet your spending or saving needs is to examine your current spending habits and consider eliminating money wasters.Top Money...
Read MoreNavigating Retirement Pitfalls
Much is written about the classic financial mistakes that plague start-ups, family businesses, corporations, and charities. Some classic financial missteps have been known to plague retirees, too.Calling them “missteps” may...
Read MoreChanging Unhealthy Behaviors
Most Americans know the fundamentals of good health: exercise, proper diet, sufficient sleep, regular check-ups, and no smoking or excessive alcohol. Yet, despite this knowledge, changing existing behaviors can be difficult. Look no...
Read MoreU.S. Personal Savings Rate
The U.S. personal saving rate stood at 7.3 percent in October 2021, a significant drop from the 26.6 rate in March earlier in the year.1The personal saving rate is the federal government’s estimate of what percent of their...
Read MoreCaring for Aging Parents
Thanks to healthier lifestyles and advances in modern medicine, the worldwide population over age 65 is growing. In the past decade, the population of Americans aged 65 and older has grown 36% and is expected to reach 94.7 million in...
Read MoreSaving for College
College costs have risen steadily over the past several years, which is why some should consider starting to save early. Whether you plan on paying all the costs or just a fraction, this calculator can help you better assess the...
Read MoreHow a Woman Can Fund Her Own Retirement
It makes sense -- and can bring real peace of mind -- for a woman to manage her own retirement plan.Women do so much for others during their lives.If you’ve spent your years taking care of other people, you may expect that...
Read MoreWhat is the Social Security 2100 Act?
The Social Security program has run a deficit every year since 2010, and new projections expect that it will be unable to meet its obligations to American retirees by as early as 20331Many experts believe that Social Security is in...
Read MoreAvoiding Tax Scams in Retirement
Every year, as the April tax deadline approaches, there’s an increase in the number of tax-related scams that are reported according to Transaction Network Services. Thousands of taxpayers are duped every year and retirees are...
Read MoreGuaranteed Lifetime Income Rider and Living Benefits Basics
Over a little more than a decade, guaranteed lifetime income riders have become all the rage as an attached benefit to deferred annuity policies.A deferred annuity is a special contract that delays income or payments until an investor...
Read MorePlanning for Retirement in a Slowing Economy
Being alert to economic slowdowns -- and shifting gears if needed -- can keep you on the path to meeting your retirement goals.When the pace of economic growth appears to slow, even if other indicators are not signaling trouble ahead,...
Read MoreAnnual Financial To-Do List
Actions you can take this year to improve your financial security. What financial, business, and life priorities do you plan to address in the coming year? Now is a good time to think about strategies to accomplish your specific objectives
Read MoreUnderstanding Lump Sum Pension Buyouts
While it is possible for you to take a lump sum payment, invest it wisely, and benefit from the situation in various ways, it’s important to remember that you are fully responsible for making that lump sum last throughout your...
Read MoreMost Seniors Will Need Additional Income Streams In Retirement
One of the most common concerns expressed by retirees in financial planning sessions is the fear of running out of money in retirement. As you near the time when you are no longer in the workforce, you might worry about whether your...
Read MoreIs Now The Time To Consider Rolling Your 401k Over Into An IRA?
“If you have 401k, your investment choices are limited. Depending on your situation, an IRA could be a better choice.” Many people at or near retirement age have money in 401k plans, and the number of people...
Read MoreAnnuity Lifetime Income Riders: How Rollup Rate and Payout Rate Affect Income
Lifetime income riders offer guaranteed minimum lifetime income, but these two rates significantly affect the payout you receive.An income rider is an optional annuity add-on guaranteeing that, once the annuity starts paying out, it...
Read MoreIdentity Theft and Retirement: How to Protect Yourself
Identity theft is a problem that impacts millions of people annually. Retirees and older Americans have recently been targeted at higher rates than other segments of the population.Adults aged 65 and older lose about $3 billion every...
Read MoreThe Impact of Health Care Costs on Social Security
As health care costs continue to rise at a faster annual rate than Social Security payments, and lifespans continue to lengthen, the need for retirees to establish an additional source of guaranteed lifetime income outside Social Security h
Read MoreSome Key Points Of President Biden’s Tax Plan
By focusing on low and middle-income earners, Joe Biden hopes to stimulate a pandemic-ravaged economy. The impact could be significant for higher net worth individuals and corporations.
Read MoreHow the SECURE Act could impact your retirement planning
The SECURE Act presents both challenges and opportunities for retirees if they act now
Read MoreStealth Retirement Expenses
A look at some surprise expenses in retirement that may come your way -- and how you can prepare for them.
Read MoreYour Credit Score in Retirement
Retirement may not affect your credit scores directly, but how you manage your finances during retirement can impact your credit and borrowing power.
Read MoreReduce Family Conflicts Over Your Estate
Relying on a will to pass along your wealth after you die may not be enough to prevent confusion and confrontations between your heirs. Instead, a well-considered estate plan can employ several additional strategies to clarify your intentio
Read MoreThe Uncertain Future of Social Security
The Social Security program has had a deficit every year since 2010 and by 2033, the program is projected to become insolvent.
Read MoreWhat Is a Multi-Year Guaranteed Annuity (MYGA)?
Get a guaranteed interest rate with this tax-deferred investment strategy. Multi-year Guaranteed Annuities (MYGAs) are fixed annuities that promise a set rate of return for a period of years. When the time is up, you can either cash in the
Read MoreSome Key Points Of President Biden’s Tax Plan
“By focusing on low and middle-income earners, Joe Biden hopes to stimulate a pandemic-ravaged economy. The impact could be significant for higher net worth individuals and corporations.”
Read MoreIndexed Annuities Offer Security with a Limited Amount of Risk
Indexed annuities, sometimes called fixed indexed annuities or equity-indexed annuities, aren’t direct investments in the market; they are insurance contracts that guarantee a minimum return on your principal for a certain period of time,
Read MoreUnderstanding the Difference Between Fixed And Variable Annuities
Annuities offer tax sheltered growth which can result in significant long-term returns for you if you contribute to the annuity for a long period and wait to withdraw funds until retirement.
Read MoreUsing Life Insurance To Meet Your Financial Goals
Life insurance can be a key part of a well-structured estate plan, an important business strategy, and a wealth-building tool. When was the last time you reviewed your life insurance coverage?
Read MoreWhat Is An “Annuity Laddering” And How Can It Work For You
A desire to preserve cash savings and turn that money into lifetime income is a primary reason some people decide to purchase annuity products. “Laddering” can help these products work even more efficiently.
Read MoreHow Should You Prepare Your Finances For Life After The Presidential Election
Seek the guidance of a fiduciary. You can lessen your anxiety about money by partnering with a financial fiduciary. A fiduciary is someone who is obligated to seek out and recommend only those solutions which best fit your needs and goals.
Read MoreWill President Biden’s Capital Gains Tax Increase Mean You Should Head For The Exit?
Tax increases are bound to occur over the next few years as federal, state, and local governments scramble to make up shortfalls created during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Read MoreWhat are “floating rate” bond funds and are they better than fixed annuities?
“However attractive floating bond funds appear, investors must be diligent to weigh the risks, research the holdings inside the fund, and consult their financial advisory team to ensure alignment with their overall financial goals.”
Read MoreWhat’s Really Behind Those “7% Guaranteed Rates” On Fixed Annuities?
Don’t let hype and misinformation keep you from discovering the many positive aspects of having annuities in your retirement portfolio. An annuity gives you certain tax advantages, can help you create lifetime income, protect your principle
Read MoreCould “Substantially Equal Periodic Payments,” Help You If You Need To Retire Early?
It’s great if you want (or need) to retire before age 59½, just be aware of the potential tax consequences.
Read MoreWhy Your Financial Advisor Should Be A Fiduciary
Choosing the right financial advisor should never be undertaken lightly. Finding an advisor committed to only doing what’s best for you is a challenging task that is crucial to retirement success. FeeOnly or FeeBased financial professional
Read MoreVerifying Social Security Records to Maximize Your Benefits
Verifying your personal and earnings information with the Social Security Administration will help ensure that your future Social Security income is calculated correctly.
Read MoreDecumulation: It’s Like Investing, Only Harder
“When the time comes to spend down your retirement assets, there’s no “magic formula.” However, common sense and flexibility, along with diligence, will go a long way toward helping you achieve your goals.” Jerry Yu
Read MoreWill Adding A Fixed-Indexed Annuity To Your Portfolio Help Offset Inflation Risk?
It’s crucial for anyone concerned about running out of money in retirement to sit down with a qualified retirement income specialist and do the math to see if adding an annuity makes sense in their situation.
Read MoreAre You Prepared For Living Longer?
“People who want to live longer may not have counted the costs of doing so. There’s a lot to consider if you want to live long and be well.”
Read MoreA Look at Diversification
Ancient Chinese merchants are said to have developed a unique way to manage their risk. They would divide their shipments among several different vessels. That way, if one ship were to sink or be attacked by pirates, the rest stood a...
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