by Kenny | Oct 30, 2026
You have estimated your monthly retirement income. You have added up the mortgage, groceries, utilities, and insurance premiums. The numbers appear to work. Then the air conditioner needs replacing. A dental bill arrives. Your vehicle becomes unreliable, or a family... by Kenny | Oct 29, 2026
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education QUESTION: I am age 84. My IRA beneficiaries are my two children (ages 52 and 56) and my grandchild (age 8). Who is a non-eligible designated beneficiary (NEDB) and who is an eligible designated beneficiary (EDB)?... by Kenny | Oct 28, 2026
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Excess IRA contributions happen frequently and for a variety of reasons. Maybe your income ended up being higher than expected and you were ultimately ineligible for the Roth IRA contribution you made. Maybe you... by Kenny | Oct 26, 2026
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Although many IRA owners are required to take required minimum distributions (RMDs), much confusion remains as to how the RMD is calculated. Factors include whether the original IRA owner reached his required beginning date (“RBD”...
by Kenny | Oct 25, 2026
It was another volatile week on Wall Street, with US indices ending the week with mixed results. Ongoing concerns about AI financing and its return on investment continued after Meta announced its 3rd-quarter results. The company beat estimates and offered solid... by Kenny | Oct 22, 2026
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst QUESTION: I have a question regarding joint health savings accounts (HSAs). What happens if an HSA is shared with a spouse who is not yet eligible for Medicare? Can that spouse continue to contribute if they remain enrolled in a...
by Kenny | Oct 22, 2026
Building financial security takes years of effort. You save, manage expenses, pay down debt, and make decisions with the future in mind. Each step helps create more options for yourself and the people you love. But there is another question worth asking: How would... by Kenny | Oct 21, 2026
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Many of you are probably aware of the 60-day rollover deadline and the once-per-year rollover rule. But there’s a third IRA rollover restriction you may be less familiar with: the “same-property rule.” The same-property rule is the Rodney... by Kenny | Oct 19, 2026
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education The unfortunate reality for many Americans is that medical expenses will be a large part of their expected budget in retirement years. Health Savings Accounts (HSA), which continue to grow both in numbers and in...
by Kenny | Oct 18, 2026
It was a chaotic week on Wall Street as investors tried to interpret mixed Q3 financial results, a spike in oil prices, sharp swings in yields across the curve, hotter-than-expected inflation data, dovish tones from central bankers, and renewed concerns about the AI... by Kenny | Oct 16, 2026
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst QUESTION: I have a client who is age 52 and is being placed on hospice due to his battle with cancer. I understand that there is a provision in the SECURE 2.0 Act that allows individuals to withdraw from their IRAs prematurely without the...
by Kenny | Oct 16, 2026
For decades, you worked for your paycheck. In retirement, your money needs to start working for you. But will it be ready? Think about the last 30 or 40 years of your life. You got up, went to work, paid the bills, raised a family, and hopefully set aside money for... by Kenny | Oct 14, 2026
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst IRA owners and retirement plan participants trip over the required minimum distribution (RMD) rules all the time. Bad advice is provided, misinformation is freely disseminated on TikTok, and sometimes smart individuals do...
by Kenny | Oct 11, 2026
U.S. financial markets logged weekly gains as Wall Street shook off tech sector volatility and focused on stabilizing energy prices. Despite severe global bond market pressure, the S&P 500 rose 1.15% and hit an all-time high this week; the Dow Jones Industrial... by Kenny | Oct 9, 2026
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education QUESTION: Are there any penalties/consequences/tax issues if I move money from a Roth IRA to start a new Roth IRA at another company? Thanks, Ramona ANSWER: Hi Ramona, Roth IRA funds are portable. There are no...
by Kenny | Oct 9, 2026
Life rarely changes all at once. A new job brings a different benefits package. A growing family adds responsibilities. Retirement moves a little closer. Everyday expenses gradually take up more of the budget. Individually, these changes may seem manageable. Together,... by Kenny | Oct 8, 2026
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education With the cost of food, energy, healthcare and other basics on the rise, many Americans are facing a cash crunch. For some, their IRA is their largest asset. Therefore, it is not surprising that they may be looking... by Kenny | Oct 5, 2026
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst The 72(t) rules (“series of substantially equal periodic payments”) allow a person to tap retirement dollars before age 59½ without a 10% early distribution penalty. However, to gain early access to the funds, the IRA owner must...
by Kenny | Oct 3, 2026
As we move from the third quarter into the fourth, investors have a lot to consider in this crazy market. US equities finished the week mixed in volatile trade. A standstill in negotiations between the US and Iran pushed oil prices higher early in the week, but the...
by Kenny | Oct 2, 2026
As the year begins to wind down, your financial plan deserves a year-end review too. The final few months of the year can be an important time to evaluate retirement accounts, taxes, insurance coverage, income needs, and other financial decisions that may affect both...