How To Coordinate Social Security With Portfolio Withdrawals
Social Security works best when it is planned alongside portfolio withdrawals, taxes, and the rest of the retirement income strategy.
Read articleBlog
Retirement planning articles, commentary, and practical guidance from Empowered Retirement.
The First-Year Retirement Tax Checklist
The first year of retirement often brings new tax surprises. This checklist highlights the income, withholding, and withdrawal items to review early.
Read articleHow To Prepare For Medicare Enrollment At 65
Medicare decisions affect both coverage and cost. Preparing ahead of time can make enrollment much less stressful.
Read articleShould You Do Roth Conversions Before RMDs Begin?
Roth conversions can create valuable flexibility, but only when taxes, Medicare costs, and timing are reviewed carefully.
Read articleWhat To Do With Your 401(k) When You Retire
Retirement is a good time to review whether an old 401(k) should stay put, be rolled over, or be consolidated as part of a broader plan.
Read articleA Retirement Income Checklist For The Five Years Before You Stop Working
The years just before retirement are when small decisions can have an outsized impact. This checklist highlights the planning moves that help households turn savings into reliable income.
Read articleFive Tax Moves To Review Before Your First Year Of Retirement
Retirement often changes your tax picture more than people expect. These planning ideas can help reduce surprises and preserve cash flow.
Read articleHow Couples Can Think More Clearly About Social Security Claiming Decisions
Claiming decisions are rarely just about age. For married households, timing, longevity, survivor needs, and taxes all matter.
Read articleBuilding A Retirement Paycheck That Feels More Predictable
Retirement cash flow planning is not just an investment issue. It is a coordinated process that connects income sources, withdrawal strategy, reserves, and tax decisions.
Read articleA Game You Don't Want to Play
We all know what a game of chicken is. In the most extreme example, the drivers of two automobiles barrel down the highway at reckless speed directly toward each other, and usually one...
Read articleTiming is Everything
A simply complex, but vital contributor to the success of your retirement plans are the sequence of your investment returns. Many investors assume that a given sample of returns will yield the same outcome...
Read articleSheltering Yourself from Bank Failures
Bank failures are like 8.0 earthquakes. They do not happen particularly often, but when they do, it can be disastrous to those too close to the situation. The recent collapse of Silicon Valley Bank raised concerns...
Read articleIt's Never Never Too Early to Start Planning for Next Year's Taxes
With tax season behind us, it's never too early to start planning for next year's taxes. By being proactive and implementing strategic tax-saving techniques, you can potentially reduce your tax bill...
Read articleFive keys to successful preparation for retirement
Plan your retirement date. Even though it is hard to determine the exact desired retirement date, it is good to plan for a specific age and review the decisions that can shape the transition.
Read articleWhen can I shred my tax records?
If you do not like to clutter your house with old papers and items you no longer need, you might be wondering when it is safe to shred old tax returns.
Read article