Bad Advice Turns Me Into the Hulk

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Before he transformed into the Incredible Hulk, Bruce Banner once said to his antagonist, “Don’t make me angry. You wouldn’t like me when I’m angry.” That’s a little how I feel when I hear stories about lazy financial professionals...

Are My SEP and SIMPLE IRAs Safe from Creditors?

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst You are not alone if you have concerns that your IRA or workplace plan savings could be lost if you are forced to declare bankruptcy or wind up on the losing end of a civil lawsuit. After all, we all count on those savings for a...
A Loved One Died and Left You an Inheritance. Now What?

A Loved One Died and Left You an Inheritance. Now What?

Take these steps when you receive a windfall Perhaps you are among the growing number of Americans fortunate enough to receive an inheritance. As older generations pass away and leave money to their families, a great wealth transfer is underway. Those bequests could...

When You SHOULD Name a Trust as IRA Beneficiary

By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Here at the Slott Report we hear many stories about trusts being named as IRA beneficiaries and the problems that follow. Often, there seems to be no purpose for naming the trust and it brings unnecessary...

Fixing a Converted RMD…and the Tax Reporting

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst We know that required minimum distributions (RMDs) cannot be rolled over or converted. Before a person does any Roth IRA conversions, all of their IRA RMDs must be satisfied. (See this prior Slott Report post: “New Rule: All IRA...
Weekly Market Commentary

Weekly Market Commentary

US markets advanced in an erratic week of trading. The S&P 500 ended the week above the 6000 level and is up nearly 24% from the April 7th lows. Investors continue monitoring global trade policy, hoping more trade deals will be signed soon.  Trump acknowledged...
Weekly Market Commentary

Weekly Market Commentary

-Darren Leavitt, CFA The holiday-shortened week was busy. Trade uncertainties continued to be on investors’ minds, with several trade stories hitting the tape throughout the week.  News on Tuesday that President Trump had extended the timeline for negotiations...

Misconceptions About the Still-Working Exception

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Regardless of the topic, we could all use an occasional refresher. Retirement account rules are incredibly complicated, and we all have our blind spots. Even seasoned financial advisors with extensive client lists can overlook...
10 Things Retirees Should Stop Spending On Now

10 Things Retirees Should Stop Spending On Now

Say goodbye to second cars, warehouse stores and other no-longer-necessary expenses Retirement is a time to rethink some things: how we fill our hours and days, what we do for fun and fulfillment. And, maybe, all that stuff we’ve been spending money on for years. You...

Taking Tax-Free Distributions from Your HSA

By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) may be one of the biggest tax breaks currently available. If you have a qualifying high-deductible health plan, you may make a deductible contribution to an HSA. There are no income...

Self-Certification After 60 Days: 12 Reasons

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF®| IRA Analyst There are two ways to move money from one IRA to another: a direct transfer or a 60-day rollover. With direct transfers, the funds are sent directly from one custodian to another. The IRA owner has no ability to use the dollars...
Weekly Market Commentary

Weekly Market Commentary

-Darren Leavitt, CFA It was a busy week on Wall Street.  The Dow Jones Industrial Index and the S&P 500 went positive for the year, catalyzed by the announcement that China and the US would significantly lower tariffs for 90 days as trade negotiations continue. ...
10 Simple Financial Tasks You Can Tackle in an Hour

10 Simple Financial Tasks You Can Tackle in an Hour

You won’t believe how much you can accomplish — and save — in just a few minutes Have 60 minutes to kill? You could spend it watching TV or playing games on your smartphone. Or you could spend it saving money, by ticking some easy but important financial tasks...