Retirement scan

Employees can simplify their retirement portfolio by merging multiple accounts.

The new tax law has extended the grace period for outstanding 401(k) loans made by workers who switch jobs, luring more participants to borrow from their accounts, exposing them to greater risk.

Taxation of retirement plan distributions and Social Security benefits remains unchanged under the new tax law, but retirees are likely to see an increase in after-tax income.

The proposed budget includes a provision that would give Medicare recipients the option to contribute to a health savings account, which would offer various tax benefits.

Workers who are looking for new investments may want to invest in small-cap dividend payers,

Raising the payroll tax is the easy way (in theory); here are other solutions for funding the Social Security shortfall.

Younger investors may see the market's swing as just another fluctuation in the market, while assuming that time is on their side. Older investors, on the other hand, may be far more stressed.

Working longer and delaying Social Security could result in a bigger retirement benefit.

Retirees are advised to step back to get a better perspective and then review their asset allocation in their portfolio.

Investors are advised to liquidate some assets or transfer them to certificates of deposit and money market funds.