Retirement withdrawals

The Trump administration is considering pushing back the age at which retirees have to take required minimum distributions from tax-deferred retirement account.

Waiting until your 70th birthday is the much-discussed strategy to maximize benefits. But in some circumstances, you won't miss out if you file earlier.

IRS rules allow clients in certain circumstances to tap their retirement accounts before the age of 59 1/2 without a 10% penalty. But this still should be considered a last resort, an expert says.

The guideline used a specific set of assumptions: a retirement lasting 30 years with savings in a tax-deferred account and nothing left for heirs. Change just one and your “safe” withdrawal rate may differ.

Retirees will owe taxes for up to 85% of their Social Security benefits if their adjusted gross income plus nontaxable interest exceed a certain threshold.

Plan design features like automatic enrollment and automatic increases are having a positive impact. Such steps are designed to increase participation even from people who may be suffering from inertia, says a researcher.

Many single baby boomers opt to stay put in retirement because they have no children who would advise them to move to an assisted living or continuous care community.

Employees are advised to start looking for coverage in the marketplace, which will be open for 2019 enrollment from Nov. 1 through Dec. 15.

Retirees may have gotten out of the workforce too early if they are not yet eligible to claim health coverage through Medicare.

Instead of making quarterly tax payments, retirees have the option of having the payments withheld from their Social Security and pension benefits.

The worry that many feel about the possible reduction in their future retirement benefits as a result of Social Security's dwindling trust fund is misplaced, says an expert.

Retirement investors should ensure that their portfolios can withstand rising interest rates, inflation and recessions.

Socking away all retirement savings in traditional 401(k) and IRA accounts may no longer be wise.

Although the cost of living adjustment increased 2% this year, half of retirees cannot expect a substantial increase in their benefits.

Two in three plans offer a Roth savings feature, an option 401(k) participants should take advantage to reduce their tax liability.

More retirement investors are including cryptocurrency in their portfolio because it helps them achieve diversification.

While many retirees have prepped well for whatever the economy and markets may bring, far too many others have not, an expert says.

A recent case illustrates that a buyer might be determined to be a successor employer even if the buyer does not have actual notice of the withdrawal liability.

Retirees have median savings of $839,000, but many of them are unwilling to spend away their nest egg.

Clients are advised to keep track of their financial information and have a trusted person who knows where to locate it.