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The views reflected by the author in this article are subject to change at any time without notice. Imagine Financial Solutions deems reliable any statistical data or information obtained from or prepared by third-party sources included in this article, but in no way guarantees its accuracy or completeness.
What will an ordinary Tuesday cost in retirement?
When people picture retirement, they tend to picture the good stuff. A trip they’ve been putting off. More time with the grandkids. A weekday tee time. But an ordinary...
The Retirement Expenses You Won’t Find in Your Monthly Budget
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...
You’ve Built a Financial Future. Have You Protected It?
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...
The Retirement Paycheck Problem: You’ve Saved for 30 Years. Now What?
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...
Has Your Financial Plan Kept Up With Your Life? A Fall Checkup Before Year-End
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...
7 Year-End Financial Moves to Consider Before December 31
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...
You’ve Worked Hard to Build Your Future. Is Your Financial Plan Keeping Up?
A new home. A growing family. A career change. Retirement getting closer. Life rarely stays the same for long. Yet financial plans and insurance policies can sit...
Could Your Retirement Plan Handle a Change of Plans?
You may have a clear picture of retirement: more time with family, a few trips you have been putting off, and the freedom to spend your days doing what matters most....
The Four Risks That Can Quietly Undermine Your Retirement Plan
Retirement planning is about more than reaching a particular savings goal. Even a substantial portfolio can face pressure from risks that are easy to...
AI-chip selloff erases Wednesday’s rally; stocks log a fourth straight weekly decline
The week in brief U.S. stocks ended the week lower after a volatile stretch. The S&P 500 fell 2.68% to 7,376.86, the Nasdaq Composite fell 3.37% to 24,579.42, the...
Weekly Market Commentary
U.S. stocks climbed through Wednesday, then gave it all back. The S&P 500 slipped 0.6% and the Nasdaq fell 2.0%, each for a third straight weekly decline, and the...
Weekly Market Commentary
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...
Weekly Market Commentary
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,...
Weekly Market Commentary
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...
Weekly Market Commentary
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...
Weekly Market Commentary
Markets finished the week mixed as interest rates increased across the yield curve. Oil prices swung significantly during the week as reports suggested the US and Iran...
Weekly Market Commentary
It was a volatile week on Wall Street as traders assessed monetary policy decisions from several central banks, including the Federal Reserve. The Fed did, as...
Weekly Market Commentary
US equity markets fell in the holiday-shortened week as oil prices surpassed $100 a barrel, raising inflation concerns and pushing interest rates higher. Additionally,...
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What Is the Deadline for Taking an IRA Owner’s Year-of-Death RMD Without Penalty?: Today’s Slott Report Mailbag
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst QUESTION: My dad died in December 2025, at age 95. I am the sole beneficiary of his traditional IRA. I just discovered that he never took...
Spouse Beneficiary RMDs: Calculation Basics
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst In the October 26 Slott Report entry (“Beneficiary RMDs: Calculation Basics”), we discussed the required minimum distribution (RMD)...
IRS Establishes New Correction Program for Fixing IRA Errors
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst A recently announced IRS program gives you new ways to fix certain IRA errors. Unfortunately, it won’t be as helpful as it seems. In the...
IRA Beneficiaries and the Roth IRA Five-Year Rule: Today’s Slott Report Mailbag
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...
Correcting an Excess IRA Contribution After the October 15 Deadline
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...
Beneficiary RMDs: Calculation Basics
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...
Health Savings Accounts and IRA Rollovers: Today’s Slott Report Mailbag
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...
The Same-Property Rollover Rule Gets No Respect
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...
5 Things to Know About HSAs at Age 65
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...
The views reflected by the author in this article are subject to change at any time without notice. Imagine Financial Solutions deems reliable any statistical data or information obtained from or prepared by third-party sources included in this article, but in no way guarantees its accuracy or completeness.
Imagine picking up your first prescription in January and hearing a different price than you paid in December. Or calling to schedule a follow-up and learning that your... A low monthly premium can catch your attention. But it cannot tell you whether a Medicare plan fits your life. The questions that matter often come later: Can you keep... The Medicare plan you chose last year may have made perfect sense at the time. But what happens when your prescriptions change, you start seeing a specialist, or your... Your Medicare coverage may look the same on the surface, but important changes to your benefits, prescription costs, and provider networks could affect what you pay... You’re happy with your doctors. Your prescriptions haven’t changed. Your Medicare coverage worked well this year. So, is reviewing your plan really necessary? It’s a... Medicare Open Enrollment is one of the most important times of the year for people who already have Medicare. From October 15 through December 7, 2026, Medicare... You schedule an appointment, hand over your insurance card, and assume your coverage will take care of the rest. Then a bill arrives—or the pharmacy tells you that your... You recognize the insurance company. You have the same membership card. Your coverage has worked well so far. But does it still fit the year ahead? It is easy to treat... Turning 65 is an exciting milestone—but it also brings important Medicare decisions. With multiple enrollment periods, coverage options, and deadlines to understand,...
Would You Choose Your Medicare Plan Again? 5 Things to Check Before December 7
Beyond the Premium: Five Questions to Ask Before Choosing a Medicare Plan
Does Your Medicare Plan Still Fit Your Life? What to Review Before You Renew
Medicare Changes for 2027: 7 Things You Need to Review Before Keeping Your Current Plan
Your Medicare Plan May Be Changing—Even If Your Health Hasn’t
Medicare Open Enrollment 2027: 7 Things to Review Before December 7
Before Your Next Appointment: 5 Medicare Questions That Can Help Prevent Costly Surprises
Your Medicare Plan Changed. Did You Notice?
7 Medicare Enrollment Mistakes to Avoid When Turning 65