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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.
Is 2025 a Bad Year To Retire With the Stock Market in the Dumps?
2025 may seem like a bad year to retire if you're looking at the stock market alone. But that's not the only consideration. It sure seems like a bad year to retire. The...
5 Dos and Don’ts When Lending Money to Loved Ones
Helping friends or family shouldn’t mean hurting your finances Let’s face it: Money is tight for many people. And if you have loved ones in your life who are struggling...
11 Mistakes Retirees Make at the Supermarket
It’s not just inflation. Your bad habits may explain why you’re paying too much for groceries. Retirees living on fixed incomes have been feeling the pinch of rising...
Retire with confidence: Master your finances and lifestyle
Discover steps to help you prepare for retirement Imagine this: After decades of hard work and dedication, you’re just 12 months away from the retirement of your...
7 Strategies for More Income in Retirement
“Old age is always fifteen years older than I am.” —Bernard Baruch, American financier, investor, statesman and philanthropist One of the biggest fears people have is...
How an annuity can help as you plan for retirement
As you approach retirement, you may be wondering what are the next steps for your investments. An annuity may be an effective tool for you in retirement planning by...
9 Ways Retirement Will Be Different in 2025
How changes in Social Security, Medicare, 401(k) contributions and more will affect your finances Retirement is not static. Even when the kids are gone and the career...
Important Tasks & Decisions for Each Phase of Retirement Planning
Important Tasks & Decisions for Each Phase of Retirement Planning Retirement. It tends to be a catch-all word that generally refers to the light at the end of the...
Retirement Challenges in 2025: Market Volatility, Inflation and Social Security
Inflation, uncertain markets and a limited Social Security COLA are among the financial hurdles for retirees in 2025. Key Takeaways High interest rates may complicate...
Weekly Market Commentary
-Darren Leavitt, CFA Economic growth concerns weighed on US financial markets as manic trade policy fostered uncertainty and volatility. It was a hectic week as...
Weekly Market Commentary
-Darren Leavitt, CFA Growth concerns entered the market narrative as investors continued to look at policy uncertainties on tariffs and the strains on geopolitical...
Weekly Market Commentary
-Darren Leavitt, CFA The holiday-shortened week saw the S&P 500 hit all-time highs, but late in the week, the move abruptly succumbed to consolidation pressure....
Weekly Market Commentary
-Darren Leavitt, CFA Despite all of the uncertainties within the investment landscape, global markets were able to post nice gains last week. Fourth-quarter earnings...
Weekly Market Commentary
-Darren Leavitt, CFA Uncertainty about global trade continued to be at the top of investors' minds as Trump announced 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada while levying 10%...
Weekly Market Commentary
Darren Leavitt, CFA US financial markets were extremely busy last week as a rush to download a Chinese AI platform called Deep Seek from Apple’s App Store seemingly...
Weekly Market Commentary
Darren Leavitt, CFA Wow, what a week! US markets were closed on Monday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and Donald Trump was inaugurated as the 47th President of the...
Weekly Market Commentary
-Darren Leavitt, CFA Financial markets advanced this week as a solid start to the fourth-quarter earnings season, and some better-than-feared inflation data gave...
Weekly Market Commentary
-Darren Leavitt, CFA US equity markets fell in the first full week of 2025 as investors recalibrated their Federal Reserve monetary policy expectations. Stronger labor...
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6 Required Questions to Determine an IRA Beneficiary Payout Structure
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst 1. When did the decedent die? The SECURE Act impacts beneficiaries of decedents who died in 2020 or later. Anyone who passed...
How Will States Tax Trump Account Contributions?
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Trump Account contributions can be made as early as this July 4. But before making a contribution on behalf of a child, you should...
The Five-Year Rule and Rollovers to Employer Plans: Today’s Slott Report Mailbag
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education QUESTION: Hi, I was wondering if my Roth account that is a part of my Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) through federal...
How an Excess IRA Contribution Can Happen to You
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Not all funds in an IRA belong there. When a contribution is not permitted in an IRA, it is considered an excess...
April 15: The Deadline for Some IRA Transaction, but Not All
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst April 15 is fast approaching. Not only is this the standard tax filing deadline, but it is also the deadline to complete...
Non-Spouse Beneficiaries and Funding QCDS: Today’s Slott Report Mailbag
Non-Spouse Beneficiaries and Funding QCDS: Today’s Slott Report Mailbag Thursday, April 09, 2026 By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst QUESTION: If a non-spouse...
The Strange RMD Rules for Ex-Spouses After a Divorce
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst “Qualified domestic relations orders” (QDROs) are court orders used to divide ERISA retirement plan assets after a divorce. Normally,...
Five Last-Minute Tips for 2025 IRA Contributions
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education The tax-filing deadline is almost here. Are you thinking about making a 2025 IRA (traditional or Roth)...
Tax Withholding from a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) and from a Roth Conversion: Today’s Slott Report Mailbag
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Question: I had my IRA custodian send my required minimum distribution (RMD) from my IRA to our church, but had 20% federal taxes...
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.
Key Points Original Medicare allows beneficiaries to see any provider nationwide who accepts Medicare. If you have a Medigap plan, you can still see any provider that... Key Points Unfortunately, seniors can be a prime target for scammers, and many will try to trick seniors into falling for their Medicare scams. Scammers use several... Retiring soon and wondering what to do with your health savings account (HSA)? You’re not alone – many people find the rules around HSAs and Medicare to be confusing.... Learn how to navigate the system to get the best coverage for your loved one Medicare can be complicated when you’re making your own health care decisions, but it has... Many people assume that their family members would automatically be able to make decisions about medical treatments if they were to become incapacitated. But rules vary... Discover 6 ways to access care fast, even if your doctor is busy. Hint: You may not need to go in person. Doctors’ offices are busier than ever these days. Sometimes it... Expensive medications? You’ll save thousands. Dementia or mental health care? More options Key takeaways Changes from Inflation Reduction Act are in effect now.... A bumper crop of revisions, including a stronger drug benefit, means the plan you enrolled in for 2024 may not be the best fit next year. Americans on Medicare will see... Big changes to Medicare plans are in store for 2025 as open enrollment is underway. Medicare is a federal health insurance program for older adults ages 65 and older....
Can I See Any Provider With My Medicare Plan?
How to Avoid Medicare Scams While Applying for Medicare
HSAs and Medicare: Things to consider when you turn 65
12 Things Caregivers Need to Know About Medicare
Preparing for Future Health Care Needs
Get the care you need quickly when you’re sick
7 Medicare Changes You’re Seeing in 2025
It’s Time to Shop for Medicare, and 2025 Brings Big Changes
5 big changes to Medicare 2025 plans you should know during open enrollment