Despite the new tax rate reductions of the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003, the top marginal tax bracket for many retirees is a whopping 46.3%. Why? Because Social Security benefits are subject to income tax. Those affected are Social Security recipients who have the good
The Hurrier I Go the Behinder I Get
When are Social Security checks potentially loans and not benefits? Why, when you have “excess earnings” of course. In today’s economy, many senior citizens still work during their “retirement” either because they want to or, all too often, because they must to make ends meet. Retirees who wa
Great Idea…Lousy Name
Obviously, nobody asked the marketing guys before coming up with this one. Who in the world thought up the name “non-qualified deferred compensation?” Oh, it’s descriptive alright. But who wants anything “non-qualified?” Do you want a “non-qualified” doctor, lawyer
How to Avoid Dumb Investment Mistakes
In two decades as a CPA, Stephen L. Nelson has seen some dumb investment decisions. Get his tips about how to avoid the dumbest investment mistakes.
Read This If You Cant Possibly Save Enough for Retirement
Worried about saving for retirement? Here are three outside-of-the-box tips from CPA Stephen L. Nelson.
A Quick Guide To Understanding Your Individual Retirement Account
It’s never too early to begin preparing for your retirement and one of the best ways to prepare is to set up an Individual Retirement Account (often referred to as an IRA).
IRA Beneficiary Planning Strategies
Heres an estate-planning technique that allows you to lower the tax sting to your heirs, and that reduces your retirement income in case you dont think you will need all of your Individual Retirement Account funds in retirement. Its called a stretch IRA, or Multi-generational IRA, a complex investment tools that allow you to extend the tax-deferred status of your IRA long after your death.
What Is Public Employees’ Retirement System?
The Public Employee Retirement System is for government employees except for teachers and students. This is a mandatory membership and all members should fill out a form of application at the beginning of their employment. It is a benefit plan that gives benefits to employees once they retire. This will be based on the number of years they rendered service and on their average salary.
The Public Employees Retirement system also covers survivor and disability protection. …
Should You Retire?
Have you have reached retirement age and are contemplating whether to retire or not? Are you torn between retiring to your golden years or continuing to work for a few more? Here are a few tips to make your decision a little less painful.
1. Consider Your Age
If you are in the 55 to 65 age range, retirement will already seem attractive to you. First of all consider your age. Realistically speaking, we only have limited number of years on this earth. Look at what you wo…
The Four Classifications Of A Public Retirement System
It is that time in life that we all look forward to. It is time to sit and relax and no longer have to worry about catching the bus or missing lunch just to beat the deadline. It is that point in our lives that the challenges of a planned working schedule is modified into a more relaxing pace, away from the hustle and bustle of the everyday struggle to work.
It is the day of retirement.
Basically, retirement systems refer to the methods or processes, in which the employ…
Planning For Retirement Activities
Retirement doesnt mean the end of an active lifestyle. Quite the contrary, it opens up new opportunities for many new activities. Some retirees substitute voluntary community work for their former work. This gives definition or meaning to their roles after retirement.
Household work, volunteer work, family roles and community service actually increase after retirement. The familial roles of grandparents increase because of the expanded time available for travel.
The s…
Preparing For Your Golden Years
Planning for your retirement is obviously a good idea. The phrase “the earlier, the better” describes what your policy should be for handling your transition from a harried work life to your relaxed golden years. At best, take twenty four to eighteen months to prepare for this significant change in your life.
* Cleaning Up – Try to pay off any outstanding debts or fiscal responsibilities before moving on, especially those that are hedged against your retirement plan. If y…