Retirement Watch

Giving Gifts – and a Lecture

As we roll into the traditional gift-giving season, let’s focus on both the financial and non-financial aspects of family gift giving. Grandparents are filling only half their roles these days. They are providing financial help to their grandchildren...

Published 12-03-2009 3:46 PM by Bob Carlson

When Medicaid Will Pay for Long-Term Care

Many people still expect that government programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid, will pay for their long-term care needs. Unfortunately, these programs provide limited assistance for long-term care needs. Medicare, the program for those 65 and older...

Published 11-20-2009 11:18 AM by Bob Carlson

Filed under: Carlson, Bob Carlson, health care, long-term care, long-term care insurance

What Your Heirs Should Know About IRAs

Heirs routinely lose a large percentage of inherited IRAs to unnecessary taxes. The rules are simple, but they aren't obvious and most heirs don't know about them or to ask about them. If you don't want a large portion or your hard-earned...

Published 11-12-2009 1:28 PM by Bob Carlson

Filed under: Estate Planning, IRA Benefits, Traditional IRA, estates, Estate tax, Carlson, Bob Carlson, iras, ira distributions, estate taxes, small business

Having the Last Word

Most estate plans are missing a key ingredient. Many estate planners don’t recommend it, and it isn't even mentioned in many estate planning discussions. One reason might be that, despite its importance, the document is not legally binding on...

Published 11-05-2009 4:49 PM by Bob Carlson

Filed under: Estate Planning, estates, Carlson, Bob Carlson, trusts

My Hedge Fund Portfolio Keeps Moving Ahead

Hedge funds continue to make headlines, and most of them are not good. The big insider-trading case involved a hedge fund firm, and news stories indicate the investment process of the firm was to get an “information edge” that apparently included...

Published 10-29-2009 10:42 AM by Bob Carlson

Filed under: Carlson, Bob Carlson, investments, hedge funds, risk-adjusted returns, higher returns with less risk

The Multi-State Estate Plan

Readers with homes or other property in more than one state need to give special attention to their estate plans. Each state has different rules and requirements, and your estate might have to run probate proceedings in each state. There is more work...

Published 10-22-2009 8:30 PM by Bob Carlson

Filed under: Estate Planning, estates, Carlson, Bob Carlson, wills, homes, estate taxes

Why Estate Planning Details are Important

In this post we discuss two key issues that don’t draw much attention but are keys to the success or failure of your wealth transfer plans. They probably are not what you’d expect. Meeting a plan’s goals often does not hinge on the “headline...

Published 10-16-2009 10:24 AM by Bob Carlson

Filed under: Estate Planning, estates, Estate tax, gifts, Carlson, Bob Carlson, wills, estate taxes, grandkids, grandchildren

Year-End Tax Planning is Different This Year

Year-end tax planning will be unique and tricky this year. The usual year-end strategies are complicated by the potential for significant tax increases over the next couple of years and the lack of details we have today. In addition, the incentive to...

Published 10-09-2009 11:24 AM by Bob Carlson

Filed under: Carlson, Bob Carlson, income taxes, year-end tax planning

When It Pays to Mix Annuities and IRAs

Most of the time it’s not a good idea to combine an IRA with an annuity. The IRA already has tax deferral, so why take on the costs and limitations of an annuity? But there are a couple of times when it may make sense to mix an annuities with an...

Published 10-02-2009 10:25 AM by Bob Carlson

Filed under: Estate Planning, IRA Benefits, Traditional IRA, Carlson, Bob Carlson, income taxes, iras, ira distributions, estate taxes, retirement plans, annuities

Who Will Benefit from Your IRA?

One of the most important decisions about an IRA is naming the beneficiary or beneficiaries. There are many candidates for the biggest mistake made by IRA owners, and a leading contender is the failure to name a beneficiary or naming the wrong beneficiary...

Published 09-24-2009 8:17 PM by Bob Carlson

Filed under: Estate Planning, IRA Benefits, Traditional IRA, Roth IRA, estates, Estate tax, Carlson, Bob Carlson, wills, iras, ira distributions, estate taxes, grandkids, grandchildren, retirement plan

Avoiding Estate Planning Mistakes

The success or failure of an estate plan often depends on small details. Amid all the big picture issues (taxes, trusts, gifts, business interests), these matters may seem too small to deserve much time. Don’t have that attitude. It could cost you...

Published 09-17-2009 3:40 PM by Bob Carlson

Filed under: Estate Planning, estates, Estate tax, Carlson, Bob Carlson, wills, iras, trusts, estate taxes, retirement plan, retirement, retirement plans

You and Uncle Sam Can Help the Grandkids Buy a Home

Home prices are down, and inventories of unsold homes are high in many areas. These are buyer’s markets. That makes this an ideal time to buy a home, or to help a grandchild buy that first home or move up to a larger home. Even better, there is...

Published 09-10-2009 12:35 PM by Bob Carlson

Filed under: Estate Planning, tax-free gifts, taxable gifts, gifts, Carlson, Bob Carlson, homes, grandkids, annual exclusion, grandchildren, mortgages

How to Revise Your Retirement Plan

Despite the rally in stocks and other risky assets since March 9, many portfolios are still damaged from the events of the last few years. For those who are retired or near retirement, one step you have to take after such an event is to re-evaluate your...

Published 09-03-2009 1:25 PM by Bob Carlson

Filed under: Carlson, Bob Carlson, retirement plan, retirement, financial crisis, retirement plans, stock, stocks, stock market, investments, portfolios, portfolio theory

Ensuring the Medical Care You Want

The debate over health care reform has brought an important issue into the headlines. The public debate is not very enlightening, but it serves a good purpose if it causes more people to include one or more important health care documents in their estate...

Published 08-26-2009 5:18 PM by Bob Carlson

Filed under: Estate Planning, Carlson, Bob Carlson, retiree health care, health care

Pay Off Debt or Continue Owing in Retirement?

Paying off the mortgage used to be part of the American dream and a prerequisite to retirement. Then, times changed. Debt management and the use of leverage spread from businesses to personal finance. It was not unusual for people to enter retirement...

Published 08-21-2009 10:13 AM by Bob Carlson

Filed under: Carlson, Bob Carlson, income taxes, homes, mortgages, retirement plan, retirement, financial crisis, retirement plans

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