Blogs
“Third-Party Posts”
Estate Planning & You: Getting Ready for 2026 (Without Freaking Out)
state planning sounds like something for billionaires in marble mansions… not for regular people with a mortgage, a 401(k), a dog, and a favorite taco spot. But here’s...
Retirement Planning in 2026: How to Prepare for a New Era of Retirement
If you feel like retirement has gotten more complicated, you’re not imagining things. Between market volatility, rising costs, new tax rules, and longer life...
Retirement Planning in 2026: A Practical Playbook (and How Annuities Can Help)
TL;DR: Going into 2026, retirees face two big realities: markets that still swing and a shifting tax landscape. Focus on dependable income, flexible tax buckets, and a...
Retirement Planning Heading Into 2026: 7 Smart Moves For Clients Right Now
As 2025 winds down, retirement planning is shifting under three big spotlights: taxes in 2026, retirement plan rule updates, and Medicare drug-cost changes. Here’s a...
Annuities 101: Why They’re (Sometimes) a Great Idea for Retirement
Quick Take Annuities are insurance contracts that can turn a portion of your savings into guaranteed income you can’t outlive. For the right person, they lower stress,...
Retirement Income Planning: A Practical Guide for Turning Savings Into a Sustainable Paycheck
Key Takeaways (TL;DR) Retirement success is less about “the number” and more about cash-flow durability, tax efficiency, and risk control. A resilient plan blends...
Integrating Life Insurance & Fixed Indexed Annuities: A Smarter Way to Protect, Grow, and Distribute Retirement Wealth
Big idea: Life insurance and fixed indexed annuities (FIAs) aren’t either/or. Used together, they can help protect income, manage taxes, and transfer wealth more...
Why Fixed Indexed Annuities Are a Smart Choice for Retirement Planning
When planning for retirement, one of the greatest challenges is balancing growth potential with protection of principal. Many investors seek opportunities that allow...
How much can you spend without running out of money? The 4% rule is a popular rule of thumb, but you can do better. Here are guidelines for finding your personalized...
Weekly Market Commentary
Financial markets continued to decline as investors sold AI-related stocks amid valuation concerns, while rotating into more defensive sectors such as healthcare and...
Weekly Market Commentary
Markets were choppy and ended the week with mixed results. Investors poured into risk assets on the idea that the longest US government shutdown was over, but a more...
Weekly Market Commentary
Well, the market finally had a significant pullback, but not before the S&P 500 and NASDAQ were able to set another all-time high. The week began with a deal...
Weekly Market Commentary
Investors sent US markets to another set of all-time highs despite concerns about an extended government shutdown. The U.S. government shutdown was largely dismissed...
Weekly Market Commentary
The S&P 500 hit a 28th record high for the year before settling lower for the week. Investors endured a choppy week of trading as better-than-expected economic data...
Weekly Market Commentary
The major US equity market indices forged another set of all-time highs as investors went all in on risk assets after the Federal Reserve announced a twenty-five basis...
Weekly Market Commentary
US equity indices posted another set of all-time highs as investors increased expectations for three, twenty-five basis point rate cuts by year's end. Inflation data...
Weekly Market Commentary
Investors sent the S&P 500 to another all-time high in a holiday-shortened week of trading. President Trump started the week by asking the Supreme Court to...
Weekly Market Commentary
The S&P 500 posted a gain for the fourth consecutive month as investors continued to embrace the prospects of a September rate cut, a robust economic outlook, and...
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Required Minimum Distributions and Inherited Roth IRAs: Today’s Slott Report Mailbag
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst QUESTION: I am age 75 and have just one IRA. I normally do multiple qualified charitable distributions (QCDs) during the...
You’ll Need to Report Certain IRA and Retirement Plan Distributions Differently on This Year’s Form 1040
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst With all the tax changes made by the 2025 One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), it’s no surprise that the IRS has made significant changes...
Naming a Trust for a Minor as IRA Beneficiary
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Everyone has heard the horror stories of how unneeded and unwanted trusts disrupted what should have been a...
Roth IRA Distribution Rules and Rollovers of Required Minimum Distributions: Today’s Slott Report Mailbag
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Question: If I have had my Roth IRA for 20 years and I do a conversion from my traditional IRA, is the five-year rule in effect for each...
A Different Fix: Excess IRA vs. 401(k) Plan Contributions
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Excess IRA contributions occur for many reasons, like making a contribution without eligible compensation, accidentally...
How the Vesting Rules Work for Company Retirement Plans
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Thinking about leaving your job? Make sure you understand the vesting schedule that applies to your retirement plan. It may pay to...
Eligible Designated Beneficiaries and Roth IRA Contributions: Today’s Slott Report Mailbag
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Question: Hello! I have been a big fan for a long time. I have a question regarding a Roth IRA I inherited...
Spousal IRA Contributions
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education IRA and Roth IRA contributions are only permitted when you have taxable “compensation” or earned income....
Inherited Roth IRAs and Successor Beneficiaries
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst In our December 8, 2025 Slott Report entry (“Yes, RMDs Apply to Inherited Roth IRAs, But…”), we wrote about the application...