Dividend Growth Stocks: Boosting Income for Retirement

Portfolios of high quality dividend growth stocks have fulfilled the need for a steady, sustainable and rising stream of income capable of keeping pace with inflation for decades. This is especially appealing of course for those who are building a portfolio of investments to sustain them for decades in retirement. The income from dividend growth

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ABLE Accounts vs. Special Needs Trusts: Why Not Have It All?

If you have a child with disabilities, it is crucial to set money aside for the child’s future. At the same time, you need to consider your child’s access to public benefit programs such as Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income (SSI), as well as state benefit programs and state and federal taxation.  The two major

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The Perils and Pitfalls of Do-It-Yourself Special Needs Planning

Among the costs of caring for a dependent with special needs are the fees for professional advice. Some families are tempted to save on these costs by setting up a plan on their own. This can be attractive because so much information is available online, free of charge. Because low-cost platforms and templates abound, it

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For Success, Get Organized

There’s a great bumper sticker out there that reads: “Organized people are just too lazy to search for stuff.” The quip gave me a laugh when I saw it a couple of years back while sitting at a traffic light. To some of us, the idea of being organized seems humorously far-fetched – and more

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Social Security Claiming Strategy

Participating in the Social Security system may seem like a decision-free exercise: You pay in during your working years, and then you receive monthly payments when you retire. The fact is that you may have a fair bit of control over the amount and timing of the benefits you receive. First, your benefits are calculated

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Pessimistic Survey Shows Importance of Planning

The retirement landscape is changing quickly, and it’s not a pretty picture. According to a recent survey conducted by Harris Poll on behalf of Northwestern Mutual, today’s earners expect to work longer than previous generations – and not necessarily by choice. What’s more, a strikingly large percentage of workers expect that they will never retire

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Getting to The “Right” Retirement Income Plan

Saving enough for retirement is something to be proud of.  But even if you’ve bucked the trend and amassed a good-size nest egg, it’s critical to have a sound strategy for withdrawing your money.  Living large early in retirement could cause you to run out of money in your later years, after all. On the

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It’s Silly Season for Market Predictions

Warren Buffett once said, “The only value of stock forecasters is to make fortune tellers look good.” At this time of year – when media outlets are brimming with forecasts and market predictions for the 12 months ahead – it’s wise to heed Buffett’s advice. Just look at Wall Street’s dismal record in divining the

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Medicare Open Enrollment

The great Satchel Page, who played professional baseball until age 59, once asked: “How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are?” There’s no doubt many of us remain young at heart throughout our lives. Unfortunately, our bodies follow a different script: In retirement, we can count on our healthcare needs

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Choosing the Right Trustee

Setting up a trust as part of your estate planning and choosing the right trustee can be a smart way to protect, control and ultimately transfer your assets to your beneficiaries. But it’s important to choose your trustee — the person or persons who will oversee the management and distribution of your trust — with

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