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Anyone who has ever rented a car knows that cringing feeling that comes up when the rental agent asks whether you want to purchase rental car insurance. It’s made worse when the agent goes into a pitch about how most people’s auto insurance won’t cover all of the costs incurred should the car be damaged or stolen.

Social Security benefits provide the foundation that most Americans will rely on in retirement, and decisions related to the claiming of benefits can have a profound impact on retirement income and overall quality of life. Despite the heavy reliance on Social Security- it provides over 90% of the retirement income for one in three recipients-less than 5% of seniors avail themselves to strategies designed to maximize their benefits. 

Effective claiming strategies may be quite simple in certain cases, and rather complex in others. A basic understanding of Social Security benefits and how they are calculated can help you determine whether you can go it alone, or if expert guidance is called for. This article will explore some common, but distinct, scenarios and the claiming considerations associated with each.

The importance of Social Security cannot be overstated. The program provides approximately 60% of America’s seniors with half of their monthly retirement income, and for a third of recipients it comprises over 90% of their income.

Young investors are often told to embrace risk in their portfolios. The ups and downs of the markets are an ally in the pursuit of long-term growth, and losses only matter when they’re realized. Rarely is this common and often correct advice applied to investors that are nearing retirement. But indeed it should. Not because sixty is the new forty, but because investment allocation decisions should be based on when the invested funds will be needed, not on how old you happen to be.

Retirement planning involves a delicate balance between adequately planning for a long retirement and maximizing the enjoyment of the money you’ve worked hard to accumulate. In most cases, a retirement that lasts 35 years will require far more financial resources than will one that lasts 20 or 25 years.

The Roth IRA has become a popular planning tool since it was established by the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997. Originally envisioned as a way for Americans of more modest means to efficiently transfer wealth to the next generation, the Roth IRA offers a number of potential advantages over a Traditional IRA that are particularly attractive to those that are more affluent.

Ask a financial planner whether to save for retirement using a Traditional IRA or a Roth IRA and you may receive an unsatisfying answer: it depends. While the Roth IRA is a much-loved planning tool, whether it’s the best option for you will depend on several factors, but math is not one of them.

The end of the year is quickly approaching and it goes without saying that most of us are starved for time. December may be a hectic month, but it is also a great time to get your financial house in order before the New Year. Here are some quick and easy year-end financial fixes that will help you start 2017 off right.

Lost among presidential politics and the potential impact of President Elect Trump’s legislative agenda was news of more immediate impact to millions of America’s seniors: a large increase in Medicare costs.

It’s that time of year again. If you’re one of the roughly 50 million Americans enrolled in Medicare, get ready for some year-end shopping. Medicare open enrollment for Medicare Advantage and Medicare prescription drug coverage runs from October 15th until December 7th, and presents a great opportunity for seniors to manage their health care costs for the coming year.