Abramson Financial Planning

Understanding Joint Safe Deposit Boxes: Post-Death Access and State Variations

When a co-renter of a bank safe-deposit box dies, one might assume the surviving “joint owner” can simply keep using the box. In practice, however, access is often paused, limited, or supervised—sometimes even for the surviving co-renter—because a safe-deposit box is leased space, not an ownership account.  Banks must avoid handing over property that could

Understanding Joint Safe Deposit Boxes: Post-Death Access and State Variations Read More »

One Big Beautiful Bill Act Through a Retirement Lens

The recently enacted One Big Beautiful Bill Act (hereinafter referred to as the “bill”) introduces significant changes to the tax code, many of which are especially relevant for retirees and those approaching retirement. Below, I outline a few of the most pertinent provisions of the new law and how they may impact your financial planning,

One Big Beautiful Bill Act Through a Retirement Lens Read More »

What Is the Social Security Hold Harmless Rule, and Why Does It Matter?

As part of my ongoing professional development, I make every effort to stay current on lesser-known rules that can impact retirees’ financial well-being. One such provision—often overlooked but important—is the “hold harmless” rule. Though rarely discussed, this rule plays a meaningful role in how Social Security and Medicare interact. In this post, I’ll explain what

What Is the Social Security Hold Harmless Rule, and Why Does It Matter? Read More »

Buy The Haystack

Recently, I came across a captivating research paper by Hendrik Bessembinder, Ph.D., a finance professor at Arizona State University. His study, titled “Which U.S. Stocks Generated the Highest Long-Term Returns?” 1 offers valuable insights into the long-term performance of individual stocks and reinforces some key principles of investing. Key Findings Bessembinder’s research analyzed 29,078 publicly-listed

Buy The Haystack Read More »

The Spousal IRA: A Powerful Tool for Couples’ Retirement Planning

The spousal IRA is a valuable but often overlooked retirement savings option that can significantly benefit married couples, especially those with disparate incomes or where one spouse has little to no earned income. This mechanism allows a working spouse to contribute to an IRA on behalf of a non-working or lower-earning spouse, effectively doubling a

The Spousal IRA: A Powerful Tool for Couples’ Retirement Planning Read More »

Health Savings Accounts: Unveiling the Nuances

As you approach or enter retirement, managing healthcare costs becomes increasingly crucial in financial planning. Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) can be valuable tools in this regard, offering tax advantages designed to help cover medical expenses. According to a recent New York Times article, HSAs have seen significant growth, with approximately 36 million accounts holding over

Health Savings Accounts: Unveiling the Nuances Read More »

New FDIC Trust Account Rules: What You Need to Know

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) recently implemented important changes to the deposit insurance coverage rules for trust accounts, including payable-on-death (POD) and in-trust-for (ITF) accounts. These new rules, which went into effect on April 1, 2024, aim to simplify the coverage calculation and provide more clarity for depositors. The key changes are: Simplified Coverage

New FDIC Trust Account Rules: What You Need to Know Read More »

More Money in Your Pockets: The Importance of Asset Location

Asset allocation—an investor’s proportion of stocks, fixed-income investments, and cash—has been well documented to be the primary determinant of performance for broadly diversified portfolios. But performance in this case is often calculated on a pre-tax  basis, when at the end of the day we, as individuals, must eat with after-tax  dollars. So, when implementing an asset allocation

More Money in Your Pockets: The Importance of Asset Location Read More »