As we approach the new year, I’m pleased to share my annual financial planning update, tailored especially for retirees and those nearing retirement. I hope you find this information helpful as you look ahead to 2026. First, a number of provisions from the recently enacted One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) take effect in the coming year. […]

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

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

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

As we stand on the verge of 2025, I’m reaching out to share some key financial planning information, tailored primarily to those approaching or in retirement given the focus of my practice. I hope you find this helpful as you plan for the upcoming new year. First, several provisions of the SECURE 2.0 retirement savings

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

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

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

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