You Just Received Notice of an Inheritance: What Should You Do?
You’ve just been notified that you are receiving an inheritance. Someone cared enough about you to include you in his or her estate. Maybe it was a parent, an aunt or uncle, a sibling, or a longtime friend. Maybe you were expecting it. Then again, maybe the notice came as a complete surprise. Regardless of […]
When is a good time to convert from an IRA to a Roth?
When is a good time to convert from an IRA to a Roth? An attendee at one of our recent workshops asked us a question about Roth Conversions. Specifically, she asked “when is a good time to convert to a Roth IRA?” In short, the final two months of the year are typically when we […]
Will You Need Less or More Income in Retirement?
Our firm holds regular educational classes at the community college campus near our Ankeny, IA office. We invite folks in surrounding communities to these classes through direct-mail postcard invitations and digital invitations through Facebook. The invitations highlight several specific topics that we commonly cover during our classes. For example, strategies to optimize entitlement programs such […]
The Plight of a Retired Widow–Part 2
In last month’s publication we explored the complications that can arise when a retirement plan is designed for a married couple (filing taxes jointly) suddenly gets turned on its head at the passing of one of the spouses. This month we will examine the real-life challenges from the view point of fictional couple, William and […]
The Plight of a Retired Widow–Part 1
Death is never fun to talk about. However, it is an inevitable part of life. In 1789 Benjamin Franklin wrote in a letter to Jean-Baptiste Le Roy, “Our new Constitution is now established, and has an appearance that promises permanency; but in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” […]