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Written By: Cal Burgess, Retirement Servicing Group Today the traditional pension plan, or defined benefit plan, is a dream from the past. Outside of state or federal government jobs the pension is pretty much nonexistent. According to Forbes a 2010 survey by consulting firm, Towers Watson, found that between 1998 and 2010, the proportion of Fortune 100 companies offering pension plans fell from 67 percent to 17 percent. Instead, employees today count on their deferred compensation plan for retirement, which is causing their retirement age...
View ArticleSince interest rates remain at a low without an immediate end in sight, Americans are looking under every rock to find the best possible solution to their retirement needs. A recent article on Barron’s written by Karen Hube titled Top 50 Annuities provides some insightful details on annuities. Not only does she describe the various types of annuities, but she also provides a list of top variable annuity, fixed indexed annuity, and longevity insurance products that are currently available for a subset of customers. If...
View ArticleWritten by: Cal Burgess, Retirement Servicing Group A recent article on www.Money.Cnn.com titled “Fear and Greed Index” illustrates an accurate description of what is happening on Wall Street. Because of the recent volatility stemming around Greece and the Euro, and unemployment domestically, the fear gage for investors is all the way in the red. This means that investors as a whole do not put much faith in the outcome of their investments. Bottom line, volatility is becoming a normal event investors are unwilling to tolerate...
View ArticleFor most Americans, Social Security plays a significant role in the formation of a plan for retirement. A majority of us know the generalities of what it is and what it provides, but many are unaware of some important intricacies which can boost your overall return if planned for properly. I just came across an educational article posted by Kelly Miller called 10 Things You Should Know About Social Security. It provides insightful answers to some common asked questions. If you find yourself asking any...
View ArticleThe first free online matching service designed to help baby boomers find retirement income specialists in their local communities is now live throughout North Carolina. Annuity123, the online retirement income educational portal, has opened their Annuity Harmony matching service for the benefit of all residents in North Carolina who are in need of retirement income planning guidance. This innovative online matching service is aimed to link retirees with retirement income specialists whose practice is in their local area. Over 30 years ago Americans were forced...
View ArticleAlthough rules vary based on the type of annuity and how you elect to receive your money, the tax rules are not as complicated as many seem to believe. Kimberly Lankford wrote an article called ‘How Annuities Are Taxed’ which explains the taxation of annuities is an easily understood manner. In it, she highlights the various annuity types and gives insightful examples to support her explanations. Overall, the major theme is that all proceeds annuities that are purchased with pre-tax funds will be taxed at...
View ArticleYes, you can transfer money from an annuity to pay long-term-care premiums without owing taxes. This was the result of a tax break that was included in the Pension Protection Act of 2006. Kimberly Lankford posted an article called ‘Use Annuities to Pay for Long-Term Care’ which gives great insight into the advantages that this tax break creates. She gives some powerful examples on how this can be used to both provide themselves with long-term-care while decreasing their taxable gains. For the specifics, please read...
View ArticleBaby Boomers are expected to inherit roughly $8 trillion from their parents and formulating a plan for receiving that money prior to receipt can pay off in the long run. Sharon Epperson posted an article which describes some key factors to keep in mind when deciding what to do. In it, she notes that the first step in making the most of an inheritance is to outline your financial goals. Many boomers will be able to fund their own retirement and may be able to...
View ArticleAccording to The Indexed Sales and Market Report, 2011 was a year full of records within the Indexed Insurance market. It was the fourth consecutive year for indexed annuity sales topping the 2010 record by over 13%. Indexed life also realized a fourth consecutive year of record setting sales. In fact, indexed life sales for 2011 soared past the previous record set in 2010 by nearly 40%. The results for indexed annuity and indexed life sales in 2011 were $32.4 billion and $974.0 million respectively....
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