“Third-Party Posts”
The views reflected by the author in this article are subject to change at any time without notice. Pivotal Financial deems reliable any statistical data or information obtained from or prepared by third-party sources included in this article, but in no way guarantees its accuracy or completeness.
5 Key Changes to 401(k)s in 2025 and What They Mean for You
These new rules could make it easier for you to save more money for retirement Participating in a 401(k) plan where you work is a smart way to invest for retirement. Plus, your employer may match some or all of the money you contribute. In 2025 the rules for 401(k)s...
What’s Changing for Retirement in 2025?
How Secure 2.0 and inflation adjustments will affect retirement savers and spenders. For retirement savers, the ringing in of the new year will bring more than the usual inflation adjustments to retirement contributions. The retirement legislation known as Secure 2.0...
Most Americans Feel They’re Worse Off Now Than In 2020—Here’s What The Data Says
Key Takeaways A recent Gallup poll showed most Americans feel they are worse off today than four years ago. Data on household finances show that things have changed dramatically since September 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic was affecting the economy. Americans have...
Retirees’ Credit Card Debt Levels Are Climbing
Key Takeaways An Employee Benefit Research Institute survey found that more than two-thirds of retirees had outstanding credit card debt in 2024, up from 40% in 2022. Even though inflation has cooled, high prices weigh on retirees. Almost a third of retirees said they...
Key Takeaways Some provisions related to the Secure 2.0, a federal retirement law, will go into effect in 2025. Workers ages 60, 61, 62, or 63 will be able to make catch-up contributions of up to $11,250 in 2025. Workplace retirement plans such as 401(k) and 403(b)...
Retirement Vs. Resignation: Which Is Better?
Retirement Vs. Resignation: Which Is Better? There is a big difference between retirement and resignation. However, both involve leaving your place of work. If you choose to retire, you may be entitled to some social benefits such as pension and healthcare, which can...
6 End-of-Year Retirement Deadlines You Shouldn’t Miss for 2024
Navigate these tax and retirement milestones to optimize savings and avoid penalties. Staying on top of year-end tasks helps you avoid penalties and take full advantage of tax benefits. Key Takeaways Contributions to retirement accounts like 401(k)s must be made by...
Three Changes Coming for Social Security in 2025
The Social Security Administration has announced the 2025 final COLA, wage cap, and amount needed to earn SS credits. Anticipating changes coming to Social Security in 2025 can help you start planning for the new year and identify any adjustments you can make to...
7 Things You’ll Be Happy You Downgraded in Retirement
Downsizing for retirement is a good way to simplify your life and cut down on expenses. Making some key changes, like moving into a smaller home, could reduce financial strain and improve your quality of life. It could also give you room to grow in new, unexpected...
The views reflected by the author in this article are subject to change at any time without notice. Pivotal Financial deems reliable any statistical data or information obtained from or prepared by third-party sources included in this article, but in no way guarantees its accuracy or completeness.
Weekly Market Commentary
-Darren Leavitt, CFA Markets bounced back as investors reengaged the pro-growth Trump 2.0 trade. President-elect Trump continued to fill out his cabinet and, late Friday announced Scott Bessent as his nominee for Treasury Secretary. Wall Street has endorsed Bessent,...
Weekly Market Commentary
-Darren Leavitt, CFA US equity markets pulled back last week as investors took profits from the outsized move higher seen following the US election. Sticky inflation prints, coupled with solid retail sales and hawkish comments from Federal Reserve Chairman J. Powell,...
Weekly Market Commentary
-Darren Leavitt, CFA The S&P 500 notched its 50th all-time high of 2024 as investors piled into equities after a decisive US election. Wall Street embraced the idea that President-Elect Trump would enact several pro-growth policies to bolster corporate profits. ...
Weekly Market Commentary
-Darren Leavitt, CFA It was a very busy week on Wall Street as investors analyzed a deluge of corporate earnings reports and a full economic data calendar. The S&P 500 traded lower for the second consecutive week and could not close out October with a gain,...
Weekly Market Commentary
-Darren Leavitt, CFA Global markets pulled back last week as investors took the opportunity to reduce some risk before a very close US Presidential election. In the US, nearly 20% of the S&P 500 reported earnings. Generally, results came in better than expected;...
Weekly Market Commentary
-Darren Leavitt, CFA The S&P 500 advanced for the sixth consecutive week, closing at a new record high. This week, a broadening out of the market’s rally was evident, with small caps and the equally weighted S&P 500 index outperforming. Markets also appear to...
Weekly Market Commentary
-Darren Leavitt, CFA The S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average forged another set of all-time highs despite facing several macro headwinds. Chinese markets reopened after celebrating Golden Week with significant losses. Investors were expecting an announcement...
Weekly Market Commentary
-Darren Leavitt, CFA The S&P 500 closed higher for a fourth consecutive quarter, the first time it has done so since 2011. Investors continued to face a chGaryging macro environment. Escalating tensions in the Middle East, a Longshoremen’s strike, the aftermath of...
Weekly Market Commentary
-Darren Leavitt, CFA US equity markets posted a third week of gains as global central banks continued to cut monetary policy rates. China, Switzerland, Mexico, Hungry, and the Czech Republic cut their policy rates. Chinese markets gained on the news that several...
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Mr. T: “I Pity the Fool Who Misses Their RMD”
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Laurence Tureaud, born May 21, 1952, is better known as Mr. T. He is an actor and a retired professional wrestler. He is famous for his roles as B. A. Baracus in the 1980s television series “The A-Team” and as...
Required Minimum Distributions and IRA Transfers: Today’s Slott Report Mailbag
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Question: Can I satisfy my required minimum distribution (RMD) from my 401(k) by taking it from my IRA instead? Answer: No, that is not allowed. You may aggregate RMDs from your IRAs if you have multiple accounts,...
Reporting a Recharacterization
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst While the ability to recharacterize Roth conversions was eliminated years ago, Roth contributions can still be reversed. A Roth IRA contribution can be recharacterized to a traditional IRA, or vice versa. To recharacterize an IRA...
Roth IRA vs. Roth 401(k): Which Is Better?
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Many of you are familiar with the tax advantages that Roth retirement accounts can bring. Although Roth contributions are made with after-tax dollars, the contributions grow tax-free, and earnings also come out tax-free after age 59½ if a...
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) and SEP IRAs: Today’s Slott Report Mailbag
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst QUESTION: Does the new $6,000 additional deduction for seniors under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) also apply if the senior itemizes their taxes? Thanks, Robert ANSWER: Robert, The new $6,000 addition to the standard...
Trump Accounts – A Hot New Bombshell Enters the Tax-Advantaged Account Villa
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Summer of 2025 brought us the new season of the hit TV show, Love Island. When a new contestant arrives on this popular reality dating show, its viewers know that “another hot bombshell has entered the villa.” The...
Last Week in Chicago
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Last week in Chicago, the Ed Slott and Company team hosted another successful 2-day Professional training program. A sellout crowd of over 260 financial professionals from across the country joined us for some intense IRA and...
Year-of-Death RMD and RMD on Backdoor Roth: Today’s Slott Report Mailbag
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Question: I have a client who died last month. She would have been age 83 this year. She had an IRA. Her husband, age 87, was the beneficiary of the IRA. She did not take her required minimum distribution (RMD) for 2025 before she died....
How Trump Accounts Work
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) signed into law on July 4, 2025, includes a new savings vehicle for children called “Trump accounts.” The rules surrounding these accounts are complicated, and many media outlets are reporting...
The views reflected by the author in this article are subject to change at any time without notice. Pivotal Financial deems reliable any statistical data or information obtained from or prepared by third-party sources included in this article, but in no way guarantees its accuracy or completeness.
CMS Announces 2025 Premiums and Deductibles for Medicare Parts A and B
Last week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released information about Medicare costs in 2025, including the 2025 premium, deductible and coinsurance amounts for Medicare Part A and Part B. The agency also announced the income-related monthly...
read more
Comparing Plans is Especially Important This Open Enrollment Season Due to Changes in Part D Protections and New Options
Key components of the Inflation Reduction Act’s Part D reforms will be fully implemented for plans offered in 2025. These changes, including the total elimination of the “coverage gap” coverage period, the establishment of a $2,000 cap on beneficiary out-of-pocket...
read more
CMS Finalizes Payment Rule, Including Update to the Custody Definition
Medicare payment rules prohibit coverage for a service if a beneficiary is not financially responsible for the care or if another government entity is obligated to provide or pay for the item or service. For years, the Medicare rules interpreting and implementing this...
read more
Health Care Access Improving in Rural Areas, ChGaryges Persist
A new report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) examines trends in health care access and outcomes in rural America. While insurance rates in these areas are improving,...
read more
Millions See Cost Savings Under the Inflation Reduction Act
The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) made significant improvements to Medicare prescription drug access and affordability, including by restructuring the Part D benefit to limit enrollee expenses. Those changes began in January 2024, when the IRA eliminated cost sharing...
read more
Healthcare.gov Now Open for 2025 ACA Plan Shopping
Now is the time for people who need health insurance in 2025 to shop for coverage. For those without employer, Medicare, or Medicaid coverage, Healthcare.gov or their state exchange is the place to shop for Affordable Care Act (ACA) plans. Most shoppers will be able...
read more
Watchdog Estimates $7.5 Billion Medicare Advantage Overpayment from “Questionable” Health Risk Assessments
When the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) pays Medicare Advantage (MA) organizations, they increase the payments when plans enroll sicker people. This is called risk adjustment, and it is an important guardrail to ensure that all people with Medicare...
read more
Unpacking the changes to Medicare in 2025
Medicare coverage is personal — and changes to those plans and benefits may feel unnerving as it affects one’s overall health and well-being. Originally passed in 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act brought about many changes to Medicare that are now being implemented...
read more
What If My Medicare Doctor “Opts Out”?
Finding a doctor you like and trust can be a long process, so I understand that it can be frustrating when your doctor no longer accepts Medicare. If your doctor has “opted out” of Medicare, this means that he or she no longer accepts Medicare assignment...
read more
CMS Announces 2025 Premiums and Deductibles for Medicare Parts A and B
Last week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released information about Medicare costs in 2025, including the 2025 premium, deductible and coinsurance amounts for Medicare Part A and Part B. The agency also announced the income-related monthly...
Comparing Plans is Especially Important This Open Enrollment Season Due to Changes in Part D Protections and New Options
Key components of the Inflation Reduction Act’s Part D reforms will be fully implemented for plans offered in 2025. These changes, including the total elimination of the “coverage gap” coverage period, the establishment of a $2,000 cap on beneficiary out-of-pocket...
CMS Finalizes Payment Rule, Including Update to the Custody Definition
Medicare payment rules prohibit coverage for a service if a beneficiary is not financially responsible for the care or if another government entity is obligated to provide or pay for the item or service. For years, the Medicare rules interpreting and implementing this...
Health Care Access Improving in Rural Areas, ChGaryges Persist
A new report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) examines trends in health care access and outcomes in rural America. While insurance rates in these areas are improving,...
Millions See Cost Savings Under the Inflation Reduction Act
The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) made significant improvements to Medicare prescription drug access and affordability, including by restructuring the Part D benefit to limit enrollee expenses. Those changes began in January 2024, when the IRA eliminated cost sharing...
Healthcare.gov Now Open for 2025 ACA Plan Shopping
Now is the time for people who need health insurance in 2025 to shop for coverage. For those without employer, Medicare, or Medicaid coverage, Healthcare.gov or their state exchange is the place to shop for Affordable Care Act (ACA) plans. Most shoppers will be able...
Watchdog Estimates $7.5 Billion Medicare Advantage Overpayment from “Questionable” Health Risk Assessments
When the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) pays Medicare Advantage (MA) organizations, they increase the payments when plans enroll sicker people. This is called risk adjustment, and it is an important guardrail to ensure that all people with Medicare...
Unpacking the changes to Medicare in 2025
Medicare coverage is personal — and changes to those plans and benefits may feel unnerving as it affects one’s overall health and well-being. Originally passed in 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act brought about many changes to Medicare that are now being implemented...
What If My Medicare Doctor “Opts Out”?
Finding a doctor you like and trust can be a long process, so I understand that it can be frustrating when your doctor no longer accepts Medicare. If your doctor has “opted out” of Medicare, this means that he or she no longer accepts Medicare assignment...