“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.
Why Your Current Retirement Plan May Not Be Enough in 2025
Retirement: the wonderful time of life when you no longer have to work for your money. Instead, your money is finally working for you. If you’re well on your way to retirement, kudos to you. Today, more Americans are retiring than ever before. According to...
Key change coming for 401(k) ‘max savers’ in 2025, expert says — here’s what you need to know
Key Points Many Americans face a retirement savings shortfall, but setting aside more could get easier for some older workers in 2025. Enacted in 2022, the Secure Act 2.0 ushered in several retirement system improvements, including higher 401(k) plan catch-up...
What the Fed’s Rate Cut Means for You
The Federal Reserve just reduced interest rates for the first time in four years. Here’s how it will impact borrowers and saver What goes up must come down, and after four years, that’s finally true about interest rates. The Federal Reserve cut its benchmark rate on...
Social Security COLA 2025: How Much Will Payments Increase Next Year?
With inflation cooling, analysts estimate benefit boost could come in around 2.5% The second of three numbers the Social Security Administration (SSA) will use to determine the 2025 cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) is in, and it points to a more modest increase in...
Social Security COLA 2025: How Much Will Payments Increase Next Year?
With inflation cooling, analysts estimate benefit boost could come in around 2.5% The second of three numbers the Social Security Administration (SSA) will use to determine the 2025 cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) is in, and it points to a more modest increase in...
Why Retirement Gets Better With Annuities
Everyone aspires to have a steady source of income after retirement that replaces as much as possible of their pre-retirement earning. But for many people, one big chGaryge in saving for that goal is to find the right financial product that accommodates their specific...
Results From the 2024 Retirement Confidence Survey Find Workers’ and Retirees’ Confidence Has Not Recovered From the Significant Drop Seen in 2023, but Majorities Remain Optimistic About Retirement Prospects
Summary - However, almost 8 in 10 workers and 7 in 10 retirees are concerned that the U. S. government could make significant changes to the American retirement system - A new report published today from the 34th annual Retirement Confidence Survey finds workers’ and...
2024 Pulse of the American Retiree Survey: Midlife Retirement ‘Crisis’ or a 10-Year Opportunity?
Critically underprepared for retirement, 55-year-old Americans enter a crucial 10-year countdown to plan and prepare With just a decade until retirement, 55-year-old Americans have less than $50K in median retirement savings First modern generation confronting...
Why Retirees Are Carrying More and More Debt
Federal Reserve data shows sharp rise in amount Americans 65 and older owe Americans across generations are carrying more debt than they did three decades ago, according to Federal Reserve data, but the rise has been especially steep among the oldest age groups. The...
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
The S&P 500 notched its 39th record high in 2024 on the back of a fifty-basis-point rate cut by the Federal Reserve. Global central banks took center stage this week, with the Fed playing the headliner. Leading into the Fed’s decision, the street was divided over...
Weekly Market Commentary
-Darren Leavitt, CFA Markets bounced back nicely in the second week of September. It was an intriguing week of trade with several undercurrents to consider. The first and likely only Presidential debate between Harris and Trump appeared to be won by Harris, although...
Weekly Market Commentary
-Darren Leavitt, CFA Global equity markets tumbled due to economic growth concerns as the US Treasuries extended their gains from August. The holiday-shortened week started with weaker-than-anticipated manufacturing data out of China, which highlighted just how weak...
Weekly Market Commentary
-Darren Leavitt, CFA The final week of August was all about NVidia's second-quarter earnings results and the Fed's preferred measure of inflation, the PCE. Expectations for NVidia's earnings were so high that some decided to throw pre/post-earnings parties to...
Weekly Market Commentary
-Darren Leavitt, CFA US financial markets inked another week of gains as investors cheered what they heard from global central bankers at the Jackson Hole Economic Symposium. In fact, the bulk of the gains were made on Friday after Fed Chairman Jerome Powell...
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3 Retirement Account Takeaways from OBBBA
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education On July 4, 2025, President Trump signed into law the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (OBBBA). This mammoth domestic policy and tax law is hundreds of pages long and will impact many people in all kinds of ways. What...
One Big Beautiful Bill Act and IRA Rollovers: Today’s Slott Report Mailbag
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst QUESTION: With the signing of the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (OBBBA) legislation and the current tax rates being made permanent, have your thoughts regarding Roth conversions changed? Jim ANSWER: Jim, We have always been, and...
OBBBA: No IRA Changes, but More Roth Conversions?
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Hopefully Ed Slott and Company is your trusted, go-to source for all things IRA and retirement plan related. Let’s be clear about the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025” (OBBBA), enacted on July 4. There is no “SECURE 3.0” in this...
How Company Plan Loans Work
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Most company retirement savings plans, such as 401(k), 403(b) and 457(b) plans, are allowed to (but not required to) offer plan loans. According to a survey by the Employee Benefits Research Institute, as of the end of 2022, 52% of 401(k)...
60-Day Rollovers and the Age 55 Exception: Today’s Slott Report Mailbag
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Question: Can an IRA beneficiary do a 60-day rollover? Answer: Only a spouse beneficiary can do a 60-day rollover from an inherited IRA if the funds are moving into an IRA in her own name. If a nonspouse...
10 Things You Should Know about Fixing Late Rollovers With Self Certification
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education When retirement account funds are on the move, things do not always go as planned. The best way to move these funds is to do so directly, but that may not always be possible. It is very common for money to be moved...
Pro Rata, Not “Double Tax”
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst The pro-rata rule dictates that when an IRA contains both non-deductible (after-tax) and deductible (pre-tax) funds, then each dollar withdrawn (or converted) from the IRA will contain a percentage of tax-free and taxable funds...
The Roth 5-Year Clock and the Pro-Rata Rule: Today’s Slott Report Mailbag
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Question: I am over age 59½ and have had a Roth IRA account for more than 5 years. Starting in 2025, I designated all of my contributions into my employer’s 401(k) plan as Roth contributions. If I decide to retire before I have met the...
Double Your Pleasure – The 457(b) 2x Catch-Up
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst If you’re in a 457(b) plan and are nearing retirement, you may want to consider an often-overlooked rule that could allow you to defer twice the usual annual elective deferral limit (for 2025, $23,000 x 2 = $47,000) in the three years...
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.
Home health care through Medicare
It’s important to plan for your health care needs, but sometimes life throws unexpected curve balls. And when that happens, you’ll need to know what’s covered. Fortunately, there are ways you and your loved ones can get the necessary care at home. Here’s what you need...
read more
Correcting the Record: The Facts on Medicare Advantage Payment and Accountability
The Wall Street Journal recently published a story regarding diagnoses and plan payments in Medicare Advantage. The story was fundamentally flawed and overlooked the value of Medicare Advantage for millions of American seniors. Here are the facts: More than 33 million...
read more
New bipartisan survey reveals a supermajority of seniors oppose reducing funding to Medicare Advantage — and will factor that into their vote in November
Today, more Americans than ever are choosing Medicare Advantage for affordable, quality health care — with over 33 million seniors and people with disabilities enrolled in the program. BMA wanted to learn more about seniors’ views on Medicare Advantage and how...
read more
How Medicare Advantage In-Home Health Assessments Keep Seniors Healthier
How Medicare Advantage In-Home Health Assessments Keep Seniors Healthier Today, Medicare Advantage delivers affordable, high-quality care to more than 33 million seniors and people with disabilities, with better health outcomes than Fee-for-Service Medicare (FFS). One...
read more
Will My Specialist’s Services be Covered under My Medicare Plan?
Whether you’re switching from one type of Medicare coverage to another, or you’re new to Medicare, you might be concerned about being able to continue seeing your health-care specialist. Will your specialist’s services be covered by Medicare? That may depend upon:...
read more
7 Medicare Changes You’ll See in 2025
Expensive medications? You’ll save thousands. Dementia or mental health care? More options Key takeaways Changes from Inflation Reduction Act will take effect next year. Lower out-of-pocket limit in Part D drug plans erases old “donut hole.” You may find weight loss...
read more
How Medicare Advantage In-Home Health Assessments Keep Seniors Healthier
Today, Medicare Advantage delivers affordable, high-quality care to more than 33 million seniors and people with disabilities, with better health outcomes than Fee-for-Service Medicare (FFS). One of the most effective ways to ensure seniors receive comprehensive care...
read more
Does your Medicare plan cover gym memberships and other fitness benefits?
There’s no age limit on exercise – physical activity is for everyone! In fact, as you get older, physical activity becomes an even more important part of your overall health. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, regular exercise can help...
read more
Home health care through Medicare
It’s important to plan for your health care needs, but sometimes life throws unexpected curve balls. And when that happens, you’ll need to know what’s covered. Fortunately, there are ways you and your loved ones can get the necessary care at home. Here’s what you need...
Correcting the Record: The Facts on Medicare Advantage Payment and Accountability
The Wall Street Journal recently published a story regarding diagnoses and plan payments in Medicare Advantage. The story was fundamentally flawed and overlooked the value of Medicare Advantage for millions of American seniors. Here are the facts: More than 33 million...
New bipartisan survey reveals a supermajority of seniors oppose reducing funding to Medicare Advantage — and will factor that into their vote in November
Today, more Americans than ever are choosing Medicare Advantage for affordable, quality health care — with over 33 million seniors and people with disabilities enrolled in the program. BMA wanted to learn more about seniors’ views on Medicare Advantage and how...
How Medicare Advantage In-Home Health Assessments Keep Seniors Healthier
How Medicare Advantage In-Home Health Assessments Keep Seniors Healthier Today, Medicare Advantage delivers affordable, high-quality care to more than 33 million seniors and people with disabilities, with better health outcomes than Fee-for-Service Medicare (FFS). One...
Will My Specialist’s Services be Covered under My Medicare Plan?
Whether you’re switching from one type of Medicare coverage to another, or you’re new to Medicare, you might be concerned about being able to continue seeing your health-care specialist. Will your specialist’s services be covered by Medicare? That may depend upon:...
7 Medicare Changes You’ll See in 2025
Expensive medications? You’ll save thousands. Dementia or mental health care? More options Key takeaways Changes from Inflation Reduction Act will take effect next year. Lower out-of-pocket limit in Part D drug plans erases old “donut hole.” You may find weight loss...
How Medicare Advantage In-Home Health Assessments Keep Seniors Healthier
Today, Medicare Advantage delivers affordable, high-quality care to more than 33 million seniors and people with disabilities, with better health outcomes than Fee-for-Service Medicare (FFS). One of the most effective ways to ensure seniors receive comprehensive care...
Does your Medicare plan cover gym memberships and other fitness benefits?
There’s no age limit on exercise – physical activity is for everyone! In fact, as you get older, physical activity becomes an even more important part of your overall health. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, regular exercise can help...