How Can I Recession-Proof My Retirement?

Go Banking Rates’ recent article, “3 Ways to Recession Proof Your Retirement,” says there are a few moves you can make now while things are volatile and can pay off significantly down the road. Here are some of them:

Have A Financial Pro Look Over Your Plan. It’s wise to review your long-term financial plan with an expert regularly. You may be shocked by how much you can benefit from just one meeting. Even if you’ve already created a plan with the help of a professional, you may find that your plan needs adjusting, especially in an environment where economic factors are changing.

Protect Your Portfolio With Precious Metals. Precious metals frequently outperform other investments in a volatile market, and their value tends to rise with inflation. That makes them an effective hedge during uncertain economic times. You can open a gold or silver IRA, and funds can be rolled over from existing retirement accounts. You can also buy gold and silver directly.

Generate Passive Income and Receive Regular Payments. One of the most common ways to generate passive income is to own rental property, which usually requires a large upfront investment. One way to address this is with a company called Arrived. This company gives people access to the rental home market. For an initial investment of as little as $100, you can participate in their platform and buy shares of pre-vetted rental properties. All the work is done for you, and you’ll benefit from property appreciation as the value of the home appreciates over time.

You’ve likely been saving for retirement for a long time. Now is not the time to change that big-picture thinking. Keep up the safe and steady progress while also exploring ways to make the most of your savings.

Some of the best strategies along these lines are hedging your investments with something like gold or silver and building your passive income without taking on too much risk.

Whether or not you participate in those strategies, an experienced financial advisor can assess your circumstances and set the best path forward.

Reference: Go Banking Rates (Aug. 1, 2023) “3 Ways to Recession Proof Your Retirement”

Why Is ‘When’ the Big Question in Estate Planning?

When do you plan to retire? When will you take Social Security? When must you start withdrawing money from your retirement savings? In retirement, “when” is everything, says Kiplinger’s recent article entitled, “In Retirement, Many Crucial Questions Start With the Word ‘When’.” That’s because so many financial decisions related to retirement are much more dependent on timing than on the long-term performance of an investment.

Too many people approaching retirement — or are already there — don’t adjust how they think about investing to account for timing’s critical role. “When” plays a major role in the new strategy. Let’s look at a few reasons why:

Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs). Many people use traditional IRAs or 401(k) accounts to save for retirement. These are tax-deferred accounts, meaning you don’t pay taxes on the income you put into the accounts each year. However, you’ll pay income tax when you begin withdrawing money in retirement. When you reach age 73, the federal government requires you to withdraw a certain percentage each year, whether you need the money or not. A way to avoid RMDs is to start converting your tax-deferred accounts to a Roth account way before you reach 73. You pay taxes when you make the conversion. However, your money then grows tax-free, and there is no requirement about how much you withdraw or when.

Using Different Types of Assets. In retirement, your focus needs to be on how to best use your assets, not just how they’re invested. For example, one option might be to save the Roth for last, so that it has more time to grow tax-free money for you. However, in determining what order you should tap your retirement funds, much of your decision depends on your situation.

Claiming Social Security. On average, Social Security makes up 30% of a retiree’s income. When you claim your Social Security affects how big those monthly checks are. You can start drawing Social Security as early as age 62. However, your rate is reduced for the rest of your life. If you delay until your full retirement age, there’s no limit to how much you can make. If you wait to claim your benefit past your full retirement age, your benefit will continue to grow until you hit 70.

Wealth Transfer. If you plan to leave something to your heirs and want to limit their taxes on that inheritance as much as possible, then “when” can come into play again. For instance, using the annual gift tax exclusion, you could give your beneficiaries some of their inheritance before you die. In 2023, you can give up to $17,000 to each individual without the gift being taxable. A married couple can give $17,000 each.

Reference: Kiplinger (March 15, 2023) “In Retirement, Many Crucial Questions Start With the Word ‘When’”

What’s the Most Common Debt for Retirees?

A recent survey of about 2,000 American retirees between the ages of 62 and 75 found many of them burdened with debt.

Some likely ran out of time to pay off their debts before retiring. Others may have entered the red or simply deepened their debt level after leaving work.

Money Talks News’ recent article entitled “This Is the Most Common Debt Among Retirees — by Far” provides the most common type of debt retirees report — along with other debts that are part of retirement for many people.

Credit card debt. Retirees who said they had this type of debt in 2022 was 40%, compared to 42% in 2020. Credit card debt is almost always expensive, but it’s much worse if you don’t have a regular paycheck to help you pay bills.
Mortgage. Retirees who said they had this type of debt in 2022 was 30%, with no report for 2020. A home loan is one of the few types of borrowing that can be classified as “good debt.” Many experts suggest paying off a mortgage before retirement. but others argue against such a strategy.
Auto loans. Retirees who said they had this type of debt in 2022 was 23%, and in 2020, it was 30%. Unless you saved a bunch, an auto loan is hard to avoid, retired or not. As a result, about a quarter of retirees still are paying off this type of loan.

Retirees said they also are carrying these types of debt in 2022:

Medical debt: 11%
Home equity loan: 7%
Student loan: 4%
Business loan: 1%

Reference: Money Talks News (Jan. 9, 2023) “This Is the Most Common Debt Among Retirees — by Far”

Can I Retire in a Bear Market?

Money Talks News’ recent article entitled “Retiring in a Bear Market? 7 Things to Do Now” says that research has shown that this scenario — known as sequence-of-return risk — can permanently reduce the amount of money you will have to live on during retirement. However, savvy retirees can avoid most or all of this damage. If you’re planning to retire right into the teeth of a bear market, consider the following:

Meet with a money pro. If you make the wrong decisions here, it can have life-altering effects. This is the perfect moment to speak with a financial adviser. The right pro can help you develop a plan.

Tighten your spending. A bear market may mean you must downsize your grand visions. The more money you keep in your wallet when the market is down, the better off you’re likely to be when the bull market returns. When the market recovers, you can pick up your dreams where you left them.

Use your savings. A great way to avoid permanently ruining your finances in retirement is to have cash savings to use when stocks collapse. Living off your liquid savings keeps you from having to cash in stocks when their value is depressed, which allows your portfolio time to recover.

Consider your Social Security options. When retiring into a bear market, you either have to take Social Security now, so you can leave your investments alone and give them more time to recover; or wait to claim Social Security, hoping that there will be bigger checks later in retirement that will help cushion the blow, if your other finances do not recover robustly. There’s no simple answer, and many factors can help you determine which strategy is best. These include your health, your risk tolerance, your marital status and many other considerations.

Review your asset allocation. Bear markets are the ultimate test of your tolerance for risk. With stocks down at least 20% — the definition of a “bear market” — consider your feelings. This can help you determine if your asset allocation is too risky, too conservative, or just right. Making certain that your allocation matches your risk tolerance will put you in a better position for the next bear market.

Going back to working. Bear markets rarely last long, often disappearing in less than a year. A part-time job or freelance work can give you a bit of extra income to ride out the storm, possibly even allowing you to leave all of your savings untouched. When the market recovers, you can return to your full-time retirement.

Stay calm. The tendency is to panic. Resist the urge.

Reference: Money Talks News (July 25, 2022) “Retiring in a Bear Market? 7 Things to Do Now”

Will Inflation Have Impact on My Retirement?

Inflation means fluctuations to the dollar’s purchasing power may have a significant effect on a retiree’s ability to cover costs of living and maintain a quality of life, says Kiplinger’s recent article entitled “Is Inflation Costing You More as a Retiree?”

Why Could Inflation Impact Disproportionately Retirees. Inflation impacts people differently. There are many who may not feel the effects of inflation when compared to others. However, retirees tend to spend larger portions of their income on items highly impacted by inflation, such as housing, food, gas and health care, all of which are seeing the full effect of inflation.

The recent rise of inflation forces a lot of retirees to address tough questions about how to protect their retirement savings, while covering their costs of living.

The Cost of Inflation. Retirees’ sources of income may be at risk to large inflation spikes. Retiree likely have most of their income tied to markets or in fixed income. These two sources are highly impacted by inflation. Social Security does offer COLAs, but the last increase was 5.9%, which falls short of the 8% to 9% increase in prices we’ve seen over the past year.

Retirees frequently use savings to get them through retirement. However, when inflation happens, the purchasing power of savings declines. As a result, retirees must withdraw larger amounts of savings to cover the costs of living. This shrinks the lifespan of retirement savings.

Protect Yourself with Hedges against Inflation. Inflation-protected securities can be a way to keep income on pace with inflation. Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities, commonly known as TIPS, offer an interest distribution rate that keeps pace with the CPI inflation rates. This investment has helped retirees mitigate inflation and maintain their quality of life throughout retirement without worrying about outliving their savings.

Retirees and their savings face a stormy forecast ahead due to inflation. Income sources for retirees are largely inflation-exposed, and their spending habits tend to be on products and services affected by inflation.

Reference: Kiplinger (July 16, 2022) “Is Inflation Costing You More as a Retiree?”

Will Vets Now Get a COLA Increase in Benefits?

The measure was filed by Representatives Elaine Luria, D-Virginia and Troy Nehls, R-Texas, along with Senators Jon Tester, D-Montana and Jerry Moran, R-Kansas. In joint statements, they called the proposal critical to bolstering veteran’s finances, reports Military Times’ recent article entitled “Lawmakers move to guarantee cost-of-living boost for veterans benefits.”

“We have a responsibility to take care of our veterans, many of whom rely on VA for financial support,” said Moran, ranking member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee.

“As rampant inflation is driving up the cost of living, this legislation helps make certain that veterans are able to keep up with our changing economy and receive the benefits they have been promised.”

The bill linking the two government benefits is largely routine. Lawmakers typically approve the annual proposal to couple VA benefits increases with Social Security benefits increases by large bipartisan margins.

However, this isn’t automatic. Even with the efforts of advocates in the past, an annual cost-of-living increase in veterans benefits requires congressional action.

Social Security benefits, in contrast, are adjusted based on an automatic formula that is triggered whether lawmakers vote on it or not.

In 2021, as inflation pressures began to impact the American economy, that increase was 5.9%. Officials haven’t said what this year’s adjustment may be. However, continued rising costs across the economy could push that figure even higher. The VA COLA increase legislation would apply to payouts for disability compensation, clothing allowance, dependency and indemnity benefits and other VA assistance programs.

“Transitioning from active duty to civilian life is not always easy, and a cost-of-living adjustment is the least we can do for the men, women and families who served our country,” said Luria, herself a Navy veteran.

Tester, who serves as chairman of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, said the bill will “ensure [veterans] benefits are keeping pace with the changing economy.”

No timetable has been set for when either chamber could vote on the proposal.

Reference: Military Times (May 23, 2022) “Lawmakers move to guarantee cost-of-living boost for veterans benefits”

When Should I Think About Business Succession?

The pandemic has made many business owners rethink their business succession and retirement planning. Insurance News Net’s recent article entitled “Succession Planning For Business Owners: More Important Than Ever” reports that according to PwC’s 2021 US Family Business Survey, only a third of US family businesses have a robust, documented and communicated succession plan in place.

If you wait too long, you may not have the right people in place to run the business. It also restricts the tax planning options for the business and your personal estate. Either error can cause a business to fail, when it passes from one generation to the next.

An exit that is too sudden or without direction can leave a vacuum at the top and damage relationships with existing clients and customers. With clear objectives, a sense of urgency and an experienced estate planning attorney, you can help ensure that your business, and your future, are secure.

There are a number of areas of transition that should be addressed:

Founder Transition: Determine how long you plan to stay with the business, and what your retirement plans are;
Family Transition: If you plan to leave your business to your children, determine the way in which the roles and power relationships will change;
Business Transition: How will the company’s operations and customer relations be maintained through other transitions;
Management Transition: Decide who will make up the new management team, such as family, non-family, or both, and how new leadership will be evaluated. You should also map out the schedule for transferring control of day to day decisions;
Ownership Transition: Determine how ownership is to be transferred; and
Estate Transition: see how you will coordinate your estate plan to ensure that the other transitions above occur as planned.

Many of these transitions will be accomplished through formal documentation, such as an operating agreement, buy-sell agreements and trusts. Sit down with an attorney soon rather than later to sort this out.

Reference: Insurance News Net (December 30, 2021) “Succession Planning For Business Owners: More Important Than Ever”

Should I Withdraw more than RMD?

As most know, once a person hits 72, the IRS require you to take a certain minimum amount from your IRA each year. Many do take only the minimum, believing that this will leave more assets to grow tax deferred. However, recent tax changes are a reason to revisit one’s IRA distribution strategy.

MSN’s article entitled “Should You Take an Extra Big RMD This Year?” says that although some people are worried about paying more in taxes this year than they need to may want stay to the bare minimum of their required minimum distribution (RMD), others seek to find a broader tax strategy.

Those people may want to consider going big with their RMDs. Let’s look the wisdom of taking more than the required minimum distribution from your IRA.

The article gives us four considerations to help with your RMD decision about possibly taking more than the IRA RMD in any year:

Your tax bracket. Determine the amount of additional income you can recognize this year, while still staying within your current tax bracket. Taxpayers in the 10% and 12% tax brackets should be especially cognizant of maximizing ordinary income in these relatively low tax brackets.
Your income. See what your income’s projected to be next year and consider whether you (or you and your spouse) will have other sources of income in future years, such as an inherited IRA, spouse’s IRA RMD or annuity income to add to the mix.
Your beneficiaries. Look at the way in which your current tax rate compares with the tax rates of your IRA beneficiaries. If you have a large IRA and children with high incomes of their own, your heirs could be pushed into a much higher tax bracket when they start their inherited IRA distributions.
Your Medicare premiums. An increase in income can also result in higher Medicare Part B & D premiums in coming years. As a result, consider this in the context of total savings.

Reference: MSN (Nov. 23, 2021) “Should You Take an Extra Big RMD This Year?”

Will Moving to a New State Impact My Estate Planning?

Since the coronavirus pandemic hit the U.S., baby boomers have been speeding up their retirement plans. Many Americans have also been moving to new states. For retirees, the non-financial considerations often revolve around weather, proximity to grandchildren and access to quality healthcare and other services.

Forbes’ recent article entitled “Thinking of Retiring and Moving? Consider the Financial Implications First” provides some considerations for retirees who may set off on a move.

Income tax rates. Before moving to a new state, you should know how much income you’re likely to be generating in retirement. It’s equally essential to understand what type of income you’re going to generate. Your income as well as the type of income you receive could significantly influence your economic health as a retiree, after you make your move. Before moving to a new state, look into the tax code of your prospective new state. Many states have flat income tax rates, such as Massachusetts at 5%. The states that have no income tax include Alaska, Florida, Nevada, Texas, Washington, South Dakota and Wyoming. Other states that don’t have flat income tax rates may be attractive or unattractive, based on your level of income. Another important consideration is the tax treatment of Social Security income, pension income and retirement plan income. Some states treat this income just like any other source of income, while others offer preferential treatment to the income that retirees typically enjoy.
Housing costs. The cost of housing varies dramatically from state to state and from city to city, so understand how your housing costs are likely to change. You should also consider the cost of buying a home, maintenance costs, insurance and property taxes. Property taxes may vary by state and also by county. Insurance costs can also vary.
Sales taxes. Some states (New Hampshire, Oregon, Montana, Delaware and Alaska) have no sales taxes. However, most states have a sales tax of some kind, which generally adds to the cost of living. California has the highest sales tax, currently at 7.5%, then comes Tennessee, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Mississippi and Indiana, each with a sales tax of 7%. Many other places also have a county sales tax and a city sales tax. You should also research those taxes.
The state’s financial health. Examine the health of the state pension systems where you are thinking about moving. The states with the highest level of unfunded pension debts include Connecticut, Illinois, Alaska, New Jersey and Hawaii. They each have unfunded state pensions at a level of more than 20% of their state GDP. If you’re thinking about moving to one of those states, you’re more apt to see tax increases in the future because of the huge financial obligations of these states.
The overall cost of living. Examine your budget to see the extent to which your annual living expenses might increase or decrease in your new location because food, healthcare and transportation costs can vary by location. If your costs are going to go up, that should be all right, provided you have the financial resources to fund a larger expense budget. Be sure that you’ve accounted for the differences before you move.
Estate planning considerations. If this is going to be your last move, it’s likely that the laws of your new state will apply to your estate after you die. Many states don’t have an estate or gift tax, which means your estate and gifts will only be subject to federal tax laws. However, a number of states, such as Maryland and Iowa, have a state estate tax.

You should talk to an experienced estate planning attorney about the estate and gift tax implications of your move.

Reference: Forbes (Nov. 30, 2021) “Thinking of Retiring and Moving? Consider the Financial Implications First”

How Should I Plan to Sell My Business?

For many business owners, between 70% and 80% of their wealth is tied up in their business. Research also shows that just 20% to 30% of businesses that go to market actually sell. That leaves 80% of business owners with limited options to monetize the value of their business and wealth for future financial security.

The Tampa Bay Business Journal’s recent article entitled “Selling a family business: Plan to maximize value and preserve wealth” explains that there are several factors facing Boomer business owners, as they consider selling their businesses:

They may be worried about forfeiting their income stream.
They may feel trapped because the business funds a certain lifestyle.
They could be worried about what they’ll do in the next chapter of life after leaving.
They may not have a sense of urgency or plan for an unexpected life event, such as an illness or death; and
They could be misinformed about options for a strategic exit to capitalize on the business’ value.

It’s critical to start business exit planning now.

It’s not uncommon that when businesses are passed on from one generation to the next, family conflicts can occur. With about three-quarters (70%) of family businesses failing after being passed to the next generation, there’s good reason to reconsider leaving your business to your children in the traditional sense.

More business owner children either can’t afford to buy the family business or would prefer to not be saddled with it. In fact, UBS Global Wealth Management found that 82% of the next generation would prefer the money from the sale of the business. Half of family business owners also don’t know their exit options and have no transition team or transition plan.

About half of all exits from a family business aren’t voluntary. The five Ds — death, disabilities, divorce, distress, and disagreements — can derail a sound business exit strategy. Instead of holding on too long and focusing on just income generation, business owners should look at growing the enterprise value of the business, thus making it more attractive and transferrable to new ownership.

Business owners should have secure contracts, an experienced management team and a sound succession plan to keep the business operating and demonstrate its market value.

You should aim to exit your business when it’s at peak enterprise value and while you have control to depart on your terms.

Simply gifting a family business to the next generation may not be the right decision. Ask an experienced estate planning attorney about other options to consider.

Reference: Tampa Bay Business Journal (Nov. 29, 2021) “Selling a family business: Plan to maximize value and preserve wealth”

Estate Planning Blog Articles

Estate & Business Planning Law Firm Serving the Providence & Cranston, RI Areas

How Can I Recession-Proof My Retirement?

What’s the Most Common Debt for Retirees?

Can I Retire in a Bear Market?

Will Inflation Have Impact on My Retirement?

Will Vets Now Get a COLA Increase in Benefits?

When Should I Think About Business Succession?

Should I Withdraw more than RMD?

How Should I Plan to Sell My Business?

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How Can I Recession-Proof My Retirement?

What’s the Most Common Debt for Retirees?

Can I Retire in a Bear Market?

Will Inflation Have Impact on My Retirement?

Will Vets Now Get a COLA Increase in Benefits?

When Should I Think About Business Succession?

Should I Withdraw more than RMD?

How Should I Plan to Sell My Business?

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