General Insights

Since 2001, November has been designated Long Term Care Awareness Month, a time to educate Americans on the growing need for long term care (LTC) and potential ways to pay for it. The American Association for Long Term Care Insurance (AALTCI) estimates 14 million citizens currently require long term care support services and predicts that…

November has been named National Family Caregivers Month to honor parents, adult children, and spouses who selflessly care for loved ones afflicted with illnesses, disabilities, traumatic injuries, or the effects of aging. According to a study by the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP, the number of family caregivers grew by 9.5 million from 2015…

Preparing for retirement is more complex than it used to be for obvious and not-so-obvious reasons. The most obvious is longer lifespans. Thanks to improved medical care, a person retiring today in their mid-60s may need their savings to last 30 years. The list of less-obvious challenges includes: Less support from employers. More companies have…

October 19-25 has been named National Estate Planning Awareness Week, an observance that reminds the public how important estate planning is to financial wellness. Unfortunately, common myths convince many people they don’t need to create or update an estate plan, such as: Only wealthy people need a plan. Without a will, state succession laws and…

The pandemic has made many of us especially grateful for the internet, which makes it possible to work from home, shop online, attend religious services virtually, and stay connected with family and friends. Unfortunately, enjoying all those conveniences is not without risks. Realizing Americans are distracted by the pandemic, the upcoming election, and social unrest,…

Although the pandemic has made financial disparities between men and women more pronounced, women have long faced greater challenges in retirement than men, for multiple reasons. Longevity: On average, American women live five years longer than men. According to recent CDC data, males typically live to be 76, while women reach the age of 81.…

When you lose a loved one, your first thoughts won’t be about what to do with their IRA. But if you’re a beneficiary, it is important to make wise decisions to avoid excess taxes and penalties. Due to changes to the beneficiary rules in the SECURE ACT, the following information applies to deaths on or…

Over the last four decades, the price of a college education has grown disproportionately to other costs. During the 1978-79 school year, it cost today’s equivalent of $8,250 to attend a public university and $17,680 to attend a private university. Now, a year at a public school averages $21,370, and a private college runs $48,510…

September is Life Insurance Awareness Month, making it a good time to review things you may not know about life insurance, such as: Policies differ widely. Term life insurance pays out a death benefit if you die within the specified period, often 20 or 30 years. Because it only pays for untimely deaths, it is…