When a family member passes away, there are many decisions that need to be made and many emotions to handle. The last thing anyone thinks about is taxes. Unfortunately, even the deceased can’t escape taxation. If the departed family member earned taxable income during the year in which they died, then federal taxes may [...]

The Social Security Fairness Act, signed into law in December 2024, adjusts two longstanding provisions that previously reduced Social Security benefits for certain recipients: the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO). These rules affected Social Security benefits for retirees who receive pension income from non-covered employment.¹ Who Qualifies for Increased [...]

According to industry experts, most people don't have enough life insurance. The American Council of Life Insurers recently reported that average coverage equals $197,000, which is equivalent to almost 3.5 years in terms of income replacement (with the median income being $59,540 in 2024, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics). That's only half [...]

Taxpayers and businesses spend an estimated 7.9 billion hours a year complying with tax-filing requirements, which is worth $413 billion in economic value just to comply with tax regulations.1 As complex as the details of taxes can be, the income tax process is fairly straightforward. However, the majority of Americans would rather not spend [...]

Social Security is a critical component of the retirement financial strategy for many Americans, so before you begin taking it, you should consider three important questions. The answers may affect whether you make the most of this retirement income source. When to Start? You have the choice of 1) starting benefits at age 62, [...]

By any measure, the tax code is huge. It is over 2,000 pages long, and even longer with footnotes.1 And almost weekly, the Internal Revenue Service publishes a 10- to 50-page bulletin about various aspects of the tax code.2 Fortunately, it’s not necessary to wade through these massive libraries to get a basic understanding [...]

As a parent or grandparent, you may have diligently saved money in a 529 account to help fund your child's or grandchild's college education. But what happens if they decide college isn't the right path for them? It's a valid question that many families are facing as more and more people choose alternatives to [...]

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has released new limits for certain retirement accounts for the coming year. Keep in mind that this update is for informational purposes only, so please consult with an accounting or tax professional before making any changes to your 2025 tax strategy. You can also contact your financial professional, who [...]

What workers anticipate in terms of retirement income sources may differ considerably from what retirees actually experience. For many people, retirement income may come from a variety of sources. Here's a quick review of the six main sources: Social Security Social Security is the government-administered retirement income program. Workers become eligible after paying Social [...]