This post was last updated on January 04, 2025, to reflect all updated information and best serve your needs.
A 403(b) plan or tax-sheltered annuity (TSA) is a retirement account for public schools, colleges, and universities as well as for churches and non-profit organizations. While the account works similarly to other retirement plans like a 401k, there are some differences.
This post was last updated on January 04, 2025, to reflect all updated information and best serve your needs.
You’ve reached many milestones in your life so far, but retirement brings new challenges and opportunities. There are many goals that you may be looking forward to already or maybe you’re going back to the drawing board.
This post was last updated on January 03, 2025, to reflect all updated information and best serve your needs.
Saving money for retirement is critical, but when it comes to the types of accounts you have, it can start to get a little confusing.
This post was last updated on January 03, 2025, to reflect all updated information and best serve your needs.
You may have spent your whole life working towards retirement. However, as you get closer to retirement, there are so many feelings and doubts that can creep in and cause you stress. There’s no need to worry – as long as you have a plan.
This post was last updated on January 03, 2025, to reflect all updated information and best serve your needs.
Proper planning is crucial to ensure a smooth transition into a fulfilling retirement lifestyle. However, it can be really intimidating when you first get started. You aren’t the first person to retire, so you can draw on the experience of others who’ve walked this path.
This post was last updated on January 02, 2025, to reflect all updated information and best serve your needs.
Retirees who work with a financial advisor are happier and more confident – in their finances and in life. Many of us have concerns about money. So, it makes sense that getting expert help would increase happiness by reducing financial stress.
The right financial planner does so much more than just help you with a 401k rollover. A true expert takes the time to get to know you and craft a detailed, thought-out plan around your hopes and dreams. The process should center around you, not your money.
This post was last updated on January 02, 2025, to reflect all updated information and best serve your needs.
For some people, the “traditional” idea of retirement just doesn’t fit their lifestyle. The idea of never working again, going to the golf course every day, and just lounging around doesn’t sound very appealing. Luckily, you can craft what retirement will look like for you – even if you don’t really retire.
Choosing between a lump sum or annuity payout is one of the largest decisions an Evergy retiree will make. Evergy has many pension payout options, but which one is best for you? A lump sum payout is an option for all the different pension programs under the Evergy umbrella.
It’s important to know exactly what options you have and what you can or can’t control regarding a lump sum payout. Doing your research and really thinking through your options is absolutely necessary.
This post was last updated on December 31, 2024, to reflect all updated information and best serve your needs.
Make the most of your retirement planning in 2025! No matter how much time between now and these deadlines, mark your calendar so you don't miss anything. Now is the time to prepare for retirement account contributions (or withdrawals).
This post was last updated on 31 December, 2024, to reflect all updated information and best serve your needs.
Planning for your retirement is the key to fully enjoying the fruits of your labor. Whether you have an IRA (individual retirement account), a 401(k) or other retirement account, you'll want to get the most out of it by maximizing your contributions. Understanding the contribution limits put in place by the IRS will help you maximize your savings.
This post was last updated on December 31, 2024, to reflect all updated information and best serve your needs.
In addition to sounding cool, mega backdoor Roth conversions can be super helpful for long-term tax-savings. For high income earners, having the ability to get more money into a Roth account now will make retirement income planning much easier.
Rising costs and running out of money are a huge worry for many retirees. However, moving forward, you may be eligible for a new “tax freeze” on your Missouri personal property bill. Every little bit helps!
You need to be aware of many different rules and procedures. It’s also important to note that not all counties in Missouri are implementing this new benefit. You’ll need to check your specific county to see what applies to you.
Pension plans are incredibly valuable retirement assets, but they can also be incredibly confusing. Cash balance plans are a fairly popular option for many modern-day pensions. We’d like to share the basics of what cash balance plans are and how to get the most out of them.
If your employer offers a cash balance plan, it’s important to know how these plans work so you can maximize your pension payout. We’ll discuss what a cash balance pension plan is and how it compares to other pension plans you may have heard about. We’ll also discuss how to integrate a pension with your other retirement assets and benefits.
Retirement isn’t an individual sport. It takes many key players and essential tools to make the most of your golden years. As the saying goes, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”
As we watch our beloved Kansas City Chiefs continue another great season, it’s important to understand what it really takes to make a great team. The Chiefs took a long-term approach to success when they signed a $503 Million, 10-year contract with Patrick Mahomes. They understood the value of keeping key teammates in place long-term.
Are your retirement assets in the right location? Asset location can be critical to saving money on taxes. Many people know about asset allocation or diversification, but there are a lot of nuances around what types of accounts are used for what assets.
The deliberate placement of your investments can be critical for your long-term success. Don’t assume everything is where it needs to be. As you move through different phases of retirement, you may also need to shift things to meet your needs.
There are many rising costs senior citizens have to contend with, but your property taxes might not be one of them anymore. We took a look at programs affecting the Kansas counties surrounding Kansas City to see how you can save on property taxes. The ability to “freeze” or lock in your current property tax costs using the Homestead Act is one potential option.
You may also be eligible for other programs to assist with your property tax bills. However, there are rules and restrictions to qualify. If you’re on the Missouri side of Kansas City, check out our article on Kansas City, Missouri programs.
Annuities can be as confusing as any product on the market. However, they can be a handy tool for the right individuals. Don’t let all the ambiguous and confusing terms discourage you from learning about annuities.
A general understanding of how annuities work, the types of annuities available, and the tax implications is helpful. We’ll also analyze the costs and fees, how annuities can insure against longevity risk, and whether an annuity product might be right for you.
Running out of money is a real worry for retirees. However, you can reduce or eliminate worries around longevity risk in retirement. With careful planning, it might be easier than you think.
Regardless, we recommend planning for your retirement early and often. The longer you wait, the less options you have. So, what can you do to protect yourself from longevity risk?
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017 significantly changed our tax landscape. However, most changes were temporary and set to expire or “sunset” at the end of 2025. This means some essential tax-saving tools may disappear.
In other words, time is running out to maximize particular tax savings – unless Congress takes action. We don’t know about you, but counting on Congress to do anything feels like a roll of the dice. We can take action now to set ourselves up for success regardless of what happens.
You can use your annual tax filing as a valuable feedback loop for tax-saving strategies. Many Americans are missing opportunities to learn more about their tax situation. These insights can help you build strategies to save on taxes throughout your lifetime – not just year to year.
The real goal in tax planning is to reduce your total tax bill using tools and strategies allowed by law. You want to pay all the taxes you owe, but you’re not trying to overpay either. Continually reevaluating and reassessing is the key to doing this.
