Five Major Retirement Questions Answered

How can we think about dividend stocks?

Dividend stocks are usually hailed as safe investments. But not all dividend stocks are alike, and not all of them pay dividends for the same reasons. In fact, dividend stocks crash too. It’s important to be diligent in choosing dividend stocks, so consider building speaking with a financial professional who can assist you with selecting stocks which may offer the best dividend options for you.

Annuities can provide great benefits to retirees. But annuities are not always the best option for everyone. For instance, if liquidity and low fees are important to you, annuities may not be a great option for you, but if you fear outliving your money or want protection against a specific risk such as long-term care expenditures, they might be worth considering.

It’s impossible to predict the future, but there are ways to plan for it. If future tax rates stand to threaten your retirement plan, there are options, such as Roth IRA conversions, that can help mitigate against the risk of higher future tax rates.

For a long time, inflation had been at historic lows. But now, inflation is at record highs, and you’ve likely felt the effects on your wallet. But along with a downward trending market, inflation may also have a long-term effect on your income streams and how far that income will go in covering your costs of living. 

Social Security plays a major role in your retirement, but it’s not as easy as just hitting an age and receiving benefits. The age at which you choose to claim dictates the amount of your Social Security benefits. Strategizing your other income sources to maximize your Social Security benefits may be a fruitful way to optimize your retirement finances.

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Filing your taxes each year can be complicated. Maybe you stopped working, realized investment gains, created an estate plan, or went from itemizing to claiming the standard deduction or vice versa. There are many factors that can impact whether your taxes will increase and whether you need to rethink your tax strategy.

2022 Tax Guide Cover