Five retirement decisions you should not guess on

Understand why the largest individual benefit is not automatically the best household strategy.

During the webinar, you will learn why the Social Security decision should consider:

• Current and future household-income needs.
• The differences between claiming earlier and delaying.
• Employment income before full retirement age.
• Health, longevity, and family history.
• Spousal and survivor benefits.
• The financial position of the surviving spouse.
• The investments that may be used while benefits are delayed.
• The potential taxation of Social Security benefits.

Many retirees own money in several tax environments, including taxable brokerage accounts, traditional retirement accounts, Roth accounts, cash reserves, and insurance or annuity assets.

During the webinar, you will learn why the easiest account to access is not automatically the most appropriate account to use.

The withdrawal decision may involve:

• Taxable interest, dividends, and capital gains.
• Ordinary income from traditional retirement accounts.
• Tax-free qualified Roth withdrawals.
• Required minimum distributions.
• The taxation of Social Security benefits.
• Medicare income-related premiums.
• Charitable-giving opportunities.
• Future tax flexibility.
• The tax position of a surviving spouse.
• The assets eventually left to beneficiaries.

Investment risk can take on a different meaning after the paycheck stops and portfolio withdrawals begin.

During the webinar, you will receive an introduction to the balance between:

• Volatility and the need for near-term withdrawals
• Long-term growth and inflation protection
• Emotional tolerance for market declines
• Financial capacity to absorb a loss
• Cash and short-term reserves
• The time available for investments to recover
• Rebalancing and disciplined decision-making
• The possibility of a retirement lasting 20, 30, or more years

A retirement strategy that works for two people may work very differently when only one spouse remains.

During the webinar, you will receive an introduction to several changes that may occur after the first spouse dies:

• One Social Security benefit may end.
• Pension income may decrease depending on the election made.
• The survivor may eventually file taxes as a single taxpayer.
• The same or similar assets may be taxed under different brackets.
• Healthcare and long-term care needs may increase.
• Financial responsibilities may shift to the surviving spouse.
• Beneficiary designations become immediately important.
• Access to accounts and financial information may become critical.
• The surviving spouse may have a different comfort level with investments.
• Existing professional relationships may need to continue without the spouse who originally managed them.