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Recent News
New IRS Contribution Limits: Changes for 2020
The IRS just increased the annual contribution limits on IRAs, 401(k)s, and other widely used retirement plan accounts for 2020. Here’s a quick look at the changes.
What is the SECURE Act and does it matter to me?
The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (“SECURE”) Act was signed into law on December 20, 2019. With all of the discussion in the news around the political uncertainty, impeachment, and the looming trade war, one of the largest changes to retirement savings laws in recent years was passed with very little fanfare. However, some of the changes will be significant. I have tried to highlight what may impact the majority of our clients and readers.
The Act has a lot of positives such as simplifying rules and making 401k plans potentially available to more workers, pushing back the RMD age, and allowing contributions to IRAs past age 70. The negative impact I see is the elimination of the stretch IRA which is a clear move by the government to raise tax revenues by forcing money out of inherited IRAs sooner. I will discuss in more detail below, but this should be a time to review beneficiaries and discuss whether any change in your legacy planning should be made in response to the new laws. What do you need to pay attention to?
Baby Steps: Financial Moves for Every Decade of Life
Recently, my husband and I took care of our 12-month old granddaughter while our daughter and son-in-law took a much-needed vacation together. When they dropped her off, their parting words were, “She is almost ready to walk, but make sure she waits until we get home!”
Famous last words… Of course, as soon as they left the house, she was trying to walk – literally everywhere. And after about 24 hours she was taking her first baby steps. By the time they arrived back three days later, she was walking (a little unsteadily but walking none-the-less) and was very proud of herself. Great strides in just a few days but predicated on all of the trial and error and lessons learned in the months before.
Financial planning is a little like this. You’ll make mistakes along the way – everyone does. But you will do a lot of things right as well and the important thing to remember is that your financial health is based on doing the little things right, all along the way.
So, what should you be doing when you are 22, 52 or 72? Here are three important tips for each decade.
Cathy Miller Receives the Women’s Choice Award® as Highly Recommended Financial Advisor by Women for Women for Seventh Consecutive Year
Atlanta – November 19, 2019 – Atlanta Financial Associates, an independent financial advisory firm, recently announced that Cathy Miller, MBA, CFP® , CRPS®, CDFA™, has received the Women’s Choice Award® for Financial Advisors and Firms.
As the leading advocate for female consumers, WomenCertified Inc. selected Miller based on rigorous research and specific objective criteria; she has received this recognition every year since 2013.
