“Third-Party Posts”
The views reflected by the author in this article are subject to change at any time without notice. Her Annuity deems reliable any statistical data or information obtained from or prepared by third-party sources included in this article, but in no way guarantees its accuracy or completeness.
Fixed Index Annuity
What Is a Fixed Index Annuity? A fixed index annuity is a financial product whose terms are defined by a contract between you and an insurance company. It features characteristics of both fixed annuities and variable annuities. Fixed index annuities are also referred...
Why Annuities May Be a Safer Bet in 2025
Many people decide to claim their Social Security benefit when they retire. You may be one of them. It could be that you need the money, or maybe you want to invest it in the hope that it grows. While these can be good options depending on your needs and preferences,...
Interest in Annuities Is Soaring: Understanding the 2025 Trend
Learn how the market, economy, and demographics are shaping the annuity industry. The annuity industry is having a moment. After years of mixed opinions and confusion around how they work, annuities surged in popularity in recent years, with total U.S. sales reaching...
Annuity Awareness Month 2025: Your Guide to Income Security
Each June, Annuity Awareness Month shines a spotlight on one of retirement’s most misunderstood—but potentially powerful—financial tools: the annuity. In 2025, as market uncertainty, inflation concerns, and rising interest rates continue to weigh on retirement...
6 Ways to Secure Your Finances After Retirement
Although your CalPERS service retirement is a lifetime benefit, and you have other income sources available to you, money can still be tight. Making ends meet is a big concern for many retirees. Here are six tips for saving money during retirement, as part of our...
Retirement planning with annuities in 2025: Key considerations and trends
Annuities have seen a resurgence in popularity as a retirement planning tool, especially in 2025, driven by market volatility, higher interest rates, and an aging population seeking stable income streams. Here's what you need to know about retirement planning with...
7 steps to prepare for your upcoming retirement
Planning to retire within the next 10 years? Taking these actions now could help bolster your portfolio as you approach your planned retirement date. After decades of working and saving, you can finally see retirement on the horizon. But now isn't the time to coast....
Getting Ready for Retirement Checklist
If the word “retire” is becoming your new mantra, we suggest you make a retirement checklist before you receive your last paycheck. It’s never too early (or too late) to start planning your retirement. So why not start now, using the handy checklist below. 10 Steps...
The Most Important Ages of Retirement
Retirement is a series of milestones that arrive as you age. Here are the ones you should know about. The retirement clock doesn't start the day you stop working. It's better to think of this period of your life as a range of important dates and milestones spread...
The views reflected by the author in this article are subject to change at any time without notice. Her Annuity deems reliable any statistical data or information obtained from or prepared by third-party sources included in this article, but in no way guarantees its accuracy or completeness.
Weekly Market Commentary
Global financial markets rallied last week as investors stepped in again to buy the prior week’s dip in prices. Japan, Germany, Spain, and Italy were international market standouts. In the US, the S&P 500 fell just shy of a new all-time high, while the...
Weekly Market Commentary
Markets forged another set of all-time highs before taking a step back last week as a deluge of information had to be digested by investors. August 1st was the tariff deadline, and while some deals were made ahead of the deadline, several other countries had their...
Weekly Market Commentary
The S&P 500 and NASDAQ reached another set of all-time highs, driven by constructive rhetoric on global trade and positive second-quarter earnings results from influential companies such as Alphabet. The S&P is up 8.6% year to date, while the NASDAQ is up...
Weekly Market Commentary
U.S. equity markets were little changed for the week; that said, the S&P 500 and NASDAQ were able to forge another set of all-time highs. A busy Q2 earnings calendar saw 12% of the S&P 500 report earnings. Earnings from several large banks came in better than...
Weekly Market Commentary
A barrage of tariff letters sent to over 20 countries by President Trump yielded very little movement in the financial markets. Trump announced that there would not be additional extensions to negotiations and that tariff levels sent in these letters would go into...
Weekly Market Commentary
The holiday-shortened week produced another week of gains for US equity indices. The S&P 500 was up 10.6 % in the 2nd quarter, while the NASDAQ composite rose 17.8%. Trump’s reconciliation bill was passed by the Senate and subsequently approved by the House,...
Weekly Market Commentary
The S&P 500 and the NASDAQ joined the NASDAQ 100 in forging new all-time highs in an extremely busy week for Wall Street. A de-escalation of the Iran-Israel-US conflict happened on the twelfth day after Israel's initial strikes. The US bombed three key nuclear...
Weekly Market Commentary
Despite there being plenty for investors to consider, the holiday-shortened week ended pretty much where it started. Israel and Iran continued to exchange missile attacks, while global leaders tried to find a resolution to the conflict. President Trump opened the door...
Weekly Market Commentary
US markets advanced in an erratic week of trading. The S&P 500 ended the week above the 6000 level and is up nearly 24% from the April 7th lows. Investors continue monitoring global trade policy, hoping more trade deals will be signed soon. Trump acknowledged...
Ed Slott’s Elite IRA Professional Group (Ed Slott Group) is a membership organization owned by Ed Slott and Company, LLC. Logos and/or trademarks are property of their respective owners and no endorsement of (Her Annuity) is stated or implied. Ed Slott Group and Ed Slott and Company, LLC are not affiliated with Her Annuity.
For the detailed requirements of Ed Slott’s Elite IRA Professional Group, please visit: https://www.irahelp.com/
Stretch RMDs and Roth Conversions: Today’s Slott Report Mailbag
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Question: Hello Ed, I have been a fan of yours for a long time (and the owner of a copy of The Retirement Savings Time Bomb) and have always appreciated your insights. We have a client who is age 58 years and is the sole beneficiary of a...
The Crazy-Complicated 2026 SIMPLE IRA Plan Elective Deferral Limits
Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Since 2002, SIMPLE IRA plans have allowed employees who reach age 50 or older by the end of the year to make “catch-up contributions” beyond the usual elective deferral limit. Beginning in 2024, Congress automatically increased the regular...
Who Needs to Take a 2025 RMD?
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education As the calendar runs out on 2025, retirement account owners and beneficiaries may face a looming deadline. December 31 is the deadline for many to take 2025 required minimum distributions (RMDs). Test your...
The Slott Report Gives Thanks
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Thanksgiving Season is upon us! Here at The Slott Report, we are thankful for many things: We are thankful to have a platform to share all the important IRA and retirement account information about which we write. We are thankful...
IRA and Retirement Plan Dollar Limits Increased for 2026
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst The IRS has released the cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for retirement accounts for 2026, and many of the dollar limits will increase next year. Retirement Plans The elective deferral limit for employees who participate in 401(k),...
IRA Rollovers and Qualified Charitable Distributions: Today’s Slott Report Mailbag
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Question: My wife and I have a large disparity in IRA balances. It is about a 10 to 1 ratio. I would like to transfer a significant amount to her IRA. Our brokerages say they do not allow these types of transfers....
The Right Moves – How to Move Retirement Funds
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education The year 2025 has been a turbulent time for the economy. Whether due to job loss or seeking better investment opportunities in volatile markets, the result is that more and more retirement account funds are on the...
The Tricky Still-Working Exception – After Death
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst For those who have 401(k)s or other retirement plans, the required beginning date (RBD) when required minimum distributions (RMDs) are officially “turned on” is April 1 of the year after the year a person turns age 73. This...
The 5-Year Clock and Qualified Charitable Distributions: Today’s Slott Report Mailbag
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst QUESTION: A husband owned a Roth IRA which had been in existence for at least 5 years. He died in January of 2025. His wife was his primary beneficiary. The wife opened a Roth IRA in late January 2025 to receive the distribution...
The views reflected by the author in this article are subject to change at any time without notice. Her Annuity deems reliable any statistical data or information obtained from or prepared by third-party sources included in this article, but in no way guarantees its accuracy or completeness.
How are Medicare costs and benefits changing for 2026?
Learn how premiums, out-of-pocket costs and income-related surcharges are changing for 2026 Medicare coverage What are the changes to Medicare benefits for 2026? Medicare changes for 2026 include increases for Medicare Part B and Part A premiums and cost-sharing,...
read more
Six Changes Coming to Social Security in 2026
Big changes are coming to Social Security in the year ahead, impacting everything from the size of your benefit check to your full retirement age. Here's what you need to know. In January 2026, several changes to Social Security will take effect, impacting everything...
read more
Vaccines Medicare Covers for Free in 2025
The U.S. is experiencing an outbreak of measles and is on track to have the most whooping cough cases since 1948. These vaccines Medicare covers for free can keep you safe. Did you know that Medicare fully covers many vaccines for its beneficiaries? Well, they do....
read more
Seven Medicare Changes Coming in 2026
Learn about the benefits that become permanent features of Medicare in 2026 and other changes as they are released. Knowing how Medicare is evolving and which benefits you can rely on will help you focus on whether Original Medicare or a particular Medicare Advantage...
read more
Navigating Medicare Changes in 2025 for People Living with ALS: A Comprehensive Guide
Living with ALS presents a unique set of challenges, especially when it comes to managing your health care needs and medications. In 2025, important changes are coming to Medicare that could significantly impact how you access prescription drugs and manage your...
read more
Colorectal cancer screenings can save your life
Get a colorectal cancer screening at no extra cost to you. Learn more about life-saving screening options. Have you been putting off your colorectal cancer screening? It may not be the top of your to-do list, but regular screening tests can save lives. Colorectal...
read more
Get the care you need quickly when you’re sick
Discover six ways to access care fast, even if your doctor is busy. Hint: You may not need to go in person. Doctors’ offices are busier than ever these days. Sometimes it can be tough to book a timely appointment with your primary care provider. You might be sick or...
read more
Can You Apply for Medicare Without Social Security?
Key Points You do not need to be receiving Social Security benefits to apply for Medicare. You can receive Social Security benefits as early as 62 and Medicare benefits at 65. If you are already receiving Social Security benefits before your 65th birthday, you’ll be...
read more
Is the Medicare Annual Wellness Visit Mandatory?
Key Points While the Medicare Annual Wellness Visit is not mandatory, it is a 100% covered preventive service. The Annual Wellness Visit differs from the typical annual physicals you were used to with group coverage. If you’ve had Medicare Part B for more than 12...
read more
How are Medicare costs and benefits changing for 2026?
Learn how premiums, out-of-pocket costs and income-related surcharges are changing for 2026 Medicare coverage What are the changes to Medicare benefits for 2026? Medicare changes for 2026 include increases for Medicare Part B and Part A premiums and cost-sharing,...
Six Changes Coming to Social Security in 2026
Big changes are coming to Social Security in the year ahead, impacting everything from the size of your benefit check to your full retirement age. Here's what you need to know. In January 2026, several changes to Social Security will take effect, impacting everything...
Vaccines Medicare Covers for Free in 2025
The U.S. is experiencing an outbreak of measles and is on track to have the most whooping cough cases since 1948. These vaccines Medicare covers for free can keep you safe. Did you know that Medicare fully covers many vaccines for its beneficiaries? Well, they do....
Seven Medicare Changes Coming in 2026
Learn about the benefits that become permanent features of Medicare in 2026 and other changes as they are released. Knowing how Medicare is evolving and which benefits you can rely on will help you focus on whether Original Medicare or a particular Medicare Advantage...
Navigating Medicare Changes in 2025 for People Living with ALS: A Comprehensive Guide
Living with ALS presents a unique set of challenges, especially when it comes to managing your health care needs and medications. In 2025, important changes are coming to Medicare that could significantly impact how you access prescription drugs and manage your...
Colorectal cancer screenings can save your life
Get a colorectal cancer screening at no extra cost to you. Learn more about life-saving screening options. Have you been putting off your colorectal cancer screening? It may not be the top of your to-do list, but regular screening tests can save lives. Colorectal...
Get the care you need quickly when you’re sick
Discover six ways to access care fast, even if your doctor is busy. Hint: You may not need to go in person. Doctors’ offices are busier than ever these days. Sometimes it can be tough to book a timely appointment with your primary care provider. You might be sick or...
Can You Apply for Medicare Without Social Security?
Key Points You do not need to be receiving Social Security benefits to apply for Medicare. You can receive Social Security benefits as early as 62 and Medicare benefits at 65. If you are already receiving Social Security benefits before your 65th birthday, you’ll be...
Is the Medicare Annual Wellness Visit Mandatory?
Key Points While the Medicare Annual Wellness Visit is not mandatory, it is a 100% covered preventive service. The Annual Wellness Visit differs from the typical annual physicals you were used to with group coverage. If you’ve had Medicare Part B for more than 12...