Whether retirement is in the near or distant future for you, it’s a sure bet that you look forward to not only seeing the day when you can make work optional, but also to a very happy retirement with minimal worries. Settling into your dream home on a quiet mountainside. Playing hide-and-seek in a household [...]

TOP FINANCIAL ADVISORS INSIGHTS:   After years of saving and planning for retirement, you may be relieved and excited to realize you can fi nally afford to stop working. Careful planning in the months leading up to retirement can help you ensure a smooth transition from employee to retiree. If you have decided to retire, you [...]

1) Contribute the Maximum to Retirement Accounts Although the elective deferral limit for 401(k) and similar plans was increased to $17,000 for 2012, IRA contribution limits remain the same as 2011, at $5,000. IRA owners 50 or older by December 31, 2012 can contribute an extra $1,000 for a total of $6,000 and plan participants [...]

As a shaky 2011 comes to a close, there is still time to bolster the bottom line by trimming your 2011 tax bill. Although there are significant tax debates going on at this time in Washington, there is very little chance that the tax brackets will change in 2012. Therefore, if you believe you will [...]