Arnold & Mote Wealth Management In the Press

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Press Mentions

 

The Wall Street Journal: Congress Ended a Tax Break. How That May Help Higher Earners.

New laws are set to require those making over $145,000 to save all catch-up 401(k) contributions to Roth accounts. While many enjoy the added tax deduction from pre-tax 401(k) savings, we see Roth savings as superior options for many savers. We were interviewed for this article in The WSJ about how those with high pre-tax savings may benefit from this change.

 

Yahoo Finance: I Lost My Retirement Savings in a Divorce: Here’s How I Made It All Back

For this article in Yahoo Finance, we were interviewed to discuss ways to recover financially from a divorce. Specifically, we cover where to go to find help with your finances.

 

GoBankingRates: Best States for Retirees if Social Security Gets Cut

In this article with GOBankingRates, we highlight Iowa as a retiree-friendly state due to its reduced taxation of retirement income and no tax on Social Security benefits.

 

NY Post: Should you invest in a long term CD?

For this article in the New York Post, we were interviewed about long-term CDs and when they are a good (or bad) option for your savings.

 

CBS News: Should you rollover your CD after it matures?

For this article on CBS News, we were interviewed to discuss what you should consider before rolling over money from maturing CDs.

 

GoBankingRates: 5 Ways to Build Wealth in Your 50s

For this article on Go Banking Rates, we discuss how to build wealth in your 50s. We cover saving strategies, investing in yourself, and how to find help organizing your finances.

 

CNN: Best ways for beginners to invest money

For this article on CNN, we were interviewed, along with several other advisors, to discuss tips for beginning investors. We covered the importance of starting to save early, even with small amounts.

 

Fox Business: You can pay your taxes with a credit card — but should you?

Paying taxes with a credit card can provide flexibility and potential rewards, but consider the fees and interest rates carefully before deciding if it's the right choice.

 

MarketWatch: I have $1.5M and spend a modest amount. Do I need a Financial Advisor?

If you are in very sound financial shape, is having a financial advisor necessary? In this interview with MarketWatch, we cover topics that we help clients with every day that you might not expect. A good financial planner covers much more than just investments!

 

MoneyGeek: Buying Life Insurance on Your Parents

Does it ever make sense to purchase life insurance on your parents? Here's what to consider before being sold on a policy.

 

CBS Money Watch: Should you wait for mortgage rates to drop before buying a home?

The recent rise in mortgage loan rates has led many to pause their search for a new home. Do today's higher mortgage rates mean you should put off buying your next home? We were interviewed by CBS Money Watch to discuss what to consider before making that offer.

 

Comparison Adviser: How Dividends Fit Into a Financial Plan

For this article on Comparison Adviser, we were interviewed to discuss the role that dividends plan in a financial plan. Our comments focus on 2 main topic: The favorable tax treatment given to dividends, and the dangers of investing in high dividend investments.

 

MarketWatch: That 5% CD sure is tempting — but here’s what not to use them for now

The recent rise in CD rates have made them popular investments for any saver looking for a safe return. But, CDs are not right for everyone. In this article for Marketwatch, we were interviewed to discuss alternatives that may make sense for certain savers and investors.

 

CNET Money: Brokered CDs: What are they and how do they work?

The rise in interest rates have led to much higher yields on cash saving options like CDs and money market funds. This has been most notable in an investment known as a "brokered CD", which is a certificate of deposit that you can purchase in your investment account. For this article in CNET we were interviewed about Brokered CDs, and the pros and cons of brokered CDs compared to traditional CDs available at your bank.

 

MoneyGeek: Life Insurance vs 401(k)s for Retirement Savings

Recently, some social media accounts have touted the value of insurance as a way to save for and fund retirement. We were interviewed for this post in MoneyGeek about saving for retirement with life insurance products vs your 401(k).

 

MarketWatch: Are you saving enough for retirement? What the average 401(k) balance looks like

How much should you have in investments before retiring? In this article, we were interviewed to discuss sustainable withdrawal rates and the general 401(k) savings environment today.

 

USA Today: What is an index fund?

We are strong proponents of low cost, passively managed investments. We were interviewed for this article in the USA Today about index funds, and how they differ from other investment options available to you.

 

Discover: How to Retire Early

Retiring before age 59.5 or 65 adds extra costs to your retirement. Without planning for these increased expenses, your retirement plan may be at risk. For early retirees, how you access retirement savings and get health care will be very different than traditional retirees.
In this article for Discover, we were interviewed to provide advice for those looking to plan for a successful early retirement.

 

MoneyGeek: How to Maximize Your Social Security

For this article in MoneyGeek, we were asked: "What do you think is the single best way to maximize your Social Security benefits?"

 

MarketWatch: What is a financial adviser and how do they work with you?

What does a financial planner do exactly? In this interview with MarketWatch we give some examples specifically around short and long-term "tax planning" and how we work in conjunction with CPAs to help clients reduce their tax burden over the course of their retirement.

 

MoneyGeek: Best Life Insurance for Seniors

What types of life insurance are best as you age? In this interview with MoneyGeek, we help you determine the best types of insurance and the appropriate benefit amount needed.

 

CNET Money: Best CD Rates

When is a CD a good option for your savings? And when would an alternative, like a money market be better? We were interviewed for this article in CNET comparing CD rates today to alternatives, and discuss when each option makes the most sense.

 

MarketWatch: My accounts are down - How do I know if my financial advisor has picked bad investments?

How do you know if your account losing value is just due to a bad stock market, or because your financial advisor has made poor decisions? For this interview with MarketWatch we help show a few things to look at to benchmark your performance against other investors.

 

The Gazette: Health insurance options in early retirement

For this interview with The Gazette, we discussed 3 options that exist for health insurance if you retire before turning age 65 and being eligible for Medicare.
We also discuss how important financial planning is when retiring before age 65.

 

Real Simple: 5 Money Moves to Make 10 Years Before You Retire

We provided some tips for this article in Real Simple for those retiring soon. If you're 10 years away from retiring, take these key steps to make sure your finances are in check!

 

MarketWatch: Is it ok to have a "play money" investing account?

In this interview with MarketWatch, we discuss what to consider when working with a financial advisor, but also having an outside "play" investment account.

 

KCRG: Inflation and Retirement: What you need to know if you’re planning a retirement now

Retirees face unique challenges with inflation hits. In this interview with KCRG we gave a few tips to protect your finances from inflation in retirement.

 

The Wall Street Journal: Should Retirees Pay Off Their Mortgage or Invest the Money? It Depends on the Math

In this interview with The Wall Street Journal, we look at what to consider before eliminating your home loan during retirement. If you have a majority of your assets in a tax deferred retirement account such as an IRA or 401(k), large purchases in retirement can lead to large tax bills. In the article, we talk about one way retirees buying a home can avoid this tax pitfall that many retirees find themselves in.

 

MoneyTalk News: 8 Tips to Avoid Paying More for Medicare

We were cited as a source for this article in MoneyTalk News giving advice on how to avoid IRMAA, or the added surcharge on your monthly Medicare premiums.

 

KCRG: Federal Reserve Raising Interest Rates

The Federal Reserve is raising interest rates for the first time since 2018. In this interview we explain how this could impact consumers.

 

The Balance: How the Rich Use Roth IRAs Differently

Roth IRAs are one of the best retirement savings accounts for everyone. But they have certain features that very wealthy investors have used to their advantage. Here's how to make the most of your Roth IRA.

 

MoneyGeek: Finding The Best Life Insurance

We answer: Why is life insurance an important component to estate planning? What type of life insurance is best for estate planning? What special considerations should you take into account when choosing a type of life insurance?

 

KCRG: How Iowa's proposed tax changes impact households

A recent bill proposes changing Iowa's current income tax rates to a flat 4%. We were interviewed by KCRG to discuss what that means for Iowa households, and particularly retirees in Iowa.

 

CNN: Should you rent or buy a home? Ask yourself these 3 questions

Deciding whether to rent or buy a home can have you talking yourself into financial circles. Ultimately, the decision comes down to your financial fitness, how long you plan to live in the home and what your cash flow looks like. In this interview with CNN, we talk about 3 questions to ask yourself to make sure you’re ready.

 

The Wall Street Journal: Should You Consider Early Retirement in a Recession?

As the coronavirus pandemic stretches on, it is becoming more and more common for employers to offer severance, separation, or early retirement offers to their employees.

While the lump sum payment can be enticing, what else do you need to consider before accepting an offer? In this article in The Wall Street Journal, we were interviewed to provide a few tips on adjusting your financial plan when an offer is on the table.

 

KCRG: How Rising Interest Rates Impact Consumers

The Federal Reserve is set to begin raising interest rates again. We were recently interviewed by KCRG to describe what this means for consumers, savers, and investors? Story as it aired on KCRG can also be viewed here, beginning at 11:15: https://www.vuit.com/publishers/1/kcrg-tv-91-news/vod#vod:20161804

 

MoneyGeek: Becoming an Investor in Real Estate Rental Properties

When is the right time to start investing in real estate? And what advice do we have for new real estate investors? We were interviewed for this article on MoneyGeek to help answer these common questions

 

Kiplinger: Earn 3.54% With Series I Bonds

Update: As of November the interest rates on iBonds are now 7.12%! With interest rates on most savings accounts and certificates of deposit paying well under 1%, the (current) 3.54% composite rate on newly issued Series I savings bonds is hard to ignore. We were interviewed for this article on Kiplinger about how iBonds fit into your cash savings strategy and what to be aware of before buying.

 

Yahoo Finance: What Millennials Can Learn From Gen X’s Money Mistakes:

In this interview for an article published on Yahoo Finance, we discussed one thing that millennials may want to do differently than their parent’s generation when it comes to retirement savings.

 

The Sun: How much you'll lose by withdrawing from retirement accounts early

Americans lose out on billions of dollars every year due to early withdrawal penalties from their retirement accounts. In this interview with The Sun, we talk about what to do to avoid those fees, and one of the few times paying those fees actually makes sense. 

 

MoneyGeek: Planning for Retirement

For this interview with MoneyGeek, we answer: If an older adult was not able to save heavily before retirement, what’s the first tip you recommend for earning income in retirement?
How do you recommend an older adult calculates their life expectancy when financially planning for retirement?

 

Legal Zoom: How Stimulus Checks Complicate 2020 Tax Filing

As another potential stimulus bill is being drafted, it may be at your advantage (or disadvantage!) to file your income taxes right away. In this article we were interviewed to discuss a few scenarios when it might make sense to file your taxes as soon as possible this year, and when it might make more sense to wait as long as possible.

 

Yahoo Finance: Americans struggle to tap home equity amid coronavirus pandemic

We were recently interviewed for an article in Yahoo Finance about the impact that coronavirus is having on those trying to tap their home equity for cash.

The general lesson? If you are, or plan to be, dependent on debt to make ends meet you should be aware that at times you need it most, debt financing may not be there for you. Having an emergency fund in cash is immensely important to have in times like we are experiencing today.

 

KCRG: Advice on what to do with your stimulus check

We were recently interviewed by KCRG on the topic of stimulus checks that were sent out due to the CARES Act.

We give a few priorities to consider; emergency savings, paying off debt, and saving. We also discuss the best place to save your stimulus check for tax efficiency and long term growth.

 

Forbes: The Unexpected Dangers Of Paying Off Student Loans With Your 401(k) Savings

A new bill circulating Congress proposes to allow college graduates pay their student loans tax and penalty free from their 401(k) – Is this a good idea?

For this article in Forbes, we were interviewed on whether those paying student loans should take advantage of this potential offer.

 

PublicServiceDegrees.org: 529 Savings Plans: An Online Guide for College Students

We were interviewed for this guide for the Student Training and Education in Public Service Organization which takes a thorough look at 529 college savings accounts. The article covers everything from opening your account to claiming the tax deductions for contributions.

 

MoneyGeek: Finding Affordable Health Insurance Before Medicare

We answer: What are the pros and cons of buying health insurance plans with cheaper premiums?
If I’m not eligible for Medicaid or Medicare, what other options are there for cheap health insurance coverage?

 

GoBankingRates: What the Next Election Year Will Do To Your Finances

As the election looms, uncertainty reins. It is always a mistake to make drastic changes to your investment plan based on politics. However, there are things you can do today to help hedge against potential changes.

In this article, we are quoted talking about the potential benefits of performing Roth conversions with the potential of an increase in tax rates.

 

Redfin: Tips to Save for a House Down Payment

A house can be the largest purchase you make in your life. And coming up with the money for a down payment can be tough, whether you are just entering the workforce, or retired.

We are quoted in this article by Redfin on the best way for retirees to come up with a down payment, without causing a large tax bill.

 

Wex Heath: Here’s Why an HSA Might Make Sense

HSAs (Health Savings Accounts) are one of the best tax deferred savings accounts available. As health care costs continue to rise, HSAs are becoming a vital tool for successful retirement planning.

We are quoted in the article on the importance of using a HSA to sock away money, even if you don’t need it right away.

 


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