Required minimum distributions (RMDs) are amounts you must take from qualified retirement plans and IRAs in order to avoid a 50% penalty on insufficient withdrawals. Five things to know:If you tu...

If you have amassed retirement benefits through an employer plan, learn your options on how to take them when you retire. Your decisions regarding benefits will turn not only on your choices but what ...

How much income tax, if any, you pay on Social Security benefits depends on your income, tax-exempt interest, and the amount of your benefits. Benefits may be entirely tax free or you may have to incl...

For many people, savings built up in 401(k) plans and IRAs represent a substantial asset, perhaps their single largest one. Funds in these accounts are designed to ensure a financially secure retireme...

Buying securities isn't a one-time action. You should continually monitor what's happening with your investments, both in personal (taxable) accounts and tax-deferred accounts (such as 401(k)s and IRA...

You may have heard the term credit shelter trusts but have no idea what this means. Simply put, it's a way for married couples to transfer their assets without wasting the estate tax exemption to whic...

The answer to this important question matters because a real estate professional may be able to deduct losses from real estate activities, such as rental properties, while a non-real estate profession...

Your home may be your single largest asset. However, this asset, as grand as it may be, is highly illiquid — you can't easily use it as a source of income. There are certain strategies that can ...

The stock market fluctuates, sometimes in dramatic swings, which can change the value of a 401(k) account considerably. One day you feel rich, the next day poor. Either way, it is still a good idea to...

When you inherit an IRA, there are no restrictions on taking out the money immediately. You can withdraw all of the funds at once. There is no "early distribution penalty," even if you (and/or the per...

The tax law creates incentives to encourage retirement savings. These incentives only go so far-at a certain point you're required in most cases to start taking money out of the plan so you'll begin t...

Some seniors face a cash crunch even though they're sitting on considerable equity in their home. They don't want to take out a new mortgage because they may not be able to make the monthly payments. ...

If you converted a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA in 2010, you were not alone. Many taxpayers took advantage of law changes to convert their IRAs and start to build up tax-free income. For example, Fid...

Half of 2011 is behind you now, so take this opportunity to assess where you stand and to take advantage of moves to be made before the end of the year that will save you taxes. The moves you make dep...

When you retire, many factors come into play in deciding whether to stay where you are or relocate to another place. Weigh them all carefully before making any final decision. Personal factors Financi...

If you work for an educational institution or a nonprofit organization, you may be able to save for retirement through a 403(b) plan. This tax-deferred retirement savings plan is similar to a 401(k) p...

Employees (essentially public-sector employees) who work for state or local governments or non-church-controlled tax-exempt organizations may be eligible to participate in a special retirement savings...

When it comes to personal finance, reducing your goals into numbers, such as how much to save each month, and writing down these goals are the first step to achieving your objectives. Here are some gu...

How much money will you need to sustain you throughout your retirement years? It's impossible to arrive at a fixed number because there are so many variables-how long you'll live, where you'll live, a...

Americans are notoriously poor savers. According to data from the U.S. Commerce Department, the savings rate in May 2007 was a negative 1.4% — no savings at all! It's no wonder, given the high c...