Browse by Categories

• Home Ownership & Mortgages
• Income Investing

• Steps for Getting a Guaranteed Lifetime Income

  By Scott Burns Q. I am 73 and have investigated buying back the Social Security benefits I took at age 62. The buyback number is $158,529. My current monthly benefit is $1,231. A total buyback would give me a new monthly benefit of $2,019. This is a difference... Posted Jul 16 2008, 03:00 PM by admin with | with no comments Filed under: Q&A (from print), Retirement, Social Security

• Why We’re All Confused about “Safe” Withdrawal Rates

  By Scott Burns Q. You confused me recently in a column about safe rates of withdrawal. I am 68 years old and 80 percent invested in CDs. My CDs are currently paying between 5 percent and 5.5 percent. If I withdraw only 4 percent or 5 percent from my investments... Posted Oct 10 2007, 03:30 PM by scottb with | with 2 comment(s) Filed under: Q&A (from print), Retirement, Social Security

• Escaping the Social Security Tax Gantlet

  Q. I read with interest your article on annuities and Social Security taxation. It brought up questions that have been bothering me. How does one determine whether a life annuity will protect Social Security income from taxation? Are all life annuities... Posted Sep 02 2004, 03:31 PM by scottb with | with 1 comment(s) Filed under: Q&A (from print), Retirement, Social Security

• Welcome to the world of small 401(k) plans

  Q. I am currently employed by a company offering a Simple IRA. They match the first 3%. This is great, but the only fund company they are offering is John Hancock Funds, with class A, B, or C shares, and horrendous yearly expenses. Should I invest anyway... Posted Dec 31 2003, 11:59 AM by scottb with | with no comments Filed under: Income Investing, Q&A (from print), Retirement, Social Security

• The Emerging Majority: Confused and Stressed Out

  Q. I am thoroughly confused. Sick of work (doing what I am now). Self-employed (have always been). I'm also sixty years old and married to same---only 62. We are both professionals--- interior designer and lawyer--- with five degrees between us. I have... Posted Sep 26 2002, 03:06 PM by scottb with | with no comments Filed under: Q&A (from print), Retirement, Social Security

• Reduce Worry: Check Your Future Social Security Benefits

  Q. I have a car loan of about $11,000 with $116 payments taken out of my check twice monthly. I also put $120 into a 401k plan each pay period and another $60 into savings to cover the cost of my insurance. I'm single, 60, and earn $12.50 an hour working... Posted Jan 11 2002, 12:12 PM by scottb with | with no comments Filed under: Home Ownership & Mortgages, Q&A (from print), Retirement, Social Security

• Some People Need To Save In Retirement

  Q. Most questions in your column relate to people who have an investment portfolio for retirement income. When it comes to long range planning you suggest a percentage of the portfolio that can be withdrawn each year. My situation is different. As a county... Posted Jan 03 2002, 12:34 PM by scottb with | with no comments Filed under: Home Ownership & Mortgages, Q&A (from print), Retirement, Social Security

• Life Annuities Can Be Valuable for Retirement Income

  Q. I am planning to use about 1/3 of my liquid assets (401K and IRA funds) to purchase a lifetime annuity (20 years certain) for my wife and I. My age is 62 and my wife is 56 and I have three small pensions, which will cease at my death and Social Security... Posted Aug 24 2000, 08:55 AM by scottb with | with no comments Filed under: Q&A (from print), Retirement, Social Security

• Tax Mis-information Can Be Dangerous

  Q. My husband and I are in our early 60s and retired. We recently attended a seminar that exposed us to IRS 72(e) which would allow us to shelter all interest income, including our IRA's, from Social Security taxes until we draw out the monies. It also... Posted Aug 17 2000, 11:34 AM by scottb with | with no comments Filed under: Q&A (from print), Retirement, Social Security