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• Sometimes Everything You Do Is an Accident Waiting to Happen

  By Scott Burns Q. My mother has recently retired, age 79. She is deeply concerned about what to do with her retirement savings. This would not be such a problem if I hadn't recently become severely disabled and unable to work, and had gone through... Posted Sep 17 2008, 03:00 PM by admin with | with no comments Filed under: Q&A (from print)

• Life, Death and Social Security Benefits

  By Scott Burns Q: I am 69 years of age. I have been receiving Social Security benefits for the past four years. My current monthly payment is $1,888 per month. If I give back my total benefits of $84,960, Social Security will increase my monthly payment... Posted Sep 10 2008, 03:00 PM by admin with | with 1 comment(s) Filed under: Q&A (from print), Social Security

• Taking Social Security Benefits Now vs. Later

  By Scott Burns Q. I'm 61 and will be eligible for Social Security benefits next year. From the numbers provided by the Social Security Administration, the difference between the age 62 payment and the full retirement (age 66) payment is about $595... Posted Sep 03 2008, 03:00 PM by admin with | with 1 comment(s) Filed under: Q&A (from print), Social Security

• You Can Be a Couch Potato Investor in the Federal Thrift Savings Plan

  By Scott Burns Q. I saw your advice to a Seattle reader who had lost some money in the government Thrift Savings Plan. I also have over $100,000 in the TSP. I have been investing conservatively for the last few months because the stock market has been... Posted Aug 27 2008, 03:00 PM by admin with | with no comments Filed under: Couch Potato Investing, Q&A (from print)

• Recognizing the Different Annuities

  By Scott Burns Q. I would like to know the difference between a variable annuity and a life annuity. A few years ago I invested $100,000 in a tax-deferred variable annuity. Later, I came to know there is a surrender charge for 7 years. Is a life annuity... Posted Aug 20 2008, 03:00 PM by admin with | with 1 comment(s) Filed under: Q&A (from print), Variable Annuity Watch

• Meet the Diabolical Tax, the Alternative Minimum Tax for the Retired

  By Scott Burns Q. What triggers taxation of Social Security benefits and what does not? Can the tax be avoided? ---L.M, by email A. The only proven way to avoid the tax is to have little or no income beyond Social Security benefits. I call this the Diabolical... Posted Aug 06 2008, 03:00 PM by admin with | with 1 comment(s) Filed under: Q&A (from print), Taxes & Other Disasters, Government

• Mortgages and Retirees Don’t Mix

  By Scott Burns Q. My parents are looking for a house in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. They are retired. They are trying to decide if they should pay cash for the house. They have close to $620,000 in savings (CDs, 401(k)s, IRA) and are looking for a $200... Posted Jul 23 2008, 03:00 PM by admin with | with no comments Filed under: Home Ownership & Mortgages, Q&A (from print), Retirement

• 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

• Your Broker is a Hammer, Don't be a Nail

  By Scott Burns Q: I like my broker, but she and I differ on what type of fund to be in. I prefer a low-expense fund. She says: Forget expenses if the 10-year returns bear more fruit. I have $400,000 to invest. I want to do the following: 35 percent in... Posted Jul 09 2008, 03:00 PM by admin with | with 1 comment(s) Filed under: Financial Planning, Q&A (from print), Retirement

• Inflation Protected Securities Should Trump Stable Value, Long Term

  By Scott Burns Q. Which would be safest and offer the best long-term results for my 401(k) --- a stable value fund or an inflation-protected bond fund? ---O.C., by email A. Go for the inflation-protected bond fund. Long term, it will provide you with... Posted Jul 02 2008, 03:00 PM by admin with | with no comments Filed under: Q&A (from print), Retirement

• Yes, You’re A Virtual Millionaire. But So Is Everyone Else.

  By Scott Burns Q. Can I be said to be a millionaire? I have cash-type assets of about $180,000. I have a 401(k) worth about $82,000. My paid-off home is worth about $175,000. I will also receive a defined-benefit pension. I could receive it (retire from... Posted Jun 25 2008, 03:00 PM by admin with | with 2 comment(s) Filed under: Q&A (from print), Small Change Millionaires

• Even at Low Yields, Fixed Income Is Essential for a Retirement Portfolio

  By Scott Burns Q. I have around $1.2 million, mostly in equities. My house is paid for. There will be around $300,000 in company profit sharing when I retire, and that has been my ace in the hole for the conservative portion of my investments. If I were... Posted Jun 18 2008, 03:00 PM by admin with | with 2 comment(s) Filed under: Q&A (from print), Retirement

• Investment Returns: It’s Always Relative

  By Scott Burns Q. My wife and I are nearing retirement, maximum two years away. In his recent letter to stockholders, Warren Buffett said that investment returns from 1901 to 1999 averaged 5.3 percent plus 2 percent additional for dividends. He described... Posted Jun 11 2008, 03:00 PM by admin with | with no comments Filed under: Q&A (from print)

• Death, Taxes and Required Minimum Distributions

  By Scott Burns Q. When I started taking required minimum distributions from my IRAs, I used a withdrawal formula based on dividing the value of my IRA by 27.4. I understood that this value would have to be withdrawn annually until the IRA was depleted... Posted Jun 04 2008, 03:00 PM by admin with | with no comments Filed under: Q&A (from print), Taxes & Other Disasters

• Immediate Annuities Can Be a Useful Tool

  By Scott Burns Q. I wonder if single-premium immediate annuities (SPIAs) are for me. I am 75. My wife is 73. We have no debt, $850,000 in IRAs (mostly in the American Fund family) and $150,000 in a ROTH, again with American. We also have $150,000 in CDs... Posted May 14 2008, 03:00 PM by admin with | with 6 comment(s) Filed under: Q&A (from print), Variable Annuity Watch